2018 Vancouver Photo Album

Inspiration

10/2/18

It is October, and I have not traveled internationally in 2018. I taught in January during the winter session. This summer, I decided to stay local and just relax while I taught online. But now I have the wanderlust nymphs whispering in my ear, beckoning me. My sister and her family are going away for Thanksgiving, and I don't want to fly back east because I would spend two full days just traveling. No bueno for a five day holiday. Plus my family is coming out here for Christmas. 

Traveling domestically during Thanksgiving is both depressing, if you are traveling alone, and problematic, as many things are closed, etc. So international it is. But then I had to ask: where can one go from LA in a short flight (3 hours or less)? Mexico or Canada, right? I looked into Mexico City and got excited. It's always been on my list. But a few weeks back when I was just starting my planning, an LA Times headline jumped out at me- a mass shooting in the capital with innocents killed. Hmmmm. I began to waver. I am hoping to go to Isla Holbox in January, so maybe I should check out Canada. So, I started to look at Vancouver. I liked what I saw. 

The direct flight I booked for $400 USD is less than three hours. I can take a 45 minutes train ride into the downtown where I booked an Airbnb for $100/night- the back house is a 13 minute walk from the train station and is centrally located. The exchange rate is in my favor. It looks like it is a walk-able city. (RECORD SCRATCHING). Wait- there's the weather. Looks like November is their rainiest month- close to 9 inches on average.  Oh well, we don't get much rain here in Southern California, so the change will be nice. I bought a Patagonia raincoat  half price and began one of my favorite parts of traveling- the research. Here's what I have so far:

1. Granville Island -The ferry to the island is a 15 minute walk from where I'm staying. 

   1. https://theaquabus.com/ 

2. Neighborhoods

3. Rent bikes Stanley Park- I am hoping there is at least one day where I can rent a bike and ride the path that encircles the peninsula. 

4. Gastown & the Steam Clock- this seems like a real touristy thing to do. 

5. Kitsilano

   1. Kits Beach Pool Outdoor heated pool. Maybe? 

6. Museum of Anthropology

7. Main St

8. Robson St. this is walking distance from my Airbnb

9. South Granville

10. Yaletown

11. Bill Reid Gallery Northwest Coast Art this looks interestinig.

12. Vancouver Aquarium this is low on my list. Maybe a rainy day fill in. 

I arrive at 11:30 am on Wednesday. Check in is at 3 but I can drop my bags off early. I'll have all of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to check things out. I fly out at 8:30 on Sunday morning. 

Audio Tour

I am going to try something new, sort of, for visiting another city. I downloaded three audio walking tours created by history students at a unviersity in Vancouver.  I love the concept as it appears to be a "people's history of Vancouver". I have used audio tours in downtown Los Angels and found them very good.  

Reading (11/14/18)

I haven't had a lot of time to dive into some of the local literature. But I do like to check out New York Times articles about the city I am travelling to. Their 36 Hours in..., is a pretty good snapshot. 36 Hours in Vancouver is just that.  I also enjoyed the article "My Vancouver: An Ever-Unfolding Story" by Timothy Taylor.  I also like to check out the local news to see what issues people might be talking about. The Vancouver Sun is a city paper. There's also the national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, which has BC coverage.  I haven't read this article yet, but if I have time, I would like to read some fiction. I have seen Stanley Park listed a couple of times written by Timothy Taylor who wrote the NY Times article mentioned above. I think I will download a sample and see if it sticks. 

Music 11/17/18

I also like to download some music when I am traveling. I use Amazon Music which I can download on my phone. When I Googled Canadian musicians the usual suspects popped up. Celine. Michael Buble. Gordon Lightfoot. Joanie Mitchell. Shania Twain.  So then I Googled Alternative Canadian musicians and found this page. Arcade Fire. Alright. We're onto something. Tegan and Sara are alright. Some I've heard their music, but didn't know their band's names. Feist. Cowboy Junkies. A lot on the list aren't available in Amazon Music though. 

Countdown 11/20/18

I am checked into my flight, and I've checked out the weather. I am going to get wet this trip. I am resigned to it. I might have a window on Saturday to do some outdoor activities. I really want to bike the path that goes along Stanley Park. But Wednesday through Friday looks like typical Pacific Northwest weather. The rain coat might be a good investment. 

