July 29 Prince Rupert

For my money Prince Rupert seemed like a dying town.  Everything in downtown just didn't look thriving.  Even the Dollar Store had closed.

Last night's sunset was stunning.  There was a long sun trail across the water.  Lots of pictures taken.

Our introduction to Prince Rupert was this stunning waterfall.  Apparently there is a cannery in those buildings and they continually flush the building (I'm guessing, but it is a cannery).

We made about a DIY 2 mile loop through town on this Saturday morning.  Right next to the pier was the Sunken Garden.  About 1/20th the size of Butchart Gardens (coming up) but still beautiful for such a small town.

Found another VW on the exit from the Sunken Gardens.  This is in someone's backyard and doesn't look like it's going to go anywhere anytime soon.  We did ask someone entering the building a few minutes later, but it turns out that the building is leased as commercial space, and the VW is just part of the decorations.  Doesn't look like it has anything behind the driver's seat.

This is "Historic Third Street."  This is where we saw the closed Dollar Store.  But, perhaps in a prelude to what we'd learn later, there were at least five banks in the downtown area.  All looked to be doing well, but a bank has to look that way if it wants to stay in business.

The requisite totem pole, with a tree growing from the top.  There's a "circle of life" story here.

City hall, with excellent plantings and a dedicated staff who has put decals in their windows signifying something.

There was a Walmart, which we used.  Needed snacks for the long vacation ahead.  Can't be sure of getting enough food on a cruise ship.  

There were closed stores in the mall, and the drug store had closed their mall entrance and had only an outside entrance.  It didn't seem to be thriving, and this was Saturday morning, time to do all your weekly shopping.

The Federal Courthouse

Not sure what this means.  I'm guessing electricity comes from hydroelectric which means it comes from water....sorta.

A kids playground with our ship behind.

I thought Prince Rupert was dying, until we sailed out.  We went past docks and docks of container cranes, grain silos and lumber and coal piles.  Apparently there's a lot of business going on through this port.  Maybe it's just the downtown that's failing and the suburbs are really going.  We never got far from where the boat docked, so we didn't see everything.  Invest in Prince Rupert -- it looks like it's going to take off.