With sadness, we open our eyes on our final full day in Canada. Tomorrow, we head home, with a camera full of photos, bags full of washing and heads full of memories.
But we still have today.
Today we experienced what could be our quickest ferry ride ever. A short hop to Granville Island Vancouver.
We get the ferry at the bottom of Granville Street. As we stand waiting for the ferry to reach our side of the river we can’t help but notice the support of a small pier next to us.
Clinging to the legs of the pier are what look like muscles. Hundreds of them all snuggled together looking like they are clinging on for dear life.
Arriving on Granville Island Vancouver
The ferry arrives on Granville Island Vancouver, and we embark and take the short trip alongside Granville Bridge. To Granville Island to visit Granville Market!
Granville Island isn’t actually an island, a bit like the Isle of Dogs. Very much attached to Vancouver, the ferry ride takes a few minutes and affords us the luxury of a short journey.
As we get off the ferry, we wander towards the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. Before we get there though, we stop.
Outside the entrance to the market are two ladies. Nothing unusual about that you think, but these ladies are not alone.
One accompanied by a Hawk the other a Falcon. Their eyes (the birds, not the ladies) darting around. Targeting the slightest quick movement or loud sound.
Curiosity gets the better of us, and we have to ask why. To educate those that wanted to learn, but also to keep the Seagulls away. We consider ourselves educated.
Outside were tables and seats. The seagulls we discover, are getting more aggressive in trying to coax food away from those eating.
Turns out Seagulls are more afraid of Birds of Prey than they are of humans. And rightly so, for these feathered defenders had piercing eyes and razor-sharp beaks. If I were a seagull I would steer well clear too!
Inside the Market on Granville Island Vancouver
We venture inside the Market. The risk of attack from an angry bird subsides, although replaced with another attack.
Our senses get immediately accosted. Sights, sounds, smells, and the hustle and bustle of a multitude of stalls.
Samples of Pizza are on offer, there is ice cream to taste. The smells battle it out. Indian Food, Chinese, then my nostrils get invaded with a whiff of the nearby soup stall. I am drawn over to The Stock Market but resist the urge, despite the clever name for a soup seller.
Around the corner, we stumble across fruit sellers. The stall holders buried in a sea of their own produce.
We walk through an opening. The food smells subside, beaten back by the wonderful smell of fresh flowers.
The workers are beavering away non stop, restocking the goods that are being snapped up.
Something caught Suzanne’s eye. Was it a bowl of $4 chips? Could it have been an $8.50 main course of something from the Gourmet Wok?
No, it was the $60/lb crab meet. The sellers admitted it wasn’t cheap.
“Very Expensive due to Short Supply and Strong Export demand.” – their handwritten disclaimer declared.
“Let’s get some. I bet it will be really tasty” Suzanne declared
We ordered 100g and parted with $13. We ventured back outside, to sample the overpriced crab meat.
Overlooking Vancouver, we settled down safe in the knowledge our new predator friends were around to ward off the seagulls.
Musical Entertainment on Granville Island
Ten minutes later, the empty pot sits next to us. I guess this is a testament to its quality. Although I am sure Suzanne has left empty pots of cheaper crustacean meat.
Having had our fill of the inside of the market, we now set about exploring the outside. While nowhere near as saturated, there are still a few shops and stalls to explore.
Our curiosity peaked when pipe music filled the air. Very much like the smells inside, we get drawn over. We spend the next 20 minutes or so relaxing. Taking in the sounds of popular songs, albeit with a pipe twist.
It is approaching time to leave Granville Island, so we hop on the ferry to head back across the inlet of False Creek.
A short walk and we are back to the hotel for tea, before the journey home tomorrow.