I am mostly packed, just waiting for some laundry to dry. I have Quixote set up for his stay with a couple I found on Rover. I still have to clean out the fridge, and vacuum (that's a funny word, isn't it? Two u's?) the house. The mail is on hold, the house locked down. Now it is a waiting game.  

Uber, Westjet Train Wed 11/21/18

Traffic wasn’t too bad. I’m in terminal 2, 40 minutes from leaving my house, eating an overpriced bacon egg sandwich from jersey mikes. TSA precheck is worth every penny. 

This is my first time flying west jet. No frills. Lined up like Southwest. 

It was the easiest international travel I’ve done. Smooth. The flight was pleasant. I caught up on reading. Customs was a breeze. A 40 minute train ride for $15usd dropped me a few blocks from my Airbnb. By 12:30 I was dropping my bags off at my rental, 6 hours after I left my front door. 

Pho and First Nations

I first went to get some food on Robeson. Pho and veggie rolls at Chef Lein. It was decent. Better it was hot. Nothing but cool weather and rain. But with an umbrella and coat it’s walkable. 

After, I went to the Bill Reid First Nations museum. It’s small but interesting. 

Proposal

After that I walked down Robson. Then circled around to head back to my rental. I like to get haircuts when I travel. I never have time to get them before I leave and getting one gives me a small peek into local life. First barbershop I passed was on the ground floor of  a big building. I passed it by then said fuck it and went back. I’m glad I did. 

Ann greeted me with a thick Koran accent and a maniacle laugh. She told me she liked my head. She spoke non stop but I only understood every tenth word. She told me her family was important in Korea. Maybe a grandfather was a president of the country. She told me of dead husband an Englishman. She kept up with that crazy laugh. So crazy if she offered to shave my beck as most barbers do, I was ready to decline. I wasn’t letting that psycho near my throat with a straight razo. But she didn’t. She just talked. But she mostly proposed to me. Told me she was rich. She loved Americans. Asked me for a hug after I paid. I asked for a photo. I told her I’d think about her offer. 

Made it back to the house after getting turned around a bit. My phone plan allows free text talk and data in Canada. So Google maps it is. 

The back cottage is just a room with a bathroom.Clean. There’s a fridge but nothing else. Not even a kettle I took a quick respite unpacked, charged my phone, and dried off. But it is cozy with a fake electric fireplace and tiny tv. 

Soon I was out the door and walking. I try to take different routes whenever I can. But sometimes I fall into old tracks unknowingly. Such is the case. I found myself on Granville a street I walked already. Commercial. Bars. Overhead electric buses/trollies? The rain was coming down so I used my Compass Pass and jumped on. I rode it to the waterfront. Got off on Cordova. 

I was only three but I had a thirst. The Black Frog was tucked near the train tracks in the Gastown district. A sports bar with a pregnant barmaid. There were only three other people in the place. Duke was playing Gonzaga on ESPN.  

I looked up some dive bars and was suggested three. The walk would take me through Gastown. Gastown is a trendy neighborhood still transitions. There are hipster joints and specialty shops but also many homeless or what look like homeless, mostly white, grizzled  fifty year olds. 

The first stop was Grand Union Hotel, a country bar. As I walked up I thought it was a homeless shelter. A sandwich board advertised $4 beers. I looked inside. A lot of wood. The crowd didn’t entice me. I decided to skip and went to the next stop. 

I settled on Pub 340. Dive with a capital D. All men except the barmaid. Homeless or on the verge. Guy across from me looks like a dwarf from Lord of the Rings. Can’t tell where hair ends and beard begins. All the same length. Hat pulled down so I can’t see his eyes. To the right a guy mutters to himself about the Mexican cartels. Irish/Scottish guy at the bar. Loud. To the left a guy is writing long hand. A cast of characters. 

Steak Frit & Whiskey

By this time, hunger was forming. The rain had let up enough that I walked without an umbrella. And I walked the whole way back. I had read about the Cactus Club and saw they had a decent happy hour. A Steak Frite with a kale salad for $14USD. A house Cab for $7USD.  I spoke with the bartender for a bit. Nice girl. She recommended a Canadian place called Timber. Brightly lit with thick, chunky wood tables, and stuffed animals and local fare. The bartender recommended the bison burger which they apparently process in house. I settled on a local single malt. 

