Monday morning 13 May was sunny and I could see the port of Vancouver out my window on the NCL Jewel. I had breakfast and returned to the cabin. I finished my packing and exitied the ship. We all quickly and efficiently cleared customs and immigration. Achieving the street, I got out my phone for Google Maps and began the 45-minute walk to Pacific Central Station.
Following a stair or zigzag pattern, I managed to avoid the more seedy section of Vancouver as I headed to catch my bus that would take me to Victoria. A mostly flat route, I did get to the park across from the station and rested in the shade for a bit. (I did accidentally forget my phone on that bench, but it was still there 10 minutes later, thank goodness!) Never knowing how long debarkation and the transit would take, I’d booked the early afternoon transfer to the provincial capital, so I had an hour plus to wait.
About one o’clock, half an hour before departure, the queue was moved from inside the terminal to the quay where the bus was parked. Our driver began processing us, taking our luggage to store underneath, and excusing those like me who had not included their roller bags into the baggage counts. A light complement of passengers, we were off on time. The bus stopped at the airport to pick up a few more, and then on to the ferry terminal. When the ferry was ready to receive vehicles, the bus loaded first, in front, and the 20 or so passengers were directed to offload and climb a couple of decks to the two levels where seating and conveniences were located. I started on deck 5 in the lounge, but decided I wanted to be outside. After a circumnavigation of the lower deck, I ascended another level and headed forward, armed with the Nikon.
The ferry made a few small, quick stops as we traversed through the Southern Gulf Islands before we reached our final port at Sidney. Wall time was about 3 hours, and we had all returned and boarded the bus. We made four stops along BC 17 before the final stop at the depot in downtown Victoria. My lodgings, the James Bay Inn, were a brief stroll alongside the parliamentary building up a very slight incline. About a dozen stone steps brought me into the lobby, and two trips with luggage. When the front desk staff brought the heavier bag up into the room, he found that it hadn’t been cleaned. (Apparently the prior guests had left the Do not disturb sign out, and housekeeping had bypassed the room.) I pulled a change of clothing out and left the bag in the room (no way I was hauling that fifty-pound bag around) and I was moved into the adjoining building where I had a lovely suite. Sitting room, small kitchen, foyer and a bedroom, it would be mine for about 15 hours. No lifts there either, so I was glad to just have my smaller roller.
The Inn had a bar and restaurant on the ground level, and I wasn’t ready to explore yet. So I took the easy way, and headed in. Seated at a small table with my back to the window, I got a dark amber to accompany the quesadilla con pollo, and the fish and chips, with the fish being halibut, the requested French fries extra crispy, and decent cole slaw as a side. The menu really didn’t raise any excitement, the food was okay. At least the waiter Alex made me feel welcome.
Back to the suite, and I tried to find an available plug to charge the phone (eventually using one in the kitchen) and then, because the bedroom was too cool, one for the small space heater. Nothing available in the bedroom, as even one of the side table lamps was unplugged. I slept poorly, with muscle cramps in both legs (first time that happened), despite hydrating heavily before bed.
Tuesday morning I was awake and up before the 7:30 alarm. Once ready to leave, I brought the small roller to the front desk and headed out to the sidewalk to wait on Darwin, my ToursByLocals.com driver guide. He was prompt at 8am, and we were soon off on a tour to see some of the lower quarter of Vancouver Island. Our rough itinerary had been squared away by email in early March, so I’ll quote it here:
We will see Goldstream Park briefly, then stop at the Malahat View Points, do a short waterfront drive in Mill Bay before stopping in Cowichan Bay for photo opportunities. Then off to Chemainus, and we will circle back to Lake Cowichan before venturing off to the back country to Port Renfrew. We will stop at some great photo stops along the way. We can grab a quick coffee or snack to tie us over for the back country journey to Port Renfrew. Since we are not doing any hiking at Port Renfrew, that will give us time for Chemainus first.After we pass by Port Renfrew we will continue our journey back toward Sooke, and stop for photos along the way, as well as in Sooke.Then back to Victoria, we can stop by for a quick photo at the Hatley Castle on the way back, it is my favorite property in Victoria.This should be about an 8.5 hour day.
