Pop goes the world!
Trip Start
Mar 08, 2008
1
9
Trip End
Mar 28, 2008
Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada
Monday, March 24, 2008
In coming to Vancouver I was heading to a place that gets a very good rap from people I've met that have been here before me. Indeed many people have told me that this was a place they would like to live in. I personally was skeptical as having been to Canadian cities before I know that they generally don't offer a lot for the tourist and are virtually carbon copies of Australian cities. And in Vancouver we have the perfect situation of how the hype and rap the city gets outweighs what is actually here for the tourist. Described as the worlds equal 1st most livable city (how Geneva ties with it at #1 I'll never know) and #3 city in Canada boasting a pop. of ca 2 million people it is the fastest growing city in this nation and a melting pot for all sorts of nationalities. The population has been swelling these last few years due to large immigrations from various Asian countries as West Coast Canada isn't all that far a place for them to settle in. Being the 4th mildest city in Canada, the only warmer cities being on Vancouver Island and the warmest being Chilliwack, also the name of a not so famous Canadian band that had a big hit here in the early 80s, it rains alot but rarely snows in the city area. Its still winter here, with temperatures at about the level of the coldest winter day in Melbourne but the difference is you don't hear anyone complaining about the cold like you do every day of a Melbourne winter. The locals are used to this sort of weather & dress for it.
It didn't take long to feel like I was back in Canada. There are fast food vendors on most corners downtown selling all manner of delicious junkfood, real meat hotdogs, hot chips & poutine (this being a French Canadian delicacy of chips, gravy & melting cheese - yum!). This may strike you as being very American but in fact I've noticed that the prevelance of such vendors is more commonplace in Caanda. The vendor I went to was perfectly bilingual - he addressed me in perfect english and then spoke to the 2 French Canadian girls next to me in perfect French who in turn spoke to me in perfect english when I accidentally bumped them. Only in Canada can you find such impressive levels of bilingualness but sadly the Quebec debate is still reigning here as a recent report discovered that only 50% of Montrealites use French as their first language, and only 80% of Quebecites use French as their first language. And now their dismantling some French immersion programs in primary schools ... there are a few unhappy Quebec campers!
I deliberately did no advance preperation for my time in Vancouver - I did not want to be influenced by reading material about what to expect or do. And so upon arrival I did a quick recon of the city and started speaking to this official at the skytrain station who gave me some information on the sorts of things tourists like to do here. It was gold because after wandering the streets I had no idea what one could do here. Indeed I really only came to Canada for 1 reason - Tim Hortons donuts. Tim Horton was a reasonable Canadian ice hockey player from the 60s & 70s. Upon retiring he opened a donut store named after him that he started to franchise before his untimely death in the mid 1970s. In the years since his little donut shop has become the most popular place in Canada with stores found all over the country. Tim Hortons simply has the best donuts of anywhere in the world and this was my primary reason for visiting. To spend time eating donuts & nobody does donuts better than Canadians because cold weather is conducive to donut eating. Given that Tim Horton's can be found on every corner in every shopping centre in Canada it is pretty easy to combine donut eating with other activities around town. A donut & small coffee only cost you $2.08, compare this with $6.00 for the equivalent meal in Australia and you begin to see why its worth travelling 17000 km for some decent donuts.
My first stop here was the Capilano suspension bridge. This is the highest suspension bridge in the world (so they say) and is set amidst a beautiful temperate rain forest. The bridge crosses a running river below and crossing it feels like you are Indiana Jones escaping from the Temple of Doom but only much braver (cos you're higher up!). Crossing the bridge was challening, it sways from side to side, and it was wet, and kids like to jump on it, and the handrail only comes to halfway up your body, so if one did slip you could well end up over the ledge. After surviving the ordeal I then went through a series of suspension bridges in the tall trees. The whole thing was pretty cool, pricey but worthwile. I then headed to Grouse mountain, the tallest point in the city of Vancouver at 3700ft. In order to appreciate the beauty and geography of this city one needs to get some height. I took a gondala type car up to the top of the mountain sharing the ride with a bunch of locals all dressed up for skiing and boarding. I thought I was underdressed until I saw a guy wearing shorts - there is always one. The ride up (& down) was very cool and better then anything in Disneyland. The car swayed back and forth as it went through each tower. However I would have to say that this was the biggest waste of money I'd spent so far this trip. Unless you're participating in the winter sports with the locals there is nothing up the top for you except an overpriced cafe and movie about bears that I wouldn't have enjoyed when I was 5, let only much older.
