Animal Identification
Today is another travel day. I am on my way to Vancouver, where I’m staying with an Australian friend Remi. I originally met him in Spain, then he visited me in Tokyo, so it seems appropriate that we are meeting in a different country again. He’s given me directions on how to get close to his place on public transport and he meets me at the bus stop with Jacob, a docile husky/Alsatian cross with beautiful pale blue eyes.
We walk to the apartment then wander down to Granville Island, a trendy area sitting right on the waterfront. We stop to look at the views and out of the corner of my eye I see what I think is a dog, swimming in the river. It turns out to be a seal, which does a couple of slow flips and twists, then heads back out to sea.
Remi gives me instructions on buses and I’m on my way to the local ceroc dance class. I find the place easily and they are a friendly group. It is quite a small crowd –apparently when Vancouver has good weather people cannot be lured away from the beach. This may be because Vancouver has many months of rain and drizzle, so sunshine causes celebrations.
All in a Day
Remi has a big day planned for us. We are out of the house early and away for breakfast at The Elbow Room. This is famous for being a ‘rude’ café, for example, if you ask for water, the owner will tell you to get it yourself. It is, however, rude by Canadian standards and Canadians are exceptionally polite people, so it would be hard to be offended. The owner is hilarious. With a raspy voice and effeminate manner, he calls everyone ‘ladies’ and is fabulously sarcastic. I have eggs benedict served on spinach and sprinkled with blue cheese.
We head in to the city centre, stopping at every optometrist as Remi needs a new pair of glasses. He is a terrible decision maker, much like me, and I know he is going to drag me to every store then go back to the first one, because this is exactly what I do. I’m right. We walk through Gas Town, the main tourist precinct, which is quite lovely. For some unknown reason, the main drawcard here is a clock run entirely by steam. Interestingly, one block across from the lovely Gas Town, the less lovely locally nicknamed crack town starts. For four blocks, junkies line the streets, spaced out on crack and trying to sell the items they’ve stolen the night before. It’s a very bizarre, sad, and kind of creepy contrast, but somehow not threatening – perhaps because the junkies are too out of it to approach anyone. This area ends on the border of Chinatown. Vancouver is a real melting pot of cultures – there are large Chinese and Japanese communities, as well as a small Korean district.
Vancouver is a beautiful city, particularly when the sun is shining, as it sits on both banks of the bay. The centre is largely made up of apartment blocks, but the architecture is well planned, and the majority of buildings are made of reflective panels that give the city a bigger feel. The blocks near the water could almost be Dubai, except for the greenery between the water and buildings. There is a big push for retaining a community feel in the city, so empty blocks are turned into community gardens until they are developed, and there are water features and green spaces scattered throughout.
Remi has been wheeling his bike along with us and locks it up here so we can catch a ferry across the river, then jump on a bus to Grouse Mountain. We’re doing a hike called the Grouse Grind. Little do I know what I have let myself in for. It’s a killer hike for someone who never hikes. It is all uphill, varying only in angle of ascent. Remi runs up sections then waits for me as I puff and pant my way up. It takes forever, but we make it to the top and have fantastic views of the city. I also have caffeine as a recovery aid. From the summit, we catch a gondola back down, ready for a very late lunch.
By the time we get to the other side of the river and walk a few blocks it is 5.30pm. We stop at a ramen restaurant and both order miso chashumen – huge bowls of noodles with bean sprouts and slices of roast pork. Neither of us gets through the whole bowl, but we do our best. We then walk down the road and hire an extra bike for a couple of hours. We cycle round Stanley Park, a lush green island park with great views of the city across the water, a couple of small beaches, and some totem pole displays. We stop quite often for photos, particularly when we come across a family of foraging raccoons. We get round the entire island and wheel around Falls Creek as well, near Remi’s place. We don’t quite make it all the way, as we run out of time and have to dash back into town to drop my bike off before the shop closes. By now I have blisters and tired legs, so this is not a bad thing. We see a skunk run across one of the alleyways on the way to the bike shop.
We feel we have earned cupcakes. We buy the day-olds, as you get a box of mini cupcakes this way and can try different flavours instead of committing to one. We walk to Harbour Beach and sit on a log, watching the sunset and gorging on cupcakes. They are soft and fluffy, with creamy icing. My pick is the vanilla cake with key lime icing.
It a long walk home, taking turns on Remi’s bike. Our plans for a sushi dinner are thwarted by the ramen and cupcakes. If you only have one day in Vancouver, this is how you see all of it.
For brunch today, Remi recommends Commercial Drive, one of the few areas we didn’t cover yesterday. We walk along the river, then up to the main road to catch a bus. Commercial Drive is the alternative district – think organic produce, handmade products, flea markets, and a large lesbian community. We stop in at one café, but Remi can’t deal with a meat-free breakfast and suggests another café closer to home. We bus back and wangle our way in to the packed café, past the queue outside, by offering to sit at the counter. We order eggs benedict again, but go halves in one served with chorizo, and another with mushrooms, bacon and garlic. Both are good choices.
Sated, we head back to the flat so Remi can prepare for a tennis competition he is playing in. He heads off to his match and I walk along Fourth Avenue, loaded with trendy boutiques and cafes, mixed with thrift stores. I then go back to Granville Island for a coffee and postcard-writing session. We meet up again late afternoon. Remi’s match didn’t go well, so we decide a little chill out beach time is in order.
On the bus, Remi explains that Wreck Beach is a remnant from Vancouver’s hippy days. It is an optional nude beach, so people have the choice of how much or how little they want to wear. It is right behind the University, down a long set of stairs, completely hidden from the road. The sand is quite dark, and behind the beach is a marshland, with beautiful forested areas. There are people selling sarongs and snacks, and every now and then someone will walk past wearing only a cooler bag, selling cold beer or gin and tonic. It’s very relaxed – people are not here to be seen, nor to look, and there are people of all shapes, sizes, ages and nationalities, in various states of undress.
We laze, swim (the water is very chilly) then dry off and climb back up the stairs for our second attempt at sushi. We have deliciously tender tuna tataki (slices of raw tuna, lightly seared on the outside, with a vinaigrette dressing), eel sushi, and a few rolls.
Back at the house, we wash the sand and sun away and get changed to go and meet some of Remi’s friends. He warns me that the nightlife in Vancouver is not up to much, which is just as well, as neither am I. It’s been a busy few days and I’m leaving early the next day. We have a few drinks and head home again, yawning.
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