Although it was before 8, I felt I got my money’s worth on my first day in Vancouver. My first impressions are good. Clean. Friendly people. Easily walkable but navigable with many options. I am looking forward to seeing more of it, rain and all. 

Morning Commute

Apparently the writer of an English version of the Canadian national anthem lived in BNB in front of my cottage. 

The sun doesn’t rise until 7:30. So I slept in till then. I started out the morning at a Starbucks for some tea and writing. The rain subsided by the time I was done, so took the transit to Chinatown for one of the audio tours. I was doing a reverse commute. The incoming trains and escalators were packed. 

The audio tour was disappointing. The information had some good tidbits but it was very academic (as it should be). What I didn’t like was the directions of where to walk. They could have provided street addresses. That would have helped. 

There was a real presence of homeless in Chinatown. I saw a couple-she white, young he, Asian- get into a fantastic screaming match. Actually she was the one screaming. 

Sanctuary

I went to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden  when they opened at ten. It was a nice sanctuary from the city. After I walked to False Creek to take a ferry to Granville island. It s fun to get on the water, an alternative travel mode. The rain had stopped completely , the light bright and the Views of the city skyline were striking. 

The big news about this park, I found out later, was there was a ravenous otter in the pond, eating all of the koi. I saw neither koi nor otter. 

The New Pirates of False Creek

Next I walked to False Creek to catch a ferry to Granville Island. My walk took me past the BC Palace where they have MLS soccer and football games. There’s a walking and biking path that weaves along the waterway. The ferry ride was a nice way to see the city from as different point of view. It was $12 round trip or $6 one way. It stopped at various docks along the way. It was a cut throat business as competing ferries battled for potential customers. My driver wasn’t the talkative type, giving me short answers to my annoying tourist questions. 

Granville island was an interesting mix of tourist trap and farmers market to attract the locals. At noon it was packed with people buying groceries (maybe locals) and tourists buying crap made in China. Actually there were unique artisans there, making their products right then and there. 

I FaceTimed with my family in Florida as I walked through the open markets. They had just finished dinner.  Then I boarded another ferry which dropped me off about a half mile from my rental. 

Pilgrim's Ramen

I took another ferry back across to the mainland for $3.50 CND. I walked the half mile back towards my cottage. I passed this sign asking politely not to graffiti. It seemed very Canadian to me. 

Lunch was at Ramen Danbo. Hit the spot as the rain began again. I read on my Kindle at the counter. I completely forgot it was Thanksgiving, posted the photo of my lunch, and got some concerned texts. I guess people felt sorry for me, but I was as happy as can be eating my  ramen on a cold rainy day in Vancouver with a couple of cold, Kirin beers. I really don't mind being alone. I guess I am hard wired differently. 

After I took a break and a nap. On my return, I noticed there is a palm tree in the front yard of my Airbnb. Seems incongruous. 

Feeling the Walking

I spent a couple hours at the Vancouver Art Gallery which was disappointing. The building is impressive on the outside but the collection small and poorly laid out. It cost $24 and wasn’t worth the wait to get in. Some of the local works on the top floor was nice. There were some First Nations pieces that interested me, but most of the one of the floors was being renovated/switched over so it was a quick visit. 

By the time I left it was a steady rain. I stopped in a coffee shop and read before I rested at the Airbnb. I booked a Thai massage for 5:30. It was perfect for my aching legs. The masseuse was good, methodical. She was from Chiang Mei and happy to talk about her hometown. 

Pilgrim Pasta

I ate dinner Zeffirelli’s. Zeffirelli’s head chef is Asian? No Latino in sight in the open kitchen. The veal was excellent. The pasta was garlic strong. I ordered a half liter of their house red which wasn’t bad. Not great but not bad. I finished with a limoncello. It’s a nice restaurant. Prices are reasonable. The crowd is very white with some Asians. It’s funny how I notice this now. 

My Airbnb cottage

Location, location, location. That’s what sold me on my rental. Two blocks from Robson, a major shopping and eating street with Starbucks and Tim Hortons every 2 blocks. Four blocks to Transit. It is small, cozy, and warm. But it has no amenities that keep me there. No kitchen, the wifi sucks. No table or desk. Just a couple of arm chairs, the smallest tv, and an electric fireplace. There is as nice courtyard but it is lost in this weather. It’s perfect for what I needed. 

