Vancouver, BC - A Pristine Urban Setting

It is easy to see why Vancouver has been selected by several sources as one of the most desirable places to live on the planet. First of all, when flying in from the east you skim over the jagged, snow capped Canadian Rockies and Coastal Ranges. They appear more sharply defined than the Colorado Rockies. There is a relaxed, upbeat, positive California mentality.The seafood is exceptional; the poached Sockeye Salmon we dined on was incomparable, like lobster in Maine, crab cakes on the Chesapeake or Cuttyhunk bass.

Walking tours of Gastown and Chinatown took us back in history to earlier times in Vancouver with brick sidewalks, cast iron gas lamps and well-preserved old buildings. A lunch of veggies and seafood in a Chinatown restaurant set us up for the international voyage we were about to embark upon with Kobe, Japan our first Asian port.

Canadian Mounty, Steam Clock

Our eagerness and energy Friday morning had us up before 5 AM, breakfasted by 6:30 AM and the very first passengers to board "Universe Explorer" by 7:30 AM! It was a great feeling to see so many smiling faces, students and staff throughout the boarding process. Just by chance, Abby Goff from Essex, CT, right next to our hometown of Old Saybrook, introduced herself having seen our luggage identification tags. We felt right at home on board, settling into Cabin 122, and took a quick tour of the ship. While checking out the 5 new terminals at the Internet center I said hello to John Tymitz the CEO of SAS and met Jill Wright, the Executive Dean.

Amid hugs, kisses, tears and laughter parents, passengers and guests swarmed over the ship Friday afternoon prior to departure. Finally at 3:50 PM John Tymitz requested all non-passengers to depart. The lines were slipped at 4:30 PM and we glided out of Vancouver Harbor headed toward the Pacific Ocean and then westward.

Shoving off, "See you in Miami in 100 days", departing Vancouver, B.C.