Morning!
Accommodation is pretty expensive in Vancouver, so we decided to stay in the student halls at the University of British Colombia. The room was pretty nice, a very compact studio apartment but the only downside was that it did not have air conditioning. It was a good job we were only there a few nights, otherwise, we may have melted. It’s also a little further out of town than most hotels, but it was easy enough to catch a bus which takes you directly into downtown.
The first day we had another mini-reunion with Wendy’s favourite Canadian, Chris. He took us on a great little wander around the city and also greeted us with our first real taste of Poutine (which is basically cheesy chips!) It was good though! That weekend also happened to be the Vancouver Mural Festival, which is a free annual art celebration across the city. Many different artists gather and decorate the streets and buildings with colourful and quirky designs to represent daily social-cultural issues. The installations are permanent and it is a cool way for everyone in the city to be involved.
We also stopped by Granville Island (which technically is not an island) where this is an awesome market place, eateries, bars and lots of little green space. If we had more time, I’m sure we would have come back here.
The next day we signed up for a free walking tour around Granville and Gastown, the oldest neighbourhood in Vancouver. Traditionally, a small town which was essentially built around a pub! It was a great little tour, as we weaved through the old cobbled streets, admiring the old Victorian style buildings and steam clock, which sets off every 15 minutes. Here, you will also find a statue of ‘Gassy Jack’, aka John Deighton, the founder of Gastown. Originally hailing from Hull in the UK, he settled in Vancouver after working as a river boat captain. He initially set up a saloon to quench the thirst of the sailors and nearby mill workers and that eventually led to the very hip area known as Gastown today.
Despite being a big city, Vancouver definitely has more of a chilled out vibe than most metropolitans. There seems to be a lack of urgency (not necessarily a bad thing) when you compare it to other cosmopolitan cities. As a place to visit, I wouldn’t say it was the most exhilarating but in terms of settling, I think it’s up there.
We are getting a little tired of moving now, so we are heading to Calgary for a few weeks to have get a bit of R & R as well as to do some work! See you soon!