A Couple of Hours in Gastown

I needed to return a book to the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) and while I could have returned it via the Fraser Valley Library System, it was a good excuse to visit Vancouver.

I should have taken the Canon EOS Rebel T3i but I made do with the little rugged Nikon Coolpix and it did a pretty good job.



Iconic curved roof line of VPL meets glass—a lot of glass

I noticed some text in the windows above me and zooming in discovered a hugely-enlarged page from John Milton's Paradise Lost complete with study notes scribbled all over it. I don't think they mean to encourage that to happen to their library books.


Zooming in on Paradise Lost

We walked by the firehall and I'm glad I turned around.


I didn't notice until now the matching mountain in the mural

There were signs of gentrification everywhere I looked.

gen·tri·fi·ca·tion
 [jen-truh-fi-key-shuhn]

noun
1.
the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, thus improving property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses.

2.
an instance of gentrifying; the condition of being gentrified.

Origin:
1975–80; gentri(fy) + -fication

Here is a condo/apartment building on the site of Woodwards Department Store.


The sky was white due to the rain



What's left of Woodwards

This has got to be the ultimate curio shop. It's called Salmagundi West and I dare you to enter. It's so deliciously creepy.


The sun came out just as we entered which made it seem a little less scary
I'm reluctant to photoshop the brightness out (even if I knew how)



I didn't know that penises (or is the plural penii?) had bones



The proprietor encouraged photography but I asked just to make sure I didn't end up here

 

This photo reminds me of the children's picture books where you're supposed find hidden objects

There was so much to see in this most curious of curio shops and I'm definitely going back, next time with the Canon.

Maybe next time I won't be so creeped out but wait a minute, that was the fun of it!


I couldn't leave Gastown without a stop at one of my favourite places.

I admire the architect's vision to put a window here and that they share it with passersby