Arrival in New York City

A few months ago we visited the Excited State of Arizona. Now we find ourselves in another Excited State: New York City. This place is light years from Arizona; it might even be in a different universe. It's certainly another state of being. Excited.

We're staying in a small apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Central Park is a fifteen minute walk and the subway much less.

New York City has a population of over 8.4 million people, within a regional agglomeration that is much larger. With an area of only 790 square km, the density is 10,600 per square km through the city's five boroughs. Manhattan, where we are staying, has a population density over 25,000 per square km.

In spite of that population density, and the fact that about 54 million international and domestic tourists will visit NYC this year (it sometimes feels as though they're all here now), the city, outside of the tourist district, is surprisingly open and quiet. This is an amazing place.

And this is our street.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Delany's Coffee House ~ Vancouver Coffee Shops continued

The North Shore has monstrous malls and shopping centres. It also has its own sea wall, great parks and some village-like neighbourhoods.

In Dundarave in West Vancouver is one of the four North Shore locations of Delany's Coffee House (there's another location downtown). 

Family owned, Delany's offers a nice atmosphere and a neighbourhood feel. Our visit to Dundarave, over this Easter weekend meant a bit of a seasonal theme in the store: pink rabbits, easter balloons and other paraphernalia. Stuffed animals and coffee shops are not compatible. However, the coffee here makes it worthwhile.

Of more interest within the store is the excellent display of old posters. 

There's a Starbucks next door to Delany's, and that would be a mistake. Instead a traditional macchiato and then a brisk walk along the sea wall, then back to Delany's for an encore. Just ignore the stuffed animals.

Photos by Jim Murray.

Copyright 2014.

Buds and blooms at VanDusen Gardens

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

Birds and bees at VanDusen

After a heavy downpour yesterday, today, Good Friday, was sunny and warm.

The turtles are still sunning themselves at VanDusen, and the geese are flapping and honking. 

Bees are active again and the humming birds have stopped along their long journey.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

The Turtles appear at VanDusen Gardens

The warmth of the sun brings out the crowds, and the turtles, to VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver.

                                                                                                                                                

As for the other Turtles, they began as surf band in 1965 with a hit penned by Bob Dylan: It Ain't Me Babe. Great vocals, smart arrangements and dumb lyrics combined to provide their biggest hit in the spring of 1967, knocking Penny Lane by the Beatles out of the number one position: Happy Together.                                                

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.