About Me
- Name: Patrick
- Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
I'm an Engineer working in Tyne and Wear, having moved from Belfast 3 years ago. Before the move I had never lived away from home and have had to work alot of things out for myself. I'm a big fan of Ice Hockey, in particular my team the Belfast Giants who I travel to see all over the UK. I also have a beautiful fiancee Victoria with whom I live in Gateshead. I also publish a weekly Ice Hockey Podcast with my friend Aaron, available on iTunes called A View From The Bridge
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Between July 9th and August 20th 2004, Patrick Smyth and Claire McAllister will travel between Vancouver and Toronto on a whistle-stop tour of the Worlds 2nd biggest country.
Saturday, July 10, 2004
Vancouver
After a long long LONG journey, (nearly 24 hours) we finally arrived in the C+N Hostel (by stretch limo no less) in Vancouver. That tired we fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillows.
Up early this morning and straight into the town by Skytrain. We grabbed some breakfast at a place called Scoozis, and went on a dander, taking in the Mall, a trip round the outside of the Vancouver Art Gallery and down to Canada Place where 2 huge cruise ships are docked.
This city has its ups and downs, it's city centre is very clean and cosmopolitan, but its only a short skytrain journey to areas that are not so upmarket, the area our hostel is in for example is quite run down, and we are very close to the city centre, from our window we have a very clear view of GM Place (home of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team).
The hostel is great, very clean and well run. German fella who looks like Manuel from Fawlty Towers seems to run the place. Nice guy, was telling us he spent time in Belfast, sharing a joke he'd heard there, which was somewhat funny, if a little anti-Semitic...
After our trip to Canada place, we grabbed a coke and made our way to Stanley Park, named after Lord Stanley, who gave his name to the Stanley Cup in Ice Hockey. A huge park at the edge of the bay. The intension was to go to the Aquarium, but it was far too expensive for what it was, so we used the money instead to rent two mountain bikes and we cycled for nearly 3 hours around the seawall edge of this huge park. Some superb views of the Vancouver skyline and lovely beaches too.
We got a bit lost and found ourselves in the opposite end of the city centre, but we did come across some guys playin roller hockey, one of the older fellas advised us to come back tomorrow evening to see them play... We're not gonna miss that.
We're now back at the hostel before headin out for some dinner and drinks. Claires having a quick lie down, my intension now was to take the photos of today and stick them all up here. however, despite the computer here in the hostel being quite good... it's in a locked box, so i'm unable to plug the camera into it... I'll maybe try somewhere else later or tomorrow and let you all see some of the great pics from today.
Patrick + Claire
Up early this morning and straight into the town by Skytrain. We grabbed some breakfast at a place called Scoozis, and went on a dander, taking in the Mall, a trip round the outside of the Vancouver Art Gallery and down to Canada Place where 2 huge cruise ships are docked.
This city has its ups and downs, it's city centre is very clean and cosmopolitan, but its only a short skytrain journey to areas that are not so upmarket, the area our hostel is in for example is quite run down, and we are very close to the city centre, from our window we have a very clear view of GM Place (home of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team).
The hostel is great, very clean and well run. German fella who looks like Manuel from Fawlty Towers seems to run the place. Nice guy, was telling us he spent time in Belfast, sharing a joke he'd heard there, which was somewhat funny, if a little anti-Semitic...
After our trip to Canada place, we grabbed a coke and made our way to Stanley Park, named after Lord Stanley, who gave his name to the Stanley Cup in Ice Hockey. A huge park at the edge of the bay. The intension was to go to the Aquarium, but it was far too expensive for what it was, so we used the money instead to rent two mountain bikes and we cycled for nearly 3 hours around the seawall edge of this huge park. Some superb views of the Vancouver skyline and lovely beaches too.
We got a bit lost and found ourselves in the opposite end of the city centre, but we did come across some guys playin roller hockey, one of the older fellas advised us to come back tomorrow evening to see them play... We're not gonna miss that.
We're now back at the hostel before headin out for some dinner and drinks. Claires having a quick lie down, my intension now was to take the photos of today and stick them all up here. however, despite the computer here in the hostel being quite good... it's in a locked box, so i'm unable to plug the camera into it... I'll maybe try somewhere else later or tomorrow and let you all see some of the great pics from today.
Patrick + Claire
