canada – might be baloney

Exploring Vancouver

February 18, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

On the morning of Friday, June 27, 2025, I was up early. I planned to go for a run.

Prior to our trip, I purchased a pair of Hoka trail running shoes. As much as I love my Brooks running shoes, I wanted to have one pair of shoes that I could go for a run in and use on a variety of terrains in Alaska. Additionally, the Hokas were GoreTex to reduce possible water intrusion.

Out at the Vancouver airport the temperature was 55 degrees. It was mostly cloudy with an east southeast wind, dew point 53, humidity 96%, and visibility was at twenty miles.

I walked through the quiet lobby of the Sylvia Hotel, and headed toward a concrete base trail along English Bay. The trail was a connector into Stanley Park.

I wasn’t the only early riser. I came across four herons. One was disrupting the quiet of the morning squawking from a tree.

Some type of filming was taking place in this location as there were several production trailers lined up.

Along the edges of the trail, I noted that the water near the shoreline of English Bay was translucent. I could see the bottom in the shallows.

Around one bend, I came across a very nice municipal pool complex. Someone put quite a bit of thought into its development. Every amenity seemed to be included in the design.

The runners I encountered were friendly. Numerous good mornings were exchanged.

A cruise ship was getting an early start maneuvering through the pretty harbor.

I discovered a beach that was covered with fragments of cracked purple from the inside of mussel shells.

The trees in Stanley Park form an appealing backdrop along the trail.

And woven into that beauty are some homeless souls sleeping in sleeping bags on secluded park benches. I don’t know how lucky I am.

At some point, I turn around and retrace my steps to the hotel.

After cleaning up from the run, we gather for breakfast. I had the perfect bowl of oatmeal with a smidge of brown sugar and a variety of fruit to top it off.

Our plan for today was to take a Uber out to the University of British Columbia.

This well maintained campus kept us busy as we enjoyed a Japanese garden, a rose garden, and the stunning Museum of Anthropology.

Part of the Japanese garden at the University of British Columbia (Photo Bill Pike)

Some of the roses on display (Photo Betsy Pike)

On trips like this, I always wonder about the vision of the people who planned and put this wonderful Museum of Anthropology together.

Every display was intricate and thoughtfully designed.

Most impressive were the totem poles. No doubt it takes a lot of skill and patience to create a totem pole. But one can feel the passion and soul from the artisans who created them.

One of the colorful totem poles inside the museum (Photo Bill Pike)

I learned that red cedar is the favorite choice for carving totem poles. Red cedar has a “straight grain and soft tissue—ideal for carving.”

Cedar is also the choice for crafting a canoe. A massive single cedar log can be used to form a canoe.

One of the hand carved canoes on display (Photo Bill Pike)

At some point, we walked outside to grounds at the back of the museum. This gave us a different look at how the architect developed the backside of the building.

Museum of Anthropology from the backside (Photo Bill Pike)

It looked like the grounds in this area had just been recently completed. Once this area is fully developed, it will add another dimension to the museum.

We had a light lunch at a Tim Hortons located at a food court on campus.

As we planned our way back to the hotel, we opted to take a Uber tour through Stanley Park. The park is massive. I understand why the park is always in motion— the people of Vancouver love it.

After the tour of Stanley Park, we stopped at Three Brits where I had a birthday beer.

From Three Brits, we walked through the shopping district near our hotel. I was amazed at the ethnicity of the restaurants and fruit stands on every block.

With my pals being nice to me, we had dinner at Craft Beer. It was an ok local spot, but it was loud inside—too loud for an old geezer like me.

After dinner, we walked through a display of human statues that were made of metal. The exhibit is called A-Maze-Ing-Laughter. Fourteen patinated-bronze figures are featured. The statues were created by Chinese artist Yue Minjun.

After the statues, we continued our walk to the hotel. I noticed a lady stopping at every trashcan. She was rummaging for aluminum cans.

Multiple high rise buildings make up the neighborhood. On this fading afternoon, we noticed on the rooftop of one of those buildings a large tree growing.

Back at the Sylvia Hotel, we opt for a nightcap before catching some sleep.

I’ve had a nice day, a good birthday.

My parents were really good parents.

I’m thankful that they opted to have children.

My sister and I were lucky.

I like to think that Louise and Bill would like the way we landed on our feet. This is despite the ups and downs the old world often hurls at people.

I have been so fortunate my whole life. That good fortune comes from my parents. They loved me despite my many, many faults.

That good fortune comes from my wife too and the dear friends we are traveling with on this trip.

And deep in my old soul, I know from watching the homeless sleeping on benches in Stanley Park to the lady going through every trash can this evening—one wrong move, and I could be in their shoes.

Richmond to Raleigh to Vancouver to Alaska

February 15, 2026 Bill Pike2 Comments

On the afternoon of Wednesday, June 25, 2025, we left Richmond driving to Raleigh.

Later that afternoon, our friends, the Sherrills, left Greensboro heading to Raleigh.

And on Thursday morning, June 26, further north in Maryland, our friends, the Callows, would be up well before dawn and drive to the Baltimore airport.

The Callows were booked on a flight from Baltimore to Chicago.

After a night of rest in a Raleigh hotel near the airport (RDU), the Pikes and Sherrills would also be early risers to catch a shuttle to the airport. We had an Air Canada direct flight into Vancouver.

