Today, we went into Vancouver. Last year, I went in my own to visit with Scott (and ride in his time machine). This year, it was all of us to hang out with Jen.
I wasn’t too keen on trying to drive into Vancouver. At this time of year, it’s high traffic, high stress. So I suggested we try transit this time. Ideally, it would have been West Coast Express, but the last train is before 8am in the morning, and I’m sure my family would have been none too impressed with me if I’d fought for that.
Instead, we drove to Coquitlam Centre to take the Green Line, one of the Skytrain lines. It seemed like a good idea at the time, I’ll admit, but in hindsight, I have some misgivings…
First, the cost. This will always be the biggest issue with getting people to use transit over their own personal vehicles. You want to get people out of their cars? You need to get the cost down. (You also need to improve the convenience, which is just as important.)
Second is the noise. I rode Skytrain for over a year when I lived in Burnaby. I know the sound. What I heard on the Green Line is a huge issue; 90 dB is officially too loud, which will cause hearing loss. We might have been unlucky to have two loud trains, but it feels like it’s an ongoing problem, which is especially odd as the Green Line is quite new.
We swapped lines at Commercial, switching to the Expo line, which took is the one stop to Science World, where we headed down to the Seabus for our trip to Granville Island, where we would meet Jen.
I love taking Seabus. It’s not cheap, but it is pleasant to be on False Creek on a sunny day. (Heck, it’s pleasant on a cold, rainy day, too.)
Granville Island was, to no surprise, busy. We were met with the Langley Ukelele Ensemble which did an amazing job with ABBA. Definitely worth a listen, if you get a chance.
Jen arrived as we were in the process of arranging lunch. We all had fish of some kind – four of us had sushi, Alex had a tuna salad wrap. Then Alex went geocaching while the rest of us wandered about, watched buskers, went into shops, and had ice cream. We met back up in the Children’s Market, which the girls squealed at the happy memories of their youth.
Then we headed back to the Seabus dock and boarded a larger ferry for a trip across to Hornby Street and began our long, hot trek up to Robson. It was well into the 30s in downtown Vancouver with nary a breeze to be had. We hid in the shade most of the way, but Choo Choo suffered as she had worn pants as she misunderstood what “it will be cooler” today really meant.
Our destination was the new Instagram-focused Hello Kitty Cafe on Robson, between Bute and Jervis. Unless you’re an influencer, it’s expensive, the quality is poor, and there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of you getting any of the merchandise.
Unimpressed and still hot and thirsty, we adjourned to a pub on the corner. Jen and I shared a pitcher of beer, Monkey had orange juice, and Alex and Choo Choo drank water.
Then we headed to the Burrard Skytrain station and bade goodbye to Jen (she was aiming for a bus) and began our long trek back to Coquitlam. But at least we had seats the whole way, even having to change trains.
It was 31C when we got back to Coquitlam, at least according to our car. And it was uncomfortable. It was a relief getting back to Ruskin and the trees. It was already several degrees cooler as we pulled in. Glad to have gone downtown, we were just as glad to be back.
