IT'S ONE OF THOSE WEEKS

The calendar is getting away from me. We're almost in May??? Criminy.

So noted, here's the famous Steam Clock in Vancouver's wonderful and eclectic Gastown district.

Time is fleeting...

VANCOUVER, BC - TIME FOR A STEAM?

The Gastown district in Vancouver has dozens of restaurants, boutiques and interesting sights for the visitor to Vancouver. The gleaming metropolis' underside, if you will, with statues of "Gassy Jack", back streets like Blood Alley, and this curiosity: a steam-powered clock.

Apologies for the focus on the sign, but it's the only shot I got of the description on the base of this wonderful and whimsical landmark. 

Time for a quick steam before we're off to other adventures?

Pic of the Day: Gassy Jack

One of my favorite places to spend time is in the Gastown district of Vancouver, BC.

The district, the oldest part of Vancouver, derives its name from "Gassy" Jack Deighton, who opened the area's first saloon in 1867. Today the cobblestone streets are lined with shops, residences and restaurants, as well as the annual Vancouver Jazz Festival.

Below is a statue of Gassy Jack, found in Gastown in the red brick Maple Tree Square.

Pic of the Day: Cuppa Joe

(Continuing this week's inadvertent foodie theme)

Like millions of other people around the globe, my day starts with a cup of caffeine. Or three. Hence my personal travelers'  mantra: "All I need is a change of clothes, my Nikon, an open mind and a strong cup of coffee".

(Heck, one of my favorite travel programs is Todd Carmichael's DANGEROUS GROUNDS, which deals with coffee, danger, and exploration all in one hour.)

When I'm traveling, particularly if it's purely an adventure day wandering around and exploring my surroundings, one of my favorite things is to find a local coffee house*, plunk down a couple bucks for a cup -- sometimes splurging on a latte, as below -- and watch the people and world go by.

Vancouver, BC, is a city with a terrific coffee (and tea) tradition, boasting some wonderful local options such as Gastown's laid-back little Smart Mouth Cafe, or the larger Caffe Artigiano regional chain of higher-end coffee houses (cup below). Just googling Vancouver BC Coffee yields a treasure trove of local options -- and this can apply to almost any city, anywhere.

Coffee. It's what's for breakfast.

*Sorry Starbuck's. I can, and sometimes do, get your coffee when I'm on the run. But not when I'm exploring.