Looking back, I was a tad cavalier in my note taking. There are 275 photos, and I neglected to find and take locator shots telling me where I was, at least not enough. But we started out heading north out of Victoria proper, then west where we stopped in Goldstream Provincial Park. There’s a nice waterfall there, and we walled a bit in the riverbed, keeping an eye and ear out for bear. Out of the woods, into what I’d call mudflats, the riverplain opened up into a lush green expanse where I spied a Canada geese family.
Continuing north on the other side of Finlayson Arm (the inlet separating the “peninsula” where the ferry port of Sidney and Saanich are from the main mass of Vancouver Island), the coastal road heads north, rising in Malahat where view points and a SkyWalk offer views into Brentwood on the far side of the Saanich Inlet. Along with great views, I liked the Salish Bear Pole at the lookout.
Skirting Duncan, we headed inland for a short hike to view the Kinsol trestle, a free-standing timber rail trestle over the Koksilah River. (There are apparently two trails approaching the trestle, and Darwin and I used the shorter one.) It was awesome to walk its length, looking down the 187 meters to the water. I spotted a colorful bird while leaning over the rail which Darwin was unable to identify!
About half an hour later we were out of the woods and down to sea level, standing on the shore at Cowichan Bay marina. A beautiful vantage point, the video gives a great idea of this sleepy port.
Again another half hour, after passing through Duncan, we came to Chemainus. When the logging industry left, the townspeople began illuminating the walls of buildings with murals displaying historic events. Darwin and I wandered around, by car and by foot, through the quaint town to try to spot many of the 53 outdoor murals, as well as many examples of outdoor public sculpture. We poked into a few shops, and spent a few minutes down on the shore. (Of the 50 shots there, I’d guess half are murals pictures. Link here.)
Backtracking through Duncan, we turned west on the saddle road towards Lake Cowichan, stopping in Paldi to pick up a sandwich and drink at the grocery and chilling a bit out of the Chevy SUV. Turning off Provincial Route 18 onto the Pacific Marine Road, we basically were on a somewhat paved logging road which twisted and turned around the hills and streams that cover the center of the island. Per the proposed itinerary, we made numerous brief stops along the way, checking out vistas, rills that created pools of green-colored water, dense forests, old wooden bridges. After one stop Darwin discovered he had a leaking tire. His spare was flat, and he’d left the air pump in his larger vehicle. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan stopped; his pump got the spare filled, and after an hour we were back, heading towards Port Renfrew. Before we reached the coast, after photo opt at Lizard Lake, a stop at Fairy Lake allowed me to see the bonsai tree growing on a partially submerged stump.
After crossing the San Juan River Bridge, we stopped along the shore at the westernmost point of the “highway,” shy of Port Renfrew itself. We were on Pacheedaht First Nation land, but I couldn’t see the ocean from the tidal flats / river bed. Moving a bit further west five minutes along the shore in Port Renfrew allowed for some good shots.
It was past 4 (due to the flat tire,) so I started limiting the need for photo op stops, grabbing a few shots from the moving vehicle. French Beach Provincial Park, outside Shirley, however, did call for a stop. As did the marina in Sooke, where Darwin spotted a sea lion who entertained us for a bit.
The sun was setting as we crossed into the city limits. The Empress and the Legislative Assembly sit cattycorner to each other, overlooking a part of the harbor marina, including the Seattle and Port Angeles ferry docks. Darwin dropped me off at the Inn just before 6pm – it had been a long day, filled with good conversation, great sites, lots of history and great weather.
I collected my small roller and the room key and headed to my “new” room. After unpacking the toiletries, I checked Google Maps for a dining option and wound up heading to Bard and Banker, a pub/brewery in downtown. Sitting at a corner of the bar, I started with a flight of four: Blue Bucket Ale, Honey Lager, Lighthouse Race Rocks, and Dominion Dark Lager. Dinner consisted of fish (cod) and chips (extra crispy.) Back to the room, I backed up nearly 300 photos and settled in for the night.
