Vancouver yesterday

Just a short trip to Granville Island and then homeward around the seawall yesterday yielded a lot of stops, each with something special to record.  I'll share it this morning with Sundays in My City.  Many thanks to Unknown Mami for hosting the meme.

Along Homer Street, a project to put a crane arm in the air..

was impressive to watch.  Such a responsibility, with no room for errors.

 All was not going well, and after much thought and many tries, it was set aside for the day.

 It is impossible to convey the immense distance into the sky these cranes travel, but I've saved a couple of shots for tomorrow's Blue Monday post in an attempt to do just that.  One last photo here to show the sky behind the crane.  I'd love to see the view from there one day.

About to get back on our bikes to ride to the Aquabus that would take us to Granville Island, I couldn't resist this couple.  I'm guessing they were Japanese in Spanish (Mexican?) garb.  The fellow noticed as I snapped the picture and responded jokingly.  Don't you love his hat?

 Their friends saw me as well, I think.

 Ah, hat changes heads here.  I hope they had fun!

 When we arrived at Granville, a Wooden Boat Festival was in full swing.

Bill and I sat for a while by the pier, people watching and, in my case, reflection watching.

 I liked this reflection talking on her cell while her husband checked out boats :)

 Some nautical books were displayed on the boats.  I thought of my grandfather.  He died before I was born but was a Newfoundland fisherman and spent the off-season working on his schooner.  I wonder if he liked to spend time with friends exploring the intricacies of knot-tying.  Bill and I always think of another Newfoundlander friend who we haven't seen in quite a while.  He was very entertaining when demonstrating knot-tying skills.

 We didn't explore a lot of boats, but this one, made entirely of plywood, was interesting.  A binder with pictures of its construction and launching process was quite revealing.

 I loved the "Be Warned!" comment.

 I took a few more reflection shots..

 and was intrigued by the colourful flags against a blue sky and the Granville Bridge.  Bill explained that each flag has a meaning, and I checked some of those out at this site today.

I like to think I have a little of my grandfather in me, though I sadly inherited neither his nor my father's talent for mechanics.  A curious mind, though, seems to have been transmitted, and perhaps, an eye for little details around me.  This was just a piece of plastic over a window, with shadowy reflections changing in the breeze, but I saw a Woody Woodpecker image and maybe a dragon above that, and quite certainly, a fish, at the top.  All had eyes that changed shape and roved about as I moved closer.

 Boats and ships are very organized, but whenever there are large numbers assembled, the view is one of contradictory chaos.  Note the pier on the right.  It is a little world in itself, above, the shops and buskers of Granville Island, below, the pigeons and other beings taking advantage of the wooden compartments.

On one side of the dock, the lined up boats, 

 and on the other, those wonderful compartments, a pigeon or two residing..

 in each one.  Some of them, most likely, with families.  Apartment living, pigeon style :)

 We walked back up to shop level and I took a few roses, beginning to fade but still..

adding colour and beauty to the area.

 I watched an off-duty pirate head up the ramp, probably relieved to know..

 he would soon be out of costume and able to explore the day on his own time.  A-r-r-g-h!  The boat maintenance and building area is just ahead of him.  An amazing place.  Again that thought of organization in the midst of seeming chaos.

 We looked over the railing and I saw a fish in this stick..

 and more reflections before we headed under..

 the Granville Bridge.

 Back on our bikes, we hadn't ridden very far when Bill stopped to examine this new art installation by Cosimo Cavallaro.

 Bill picked up right away that they represented jelly beans.  I just liked.. 

 the reflections :)  There were three of them, a blue, a red and a yellow.  

 Below is the closes I could come to getting all three in one shot with my 300 mm. lens, unless you count reflections.

 Neat, don't you think?

 The "please don't climb on the artwork" plea may..

as well have been left off the sign, but perhaps, it covers legal obligations.  I think, if Bill..

and I had been a bit younger, we would have wanted to do..

 just what those girls were doing, though there were lots of ways to enjoy the art.. 

from the ground too. 

Black Jack was mostly interested in what was under the balls.

 and that did seem to be the general attitude of other nearby canines.

 There he is,

 ever ready.. 

 to get into the spirit of things.

 Black Jack's little ears..

 made me smile here.

 All present seemed to be enjoying the day, and I feel sure the art..

 contributed to that in some inexpressible but nevertheless tangible way.

 We were trying to take a picture of the two of us reflected when a delightful couple approached.  The lady worked hard to get this shot of us, and her husband even used his t-shirt to polish the surface so the image would be clearer.  They are a part of my happy memories of the day, and we thank them.

 Each time I took photos yesterday, I said to myself, "Okay, that's it.  We'll go straight home now."  And each time, something appeared that I needed to record.  I've seen this heron in the pond by the art many times, but never on that particular rock. 

 S/he yielded yet another reflection shot..

 as did the seagulls who consider this pond their very own bathing facility, and whose feathers form pathways in the water.

 The heron..

 flew to another rock, 

 and from that vantage point..

 we could clearly see a second heron as well

The skies were beginning to take on a beautiful glow..

 that was reflected in the pond.  We left, I again vowing that to be the last photo of the day.

 Who knew there would be more new art before arriving home.  This is the spot where we have listened to musicians, but only two days ago, the ground had been art free.

 I do not know who was responsible, or when they managed to do the work, but it was clear a lot of effort had gone into the details that continued onto the ledge around the seawall.

 I loved this shot..

 but this one even more as Bill carefully rearranges Black Jack's cushion so that she will be comfortable for the final portion of our ride.  That was our day yesterday.  I surely do thank you for taking time to let me share it and hope it was a fun read.  Happy Sunday, everyone!