Nora's Ongoing Excellent Adventure: Back into the Vancouver groove.....

Return to Vancouver would not be complete without dim sum, with the usual cast of characters...

....that would be Sheila, Joyce, and, of course, yours truly....

We really do have a good time, and love Fisherman's Terrace, but have decided to try a new place next time.

On Tuesday, friend Ray came to visit from Boston, We worked it out - it was 2004 when he was here last, although we talk on the phone every other week, and I did make it to Boston once in that 11 years. It was great to see him in any event, and I was happy to indulge him in his request to eat Chinese food all four nights of his visit. Friend Joyce (see above) recommended a new (to me)) restaurant called Shanghai River. Well, my friends, we liked it so well after we tried it on Tuesday night that we vowed to return again. It is a huge restaurant, but when we got there (8:30 - late for me) it was packed. They found us a table anyway, even though we were the only round-eyes in the place, and seemed reasonably able to accommodate us in English (not a given in Chinese restaurants in Richmond) and gave us exquisite service as well as exquisite food (be sure to try the spare ribs in vinegar - they are addictive!). We will definitely come back.

As usual when friends visit from out of town, you get to do things you might not otherwise do. For example, they have built a fancy schmanzy gondola in Squamish which I would never have gone to on my own.....

.....look at that view of Howe Sound....

.....and even a bar at the top.....

Less important but also nice, a suspension bridge.....

.....not to mention the glorious drive, on a glorious spring day. Topped, of course, by another dinner at Shanghai River (did I mention they have parking? That's also not a given in Richmond, or in Vancouver for that matter). A perfect day.

So what does one do to top that? Well, on Thursday, we walked around Stanley Park, joined by friend John who lives in the West End and loves the walk as well...

.....there are my two handsome friends, John and Ray...

Ray says it is the most beautiful urban walk in the world. I don't know about that, but it certainly is beautiful, although at 10k, it is not one to be undertaken lightly (we ultimately had to take a short cut out of Stanley Park - it was my fault and I accept full responsibility)..

John wasn't adverse to Chinese food for dinner but didn't want to come all the way to Richmond, so we "settled" for the Pink Pearl, a restaurant that has been here forever, but I've only ever been for dim sum. Their dinners are good too, but seemed a little bland after the Shanghai River fare. Still, three thumbs up.

For our last hike on Friday, we stayed closer to home, walking around Garry point and up the dike a ways. Ray loved it all, and you do see it with new eyes when hiking with someone new.

We were going to go back to Shanghai River for dinner, but in spite of having taken the precaution of making a reservation, we got there to find it was going to be a 40 minute wait. Neither Ray nor I will wait that long for a meal, so we went off to nearby Kirin. You might recognize the name - I have been to the Kirin downtown on numerous occasions, although, again, always for dim sum, which was great. Their dinner was excellent as well.

Ray took off on Saturday morning (9:30 - early for him!) and I was on my own again. Usually, I am happy to see the back of a guest, no mater how much I love him, but Ray was an easy guest, and we never seem to run out of things to talk about. I hope it is not another 11 years til I see him back here again. (I would be 80 years old - what a concept!)

Anyway, I wasn't alone for long. Friend Deb came over later on Saturday for a walk and some Japanese (for a change!) at my local favourite, Yokahama....