The Joys of Vancouver B.C.

As I mentioned in a previous post, M and I recently got to spend the weekend in Vancouver B.C. Having another country on your doorstep is a very nice thing indeed because it means that international travel can be accomplished without much effort. Granted, western Canada is quite similar in many ways to our own country (this makes it like international travel with training wheels), but there are still many reasons to head north. Here are a few things we enjoyed:

--- Kimpton hotels have a great sense of style, and they are a good value. The Vancouver one is no exception.

--- Robson Street was all kinds of fun with all the fancy shops selling silly fashions. We didn't buy anything other than chocolate and allergy medication, but we had a great time looking.

--- Taking a water taxi to Granville Island was entirely worth the walk from the hotel. M and I seem to have a habit of water taxis whenever we go on vacation. The market on Granville Island is like Pike Place only better. We ate all sorts of tasty food, and wished we could have taken much more home with us. Oh yes, and M bought a Smurf, but you'll have to ask him about that.

--- Blenz coffee shops may or may not be good for coffee (I didn't have any), but they do have a variety of tea lattes beyond the usual chai. I had a Royal Tea (Earl Gray and Vanilla), and a Princess Tea (some sort of black tea with a hint of rose), and they were both delicious. If only Starbucks could take a hint.

--- Saturday dinner was a very good one at an Indian place along Robson (name? Taste of India?) and then we walked up to a dessert place as well. It must have been 11pm by the time we arrived, but the place was hopping, and we actually had to wait a few minutes for a table. The desserts were plentiful, unique, and delicious. I had strawberry/rhubarb pie which tastes like spring to me, and they also had a nice array of teas and coffee drinks. Why can't we have one of these on the East Side?!

I'm leaving out all sorts of bits and pieces, but those were some of the major points. The problem with Vancouver is that we always go for just the weekend, and it is never enough time. On the next visit we really need to try the area around the university among other places. We just have to make sure to go again before the Olympics (2010) furor begins in earnest. At that point, I wouldn't want to be within 100 miles of that city.