Vancvr - Chinatown & Gastown

After leaving the golfball museum and passing the seasonally unopened Jimi Hendrix shrine we hit Chinatown. Colourful. Streets smelt of dope. A poorer part of town where our previous hostel advised not to go after dark. A bloke wearing a sleeveless leather jacket with a years old  tattoo of a naked woman grinned and laughed at the scooters any wished us a good day as he went past

Steamed prawn. Steamed chicken. Kids loved vinegar and we had to keep asking for more. By the time we got to Hons we had had a low blood sugar inspired cross word with each other. This was because I kept stopping and talking to colourful locals when food was more important. Our waitress was very pretty but Sarah observed she is the sort of one who would be on a makeup makeover tv prog and be stunning in the final reveal

"Gosh they go fast on those" (came the light scottish accent from behind me)

I turned round to see this motorised pedestrian and noticed the tobacco smell first and then saw the fag second

'Yes and about 4 times further too!'

Meet hughey. When he originally came over in 1963 aged 23 he had just apprenticed in boilermaking from the Clyde shipyards. He said he remembers German bomb noises falling when very small. He came over because he could see British shipyards could not compete. In Canada they were doing better. 4500 once worked in the yards in Vancouver but the unions got wages high and now they too struggle to compete. The last 3 years the yard has been mothballed waiting orders. He said the best thing about Canada was the people. The worst the Govt. He was now Macdonalds freak. I shook his slightly arthritic yellow finger tipped hand and said goodbye.

Then stopping riff raff from getting into the bank, a smart elderly Indian man wearing immaculate black and yellow uniform, perfect white beard, a purple turban and a face with smile lines and rich brown skin, smiled as I went past. He was a sniper in the Indian army. He had 6 british officers in command before then Indian. I commented on his clean black shiny shoes. 

"Not up to standard today. Cant see my face in them!"

he said no pictures. The need for food meant I had to curtail a very interesting conversation.

After food then Gastown. Old district.Touristy. Crap souvenir shops. Boutiquey label high end shops. Bars. Restaurants.

Kids decided to hide behind boards. We then pretend to lose them. Kids titter themselves to discovery as we stand right by them with our back to them saying "sure they are here somewhere". Continues until a board fell on them

Publicising Malificent

Who then appeared

Lots of young folk waiting to get into shelters too

Xxx