Wednesday was my second full day in Victoria. As the Inn had comp’d me a breakfast, I headed downstairs and ordered salmon benedict which eventually showed up with too much potato but was tasty nonetheless. Out and down Government Street to the pickup point just to the south to the Fairmont Empress Hotel. At half nine, the fully loaded bus took off for a 45-minute-long ride to the Butchart Gardens. On my previous visits, there hadn’t been enough time to go there, and this time I made sure I’d be able to enjoy the splendors of this former mining quarry. My timing (calendar-wise) was brilliant, as I was able to enjoy both the splendors of the spring bulb plantings as well as my favorites, the bloomings of the rhododendrons and azaleas. (It was too early for the roses.) Working with the map handout, I believe I managed to visit all the areas open to the visiting public, and within the 3-hours allotted by the Viator contractor. With 150 photos (with a few videos), it’s hard to select representative shots for this blog, so I’ll put all out in the NikonImage album to link to, but include a few “garden shots” here.
Back to the parking lot, we boarded the bus and were shuttled back through town to the Empress where we had started. While I’d visited the two cathedrals in Victoria in 2016, at that time my “good” camera had been damaged and so I wanted to return to both to get more pictures. First and closest was the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral. As it was a beautiful day, as I approached this massive stone building, I came across a public park where some indigents were camped in tents.
Christ Church comes across as foreboding and stolid, its large quarried gray-black stones and blocky towers and nearly openingless walls, it did not really giving off a welcoming vibe. Once inside, the nave side walls had narrow but tall stained-glass windows on the ground floor, while on the clerestory level there are classic early twentieth century glass on one side, modern abstract on the other. Behind the altar and up a level was the Chapel of the Angels, and I returned there so I could enjoy the splendid three-panel east facing stained-glass display. To my back, a glass window offered a view over the main altar and down the central aisle to the organ loft and rose window at the west entrance.
From Burdett Street, I walked the 4 blocks to Blanchard and View to the St Andrew’s Cathedral. The Roman Catholic seat, it is am imposing red brick structure with a tall spire at its southeast corner.
On the opposite corner of the east facing entrance is the shorter cut-off tower, lost when it fell due to structural issues. Of similar footprint to its Anglican counterpart, the interior is a cream that picks up the red front the flooring to give a rosy glow to the ribbed arches of the vault. To me, it felt more welcoming, a mix of indigenous art and classic Catholic memorials throughout the nave and sanctuary. The circular apse has 7 segments with tall stained glass commemorating the North American saints. Rose windows brought light into the transept arms, with a third Catherine window somewhat blocked by an upper loft for the organ.
Strolling through downtown, I came to Government Street and viewed more totem poles in the several parks I found. Heading into the Inn, I decided to take a brief nap, then handled email and read a bit. After doing a bit of organizing of my gear in anticipation of my departure the following morning, I left the Inn to head west away from downtown into the nearby residential neighborhood of James Bay. I needed a pharmacy, for Advil and an expectorant – it seemed that I’d caught “cruise crud” again – plus I was looking for an ATM at a bank, wanting some more cash. Once I got the meds (and no cash), the only nearby open restaurant was the Bent Mast pub/restaurant. The outside deck was bustling with younger people enjoying the warm sunshine, socializing and celebrating the end of the work day. I sat inside to enjoy (per my vague notes) a “blue something” amber ale as I started with crispy (bbq) cauliflower, followed by chicken tikka quesadillas. I wasn’t able to finish the latter, so got a box and brought them back to the room.
Thursday morning my bus departure at 9:30 was where I’d been dropped from the ferry back on Monday. I got there early to make sure I could take both bags (I’d actually booked it that way on line.) After about a half hour waiting (I was that early), the driver Bob began loading the bus luggage compartment up and we left at 9:45, arriving at the Sidney port at 10:30. After a wait, Bob drove onto the ferry, we unloaded and I climbed to deck 5 (inside) where I read until we reached the mainland at 12:30. The bus dropped us all at the main train station in Vancouver and I contemplated the walk to my lodgings, which were 2+km away.
Probably 3 blocks into that walk, I called for a Lyft and was whisked to the Hotel at the Waldorf. Half an hour before the 4pm check-in time, I sat with several other arriving guests before I was registered. My room was up a flight of stairs, down a very long hall (and a few more steps), but was clean and fairly good sized. However, I was over the bar downstairs, and the gal at the front desk promised to move me (albeit to a downgraded room) to a quieter location for the weekend. Minimally unpacking just the small roller, I settled in. After a bit, hungry, I looked at Maps for a brewery with a restaurant, and wound up walking a kilometer to the East Vancouver Brewing Company. Not particularly welcoming despite being relatively empty, I had a sampler with two appetizers: spicy chickpea truffle dip and gouda bombs. No notes or food pix, I know that I walked back and slept well.
