The actual reunion starts tomorrow but we decided to fly in early. We’ve never been to Vancouver before but everyone seems to agree it is the nicest city in North America. The position is spectacular. It’s set on a number of small hills right on the coast water. As you crest each rise another vista of the Strait of Georgia and the Burrard Inlet appears running fingers of water into the heart of the city. Dominating the heavily wooded northern horizon, the Coast Mountains seem to thrust straight out of the sea. Patches of snow glisten here and there on the peaks. It’s quite a “low rise” city but with that typical North American arrangement downtown of a small cluster of skyscrapers but nothing more than 30 stories or so strolling up the rolling hills. The reunion hotel - the Coast Plaza is right downtown. We’re on the 27th floor with great views in every direction. Out in the bay half a dozen tankers and ships are anchored and the odd cruise ship and ferry slips out en-route for the Inside Passage and Alaska. I wonder if there any OCs out there. Sadly probably not, unless one of the new breed of Conway cadets happens to be passing.
The weather is stunning, blue skies and hot (unseasonable apparently).
Wandering around the hotel and local streets we keep seeing men of a certain vintage and bearing - could be OCs! Met Terry Powell in the lobby. He, with Ian Hopkinson, is the organiser of the event. and he said that quite a few people are already here; they expect around 150 people to sit down to dinner! Tremendous response to the reunion so before we go any further here’s a big thank-you to them for all their hard work. We’ve three days to look forward to; here’s the program Vancouver Program.
Some orientation photos below. Click on the links - Day 1 etc at the top of the page to follow events.
Downtown
Only in Canada
Burrard Inlet
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Foretopman ex band shag
Focsleman dressed and ready
