Vancouver Visit 2000	Ah, spontaneity! Our train trip to Vancouver, Canada was planned and executed in 2 weeks.
Since the indian summer was being so hospitable, Jim and I decided to take a final summer excursion. Recent stories of the new Cascadia high speed train between Portland, OR and Vancouver, Canada got my attention. A quick visit to the web page and a phone call to Amtrak and we had first class tickets round trip for $80 each! Jim researched the hotel packages and found a great one in downtown Vancouver near the water.
	This is the skyline of Vancouver as seen from Stanley Park. I was impressed by the emphasis on high density housing (many of the tallest buildings are apartments or condos) and the very long monorail system and other public transit.
Several times we took water taxies to Granville Island and to other sections of the city. They were cheap, sort of sea-worthy, but a lot of fun.
	Another mode of transportation: we took a horse-drawn carriage tour of Stanley Park. [Yes, of course I had my Benedryl with me.]
The park is larger than New York's Grand Central Park and takes way more than a day to do the whole thing.
	I saw my first ever orca whale at the aquarium in Stanley Park. This one is on her way to an aquarium in the east to become a mom.
It was also the occasion of my second look at beluga whales. What a face!