Rapid Changes in Our City

Today, Jay and I stopped at our fruit and vegetable shop, the bank, and Walmart in the uptown mall.  However, I think I'll add a photo taken yesterday.

 

I walked near the apartment we rented when we arrived in the area in 1996.  To the right of this picture, there are three smaller towers.  We had a one-bedroom apartment in the building near the end of the crane's cables.  

 

At the time, there were absolutely no other towers in that end of downtown New Westminster, BC.  Our apartment #901 was in the south-west corner of the building.  So, we saw great, unimpeded views of the original SkyTrain Station, Fraser River, and Douglas college.  It must have no open views now.  There will be less to see when the present construction work gets built.

Some areas don't change a lot in 28 years.  However, I can say we picked a place that'd grow greatly.  The new crane will be part of several new residential towers.  In the strip-type mall on the other side of those former towers, the whole end of the city is slated for re-development.

Don't Blame It on the Rain

We knew it was a rainy day coming up.  Today, we saw the continuation of our season's first atmospheric river.  These weather systems line up over the Pacific during winters and, like the end of a hose, dump tons of rain on our coast.  October seems early but 90 to 150 mm of rain is expected in much of the area with totals of over 180 mm near the mountains and in localized regions.

So, today's rain wasn't an unexpected visitor.  It was the final day of voting in the British Columbia Provincial Elections.  We didn't vote early thinking it'd be easier to wait for the real day and walk to the closest polling station that is only a couple of blocks from our buildings.  Yet, after seeing the rain on the balcony, we reckoned we might get less wet if we were to drive.  Exactly for the time it took us, which was only a few minutes, the rain let up and the warm wind from the tropics lessened.

There were other errands to do.  We'd made reservations to have our seasonal flu shots at a downtown New Westminster pharmacy.  As we're over 65, we got invitations via the provincial health portal.  Ordinarily we would've walked but the SkyTrain promised to offer shelter and we didn't need to go outdoors at all.

It took a few minutes longer than normal as the SkyTrain in the opposite direction was temporarily suspended.  The wind was very strong and as caution, busses were taking people across the river.  The SkyTrain bridge is very exposed to the winds coming up the Fraser River and pelting our city.  We had to wait a short while to get to the platform but there was little delay.  Jay was scheduled for 1:00 pm and mine was at 1:05.  We were done by 1:06 but needed to stay in the store for ten minutes to ensure we had no adverse reaction.

So although the storm was quite strong, it didn't affect our day much.  It has let up a bit but this won't be over until tomorrow or Monday.

The Season's First Atmospheric River

It is 

now

on its 

way!

Batten

down

the 

hatches

and

review

all winter

escape 

plans.

Variety is Awesome

We have a favourite shop where we buy fruit and vegetables. For years, perhaps decades, we've been visiting the Langley Farm Market on Kingsway. They get a great selection of local produce in season.

   

In a small space, they cram a whole lot of food products too, including an extensive meat selection and deli. The products on the shelves are generally specialties and they contain new products nearly every time we go. Today, these small French jams looked interesting. I didn't buy any to sample. 

We're very lucky to have extensive grocery opportunities in the Metro-Vancouver area. We're able to buy products from a vast number of our local ethnic communities. The population of the area ensures we get access to items from around the world.

Queen's Park Neighborhood in New Westminster

I have begun exercising again by walking uptown on a regular basis.  I enjoy my various routes and find seeing real streets preferable to the inside of a gym.  I enjoy saying, "Good morning," to other folks out for a walk and seeing the children and pets accompanying them.

The arrow on the image from Google Earth shows the building in which we live.  This is in the area called downtown New Westminster.  The front door of our apartment building is at an elevation of about 120 ft about the river.   

The circle on the image is the Queen's Park neighborhood and is referred to as uptown.  This area is a primary location I walk for exercise.  Much of the land in the red circle is between 250 and 350 feet above the river.  So, a stroll through sought-after homes on the heritage streets is quite a physical workout for me.  There are many historic houses from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  It also boasts a lot of mature green spaces.  Queen's Park, itself, is 75-acres and to the right-side of the red circle.

