The Pizza District

Vancouver is by far the most interesting of the three cities on this tour.  It's got the grit and funkyness of the East Village, a little bit of San Francisco,  some Seattle, and even a Gas Lamp district reminiscent of San Diego. On the bus, just after we crossed the border, the surrounding area was very neat and tidy and clean, which is what I was expecting from Canada.  But Vancouver itself is as gritty as any big American city.  Lots of great alleyways, old walls and graffiti. And to prove it, the first thing I see on the local news when I turn on my Canadian television is a story about a decades old wall that was just uncovered when they tore down the building next to it.  They are calling it the ghost wall.  First thing on my list.

This morning, after the obligatory Starbucks, I to head down Granville street to photograph the ghost wall. It's raining.  After shooting the wall, I keep heading down Granville, it's very hippie, funky.  Before long I'm walking up the Granville bridge with some great views of the city and inlets. 

Holding and focusing a camera and an umbrella with freezing hands is not as much fun as it sounds, so I duck into another Starbucks and find a cozy spot with a great view of the corner.  It starts to snow!, big heavy flakes.  It's not cold enough for it to stick, so the ground is just wet, but it's still cool to see.  I enjoy the walk back to towards the hotel so I can thaw out for a bit.

I seem to be staying in the old book store and pizza district.  There are three really old bookstores within a stones throw.  You know those old book stores where everything is in stacks and it's looks like the dust was there before the books.  Can't wait to look trough them.  Also, within a two block radius there has to be twenty pizza places.  As I get to the hotel I grab a slice of pepperoni and mushroom, it's fantastic pizza. So I guess it's a little bit Chicago as well.