Sylvia Hotel, Vancouver

With this cold snap in Vancouver, my place is particularly drafty,  but when I woke with the sniffles and the water line frozen I thought I needed a night of comfort.
That's where Sylvia Hotel came in.  Located on English Bay with underground parking, Pet friendly and with great room service.  My competent assistant,Hannah, had Gilbert and I booked in mere minutes after I asked.
It's been years since I've stayed at the Sylvia but I've sure enjoyed the fine dining in their famous Sylvia's restaurant in the interim. I love that Errol Flynn dined here.
The room was perfect.  Great cable tv.  After an overdue long hot shower, I had the Okanagan chicken while Gilbert had a well done burger. The chef is definitely one of the best.
Well fed we both watched a superhero movie before falling off to sleep television still on. I can't remember the last time that happened. I was that tired. Jetlag after Asia has had me missing sleep.  I awoke at midnight, just long enough to walk Gilbert on the beach just outside the door.  Sylvia Hotel's location on English Bay has Stanley Park, a short walk and all the restaurants and shops of Denman around the corner.
Gilbert loved a new territory to mark and I was ready with a doggy bag.  Back in the room, this big comfortable bed, gave me another 7 hours of glorious sleep.
I'm so glad Mr. Goldstein, in 1912, decided to honour his daughter, Sylvia, with this hotel, named after her. I'm also glad the management has maintained the heritage flavour but ensured modernity with wifi and amenities continue to make this hotel inviting to my computer generation.
Already this morning room service has brought me a feast in the English Bay breakfast while Gilbert enjoyed a side of sausage. I've been watching Chuck Connors Rifleman on the Saturday morning cowboy channel.  It doesn't get much better.
Feeling the way I do in the comfort and care of Sylvia Hotel, I can well understand why Howard Hughes chose to live his latter life in Vancouver hotel.

 

Vancouver Sea Wall

Laura, Gilbert and I walked Vancouver's Seawall yesterday. Other than the repeated attacks by kamikaze cyclists in the pedestrian lane it was a joy to make it all the way around Stanley Park yet again.  It's over 5 miles and took us an hour or closer to two.  We were strolling. Dodging the lawless, stoned, cell phone talking bike gangs  slowed us down too.
I used to walk it regularly 5 years back when my scotty Stuart was alive and I was living at the foot of Denman at Coal Harbour.
It was great to be there. Stanley Park is magnificent. Some of the old forest timber still stands sentinel. The beaches were packed especially around English Bay at Denman.  Barbecues on the laws around Third Beach. Siwash Rock still there though it really does look like it's going to slide into the sea any time.  We saw the great Totems further along.  
I'm forever sailing under the First Narrows so it was a change to walk under the Lions Gate Bridge and look at the boats passing me.  Both Laura and I thought the mermaid was closer to the bridge and were glad to finally see her further along.  A great grey heron was kind to pose for us too..  The Celtic Cross is always a favourite. Then we were at Discovery and the Royal Vancouver Yacht club.  Laura's feet were sore and my back was but we'd made it.  We did go even  slower walking up the slight rise on Denman.
I'm not ready today for the Grouse Grind the other great Vancouver "walk'. I 'll rest  awhile with my laurels   surviving the seawall especially with the now built in  hoodlum  bicycle obstacle course. It was Gilbert's first all the way around seawall walk and I can tell he wants to do it again today.  I was thinking more along the lines of a jacuzzi work out.  The plan though is to lie on the beach at English Bay people watching and enjoying the novelty of sun in Vancouver.