Vancouver -Part 4 – Victoria on Vancouver Island

Part 4 of my Vancouver travel blog, takes us over to Vancouver Island and the city of Victoria

Day 6 of our trip we left the vibrant city of Vancouver for Vancouver Island. Just off Canada’s Pacific Coast, Vancouver Island is known for its mild climate and thriving arts community. At the Southern tip of the island, is Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

I had booked the Victoria Regenct hotel in Victoria, just off the waterfront. The trip involved a bus trip with Wilson group travel and a ferry ride of 90 mins over to the island. After a delay in catching our bus, 60 mins and no explanation, we travelled down to Twassen Ferry Terminal, with a friendly driver who gave us some interesting insights into the less safe parts of Vancouver downtown (East of Gastown and China town) – as we drove though, we witnessed open drug use and homeless people on the streets everywhere. We were told that the government don’t do as much to help people as the UK and other countries. At the ferry terminal we were even given recommendations of what to eat – the salmon burger was a must with caeser salad – before boarding and enjoying the fresh air and views of the coastline and approach to the island. On arrival, the bus took us across the island to the southern tip, where Victoria sits. Victoria is one of the most popular areas of the island, with oceans views from the inner harbour, neo-baroque Parliament Buildings, the grand Fairmont Empress Hotel and English-style gardens. As soon as we stepped off the bus and grabbed our luggage, we began walking through the streets towards the harbour and our hotel. Passing old style buildings and green garden areas, Victoria already held a more relaxed vibe. As we crossed the road and passed the tourist information centre, the inner harbour area came into view. I pointed out the spot where we would set off whale watching on the following day, the Prince of Whales boats waiting in the water down on the jetty, which was backed my tourist shops and restaurants. I love the feeling of arriving somewhere new and pulling your suitcase behind you as you catch your bearings. To me, this is real travelling and exploring. We were finding our own way around. The Victoria Regency waterfront hotel and suites was soon within view and a welcome sight after a long day of travelling. When we checked in, we found that they had upgraded us to a beautiful suite with a harbour view. That evening was spent eating at our balcony and looking out over the water. The Johnson Street bridge (Canada’s largest single-leaf bascule bridge), which connects the inner harbour of Victoria with the upper harbour, could be seen from our balcony. At night it provided a beautiful backdrop to our suite.

The following day, we walked across and took in the views from across the water – pointing out our hotel and trying to pinpoint the exact spot that we had eaten breakfast that morning on our balcony.

What I was most looking forward to in Victoria, was whale watching by catamaran with The Prince of Whales company from Victoria Harbour, visiting Munros infamous bookstore, which my Canadian friend had advised as a must, and a British friend has bought me a voucher and bookbag to use at the store. We were also looking forward to finding out about the area and what Victoria is known for.

Vancouver – part 3 – Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge

The third installment of my travel blog explores our trip to Grouse Mountain and Capilano suspension bridge in the North of Vancouver.

on 4th July we took a ferry across from the waterfront to the North Shore of Vancouver to meet our friends who were picking us up to head up to Grouse Mountain. After getting a bit lost on exiting the terminal, our friends picked us up and we grabbed coffee and chai tea from Nemesis, a coffee shop recommended by one of the staff at the Paradox Hotel.

Spoiler – Canadian’s love their coffee, and if I drank coffee I could argue that they do it well!

Grouse Mountain (named after a bird found in the area) is one of the north shore mountains, with an elevation of 41,000 ft at it’s peak, making it a perfect location for an alpine ski area, as well as a tourist hotspot for visitors to enjoy views across Vancouver. The cable cars run back and forward between the summit which also houses a theatre, several eateries, gift shops, a grizzly bear sanctuary and an entertaining lumber jack show. The Grouse Grind is a 2.5km hiking trail which takes you up the mountain and several people have taken on in the course of it being open. It is referred to as ‘Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.’

