Vancouver Day 2

With my new sight seeing day in hand, I decided to visit The Telus World of Science building I had noticed the day before when I walked by False Creek.

(This guy either really hated his bike, or really wanted to keep it safe.)

(The classic skyline of downtown Vancouver. Notice how the sky has really improved today.)

Built inside a large geodesic dome, the Telus World of Science in Vancouver is more or less exactly like the Telus World of Science in Edmonton, with the exception that Vancouver's version has a stronger emphases on saving the environment. This is most likely because unlike Alberta, it's not illegal to care about the environment in Vancouver.

As you might have been able to read in the sign, the four globes above, are part of a larger, travelling public art display that has been around the world called Cool Globes that I found in front of the entrance. Designed by students, artists, and community groups, the one-tonne globes are meant to display solutions to/educate about Global Warming.

(With everything from giant, human running powered electric generators to air cannons, pictured above, the Telus World of Science has something for children and David's alike.)

After exploring all the exhibits, and setting the record score in a reaction time test (above), I walked up a seemingly endless spiralling ramp to get to the OMNIMAX Theatre at the top of the dome to view a movie.

OMNIMAX is like IMAX on steroids. Built by IMAX, the screen is about three times as wide as a normal IMAX screen, twice as high, and is curved in a half dome shape that extends over head. It offers 180-degrees of screen for your chiropractor's pleasure.

I watched 9-time World Surfing Champion, Kelly Slater, travel to Tahiti to surf gigantic waves that literally looked like they would crash on my head. In between big waves, the film's producers tried to justify its place in the World of Science by explaining how waves were formed, but then it was back to the action.

(The waves were so scary I aged 25 years.)

I left the World of Science in the mid-afternoon because I had to meet a friend at 5:00 PM. On the way back along False Creek the clouds parted for a brief time, and I was able to capture for posterity (or at least the ten year before the file corrupts) what makes Vancouver one of the most beautiful modern cities in the world.

(False Creek again, but with a tiny bit of colour this time.)

(Some excellent looking, modern condos across from the casino on the False Creek water front. Pay attention Grande Prairie, these are what luxury condos look like. Don't be fooled by four-storey imposters.)

(Boats)

(More boats, and tall buildings.)

(Hip coffee shops and restaurants among the hip condos and offices of Yaletown.)

(A much better view of the Roundhouse Community Centre. Notice the child trying to "tight rope" walk the top of the black siding.)

(I went five blocks out of my way for this picture.)

(Why is there a giant gas meter on the front of that brick building?)

I was quite excited to meet my friend, since I hadn't seen her for two years since she moved to Vancouver from Grande Prairie. It's always nice to have a local friend too, because they know the cool places to go, like the beach at English Bay, only three blocks behind my hostel but somewhere I would never have gone without her, because I didn't know it was there.

(The storm clouds started to roll back in while we were on the beach, which makes this lonely lifeguard chair look even lonelier. Hmm... that's a good title idea for a children's book, now that I think about it.)