Friday May 17 I was up and had an agenda: visit four of the 6 cathedrals in greater Vancouver, followed by at 2pm a 3-hour walking tour with tasting. I left the smaller roller at the front desk, pending a new room, and went out to the corner and located the bus stop in the direction of downtown. The Waldorf is on East Hastings, and the route into town went past the area where the homeless and indigent have claimed as their base. (Yes, it made for interesting riding every time.) On the bus ride in to Vancouver the prior day, we’d passed the Anglican cathedral when we dropped a few passengers off across the street at one of the Fairmont Hotels.
Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver is a much smaller structure than its Anglican counterpart in the provincial capital. At the corner of Burrard Street and West Georgia Street, it faces southwest following the rectilinear layout of the Vancouver grid. The entrance didn’t lend itself to a decent view, as three well established trees cover the narrow sidewalk on Georgia. I spotted a beautiful Celtic cross carving on a stone representing the Evangelists outside the stone-faced long axis exterior wall. The interior of the 1935 building is mostly wood – dark arches and trusses support the redwood slats of the vault, while blond wood seating and flooring, as well as the reredos lighten up the nave. At most three stories, it would be dwarfed by the cathedral in Victoria. However, it is the oldest surviving church in Vancouver.
At the rear is an organ loft with the steel pipes open, trumpets causing the lighting to resemble a cross – a brilliant effect. The welcomer called my attention to the altar chapel wall – it features a cross made from two nails recovered from the bombed-out St Michael’s (Old) Cathedral in Coventry, England. Off to one side of the sanctuary is a chapel of remembrance. On its walls are mountings of foot-square patches covered in old priest’s vestments; colors are selected following the liturgical calendar. Some of these tiles included embroidered passages from the Bible, and the spares fill the alternate walls. I found it a meaningful and symbolic means of recycling.
On my way to the Roman Catholic cathedral on Richards Steet at Dunsmuir I passed a large mural portraying a female figure using the art from the indigenous First Nations people. Public art is seemingly everywhere in Vancouver.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary sits on a busy corner, facing northeast. Two spires, of differing heights, anchor the front façade of the cut stone clad building. That there is a transept crossing is very evident down its length. Surprisingly, the church was closed, but would open shortly to allow for those seeking the sacrament of Reconciliation. Similar to the brick-clad St Andrew’s on Vancouver Island, the cream/white interior gains a warm peachy glow from the sun pouring in from the bright outside and the red marble at the columns’ bases and the wooden pews.
(Looking back from the altar to the organ loft over the entry door, the arches and vault take on a periwinkle hue from the light through the clerestory windows.) The impressive bishop’s throne and reredos sit in the back of a curved apse. Much of the stained glass harkens back a century, but one newer features the saints of the new millennium.
With my bus transfer still valid, I headed to my next objective. A single #3 bus would take me the roughly 3km distance in half an hour. At East Tenth and just off Main, the church sits on rise at a corner with tall, stately trees shading the manicured landscaping.
Clad in white siding, Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral has several cupolas cover the domes surmounted by orthodox crosses. Landscapers were completing their work prior to the lunch break, so I had to wait until he left the frame. Climbing sets of stairs from the sidewalk, the intricately carved wooden doors were locked. An electrician installing an outside notices board tried calling the priest to see if I could be given access, but there was no answer.
The final church for the day was located 6km away, but Google Maps took me on a much longer route by three buses to get there. After walking back the half block to Main, I rode south to 41st Avenue, then west to West Avenue where I headed north as it became Arbutus Street. At Valley Drive Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral sat at a bend in the road.
Gleaming white with four columns supporting a portico, the southwest-facing front façade is repeating precast white encircled crosses bracketing an entry of wooden doors. These redwood doors with Greek crosses carved into the panels were locked. I went next door to the social hall where folks were setting up for a banquet, but the priest was off on a task and I wouldn’t be able to enter the nave.
Six kilometers back to downtown where my tour, “Street Art & Craft Beer Walking Tour with Tasting”, scheduled for 2pm, was to meet. With not enough time to use mass transit, much less walk, I called for a Lyft. I was there about 15 minutes early, walking the broad Olympic Village Square overlooking False Creek. I struck up a conversation with a woman, originally from Berlin, who’d lived in Vancouver for 20 years.