On arriving, the temperature at it’s highest of the holiday so far (around 27 degrees) we headed along the trail towards the grizzly bear sanctuary. We had great fun standing alongside the bear chart, to see where we measured in comparison to the many animals native to Canada, while our friends Dianna and David recounted stories of encounters either they had had or people they knew when out hiking or camping in the wilderness. There was no doubt that these bears are extremely dangerous, despite their cute appearance. When I first saw them wandering among the wilderness of their enclosure, I couldn’t quite believe it was real. They were so chunky, their fur thick and shiny, their faces cute like stuffed teddies I had seen for sale across the area. One sniffed in the air and Dianna mentioned that they can smell people a long way off – it’s impossible to outrun them. Coola and Grinder are in captivity on Grouse because their parents had been lost or killed leaving them alone. This enclosure allowed them to live safely, as they would never survive in the wild. Needless to say, I bought a bear friendly t shirt in the gift shop.

Following this, we visited the beavertail kiosk, for a sugary sweet pastry hand stretched to resemble a beaver’s tail, laden with a filling of our choice (I went for nutella) – it was delicious but very messy! – and sat down for the lumberjack show. It did not disappoint. Full of Canadian humour and history, the lumberjack show explained the history of the lumberjack’s often dangerous work in the Canadian forests, whilst showcasing their skills in a fun and interactive competition. Everyone laughed and cheered along as they took part in challenges including tree felling, log cutting, log rolling. My partner and I were astounded, as at the end of the show, we watched one of the lumberjacks climb a tree and return to the ground in less than half a minute. It was like watching a native animal climb the tree, not a human!

After all the excitement, we headed to the gift shop and viewing area to take some photos. A mist had started to form across the treeline. This is not uncommon, David explained, and we were lucky to have such a bright and clear day to visit.

Jumping back into the car, our next stop was Capilano Suspension Bridge, just south of Grouse Mountain.

Capilano is a suspension bridge crossing the Capilano river which draws over 1.2 million visitors a year. It is 140 metres long and 70 metres above the river. The bridge was originally built in 1889 by George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and park commissioner for Vancouver. It was re sold several times and rebuilt in 1956. In May 2004, Treetops Adventures was opened, consisting of seven footbridges suspended between old-growth Douglas fir trees on the west side of the canyon, forming a walkway up to 30 metres (98 ft) above the forest floor. In June 2011, a new attraction called Cliffwalk was added to the park. Capilano was busier than Grouse mountain, but with our pre purchased tickets, we were able to go straight through and after stopping for lunch – I tried Poutine, a traditional Canadian meal originating from Quebec, which consisted of cheese curds and gravy with french fries – we made our way over the suspension bridge. High above the Capilano river, the bridge had astonishing views over the water and forest, this is what we imagined rural Canada to be like. The bridge itself was a lot bouncier and moved more than I expected, although there were lots of people making their way across to the other side, where the treetop walk was. As I looked tentatively over the edge of the bridge, hanging onto the side, I imagined a bear coming out of the forest and catching a salmon in the river. This was a taste of real Canada right here. When we had reached the other side safely, after some time and photos being taken with laughter, we headed for the treetops walk. Steps and bridges linked the paths through the trees, were the cool breeze was welcome and the views continued to stun us. It conjured images of Enid Blyton books or Peter Pan. We later walked alongside the water and watched for the resident Otter. There were birds of prey on display at Raptors ridge including a hawk and a falcon.

We crossed back over the Capilano suspension bridge (warning – if you get over one side, you must return to exit the park!) and embarked on the cliff walk. The cliff walk took us alongside the river in another direction, with views from the narrow walkways and glass floor viewing platforms.

When we finished, it was time for refreshments and a visit to the gift shop. Here, we had delicious ice cream and rested in the late afternoon sunshine. This was our busiest and most action packed day, but we were glad we got to see everything. I would thoroughly recommend both attractions, they were unlike anything else I have done before, and they got us out of the bustling city to explore the wilds of Canada, albeit in a safe and restrained environment.

Vancouver – Part 2 – Granville Island and Stanley Park

The second in a new series of blogs on Vancouver and Vancouver Island explores the bustling foodie mecca of Granville Island and Vancouver’s Stanley Park, a tranquil green space just a few blocks from downtown.