UBC

I didn’t have a real plan of what to do that day. The forecast called for some rain in the morning and then clearing. I had yet to see Kitsilano and Yaletown. There was an Anthropology Museum on the University of British Columbia that was recommended. The campus location on map was enticing. On a jut of land surrounded by green. Maybe some ocean views?  It was a fifty minute journey by transit. I wrote at a different Starbucks until 9, dropped stuff off at the cottage, and headed to the nearest transit station. The Compass Day pass for $10CND was a good deal. I took the train east outside the downtown peninsula, then a bus. Both were very crowded. The train with office workers. The bus with retirees and students. By the time I arrive, the rain had slowed down to a spit but the cold descended so the first thing I did when I was on campus weas find a coffee shop. It was in the corner of what looked like a new alumni center. Glass and stainless with a fireplace and self playing baby-grand piano. I sipped my tea and soaked up the energy. I read a bit on my Kindle, Hunters in the Dark by Lawrence Osborne a literary suspense novel. 

When the furnace was warm again, I ventured out, onto the sprawling campus. It is giant. I walked to the western edge and took some photos. The edge of the campus was ringed by forest with no clear views of the ocean. All of the high rises (and there are many) seemed to be dorms, unlikely I could get in. I spotted a ten story (!) parking garage with an accessible stairwell and went to the top, but alas that wasn’t high enough. I snapped some shot anyway. I decided I wasn’t in the mood for a museum and took my time strolling the campus while making my way back to the bus stop to head back downtown. 

Holy Pho

It was around noon when I landed back in downtown. I Yelped for a pho restaurant and found one close to the cathedral which I wanted to see.Our Lady of the Holy Rosary wasn’t as grand as the cathedrals in Montreal and Quebec. But it was busy with many people in the pews. I lit a candle and headed out in search of Halong Bay for some pho. I arrived just in time as a line formed soon after I was seated. I had the #2 with uncooked slice beef and brisket, red rare when the bowl was placed in front of me, but cooked by the time I stirred in the accoutrements. Pho is a perfect food especially for cold climates like this. 

Across the street I walked into a used bookstore. I was looking for a copy of Timothy Taylor’s Stanley Park which I mentioned previously. 

Lonsdale Quay

I then wandered down towards the waterfront. It is a working port city which is cut off from the water by the train tracks, the docks. I am sure the city regrets that decision. Part of the Compass Day Pass was access to the SeaBus. When I saw signed for Waterfront Station and access to the ferries, I decided to hop aboard. The ferries leave every 15 minutes with a 15 minute journey to the other side, where like Granville there is a market for tourists like me. 

The sky was actually clearing and the views of the skyline were fantastic. I noticed a red tower of sorts perfect for photos of the Vancouver skyline. I had a beer at Pier 7 which was right on the water, but a little too highbrow for my tastes. Next door was the Tap and Barrel and giant of a building with Steel, glass and chunky wooden benches and tables. I spoke with some of the bartenders and wait staff about Canadian sports. 

Snug

Making my way back to the cottage, I snuck into Johnny’s Irish Snug, a narrow spot (20 feet wide?) on Granville. The barman had the necessary brogue to make this legit. Signed currency from around the world decorate the cabinets behind the bar. True irish Crisps behind the bar which I send a photo Niall, my Irish friend who responds that he wants five bags. 

An old guy. Seventies. Newsboy hat. Comes into Johnny’s Irish snug. Wordlessly with unsteady hand pulls a twenty and puts it on the bar and shuffles to the back. Barman pours him something clear and lays the change next to the rocks glass. Old man returns. Pockets the change. Slugs the shot. Zips his coat. Grabs his cane and shuffles out the door never saying a word. Precision like a Swiss watch. 

After I pay, I was curious and ask the barman what he poured the gentleman who came in earlier. He told me a remarkable story. Came in everyday for a double shot of vodka. The man was mute. Injured in the war, he thought. The barman thought he was in his nineties.Physical or mental injury I asked. Both, he replied.  Barmen said he had a hell of a time his first day working because the guy came in laid down his money and just pointed, not saying a word. 

These stories, these incidents are why I travel. 