Deflated I went all the way down to the waterfront and ate junk food at the local market. Here I was treated to a local delicacy - beavertails. I'm sure this is for the tourist but it was a light fluffy pastry overloaded with cheese & garlic. I attempted to do some shopping in the city area but discovered that prices are not too dissimiliar to back in Australia and this idea died pretty quickly. On my next day here I headed off to Granville island, a place that has recently become all arty farty & trendy with artists moving in. Here there are funky cafe's and yet another market offering all sorts of goodies worth eating - a common pasttime here. Afterwards I headed off to Stanley park, one of Vancouvers drawcard attractions. I am always wary of cities that have a park as their drawcard attraction. Just look at Kings Park in Perth, there is nothing for one to do there but stare at the trees and hope to see a kangaroo. However Stanley park is much more than that. Set in the far edge of downtown it offers walking tracks, ponds & lots of green trees. Indeed it reminds me of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra heading into winter. The drawcard attraction is the Acquarium, apparantly one of the finest in North America. I went here as a kid when our family came to Vancouver. It was a disastrious trip, we stayed at a dodgy hotel & got stuck in the lift and coming to the acquarium was some sort of compensation. I would have to say that the Acquarium was yet another complete waste of time & money. The issue is not that there was anything wrong with it, the whales & sealions are cool, but that the entire place was swarming with kids that climb up onto every display so that you can't see anything. As they continue getting in your way you get more and more fustrated so that eventually you leave after an hour because if you stay you'll end up hitting someone. I went to the Sydney acquarium late at night once and that was really good, they don't do that here but should really start thinking of it.
I think that Vancouver is quite a pretty city and would be a nice place to live but for the tourist there are no real obvious things to do. Personally I think people only come here to take the train over the rockies, which isn't running at the moment (still winter), or to go skiing. The moto is that tourists should not expect to much from Canadian cities. Vancouver is clean & safe. You know it is safe because you see lots of single girls walking alone at night. I've met girls that won't go out alone in Melbourne, although don't ask me what I really think about that. The food here is excellent and is something the locals pride themselves on. There are quite a number of similiarities to Melbourne but its definelty more visually striking & prettier. Vancouver is sitting not far from the edge of the rockies, is wedged on the edge of the straight of georgia, a small strip of water that runs between Vancouver island and British Columbia, and is spread out over a large area that is on several different pieces of land connected via bridges. You then have the majestic mountains that sprout out of city such that if they ever do get sunlight here standing on the edge of the harbour with the mountains in the background & tall buildings in the foreground would look very pretty. Sadly I never got that view as it was cloudly the entire time I was here.
And so my trip is over. I have disspelled the myth that you can't get good coffee in North America, and that you can't get good bread. For each crap coffee you have over here I can tell you the location of equivalent crap coffee in Australia. I would have to say that the brewed coffee is definetely improving. I've done everything I wanted to do, and seen eveything I've wanted to seen. The West Coast certainly has a different feel to the East Coast, the most fustrating being the lack of decent bookshops cos people like to do outdoor activities. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog. I can't say what is coming up next, maybe some Christmas specials, a European or Vegas vacation. In any event tommorrow I begin the long journey home.
Thanks, Paul. (bonus features follow)
Coffee Survival Guide
---------------------
Decision -> Decide if you want something that tastes good or a quick shot of caffeine.
--> Caffeine only options (taste not so important)
1. Head to McDonalds. Order a small coffee. Add 3 cream & 2 sugar. It doesn't taste too bad and is quite cheap.
2. Head anywhere that isn't Starbucks. Order a brewed coffee. Add 3 cream & 2 sugar. If a larger size add portions in appropriate quantities.
3. Head to Starbucks & order a brewed coffee. The reason why this option is last is because a brewed coffee here costs more then anywhere else and you wanted coffee for caffeine purposes only.
--> Wanting a nice tasting Latte
Look for anything that isn't a chain store. Check that they have an actual espresso machine where the coffee is grinded (& not a push button machine where a Latte magically appears). Then use the following as a guide.
1. If you see the Lavazza sign, and the place is run by authentic Italians then you go here. However you need to be careful as many places have Italian sounding names but there are no Italians running the place. Recon is essential.
2. Look for French Creperies. The level of coffee at French Creperies over here is really quite impressive. And there is generally at least 1 in each city. Its worth trying & I have had some good coffees with this method.
3. Look for anything with a French sounding name. There are generally a few French bakeries in each city, try out their coffee if you can't find a creperie.
4. Goto a chain store that isn't Starbucks.
5. Goto Starbucks.
Tips/Notes for people coming here
---------------------------------
1. Don't fly United Airlines.
2. Know your geography. Having a good knowledge of where all the different cities are in the areas you are coming to will save you time & hassle when you are there. You won't need to look stupid looking stuff up or asking dumb questions.
3. Most ATM's charge a non bank surcharge. So you not only cop the Aussie bank fees but also pay extra for the transactions. Not sure how to get around this except by making large cash withdrawals.
4. 1 day is all you need to see any Canadian city.
5. 2 days for most American cities is enough.
6. Be patient. There are queues for most things and you are guaranteed that at some point someone will cut-in in front of you when you're being served to ask a question. Don't take this personally, Americans expect a high level of service.
7. Take full advantage of the service industry. Ask questions when you can, always have drink re-fills.
8. Always order the small size for everything. Its bigger then large in Australia.
9. Eat the bacon. Its much better then in Oz. Its crispy!
10. Be careful that you don't get addicted to ranch dressing. They have it with everything here. Its really nice but its harder to get in Australia so if you return with an addiction you might need rehab.