On the second day of our trip to Vancouver, we met friends over on Granville Island, just across the water from downtown Vancouver. After picking up a pastry and tea/coffee to go, (breakfast on the go is a thing out here) we headed for the waterfront. We got an aqua bus (the small water taxi’s that Vancouver natives use to get around) from Hornby Street in downtown, across False Creek (approximately 150 metres) to the island. The main market building could be viewed on approach to the dock, it’s bright colours standing out against the backdrop of the sea and cityscape. Granville Island is famous for it’s public market, which offers an array of fresh food and produce daily including meats, cheeses, bread, chocolates, fresh fruit and veg and pasta, pies and deli products. It attracts locals and visitors alike all year round. After meeting our friends, we were first to join the long queue to sample the legendary Lee’s doughnuts, which come in a variety of flavours from cinnamon dusted and chocolate sprinkles, to blueberry filled. Granville island is creative and quirky with lots of arts and crafts shops (often offering handmade and local traditional pieces such as wooden carved gifts and masks or beautiful marble figurines), a waterfront theatre and soveneir shopping available.

Outside of the main shopping area, there is also a children’s market, play park and water park making Granville family friendly.

As we wondered around the island, taking photos of the picturesque views and catching up with our friends after a long time apart, I marvelled at how varied and diverse Vancouver city is, with it’s unique landscape backed by mountains, sea and sky and it’s many neighbourhoods which all offer something different to the eye and heart. Yet the same laid back, friendly charm invades every inch of the cities tourist spots. After purchasing some fresh fruit, deli products and raspberry lemonade from the market, we made our way to the boat dock to get the aqua bus across to the mainland.

Our third day in the city was 3rd July and my 40th Birthday! With the jetlag finally wearing off, we had a nice lie in before finding brunch at a cafe called Cora, off Robson street in downtown. I can honestly say that this was one of the biggest brunch’s I’ve ever seen. Blueberry pancakes were stacked high, alongside eggs (cooked how you like them) potatoes, tomatoes, fruit and toast with a deliciously smooth peanut butter. When we could eat no more and needed to walk, we made our way to Stanley Park, Vancouver’s large green space which covers 405 hectares and is surrounded by the waters of Burrard Inlet and English Bay. The park borders West End and Coal Harbour on it’s South East and is connected to the North Shore via the Lions Gate bridge and features forest trails, beaches, lakes, children’s play areas and the Vancouver Aquarium.

We walked along the lakeside and across the forest trails taking in the wildlife. We saw several heron’s who were content to sit on the waterside and flew right by us as well as Canadian Geese which, although nothing new to us, seemed strange seeing them in their native country. After several miles, we came across a sign warning of Coyotes in the area, something which I had read about before. So we took a different path which led us down towards the sea wall and Third beach.

We had tea and coffee at the Tea House Restaurant, which sits at Ferguson point just above the beach and sea wall, where we met a British couple who had travelled around Canada for 5 weeks in an RV before returning to Vancouver to explore the city. We talked about jet lag, the places we had visited and the food/drink and customs of the country. The tip system was of interest and navigating the suggested 18% for service in restaurants and cafes. The cooler air gave way to hot sunshine in the grounds of the tea house, as we sat in brightly coloured wooden chairs, surrounded by colourful flowers, with the chatter of diners filtering in the air. This was one of the most relaxed and spontaneous birthdays I have experienced. albeit 8 hours after my actual birthday had begun in the UK.

That evening, after walking until we were tired and making our way back to the hotel to rest, we joined our friends for a birthday meal in the historic Gastown area of the city, Just 15 minutes from Canada Place. Gastown is known for it’s Victorian architecture and cobbled street as well as the famous Gastown steam clock, an icon for the area in all of the guidebooks. Named after John “Gassy Jack” Deighton, an English mariner who opened a saloon in the area in the 19th century, the district is filled with heritage buildings now hosting boutiques, coffee shops, hip restaurants, and bars.

After a lovely meal at Di Beppe (I had the Carbonara with rigatoni, followed by Cannoli – delighted at seeing this dessert on the menu!) we walked up to see the Gastown clock. Built in 1977, It is one of few steam powered clocks in the world, most of them designed by Canadian horologist Raymond Saunders for display in public places. As we stood looking at it, along with several others, who took photos and read the information, the 19th century style antique let out a puff of steam to announce the hour. It was a perfect end to a lovely birthday and allowed us to see the creative and quirky side of Gastown, one of Vancouver’s many neighbourhoods. Next stop would be Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge, on the North side of Vancouver.