Today, I walked up Third Street and returned primarily via Fourth Street.  I generally like to take a walk of one hour.  I was quick today and I had to add a bit of extra walking near our building on Carnarvon Street.  The whole trip took me 56 minutes.  I walked a little over four kilometers and burned 575 calories.

Here are a six randomly-selected houses that I passed along my way today.

Switching from Blue to Orange

These are cards for the transit system in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. They can be used on all regional buses, the entire SkyTrain system, and our Seabus (passenger ferry) that runs from downtown Vancouver to North Vancouver. The blue one was my former card and was used from the time the tap-in system was implemented in 2015. However, I got the new orange one today. It allows for concession fares.

   

Carrying the newer plastic in my pocket marks a small milestone. The orange cards are only available to youth aged 13 to 18 and for those over 65. I proudly admit I have made it into the latter category last month.

Looking from the Balcony at 8:11 PM

 

We are away during months with the most local rain. Even though we go during winters, it still feels amazing when July comes to this area. Eventually a large, high-pressure system forms and we have days and days of blue sky. 

It's been like this since July started. However, as house guests arrive tomorrow evening, we'll see whether or not it continues. LOL I'm hoping the rest of the month stays as nice.

A Drive to Newton in Surrey, BC

 

We saw no bears in Bear Creek Park but we did spy the creek.  it was nice to walk around the gardens on a beautiful day in Newton today.

 

 

Generally when we're in search of a little walk on that side of the Fraser, we stop at Green Timbers Urban Forest Park. Yet just beyond was today's stop. Apparently the small kiddie train opened for the season on Mother's Day.

 

We seldom have need to visit the Newton area, but Jay noticed that a little store carrying Sri Lankan food products had moved from its former location nearer to the Surrey end of the SkyTrain.  It was a nice day for a little drive.  That area is growing so quickly.  A few years ago the almost rural roads are now home to residential streets and even a multitude of high-rise buildings.  

We found the new location of the Colombo Store. Jay only bought a couple of things today.  It does seem as though everything had markedly higher prices than previously. The shop is not terribly far from the Newton Bus Exchange and fairly close to a Costco.  We no longer bother with membership at it anymore anyway.  It took around 25 minutes to return home on a pleasant, cloudless day.

Day 4 - Prince Rupert, British Columbia

 

It was over 20 years since Jay and I were in Prince Rupert, BC.  In the early 2000s, we arrived here on a BC Ferry with our truck.  We drove home to New Westminster over a number of days.  For if goes straight, without any side trips, it takes a long time.  During out last visit, we spent time visiting many places such as Stewart, Kitimat, and Prince George, British Columbia.  If one takes an entirely overland route, returning to the Lower Mainland from this Northern BC city is around 1500 kilometers.

 

 

One reason we chose to take this quick, pre-season cruise was this stop here today.  The cruise port here is due to host fewer than 25 ships this summer seaeon.

 

 

Northern cities in this province have boom and bust cycles of development.  Now, the forest industry is down as is fishing.  Prince Rupert has the lifeline of a new cargo port terminal.  This city is connected by rail to the rest of North America.  Other advantages of the port are mentioned in this article. 

We enjoyed our day here by just walking around the city and remembering just how very expansive our province is.  We may never get another chance to spend time in Prince Rupert.

A Hotel that Travels

I like how cruise ships stop in the center of downtown Vancouver. The location of the cruise terminal is at Canada Place right on the Waterfront. In the past, Vancouver had the prime departure location for the summer Alaskan cruise season. Now ships are larger and faster and Seattle is a growing departure point for Americans. Even with that fact, Vancouver is expecting a record number of cruise ship visits in 2024. Cruise Industry News had a report that states,

"The Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver will welcome a total of 329 cruise ships between March 11 and October 29, 2024. This could translate to a record 1.27 million passengers traveling through the Canada Place cruise terminal in 2024, about 2 percent more than last year."

Many ships are converging on Vancouver now and for the next several weeks. This means we have a plethora of options as local residents. As mentioned in yesterday's post, my sister and a friend will be visiting in July so that we can take a 7-day roundtrip journey during the week of my birthday in late July.

