IWTKA...Vancouver!
What You Should Know
Currency: Canadian Dollar - CAD
Weather: Cool, sunny
English-Friendly: 5 - No translation issues
Disability-Friendly: 5 - Ample crossing time for pedestrians
Clean
Lots of houses
Lots of modern, newly made townhomes
Condos or apartments made with front doors like townhomes
Colorful buildings
Lots of dogs
American brands like Safeway, Burger King, Costco
Tall skyscrapers
Men look like models!
Tim Horton’s
Expensive
Friendly ppl
Transportation
Very narrow lanes
3 lane roads
Fast drivers
Impatient drivers
Flashing green lights
Pay to park everywhere
$5 park at mall for over 30 min
Parking meters don’t have receipts; input license plate #
Trolleybus
Compass card or wristband used for metro
Train is $2.50 per zone
Vancouver, Vancouver, Vancouver…How can I describe you? A city full of heart and structure. In early May, I was taking a brief west coast vacation and decided to take a day trip to Vancouver while visiting Seattle. I went with two expectations: to eat great food and to witness beautiful scenery. It was warm enough to not freeze, but not quite hot enough for shorts. Granville Island Public Market was my first stop.
The Granville market was lively and full. Fresh pastries and fruit were in abundance and selling rapidly (and quite expensive in comparison to what i’m use to). The Giants on Granville beautifully decorated the outer market. Many dogs decorated the market streets too (it’s an outdoor market by the way)!
Within the market, there is Ukama Gallery. Ukama Gallery showcases a collection of Zimbabwean art, from sculptures to paintings. Though I am unable to show any photos, here is the link where you may see some of there works.
I briefly visited VanDusen Botanical Garden and from what I saw, it was greatly designed and very large. I would definitely recommend going in the summer when the weather is warmer because the coolness in May may be a bit too cold.
My next venture was to Capilano Bridge which i’ve described in more detail below.
The last place I visited was CF Pacific Center. The mall was pretty standard and very active so I definitely would recommend a visit.
Activities
Capilano Bridge - $46.95
Ukama Gallery - Free
Giants on Granville Island - Free
VanDusen Botanical Garden - $6.00
CF Pacific Center - Free
The highlight of my trip came when I visited Capilano Suspension Bridge. This attraction is located in Northern Vancouver, in a very mountainous/woodsy position. The area is quite calm and relaxing. One arrived, parking and ticketing is located across the street from the entrance. Three hours should be sufficient for your parking meter. The inside is self-guided but a tour guide can be acquired. There paths are very clean and clear, yet I’d recommend closed-toed shoes that are good for walking.
There are multiple signs that give details on the history and value of the Douglas Fir trees and the Pacific Coast Rainforest. The temperate rainforest is one of the most rare in the world. Tree within this rainforest have been around for over 1,500 years! The outer layer of the trees are even fire and bug resistant. This Pacific Temperate Rainforest canopy holds almost half of all planet varieties in the world. It takes up to 36 hours for water to move from the roots to the canopy.
One of the greatest aspects of the Capilano Suspension Bridge is that it was constructed with the environment in mind. Environmental integrity was at the center of the bridge’s design as all fixtures and structures are made with specialty steel and absent of nails.
Cuisine
Pies and poutine! Lots of Asian restaurants; lots of Dairy Queens!
American options - Costco, Burger King, Safeway
I ate fresh fruit from the Granville Market and I had my best meal at The Cliff House Restaurant! Talk about great food! Pictured here is the Grilled pesto salmon with herb butter, asparagus, and tomato soup. If i’m not mistaken the price was around $28CAD.
Recommendations
Visit Capilano Bridge! This is a must!
Take a windbreaker or sweater.
Have a lot of money set aside for leisure and dining.