Vancouver – Part 1 – The world’s friendliest city?

The first in a series of travel blogs about the city on the pacific West of Canada and it’s neighbouring Island city of Victoria.

With a milestone birthday approaching (40 – but who’s counting) I made the decision to spend it somewhere outside of the UK, to celebrate somewhere I’d never been before, in style. So, my partner and I flew out to Vancouver, on the West Coast of Canada (or the pacific West as they say) a few days before the big day, allowing for the time difference (8 hours behind the UK) and jetlag which was a given on a long haul flight (9 hours and 30 minutes). The plans changed over the months leading up to the holiday. First thoughts were to venture over the border to Alberta, where by partner’s granddad was born (Calgary) and some of the family still reside – then talking to a friend and native to the area, we quickly realised that this would lead to a 3 hour flight at least, if not an 11 hour drive. Canada is a massive country, in fact the world’s second largest by total area, spanning 10 provinces and 3 territories yet it’s population is around half of the UK at 37.1 million. Our dreams of visiting Alberta and perhaps the Rockies too, soon turned into plans for another trip, another time. We instead chose to focus on Vancouver itself and the surrounding area, with a few days over on Vancouver Island, at Victoria on the Southern tip. Vancouver Island, to give you an idea, if it was placed over Great Britain, would span from the Welsh Island of Anglesey in the North, to Brighton in the South.¹ It has a population of around 874,000 people.

So we began our journey, flying out from Heathrow, London to Vancouver airport and journeying down to downtown Vancouver for 5 nights at the Paradox Hotel on West Georgia Street. The 20 minute taxi ride allowed us to see the neighbouring area on approach to the city, the skyscrapers rising high in the distance beyond the bridge. On arrival in the city, we took in the high buildings, the bright lights and evening traffic as warm air flowed through the window. Our taxi driver chatted to us on the way down, asking where we were from and what our plans were. On arrival at the Paradox Hotel, we were greeted by very friendly staff, who gave us bottles of cold water and asked if we needed anything else, before directing us to a beautiful room on the 21st floor, with a view of the street and very thick glass windows which made it so quiet. Our bags shortly arrived and after a long journey we were ready for sleep.

In the morning, feeling tired and a little disorientated from travelling, we ordered room service and the staff couldn’t be more helpful. After bringing a beautiful Canadian breakfast, of cooked sausages and meats, with potatoes, eggs, toast and tomatoes, with cold water and fruit juice, tea and coffee, our server offered advice on places to visit and even dropped a ‘walking map’ off once we’d finished – even phoning to ask if this was okay first – with a hand written note saying she hoped we enjoyed our stay and to reach out should we need anything. This was a wonderful start to our first day, which was then spent wandering around the city, which is really easy to navigate if you’re staying downtown as everything is nearby and the streets are in blocks, much like big cities in America. We marvelled at the large cars, the traffic light system with timed guidance on crossing the road and a hand to stop, a person walking to go. The air was warm and pleasant and the people were so friendly and chatty. At times, I forgot that I was in a large city. On 1st July, our first day in the city, we walked the sea wall, taking in the seaplanes, boats and view across the water to the North Shore. It was Canada day and we had the delight of accidentally wandering into Canada Place where there was music and entertainment for the large crowd celebrating the country and its people. There was a real sense of pride and excitement which was infectious, as people from all cultures waved red and white flags, their faces painted, chatting and eating and enjoying the music – which displayed a range of tastes (from country, to pop, to rock) and local talents – the Canadians know how to party! This whole city has a relaxed and creative vibe. As we walked the sea wall, we saw several forms of entertainment, from a British man performing a comedy escapism act, to two young girls (perhaps sisters) who sang and danced the song ‘Part of their world’ from the little mermaid – it gave me goose bumps! – and an older man who played guitar as people walked and cycled by. It was day one and I was in love with this city!