GetYourGuide instructions had me looking for a guide in a Toonie Tours polo. Well, Fran had a yellow parka over her black polo shirt, so I spent a bit of time wandering around the “big bird” statues in the park before finding her. We still had to wait another 15 minutes for the Chicago couple to find their way to the square. (See, I’m not the only one directionally challenged.) While waiting and chatting with Fran, a younger man was doing parkour, jumping off concrete bench blocks and the tail of a giant bird, flipping and twisting. I cringed each time his sneakers slapped the sculpture. In any case, Dara, Charly, Fran and I started with an outdoor installation of three white pyramids, which, it turned out, represent the salt harvested from the flats – a historically valuable commodity.
Then the tour focused on large outdoor murals. [Three dozen pictures of murals found here.] As we walked around the mixed-use neighborhood, there were numerous representations of both abstract and realist art gracing the walls of buildings, promoted by the city’s Art Council. In fact, at one building’s entry into studio space, we encountered Drew, the artist who had served as liaison between the council and the artists. Seeking some relief from the bright sunlight and warm day, plus to find a facility, Fran took us into the first of several atelier spaces where craftspeople and artists were sharing studios and workshops. A can of Parallel 49 craft Lager was offered to wet our whistle, the first tasting after an hour on foot. As an artist herself, Fran’s focus was on exposing the three of us to as much street art as was available within the bounds of the tour. (Finally at 5) we were at Electric Bicycle Brewing Company, were we had samples of four craft ales: Calming Rag sour, Extra Plush English IPA (my preference,) hazy IPA and Tropical Nitro sour. The brewery’s focus was on producing sours.
Back out for another three-quarters of an hour of more street murals, I rejoiced when we entered Faculty Brewing Co. for a “third” tasting. Four more offerings there: London Fog ale, Turmeric ale, Galaxy Hazy IPA and Bolivian Cocoa stout (my favorite.) The “kids” peeled off as we headed back to the starting point, as they had an early dinner reservation. Fran and I walked along the waterfront until she headed off and I continued to a point where I could find a decent pizza.
Not too far from the central train station, I found Pizzeria Fontina, which seemed to be doing a booming take-away business. Per Fran, they open just before 5 and close when they run out of the pizza dough that had been prepared for the day.
Switching to a glass of red wine (mistake), I ordered an Americana pizza, without the mushrooms and adding sausage, more garlic and extra parmesan. It was a good pizza, per my tastes could have used more seasoning (but we know I crave highly spiced food.) The wine was poor (nearly oxidized). I took half the pie back on the bus with me. The front desk came through with a new room at the top of the stairs, so I got both bags up and spread out, and proceeded to back up my photos, do email, read a bit before heading to sleep.
May 18 was a Saturday. Having been able to get to the four cathedrals in the immediate area of Vancouver, I planned on making the trip out to New Westminster for the other two in this southwest corner of BC. (There are seven more within the province of British Columbia, to the north and east.) Located on the Fraser River, New Westminster historically was to be the endpoint for the Canadian National railroad, until lobbying by the city fathers of Vancouver successfully brought the train tracks further west.
Greater Vancouver has great public transportation. Google Maps understands much of it, albeit I got misinformation here and there, resulting in “adventures.” This happened again that Saturday morning. Out of the hotel, I crossed Hastings to catch a #29 bus east, anticipating a stop at Broadway/9th Ave. I must have missed it (or it has another designation – I wasn’t counting stops) so I wound up getting off on 33rd Ave to catch a bus to the 29th Ave stop on the Expo Line, which was my objective anyway. Fifteen minutes later I was at the Columbia stop. In a slight drizzle, I clambered over the station to get to the “uphill” side of the tracks so I could get to Carnarvon Street and Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Originally the Anglican cathedral for British Columbia, it became a co-cathedral with the building of Christ Church downtown and was supplanted as provincial head with Christ Church in Victoria. From the street and churchyard, Holy Trinity appears to be a simple country church. It has been rebuilt several times (fire, earthquake) and has a single red brick tower at its southern corner. When I arrived about 11, homeless were gathering as there would be a bag lunch offered in the church hall. Fortunately for me, a sexton arrived to perform janitorial duties and allowed me to get inside.
