World Travel Guide Online

The Best of Vancouver
Vancouver, Canada

Well, my three and a bit months here are up. I’ve scraped together enough money to buy half a truck (GMC Jimmy, to be precise) and Bec and I are hitting the road. First stop: Alaska! Yippee!

But before that happens I thought I’d share a few things I discovered here in Vancouver. It’s been a little tough for us to get around as the bus strike continues. Fortunately I live near the sky train so I can at least get home from downtown if I walk in there after work. Also, the weather has been remarkably good, warm enough for t-shirts at times and the suburban streets lined with trees bursting with cherry blossoms has made the long walks everywhere almost worthwhile.

Pubs
Not that easy to find in downtown Vancouver. The Dix Brewery on Beatty near the BC Stadium would have to be one of my favourite spots in town. Yummy, cheap brews of their own, plus great food, although not much choice for veggies, but the veggie burger is heavenly. The Yaletown Brewery is also fabulous with more great beers and the best pizzas I’ve had since Slovenia.

Cheap Entertainment
Never forget Tuesday nights are cheap nights at the movies. I don’t think I’ve missed a single week down in Granville St. Note: Coca Cola at the Granville 7 and Pepsi at Capitol 6 (these things are important!!!)

Chinatown
Not as big as I expected, but lively and full of colour. Dive into any of the local restaurants and you’re bound to have a great feast, and the crowds of local Chinese are always a good sign of decent food.

Museum of Anthropology
Definitely need wheels to get you out there, but most definitely worth it (and take your student card). An amazing collection of totem poles and other Pacific Northwest carvings, the highlight of which is the superb ‘The Raven and the First Men‘ carving by Bill Reid. A fascinating story, combining old and new, lies behind it. Take a wander outside to check out more carvings and some reconstructed houses, all with fabulous views over the strait to the still snow capped mountains.

Whistler/Blackcomb
I hate to succumb to the advertising but you have to get up there! And not just to the village, which is neat and pretty, but go all the way to the top. I’ve never seen such a huge resort. The lifts just kept taking you further and further up. On a clear day, the roll of mountains just never end and the 10.5km run down the Blackcomb Glacier in soft, knee deep powder snow is straight out of Seventh Heaven (bad pun, but words cannot describe the sheer and utter joyousness of it all).

Seattle, Washington

Well worth a weekend trip. We took Quick Shuttle as it ran at more convenient times on Friday afternoons than any of the others. You can get cheap hotels at SeattleSupersaver.com or there are a few hostels around also.

Allow a morning for browsing through Pike’s Markets, all kinds of curious things in the ‘down under’. The Old Curiosity Shoppe is definitely worth a look also, but don’t forget to look up as that’s where some of the best things are. Shrunken heads, half human half animal-like creatures, in between the modern tacky souvenirs is a lot of great old stuff.

Pike’s Brewery offers ‘Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale’, a great beverage that no girl can afford to not try! They have good food too – huge servings. The ‘experience music project‘ is a must-see for any music buff. Located in a funky modern building out near the Space Needle, it’s a hi-tech wander through the fascinating history of rock, punk, grunge and everything in between, with a major emphasis on the Pacific North West music scene. Allow a good couple of hours for this one. It’s overwhelming, and the ‘Wild and Wooly’ CD is a great investment. You’ll never be able to listen to “Louie Louie” the same way again!

Sunshine Coast
Nope not the one north of Brisbane, Australia, this one is a 40 minute ferry ride north of Vancouver. It’s on the mainland but can only be accessed by ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale. Suburbia is slowly growing here but the forests and the sea on either side of the ‘highway’ and the small settlements strung along it keep the laid-back hippyesque atmosphere intact.

We stayed at the Mooncradle hostel at Roberts Creek, just a big house really, tucked into the forest, cosy and welcoming. We had planned to do lots of hiking but were seduced by the tranquility and lay around listening to Dylan and St Germain, reading. The forests were mossy and endlessly fascinating and sea kayaking with seals and eagles playing around us provided unforgettable memories.

Commercial Drive
Cool cafes and shops. Definitely worth a wander if you’re not in a hurry. Great for people watching.

Now it’s time to hit the open road. No more big cities for a while. First stop is Victoria on Vancouver Island then the plan is to head north up the Inside Passage and out to the Queen Charlotte Islands. Stay tuned for more adventures.