Vancouver Day 1/2

Canada is home to some of the most stunning natural landscapes and even as our Fiji Air flight was coming in to land, people were craning to see out of the windows. Islands, snow capped mountains, and Vancouver itself is a stunner

Our flight was almost exactly 24 hours, including a 5 hour stopover in Nadi  Vancouver airport feels enormous and spacious  its very efficient – we were through and on the train to downtown Vancouver in no time.

It was just ten stops and a 500 metre walk to our hotel in Yaletown, one of Vancouver’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, known for its converted brick warehouses, trendy restaurants, waterfront views, and lively atmosphere. Once an industrial rail yard district, it has transformed into a stylish area filled with cafés, cocktail bars, boutiques, and upscale condos.

Next day, we set off for Granville Island. It’s a half-hour walk from our hotel, not including a 5 minute ferry ride across False Creek. Once an industrial site, it was transformed in the 1970s into a lively public market and arts district that draws both locals and tourists alike. At its heart is the famous Public Market, overflowing with fresh produce, artisan foods, and local vendors, while the surrounding area is home to galleries, theatres, craft breweries, studios, and independent shops. With its waterfront setting on False Creek, buskers performing in the open air, and a constant buzz of creative energy, 

The food is mind blowing. There are bakers, butchers, cheese makers, pasta makers, chocolatiers – calories here could be a serious problem. Being a Sunday, and a beautiful sunny day, the market was a busy maelstrom of people.

The food is displayed beautifully – though the strawberry pyramids (right) are a bit concerning as one false move and they’d be all over the floor.

it’s a great place for people watching. Today, there seemed to be a large cohort of Brits (all apparently leaving on a cruise to Alaska tomorrow) but it was so nice to see families out and about. Mothers’ Day today so there were lots of Mums and children of all ages enjoying the ambience.

We finally got back to the hotel mid afternoon, having walked 7.5km. A reminder of what’s happening in the rest of the world greeted us when we got there – a massive demonstration of support for regime change in Iran, many placards thanking Israel (and to a lesser extent the U.S.) for attacking the Ayatollahs’ regime.

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