That evening, we ate at The Cactus Club, a bar and restaurant down by the water, in Coaltown. I remembered their iconic yellow parasols from my online searches leading up to the trip, and they had been recommended by other people. The atmosphere was lively, with music pumping out from their speakers, and their menu offered a range of local and traditional food. Their burgers were delicious and the portions, as we learnt, much bigger than the UK. We ended up taking the 5 layer fudge cake that we had ordered to share back to the hotel, to store in our fridge for another day! Our first day was the best we could have imagined. On the Sunday we were due to visit Granville Island and to meet up with my friend from University, who lives just outside Vancouver, with her husband and son.

Beef – Netflix

Stand up Comedian Ali Wong makes her debut in this Netflix series alongside Steven Yeun.

Beef had been on my watch list for a while. The Netflix trailer intrigued me and I had noticed that Ashley Park (of Emily in Paris fame) was one of the cast. It wasn’t until I mentioned my imminent viewing of the series, that a friend mentioned Ali Wong played one of the lead characters. I came across Ali several years ago, when Netflix streamed her first stand up special Baby Cobra, which was followed by Hard Knock Wife and Don Wong. I was immediately drawn in by her observational humour and very physical comedy. Although following these specials, I didn’t come across Ali again until now.

Beef is an American black comedy that tells the story of two individuals who are angry with the cards life has dealt them. An altercation in a car park, leads to an ongoing stand off between them, which completely takes over their every day lives, effecting their work, their home lives, their relationships and their view of themselves as well as each other. Wong and Yeun are expertly cast as Amy Lau and Danny Cho and credit goes to both actors as well as to writer and director Lee Sung Jin for creating such great characters and a wild ride of a storyline, which at times would be difficult to believe if not handled so well. Through the characters journeys, we get to see their reactions and snap judgements about each other as they enter a cat and mouse came, but also their vulnerabilities and weaknesses as their past and personal lives are gradually revealed.

Amy is a high flying business woman, who trusts her artist husband to look after their daughter, struggling to find her real maternal instinct. As she plans to slow down on her career path and sell her business, doubts creep in, aided my her interfering mother in law who knows more than it seems about Amy’s life. Amy’s obsession with Danny leads to an innocent fling with his brother. Amy appears lonely in her successful life, and looking for purpose.

Danny runs a contractor business, while his brother plays computer games all day and dabbles in bit coins and online shares. The pressure is on to earn back the money lost in the family business, so that his parents can return to America from Korea. Danny sees Amy as a stuck up rich bitch, and his obsession to bring her down interferes with his business and his family connections. Danny is lonely too and disconnected. When we first see him at the store, we wonder what makes him so angry, when trying to return goods for the 3rd time. We later learn that he was planning to commit suicide and while even this doesn’t work out for him – The bad driver in the car park sends him over the edge, it gives him a purpose in life. He even goes as far to befriend Amy’s husband and to build a close friendship with him.

Danny and Amy have more in common than they realise, and as the series progresses, while it makes many turns I did not expect (a religious transformation, a kind of affair, secrets being covered up) they are forced to deal with their personal issues and their past regrets and mistakes. This all culminates in an end of series finale which I did not see coming. As fantastic as this series was, I don’t think that they should make another. I’ve no idea where it would go and it’s always best to leave on a high.

Now let’s talk about the aesthetic of the filming. I loved the style of it – the colourful costumes, the music, the way the shots capture just the right amount of character expression and landscape. How iconic is the first shot of Amy in her car, hexagon glasses framing her face and sun hat tucked up off her forehead. That is sharp characterisation right there. The editing is sleek and on point. Nothing is wasted. It’s authentic and original in the use of chapter visuals and sound effects as well as series titles making it seem like more than a TV series.

It’s also great to see a popular series on the streaming platform made up of almost a completely Asian cast. Beef displays a range of talent outside of the lead roles, in Joseph Lee (Amy’s husband George) Young Mazino (Danny’s brother), Patti Yasutake (Amy’s Mother in Law) and the delightful Ashley Park (a business associate of Amy).

Although it may seem like a dark horse, Beef is definitely one to watch and deserves all the awards it has been nominated for at the Prime Time Emmy Awards, due to take place in September 2023, including outstanding limited or anthology series, and acting awards for Yeun, Wong, Lee, Mazino and Maria Bello.