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Trip map:

We arrived to Vancouver early in the morning after 6 hours flight from Newark and moved directly to hotel Waldorf. Our room was not ready since we arrived early, so we changed clothes and moved for lunch to Chineese restaurant. When we returned the room was ready, we left our luggage and moved to downtown. Almost 30% of the Vancouver's inhabitants are of Chinese heritage, so we visited Chinese Garden first.

The Garden named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen and consists of the Classical Chineese garden and Park. Both use the philosophical principles of Taoism and Feng Shui and hence attempts to achieve balance of opposites and harmony, where different elements are used together. We saw famous Gastown steam clock, powered by steam engine (restored in 1977).

Then we visited Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Kia’palano (beautiful river) was the name of a great Squamish chief who lived in this area in the early part of the 1800s.

Over time 'Kia’palano' was anglicized into 'Capilano': a word that has become the namesake of the bridge and park as well as the river and surrounding area.

Park has the suspension bridge (140 m long, 70 m high) over the Capilano River canyon, cliffwalk, treetops and living forest with 400 years old trees.

Next day we met Eugene, who flew from San Francisco, at the Pacific Central Station, board the ship and then spent some time near the ship terminal around Canada Place. There is a Convention Center here and a 4D flight simulation ride Fly Over Canada.

Adjacent to the Convention Center's West building which hosted the International Broadcast Centre for the 2010 Winter Olympics is the Jack Poole Plaza. He was responsible for securing the bid of the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics to Vancouver.

There is Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza and some sculptures. We liked the sculpture Pixel Orca, combining modern digital ideas with the Canadian love to nature.

Finally at 4 PM we disembarked and passed under the Lions Gate Bridge. Our journey, following Clondike Gold Rush, begins.