Last Updated on October 23, 2022
Our fourth trip to Vancouver BC and Vancouver Island was our first “international” trip since COVID reared its ugly head, and we found our favorite urban destination in Canada comfortably the same in many ways, but very much changed, too. Vancouver is a lively, sociable city that seems to have it all: lovely, usable green spaces; beaches (several are dog-friendly and one is an off-the-leash expanse of fine sand) and kilometers of walking paths.
Bike lanes on both main and secondary streets are ubiquitous (and an occasional annoyance to both walkers and drivers) the length and breadth of the city.
The city had really gone all sort of green and youthful while we’d been away. “Green” roofs dominated the view of the city skyline from our 16th-floor hotel room. And the private guide who escorted us on a tour of the city said that many are home to collections of beehives that are being cared for by some of the city’s more than 10,000 homeless trained in beekeeping by local apiarists. These roofs provide an inviting and protected environment for trees, bushes, flowers, and vegetables … and earn the building owner a tax break.
Granville Island Market boasted a square block or more of gorgeous mushrooms, carrots, peppers, onions, leafy lettuce … beautiful cuts of pork, beef and chicken … an array of fresh seafood … plus chocolate, bakery items from bread to cupcakes, and great doughnuts, too. This is a “neighborhood” market very like those still providing Europeans with their daily “bread” (and meat, fish and vegetables), and a lively place to spend a couple of hours.
Many stall owners offer free samples of their consumables, and it looked as if a lot of the locals took advantage of the free lunch.
Gas Town, the settlement founded by Gassy Jack (John) Deighton that eventually became Vancouver, had changed not at all since we’d visited last, although Gassy Jack’s statue had recently been removed from its place of honor in a square near the Saloon he founded. After the death of his first wife, a Squamish woman, Jack married her 12-year-old niece (perfectly acceptable at the time). However, political correctness often trumps history these days, and protests against Jack’s “pedophilia” resulted in his statue being toppled and carried away. (NOTE: Jack’s “Gassy” nickname referred to his propensity to talk a great deal, not a tendency to flatulence.)
Our hotel on Robson Street In the city’s West End was surrounded by cafes and restaurants … a streetscape very reminiscent of Venice, Paris, and other cosmopolitan European cities … it really reminded us Melbourne, Australia, where we lived for three years, and we thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere. The West End did present a much more youthful vibe than when we had visited before. There were lots of oversized backpacks “parked” next to the cafe tables, a brisker pace to the foot traffic, and a lot more beer than wine being served to the outdoor tables. One evening we enjoyed a gorgeous locally sourced meal at Forage, a wonderful restaurant just a few doors down from our hotel, and the spectacle of a lo – oooong line of young people in office attire laughing and engaging in conversation while waiting to get take-out from the noodle shop across the street.
Many of the local restaurants feature locally sourced vegetables and protein … to excellent effect … the seafood was beautiful, as were the salads, and we had some excellent breakfasts in our hotel’s restaurant. NOTE: If you go, at least in the near future, dinner reservations are a must for most restaurants … “Fully Committed for the Evening” signs are displayed on the door of nearly every good restaurant by 3 p.m. (On Friday I tried to make Saturday evening reservations at a place we had visited and liked very much on prior visits and found that none were available until the following Wednesday!)
Our all-too-short four days in beautiful, “green,” youthful Vancouver ended with a drive to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and a scenic 90-minute voyage to Swartz Bay, about 40 minutes from gorgeous Victoria … and what a grand time we had there!
Dayle Dawes
Photographs by Forest Dawes