Vancouver: Beautiful British Columbia

A short train ride from Bellingham, and we arrive in Vancouver, spotting bald eagles and herons on our journey along the coast, which was an amazing start to our Canada experience, and our exploration of Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

Reflections on Vancouver

Although we love the outdoors, our interest in photography was rekindled by the interesting and contrasting architecture here in Vancouver. Dramatic cityscapes both by day and night, with clear unpolluted sky as a backdrop.

Views of the city from the Lookout!, and night time Gastown above. Below, images of the Art Deco style Marine building, once owned by Ireland’s Guinness family.

Gastown is home to many heritage buildings and a host of good pubs, as well as the famous ‘steam clock’ which plays a tune every 15 minutes.

Food

I know I have raved on about all the delicious food we have had on this trip so far in our travels across Oregon and Washington, but Vancouver is no exception to delicious gastronomy and I had to include a wee taster below!

Jazz it up

There is plenty music here during jazz festival week. We were a bit baffled by the fact you cannot stand up in a bar and have a drink though. This is because most pubs have a licence primarily for food, therefore people need to be seated to ‘eat’ and it is illegal to stand! As a result most of the pubs look empty and it isn’t an easy way to socialise, unless you are sat at the bar talking to the bartender!

On Canada Day, there is a market for all things marijuana, complete with hash brownies, karma cookies and magic chocolates! Hipsters intermingle with friendly police, everyone wearing red and white. A very unique spectacle!

Drawn towards the spirit

The Bill Reid gallery is an interesting blend of Haida first nations spiritualism with modern techniques in jewellery, printing, wood carving and graphics, complete with inspirational poetry and spiritual authenticity. Bill Reid’s mother was from Haida Gwaii (previously the Queen Charlotte Islands), and his work continued the traditions of the native peoples of the Northwest, who have lived in this area for over 12 thousand years, bringing this culture to a wider audience.

Vancouver Art Galllery holds the works of Emily Carr, who developed her modernist style during the 20s and 30s, travelling extensively in the north west, including Alaska and Vancouver Island. In the 1920s poets and artists associated with Surrealism began to collect Northwest Coast objects – works of art in which the sacred, the aesthetic and the practical were united. This movement influenced Carr, who began to develop her own style, painting expressions of her unconscious, rather than the realist style she had initially favoured.

At the Museum of Anthropology, Mike discovers a love for the carving of Papua New Guinea, and we marvel at the extensive collections of native artifacts from all over the world. The museum was cleverly designed so the carved poles stand in front of the glass walls, with the green landscape behind them, as near as possible to their natural ‘habitat’.

Taking pride of place , ironically above the site of old gun emplacements, is Bill Reid’s yellow cedar carving of the Haida creation story ‘The Raven and the First Men’. The Raven is flying around Haida Gwaii after the great flood, and spots a giant clamshell. Flying down to investigate, the Raven tries to coax out mankind into the world.

Granville Island

Granville Island is famous for its extensive covered market, brewery, art galleries and craft shops, selling everything from fresh fruit and fish to loose leaf tea and jewellery.

Feel the suspense

The Capilano suspension bridge is the worlds longest suspension bridge, originally built by a man for his son to access the river for fishing! We also find a canopy walkway, a cliff top walk, and a bluegrass band in old costume entertain us whilst we eat our hot dog and fries!

Parks and Gardens

Stanley Park is a great place to chill out and escape the city traffic, that is if you are not tempted to run, rollerblade or cycle around it! We walk round the edge of it one day, and later in the week explore the middle bit, to escape the city heat.

Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is modelled on a scholar’s home during the Ming Dynasty. We take a guided tour, with a free cup of tea, learning about Chinese symbolism and how to balance Yin and Yang in your outside ‘space’.

Famous Grouse

A short bus ride away from Downtown, we encounter a surprising array of entertainment atop the ski resort of Grouse Mountain.

Birds of prey, grizzly bears, hummingbirds,  Mike’s fear of heights tested in the ‘Eye of the Wind’ experience, and I (it’s my age, apparently!) try unsuccessfully to stay cool during the lumberjack display! (cue Michael Palin here in checked shirt with Mountie backing singers in Monty Python sketch).

Tofino: Sophisticated Bohemian

Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island perfectly epitomises the Pacific northwest attitude, providing enough hipsters, artisan coffee, surfing dudes, beards, dogs on ropes (and in handbags) to keep us entertained for a week. Tourism has taken over from the past trade in sea otter pelts, whale products, timber and fish, but there remains a strong sense of connection to the environment, and many unspoiled places to explore.We even have one day when it doesn’t rain and we go black bear spotting!  

Rim of fire

Between Tofino and Ucluelet (you-clue-let) is the Pacific Rim National park. Red cedar driftwood logs line the shore like piles of discarded giant cigars and dense temperate rainforest meets the crashing waves on the wild, unspoilt beaches. Bald eagles soar past us as we hike through the forest trails and explore the beaches.

And so it is with treasured experiences in our hearts and several full memory cards, we leave the Pacific Northwest and return homeward, to catch up with family, friends and think about going back to the world of work!

Until the next adventure: Go well, Be well, and have Fun!

Mike and Kath xx