   

However, well before those plans were made, Jay and I picked up a really cheap trip for just five nights. The Holland America Lines keep a number of ships in the area for AK cruises. The ms Noordam is one of them. It will arrive tomorrow from New Zealand but start its regular AK season from Sunday. It must 'waste a bit of time'. So, they created a unique itinerary that only includes Ketchikan, Alaska and Prince Rupert, BC Canada. Many of the remaining remaining hours will be spent going and coming through the wonderful 'Inside Passage' between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. 

We can never get enough of seeing this area from the water. It's our backyard but there is little to no road access to the vast majority of it.  We purchased this 5-night cruise deal for about the cost of ordinary motels and road-trip fast food. We're always awestruck and enamored with the views and service on these amazing floating hotels and will be leaving with another 1900 guests on the ms Noordam tomorrow at 3:00 pm. We return on the 5th of next month.

Our Street in New Westminster

There are locations where one can return after a few decades and find everything pretty much the same.  That doesn't describe our city.  We have lived in town for 28 years.  We purchased our present apartment and have now used it as our base for 26.  

This is looking west on Carnarvon Street.  The only other highrises at the time was ours (behind me) and the one farthest away.  Lots of new residential housing has come to downtown New West over the last few dozen years.

The First Few Days of Next Month

We got an email from our Expedia cruise consultant today. Eilene works in town but the office is now in Queensborough, rather than uptown New Westminster. She was writing to ask whether we'd want to pay to upgrade cabins. We often travel in an inside room. They are dark for sleeping and usually quite a bit cheaper. When on a cruise, a passenger has the whole run of the ship.  There are few advantages to having a portal or balcony, especially on cold-climate journeys. 

I'd nearly forgotten we had picked up a good deal on a pre-season, 5-night Holland America cruise. It leaves on the last day of this month from downtown Vancouver. I told Eilene that we wouldn't need an upgrade now.  However, I mentioned that I do want to be informed about upgrades on a reserved 7-day Alaskan cruise coming up in July. That's the one on which my sister and her friend will join us.

A year ago, Jay and I took a five-night cruise to Astoria, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Victoria, British Columbia. It was fun.

Our upcoming itinerary is much different with port stops in Ketchikan, Alaska and Prince Rupert, British Columbia. There is a lot of ship traffic up and down the Inside Passage as many cruise ship companies offer cruises to Alaska. However, a stop in Prince Rupert is rare for passenger cruises, so rare we only heard of it one other time.

   

We definitely want to go take a look at the city of Prince Rupert again. Our province of British Columbia is huge and we've only been to that northern port city once. It is the largest city next to the Alaskan panhandle.

In 2003, we took the first picture aboard a BC Ferry, the MV Queen of the North. We had the old pickup truck aboard and drove more than the 1700 kms back from Prince Rupert on Highway 16 to Prince George and then home to New Westminster. We took a few detours along the way.

The MV Queen of the North used to run the Inside Passage but she ran aground and sank in March of 2006.  Interestingly, when we step off the MS Noordam, it will have been 21 years since we visited Prince Rupert.

 

A Day Trip on the Sea-to-Sky Highway

Earlier in the week, when it was rainy and grey, the weather forecasts showed a good Thursday and Friday. I jumped on the chance with the idea we could take a day outing to the Sea-to-Sky Gondola. We'd never been up the recreational tramway, although it first opened eight or nine years ago.

Route 99 in BC, is nicknamed the Sea to Sky Highway.  It is the only road running north from Vancouver.  Our destination was halfway along to Whistler.  Those mountain ski areas were used for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

We just went to Squamish, the exact end of the Howe Sound.  The photos above were little stops along the way.  All the remaining photos are from our trip up the gondola and little hikes before and after lunch at the Peak Lodge.

We left at 9:20 this morning and didn't get back to New Westminster until 4:20 in the afternoon.  The weather was fantastic and the scenery was so beautiful.   The only negative point was the horrendous traffic.   It should only take us about an hour to come back but we hit rush hour and it took two!

However, it felt great being a local tourist.  We really enjoyed today's outing.