Farewell to the flame...Vancouver the Host, and the Hostess is Home.

Sunday we stopped by to view the Olympic flame before it was extinguished.

We did park the Volvo here...no signs of any traffic wardens so we took our cameras and ran!

The Olympic party is over now and Vancouver is ready for more visitors.

Hotels are plentiful and affordable, there is something for everyone's budget....the YMCA rents rooms!

City of great scenery, fresh air, fabulous places to dine, shopping and the arts.

Coffee shops and cafes pepper the streets.

The Art Gallery on Robson is conveniently located downtown and they have great displays and a gift shop. Their cafeteria is surprisingly good too.

These scenes are in the vicinity of the new Vancouver Convention Centre.

The area is located at the waterfront and is very picturesque.

There were clouds in the sky and the threat of rain when we were walking around. On a sunny day the views to the north shore are spectacular.

Vancouver is a very green city, set amid snow capped mountains beside the Pacific Ocean. People have commented that it is very like Hong Kong in it's setting.

Vancouver has lots to offer the tourist.

Downtown is accessable by foot, there are trolleys that tour and cabs are easy to hail.

In the centre of this image the floating barge with the Olympic rings is visible.
The rings were lit in the traditional Olympic colours, and when Canada won a medal they would be  GOLD!

My favorite things to do are walk and shop Robson Street, South Granville, Granville Island, Holt Renfrew, Hermes, Tiffany's and Meinharts.

Sitting at Starbucks on Robson, or any outdoor cafe is a wonderful place to people watch...it is fashion on parade.

Places I like to explore;

Stanley Park

Kitsilano

Kerrisdale

Dunderave

Shaughnessy

UBC Endownment Lands

Restaurants on my fave list;

Vij's

Cioppino's

Cin Cin

Dunderave Fish Market

I am planning to be a tourist in my own hometown for a while and reconnect with our local merchants and explore our beautiful parks. 

I'll be cooking at home more, "the party" is over for awhile here in the Humble Bungalow and it's back to reality for the Hostess.

Routine and work are what I need for now, and that's a "Good Thing" as Martha Stewart would say, because it is what is on my agenda for the foreseeable future!