Vancouver: City of Glass (and Puppers)

After spending five days repacking my bag and eating all the Xmas leftovers I could manage, I left Brisbane International on Boxing Day. The flight over to Vancouver was exactly what you'd expect from an economy class long haul flight - good movie selection, alright food and cramped leg room. Despite my best efforts and four sleeping tablets, I could not fall asleep on the plane. All I could do was watch the horizon as a warm glow started to appear on it.

We touched down at 7am local time in Vancouver, which was still very dark, and as soon as I stepped off the plane I could smell Canada - the combination of an ice-rink and maple syrup (no joke). Though this may have partly been due to the fact there was a Tim Hortons opposite the gate.

Baggage pick-up and customs was relatively easy; a few queues but nothing major. I caught the train into the city and stopped at a Starbucks to gather my thoughts and down a double strength Americano.

My first destination was a telco so I could buy a Sim. I found a small booth near the city train station that sold a variety of deals and quickly got a plan $45 for 3GB. Highway robbery back in Australia but a Boxing Day sale over here. I then spent the next few hours walking around trying to find a decent winter coat but was dismayed by their exorbitant prices (even despite the sales). So I gave up. I went instead to search for a ScotiaBank branch and after what seemed like way too long getting lost and feeling dizzy, I found it. It was closed.

So with an inability to fight off fatigue any longer I found a cafe and waited for an hour or so until it was time to catch my bus to Chilliwack. For those of you who aren't familiar with rural British Colombia, Chilliwack is small town an hour outside of Vancouver. I stayed with some relatives there for a few days and it was the best way to spend my first few days in Canada.

I spent my days at their house warming myself in front of the fireplace, watching ice hockey on the TV and enjoying home-brewed pilsners. On one of the days we went snow tubing and skiing. Unfortunately, we did not spot Big Foot but we had no trouble finding a few apres-ski beers. I was very fortunate to have no jetlag coming over here but I think that is due to the ski-induced exhaustion.

It was soon time to say my goodbyes and head back to Vancouver and explore the glass city. Yet my first day in Vancouver was fairly sedentary. It was a very rainy, cold day so I spent most of the day on my cousin's couch. In the evening however we went out for dinner with a bunch of other Aussies and hit the casino. I was 20 years old when we left and came home in the wee hours of the morning a tired, all-danced-out 21 year old. All I really remember about the evening was someone giving me a pot plant as a present when the clock struck midnight.

After waking up fairly late on the day of my birthday, I went for a walk around Vancouver and Stanley Park since it was beautifully sunny (well, overcast but with some gaps in the clouds). Vancouver has the same kind of feel as Brisbane in that there are many Asian tourists and there's lots of talk about Chinese investors buying up the property market. However, I find that while Brisbane has a young-family/uni-student vibe, Vancouver has a young-professional-couple-with-dogs vibe. There were hipster cafes and dining places but all very expensive and all very manicured to have just the right amount of rustic to be quaint. Later that night my cousin and I went to see the Vancouver Canucks and witness their spectacular defeat, although that is nothing new.

On New's Eve, my cousin and I walked across the bridge to the Granville Island markets - quaint, crowded and full of delicious food. My relatives in Chilliwack had told me about a drink called a London Fog and it was here in the markets that I got to try it for the first time. It is an absolutely delicious blend of steamed microfoamed milk, Earl Grey and vanilla syrup!

As evening drew closer I realised I had lucked out big when it comes to New Years Eve parties - my cousin's roommate's friend's friend had a three storey penthouse and we got to party the night away there. There weren't too many fireworks we could see but the view from the roof all but made up for that.

The next morning I had to get up at what seemed an excruciatingly early time - 7am - to catch my coach and ferry across to Vancouver Island. I enjoyed walking around Vancouver - especially Stanley Park - but I would not miss the high cost of food, coffee and taxis.

#travel