Vancouver always seems to be one of those cities that rank highly in the
'Top 10 places to live' lists, which is probably why it's always been on my mental list of cities to visit. So it was nice to spend a few days there this week to get our US visas renewed.
Overall, Vancouver has a very culturally diverse feel; from the art and totem poles of the First Nation people through to the cultures and great food of the Europeans and Asians who've settled since. I loved the 'melting pot' feel of the place. Here are a few of my favourite moments from this week's trip:
- A leisurely drive around the city with a stop in Stanley Park - a 1,000-acre evergreen oasis which has a 5.5 mile seawall path and drive around the edge.
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| The boys and a really old tree! |
- The spectacular "Sea to sky highway", which took us from the city to the ski resort of Whistler in less than two hours. I can honestly say it was the best drive of my life. Within ten minutes of leaving the city there are mountains on one side and the islands of the Straight of Georgia on the other, the road rising and gently curving between them.
- "Whoa!!" - Patrick's reaction to his first sight of the peak-to-peak gondola that we rode from Whistler to Blackcomb mountains. It spans 2.7 miles and drops 1,400ft into the valley. We waited an extra ten minutes for one of the glass-bottom gondolas to enhance the experience. Truly spectacular!
- All of us trying Caribbean food for the first time. We tried to choose a different style of food each night so, after traditional Canadian, Spanish tapas, and Japanese sushi, we opted for a funky Caribbean restaurant called Calabash Bistro. The atmosphere, aided by a live dj, great art, and no empty tables, was warm and convivial. (Perhaps it was helped by having the biggest rum list in Vancouver?!) The food was delicious and Richard ate a mountain of it.
- Capilano suspension bridge - spanning 446ft with a 230ft drop - it was a clear highlight for the boys. As well as the thrill of the bridge itself, there were treetop walkways, scavenger hunts, and 1,300 year-old trees to see.
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| The bridge park has the largest collection of totem poles in North America |
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| Don't look down! |
Here's a link to the rest of our photographs from the trip, if you're interested:
Vancouver album
When I'm on work trips, I've often left interesting and beautiful places feeling like I wanted to return with Anna and the boys. The beauty of this trip was that I could share the discovery with them. All of us fell in love with Vancouver this week.
Until next time.