With a plain white vault, there are three aisles with fixed wooden pews. The side aisles lead to exposed brass organ pipes, while the central aisle leads to the altar in a small chancel. There are two bishop’s chairs in the apse. A small chapel in the west transept has blue cushioned armchairs and a small altar table. The stained glass is old school, portraying scenes from Christ’s ministry. Unusual, the Lamb of God window depicts the bishop’s seal of the province flanked by men of the First Nation. The square tower is not connected to the church building, although plans are to correct that. The sexton gave me some history, and then advised I go into the church hall. On the walls, drawings of the church in its various iterations show the Church’s presence over time. While in the hall, a woman handing out clothing and I chatted a bit, as she was curious as to my visit, and wanted to know more about Cathedrals to the Glory of God.
Declining a bag lunch, I headed out to 6th Street and began a long climb to the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral on 4th Avenue. A kilometer climb, the altitude changed 65m without much shade.
The church is at the corner of 5th Street; there are 20 concrete steps up from the sidewalk to reach a portico. Four more steps lead to the single double door under a permanent awning below a mural of the Risen Christ. An oxidized copper dome is barely visible from across the street. Holy Eucharist Cathedral was closed, and walking around the property in my attempt to gain entry proved fruitless. Signs pointed to efforts underway to begin construction of residential housing on the property – in a city with full occupancy, more housing is needed.
Having walked up 6th Street, I decided to walk down 8th, as it would put me near the Expo Line stop. As I entered the multiuse complex at the foot of the hill, I spotted a bank with an ATM and collected some cash. Next door, Safeway had a supermarket, so I got a prepared salad, blue cheese and a banana. In the sunless drafty plaza between the buildings, I had lunch at a picnic table, as folks poked in and out of retail establishments. Residents of the apartments above buzzed themselves into their lobbies. Back on the Expo Line, I rode to the correct transfer point, switched to the #20 and returned to the hotel to take a nap.
Seventy-five minutes off my feet and my back was happier.
After taking the bus downtown, with much improved weather I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around, visiting shops and seeing impressive architecture. When I got to Steamtown, I waited for the steam clock to perform, bailing after it delayed at 5pm – besides, the area around the clock was full of folks with smartphones preparing to take selfies.
Getting off the bus a stop early on my return, I spotted CowDog Brew Co. The door I found, across Hastings and a large chain-link fenced lot, turned out to be the back door, and I needed to walk around the block to find the entrance. This took me by a salvage business, which had several pairs of cast iron gates mounted to its exterior walls.
CowDog is a small establishment, with its production area behind a small bar area. Ten taps offered an eclectic range, and I opted for a flight of four. The bartender, a brawny woman who also makes beer at a different brewery, recommended my tastes: Big Teefs IPA, Ayrshire Dark Ale, Two Loaves Wheat Beer, and Pat’s Best Bitter. She was working in back, so I wound up talking with (French Canadian) Montrealers Caroline and Charles who had their puppy Oslo with them.
Back at the Waldorf, I opted to eat at their inhouse restaurant and bar. The Howe Sound Taphouse and Kitchen menu was pub food, and with my Rail Ale Nut Brown I had the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (Buttermilk fried chicken, Nashville spice bloom, Tall Shadow Bakery bun, pickles, pickled onion, truffle aioli, and iceberg lettuce) and the Ale & Cheddar Soup (Aged cheddar cheese, Rail Ale Nut Brown Ale, crispy onions, and cheddar cheese bread). The room was cold, but the Oilers were stomping the Canucks. I found the ale a bit burnt, the cole slaw sloppy but good, and peeled off much of the excess bread to enjoy the excellent chicken.
Sunday would be my last full day in Vancouver, and my only booking was a tour and tasting at 2pm. While I got up at 8:30, I didn’t leave the hotel until 10. It was a glorious day, so I walked Hastings to Clark, which I followed for nearly 2km. Mostly commercial single- and two-story buildings lined Clark, with residential housing off to the east up a slight rise. On the far side I passed a closed Strange Fellows Brewery, and then walked into Terminal City Brewing, which turned out to be a retail store for home brewers as well as a brewery.
Beyond 1st Avenue and crossing the bridge over the railroad tracks, a view of the skyline of Vancouver captured my attention. Turning west on Great Northern Way (which became 6th Avenue) I continued to marvel at the diverse architecture off to the distant north.