Early Night

After a brief rest at the cottage, I am back on Granville. I walk to it's southwest end, and find The Morrissey. It’s a cool place. Music orientated (I assume named for the singer). Industrial Goth. Dark. Good 70s rock. I order some perogies, a weird menu item. I stop in at the Moose, a Canadian dive with some really drunk patrons. 

After I get a Donair (kebab) and head home.

Stanley Park

After a different Starbucks session, I walk down to the waterfront towards Stanley Park. The northwestern edge of the peninsula is dedicated green space and there is a path along the waterfront on the breakwater for bikers and walkers. I’ve been waiting for a weather window to rent a bike and make the journey. I walk along the marina looking for a place to buy some gloves- although it is not raining the cold has replaced the moisture. Before I rent a bike from Spokes, I find a running store which sells a cheap pair of knit gloves. 

The views on the ride are well worth the $10 rental the path right at the waters edge. A big ship is leaving the port as I ride along the path. The path is crowded with walkers on one side, a handful of bikers on the other. At times one must debike. It feels good to use different muscles in my legs. I can feel the tightness in my thighs. The bike path circles around and brings me back to the rental place in an hour. I enjoyed it so much I considered a second loop, but my hands and face are numb. I find a coffee shop and thaw out, then walk back to the cottage.

More Ramen

I find another Ramen place, Marutama Rama. The rain has started again in earnest. I have a window seat, the wooden interior and the rich broth warm me as I watch the rain come down. After I walk back to spend the afternoon reading. 

Last Night

I make my way to Gastown, to the Lamplighter one of the oldest establishments in the city. It is a craft beer place with dozens of taps. Next, I go to Alibi, another old joint. The barmaid tells me a brief history of the building- a church once stood here but burned. The current building over a hundred years. She says with conviction that the place is haunted. I believe her. I am hungry and go a popular, modern pizza place with a brick oven. The bar is underlit stone, and the decor is very contemporary. The bar man is terrible and screws up my order. But the pizza is delicious and I take a limoncello before I make my way home. I have to pack as I have to leave the cottage by 5:45 to take the train to make my plane. 

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed my time in Vancouver. As you can see, I did a lot of walking. I just saw an online article that put it in the top ten most walkable cities. I can attest. I didn't find a lot of rich, traditional culture (art, museums, architecture). It is a new city, just getting its legs. If I were to return it would be for more of the natural world- to ski or hike. I would also like to learn more about their First Nations people. I am not sure if I will return, but I will have fond memories of my short time here. 

Random Thoughts

• Vancouver is young. I see mostly 20 30 year olds.

• Architecture is new. Glass and steel. High rises. They have issues with real estate bubbles. Chinese are buying real estate and using it as second homes so not enough inventory.

• They have a homeless problem. Big time. Not sure if any big city doesn’t. Is it a mental health problem?

• There’s a lot of pot smoke in the air. A lot. 

Patagonia Windsweep Jacket Product Review 

I bought my Patagonia Windsweep Jacket primarily for this trip. I don’t have much need for one in the Los Angeles area. I got it for $150 from the regular $249. I balked a little at my price. I wouldn’t have paid $250 for a jacket I won’t use more than six times a year. But I’m glad I bought it. First it’s primary purpose: keeping me dry from rain. A+. Keeping me dry from sweat. B. I don’t know if there’s an A proof icy out there. I’ve had Goretex, etc. a good raincoat is going to be hot. 

For features I’m going with A+. First the hood had a great drawstring to make it fit like a hat. Loved that. Used it quite a bit. Pockets were outstanding. I kept my kindle in the front left pocket. I stored my umbrella in the lower right pocket. With gloves and phone cords. The other lower pocket stored my hat and other things. There’s an inside pocket on the right for a phone with a handy hole for earbuds but it wasn’t convienent as I was always needing my phone for pics or directions. They held so much I didn’t need to wear a backpack. Which makes me happy. The one thing I wasn’t too happy with are the wrist tighteners. Kind of awkward to cinch. I had to order the XL because I’m a barrel chested SOB. Not the svelt rock climber type in the catalogues. So the arms are a bit long as is the body. But that’s not Pats fault. That’s my family genes and my love of pizza and beer who is to blame. All in all I’m glad I made the purchase. It made my journey to Vancouver completely comfortable in spite of the weather.