Venturing to Vancouver

Greetings! The stars aligned, and I finally found the rare combination of time and motivation to write. 

I recently met my parents in Vancouver. With a population of 675,000, Vancouver is one of Canada’s largest cities and the heart of British Columbia’s economy. The skyline boasts of its gleaming success as more high rises sprout up on a daily basis. 

Vancouver Harbor and skyline

The scale of ongoing construction was astounding. Our Uber driver told how expensive apartments in the fancy new high rises are: around $900,000 for a studio apartment! We escaped the concrete jungle and headed to Stanley Park, a 988 acre rainforest oasis in the heart of Vancouver.

Stanley Park rose garden

View of Vancouver from Stanley Park

Tour of Stanley Park

A horse drawn carriage took us to see totem poles created by First Nations people to represent and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events. First Nations people usually create totem poles out of red cedar, known as the “Tree of Life.”

The second totem pole from the right is the “Thunderbird House Post.” The Thunderbird on the top of the totem pole represents the carvers’ kin and the bottom of the totem pole depicts a grizzly bear holding a human.

In addition to beautiful rainforests, Vancouver is renowned for Asian-Canadian culture and and has the second largest Chinatown in North America.

We picked up oolong tea in Chinatown, and after eating at Sushi Mugen, we can also attest to the quality of the Japanese food!  

We took a harbour dinner cruise in the evening. Although I struggled to keep my eyes open due to jet lag, the stunning city views compelled me to guzzle tea to stay awake.

Vancouver is Canada’s largest and most important port city, receiving thousands of shipping containers from far away lands each year. There is something rather romantic about imagining how far a ship has traveled and the high seas it battled to reach Vancouver carrying materials, goods, and treasures (okay, maybe I’m being a bit dramatic with the last one). 

As we sailed into the sunset, we observed ongoing effects of the pandemic that have been reported around the world: port delays and ships being stuck outside the port waiting for a chance to unload their cargo. Interestingly, when I visited the Netherlands recently, I observed the same phenomenon in Rotterdam (a key European port city).  

There is no better way of escaping from worldly concerns than immersing oneself in nature, so to the botanical gardens did we head.

The rare and exotic plants were truly spectacular. Set over 55 acres, VanDusen Botanical Gardens provide a welcome oasis in the midst of city life and can easily capture one’s mind and the majority of one’s day.

My dad’s favourite plant was the Monkey Puzzle, a rare tree native to Chile and Argentina. The evergreen, reptile-esque tree grows to 100-130 feet and has spiky leaves that have a lifespan of 24 years!

I delighted in taking picture of the flowers and totem poles, seeing how the light illuminated them. 

I also could not resist taking a picture with the “Tree of Life” (the red cedar).

Our last stop in Vancouver took us to Granville Island, a peninsula which was an industrial manufacturing area in the 20th century. Now Granville Island hosts a public market, marina, and performing arts theatres.

Replete with tourists and locals, the market buzzed with excitement as people flocked to food stalls, artisan shops, and harbour views.

Fancy yauts, paddle boarders, jet skiers, and dog walkers provided ample entertainment and people watching as we munched on our snacks.

Granville Island is also an excellent place for unique souvenirs with artisan shops and chocolatiers.

With content stomaches and enlightened minds, it was time for us to head to bed as we had to wake early the next day to board the Rocky Mountaineer train that would take us through the Canadian Rockies. Stay tuned for the next part of the Canada adventure!

~Farewell,

Janelle