When we left Richmond on Wednesday afternoon, the heat and humidity were brutal. As we worked our way down Interstate 85, just north of Henderson, North Carolina, we encountered a fairly strong thunderstorm.

The storm featured some sharp cloud to ground lightning. Plus, it was interesting to watch, the temperature take a downward plunge from the rain.

Not sure how much we slept, but we made it to the hotel lobby to catch the shuttle to RDU. We had a very good shuttle driver.

With our TSA approval, the initial check-in with Air Canada was seamless. Of course, traveling is much more complicated now. My backpack scan failed as my body lotion bottle was considered oversized.

We had a good flight to Vancouver. I was able to watch two movies, plus, we had a bonus—an empty seat between us.
The Callows also had a good flight from Baltimore to Chicago. But getting out of Chicago was a challenge.

They were forced to change planes because of a hydraulic problem on the plane. Of course, this caused a delay.

On our approach coming into Vancouver, I immediately was taken by lots of water.

Final approach into Vancouver (Photo Bill Pike)

The airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia.

Strolling through the airport, I was taken by its open design. The architecture features water, nature, and an emphasis on the heritage of the Pacific Northwest.

Colorful canoe display (Photo Bill Pike)

I wanted to stop and look more carefully, but we needed to keep moving toward customs.

Stunning wood carving with water moving behind it. (Photo Bill Pike)

Because of enhanced technology, we cleared our entry into Canada easily.

We took an Uber to the hotel. The Uber driver was a talker. He kept yakking. He shared lots of tourist info, but ultimately he was trying to book us for a long ten hour day of driving to the sights outside of Vancouver

My ears were relieved when we arrived at the Hotel Sylvia.

We checked in, made it to our rooms, and headed to their dining room.

The Sylvia Hotel is a survivor. It is a classic old hotel with lots of charm. Our rooms featured no air conditioning, just open windows with a pleasant breeze

We worked our way to the dining room for lunch. Lunch was a hit with humus, seafood chowder, beet salad, and ahi salad. I loved my chowder, and I had the local Red Truck lager to sip on too.

My delicious seafood chowder (Photo Bill Pike)

It wasn’t too long before the Callows arrived, and we made plans for the afternoon.

We left the hotel and walked toward Granville Island. At some point, the braintrust figured out how to take a small ferry shuttle to the island.

Located on thirty five acres, the island is in the Fairview neighborhood of Vancouver. In its previous life, Granville was an industrial manufacturing area.

Today, its main feature is a public market. Fruits and vegetables are attractively displayed on every aisle. An amazing variety of food from local vendors weaves in and out of assorted food stalls and restaurants.

Assorted cherries further down the table top and other fruits in public market (Photo Bill Pike)

Gradually, we worked our way back to the mainland.

Light rain showers didn’t slow us down, and we had another good meal at Hook for dinner.
We walked back to the hotel, had a night cap while listening to a local singer performing solo with an acoustic guitar.

By now, sleep was starting to pull on us. It had been a long day of travel.

Before snoring off, I thought about the marvels of traveling, and all of the behind the scenes stuff that takes place every day.

No doubt, the plane’s pilots and crew are important, but think about all of those people working behind the scenes to ensure that you and your friends arrive at their destination.

It is all about people. An endless stream of people doing all kinds of work. Traveling, depends upon them, and I need to be more appreciative of the critical role they play.

Letters to The Sun: American visitors inspired by Vancouver

July 12, 2025 Bill Pike3 Comments

Near the end of June, my wife and I travelled with college friends to Vancouver. As Americans, we appreciated your hospitality and your will to preserve precious land.

From your stunning airport terminal to our hike in Lynn Canyon, we enjoyed every footstep of our exploration. In turn, we worked to be considerate guests at every place we visited. During our visit, we saw the diversity of your city and how your community embraced a pretty June Saturday along the beaches on English Bay.

We noted similar challenges that we experience in our communities along the east coast of America — the high cost of housing, the struggles of the homeless, maintaining infrastructure, and the snarls of traffic. No community is immune from those challenges.

I will never forget my early morning run along the Stanley Park seawall. Captured forever are four herons gathered on a point, the scattered purple pieces of mussel shells on a soundless beach, magnificent trees, and the quiet exchange of “good mornings” with fellow runners and walkers.

As much as I will cherish that run, my old heart will value even more a discovery we made in Stanley Park on our last morning in Vancouver. I know nothing about the qualities of Governor-General Lord Stanley, but I loved the vision of his words on his statue in the park: “To the use and enjoyment of people of all colours, creeds, and customs for all time.”

That is a powerful and visionary statement for 1889. Sadly, in the United States, that foresight continues to erode from our thinking.

In the time I have remaining in this cantankerous old world, I plan to share Lord Stanley’s wisdom as a reminder to everyone in my community that as Americans, we have an obligation to support “people of all colours, creeds, and customs for all time.”

Thanks, Vancouver, for the reminder.

Bill Pike, Richmond, Virginia

Author’s note: From June 25-July 10, 2025, my wife and I had the privilege of traveling with dear friends from college to Vancouver, Canada and Alaska. I was honored to have this letter published in the Vancouver Sun newspaper on July 8, 2025.