I returned to Vancouver six years after my last memorable trip. This
time, I had only one day and two nights to enjoy
the city. I visited places I missed the last time
and to revisit one or two places I enjoyed.
Note: Pictures below are sized to 50%. To view actual size, right click on the picture and select "View Image", if you're using Firefox. If you use Internet Explorer, my condolences :-).
One thing I noticed is that Vancouver has an extremely high housing and population density compared to other cities on the west coast of North America. Neither Seattle or San Francisco has as many high-rise dwellings as I crossed the bridge into downtown (P1). I had a hard time finding the hotel, especially since I got sick on the flight to Seattle and got worse during the two-hour drive to Vancouver. Fortunately, the concierge gave me some flu medicine and recommended an Indian restaurant. Just like in 1997, my first nights' dinner was excellent - I had four options on how I wanted my chicken vindaloo - mild, medium, spicy, and 'blow my frickin' head off'. I chose the latter and the symptoms went away overnight.
The next day I visited the Canada Center (P2,P3,P4) early in the morning and it was deja vu - another cruise ship was docked at the same spot. I walked further east, past Gastown and the Seabus terminal. The wooded area (P5) is Stanley Park which
I did not visit this time around.
Next I went slumming through some industrial sections near Granville Island. This time I had a car to make a quick getaway in case of trouble; like most cities, Vancouver does have seedy and gritty areas and homeless people, though not as many as my hometown. I either stumbled upon a movie set or was quickly teleported back to California -- P8 is a genuine Los Angeles Police Department cruiser with British Columbia plates:
I finally visited Granville Island and was underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place to have lunch (P9), but it's just like Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco - overpriced and overhyped (complete with a real cement factory), although there was a nice water taxi under the Granville Bridge separating the island from downtown (P10).
I then drove to the University of British Columbia and back to the beautiful Rose Garden (P11,P12) overlooking the waters around Vancouver. I've never driven around campus before, and I procceded to get lost and possibly commit at least five moving violations. The officer understood, saw my Washington State plates, and told me to take it easy, eh? [Note: The UBC Rose Garden is prominently featured in the "Colonial Day" episode of the new Battlestar Galactica TV series.]
I drove back to the area of downtown south of Stanley Park known as West End. Being the last day of summer (P15, P16), quite a few people were watching the sunset across English Bay (P18). The scenery of large tanker ships sailing into the West to the setting sun was very peaceful (P19-P21). [Unfortunately, my camera during this 2003 trip was a 1.3MP Olympus. I did not get a 4MP camera until 2004.]
I spent my second night walking around the various West End bookstores and eating places on Denman and Robson Streets.
The next day, I left early and took the leisurely way out of Vancouver - through the Kingsway and the Port Mann Bridge, and finally back through the border crossing at Blaine. P22 through P26 show the Peace Arch Park and the exact location of the US-Canada border.
Two cars ahead of me flashed what appeared to be drivers licenses and were waived through. The thoughtful guy I was, I showed them my passport. I was immediately told to pull to the side, turn off the car engine, and give my keys to the US Border Patrol agent as he searched my car for contraband or weapons of mass destruction. After a few minutes, I was waived through and I drove south to Bellingham, Redmond, and finally to Seattle.
Note: Pictures below are sized to 50%. To view actual size, right click on the picture and select "View Image", if you're using Firefox. If you use Internet Explorer, my condolences :-).
One thing I noticed is that Vancouver has an extremely high housing and population density compared to other cities on the west coast of North America. Neither Seattle or San Francisco has as many high-rise dwellings as I crossed the bridge into downtown (P1). I had a hard time finding the hotel, especially since I got sick on the flight to Seattle and got worse during the two-hour drive to Vancouver. Fortunately, the concierge gave me some flu medicine and recommended an Indian restaurant. Just like in 1997, my first nights' dinner was excellent - I had four options on how I wanted my chicken vindaloo - mild, medium, spicy, and 'blow my frickin' head off'. I chose the latter and the symptoms went away overnight.
The next day I visited the Canada Center (P2,P3,P4) early in the morning and it was deja vu - another cruise ship was docked at the same spot. I walked further east, past Gastown and the Seabus terminal. The wooded area (P5) is Stanley Park which
I did not visit this time around.
Next I went slumming through some industrial sections near Granville Island. This time I had a car to make a quick getaway in case of trouble; like most cities, Vancouver does have seedy and gritty areas and homeless people, though not as many as my hometown. I either stumbled upon a movie set or was quickly teleported back to California -- P8 is a genuine Los Angeles Police Department cruiser with British Columbia plates:
I finally visited Granville Island and was underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place to have lunch (P9), but it's just like Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco - overpriced and overhyped (complete with a real cement factory), although there was a nice water taxi under the Granville Bridge separating the island from downtown (P10).
I then drove to the University of British Columbia and back to the beautiful Rose Garden (P11,P12) overlooking the waters around Vancouver. I've never driven around campus before, and I procceded to get lost and possibly commit at least five moving violations. The officer understood, saw my Washington State plates, and told me to take it easy, eh? [Note: The UBC Rose Garden is prominently featured in the "Colonial Day" episode of the new Battlestar Galactica TV series.]
I drove back to the area of downtown south of Stanley Park known as West End. Being the last day of summer (P15, P16), quite a few people were watching the sunset across English Bay (P18). The scenery of large tanker ships sailing into the West to the setting sun was very peaceful (P19-P21). [Unfortunately, my camera during this 2003 trip was a 1.3MP Olympus. I did not get a 4MP camera until 2004.]
I spent my second night walking around the various West End bookstores and eating places on Denman and Robson Streets.
The next day, I left early and took the leisurely way out of Vancouver - through the Kingsway and the Port Mann Bridge, and finally back through the border crossing at Blaine. P22 through P26 show the Peace Arch Park and the exact location of the US-Canada border.
Two cars ahead of me flashed what appeared to be drivers licenses and were waived through. The thoughtful guy I was, I showed them my passport. I was immediately told to pull to the side, turn off the car engine, and give my keys to the US Border Patrol agent as he searched my car for contraband or weapons of mass destruction. After a few minutes, I was waived through and I drove south to Bellingham, Redmond, and finally to Seattle.
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P8
P9
P10
P11
P12
P15
P16
P18
P19
P20
P21
P22
P23
P24
P25
P26