Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
North of Downtown Vancouver you’ll find Stanley Park which is a recreational zone on a half-peninsula named after conservative politician Frederick Arthur Stanley who was Governor General of Canada when it opened as a park in 1888. Stanley Park today has a large forest, contains the Vancouver Aquarium and offers long bicycle routes along the shore (‘seawall‘) giving you great views on the city center and the aeroboat harbor.
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Vancouver is a city at the Pacific Ocean and for sure you would want to know a bit about sea life. For that reason there’s the amazing Vancouver Aquarium located within Stanley Park. The Vanaqua is the largest marine science center at Canada and was opened in 1956. Today there are 300 species of fish that you can admire, but to me the real stars are the local corals on display that have been beautifully set in scene.
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Underneath the Granville Bridge you’ll find Granville Island, a half-peninsula within the False Creek. It is an artificial island created to host industry and it was converted in the 1970s and attracts many visitors these days. Highlight is the Granville Island Public Market that sells gourmet food which gives you the chance to try a lot of different local produce. It is surrounded by bars and restaurants and you can conveniently sit at the shore of the False Creek and enjoy views on the sea arm.
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Public transport at Vancouver relies on the fantastic automated SkyTrain flying through the city as well as busses. But the most lovely means of transport is for sure the Aquabus: little boats operated by just one person each touring clockwise on the False Creek. Just jump on board, tell the operator how far you want to go and buy a ticket from them via credit card directly while floating on the water. Perfect for a round course with beautiful views or to access some nice places across the city.
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It is impossible to overlook Science World at the eastern end of False Creek: it is located in a large geodesic dome created for the world exhibition Expo 86. Since 2005 this dome contains a nice science museum with many experiments suitable for smaller kids and teenagers – but even adults can have a lot of fun there by experimenting with different natural phenomena.
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The historic city quarter Gastown can be found in the east of Downtown Vancouver. It was once the germ cell of the city of Vancouver and a very industrial area with a harbor and a saw mill; the place is named after the first innkeeper John ‘Gassy Jack’ Deighton. Gastown burned down in 1886 and there are not many buildings that survived. Icon is the steam-powered clock located at the intersection of Water Street and Cambie Street. Every hour it gives a whistle four times and blows steam once.
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As I started my trip to Canada at Vancouver, The Listel was my very first hotel in the country. And it is a good one as it is located in downtown Vancouver on Robson Street with lots of stores and restaurants surrounding it. From here you can walk or cycle to the Waterfront, Stanley Park and Gastown, I even hiked to Hornby Street Aquabus stop to get to Granville Island (but don’t underestimate the inclination). The Listel is decorated with art and offers water dispensers on every floor – carrying you’re own reusable water bottle here is so normal that I had to buy me one already on the first day (and refill opportunities are available in many, many places).
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The international airport of Vancouver (YVR) is located 12 kilometers southwest of the city center. Opened in 1931 it is today the second-busiest airport of Canada with three runways and 25 million passengers per year. YVR is a well-designed airport and probably absolutely hassle-free to pass through. In addition to the local airlines (and Air Canada being the biggest user) also Air France, Air China, Air India, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines use YVR. Local connections within Canada – even to Tofino on Vancouver Island are possible.
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