I always knew this was going to be emotional. Returning to Vancouver, that is.
Although we last visited the city two years ago, it was a short trip, a couple of days, a momentary blip in time. That vacation has haunted me since - there was much I wanted to see but didn't - and I hoped this five-day Vancouver experience on the Journey to TBEX: #ExploreCanada Blogger Train would lay to rest some of the ghosts of that visit.
If I had to pick a favorite city, Vancouver would win out again and again.
I have a personal connection to this city - it was our first point of entry when we emigrated to Canada in 2003; we became permanent residents and called White Rock and North Van our first Canadian homes; we were considered Vancouverites when the city secured the 2010 Winter Olympics; we embraced the local love of outdoor pursuits where before we'd experienced almost none.
Vancouver was a city of firsts, our city of firsts, and we never felt able to let her go.
This trip with my wife and son would reawaken much of that passion for the city. So much would have changed yet hopefully as much would remain the same as before.
English Bay, Vancouver. Photo credit: Russell VJ Ward
Change is as good as a rest
The volume of change across the city as a result of the Winter Olympics has been profound.
Walking around the city, I find naturally-inspired feats of design such as the Convention Centre on the Coal Harbour waterfront, while modernistic steel and glass apartment blocks in greens and blues push for the sky wherever the eye turns to. The Skytrain, a light rail system from the airport to the city, is now fully established after years of construction and it's easy to use - clean and efficient. Enduring impacts of the Olympics can be felt elsewhere - sculptures and inukshuks that crop up along the English Bay sea wall, the former Olympic village sitting squarely at the far end of False Creek, new walkways and landscaped gardens, brewpubs and wine tasting houses - these are all recent additions not remembered from times here before.
The city's eateries have also gone through something of a renaissance, creating an evolving foodie culture across this assured, self-confident city. The street food cart scene in downtown Vancouver is an exciting development to see. Already a mainstay in many other North American cities, its late arrival in Vancouver has been readily embraced by the locals. Tucking into a serve of fish and jerk tacos at the Feastro food cart on the corner of Howe and Robson, I can't help but wonder why it took so long to arrive. And steaks and burgers are no longer the sole preserve of the downtown grill, with restaurants like Edible Canada offering bison meatballs, pea and ricotta rotolo, and sea salmon salads as standard fare.
Granville Street Bridge. Photo Credit: Russell VJ Ward
The Olympics seem to have pushed Vancouver into tidying up its act, no longer wanting to be seen as an average Pacific North-Western city with a great backdrop, but rather a sassy, modern, outdoorsy kind of place.
The same but somehow different
Expecting a raft of wholesale changes across the city, I still knew that some things wouldn't have changed. And for this I was grateful.
For me, the gem in Vancouver's crown is the wonderful outdoor vibe it gives off - that ability to bring the wilderness in to your front yard, to deliver the mountains and ocean to your door step. Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Stanley Park. No other Canadian city can provide such outdoors delights within easy reach of regular city folk. No other Canadian city - in fact, no other city in the world - can provide the kind of magnificent setting that Vancouver offers each and every day.
Vancouver's North Shore. Photo credit: Russell VJ Ward
Often rainy, but on those rare moments when the cloud cover lifts and the sun starts to shine, Vancouverites become the most fortunate people on earth - three spectacular snow-capped coastal mountains framing the backdrop, soldier pines and giant Douglas firs crowding their slopes, the harbor water lapping at their feet. It doesn't usually matter which street you find yourself on in downtown Van - turn your head in a northerly direction and prepare to be astounded by the presenting view.
Vancouver's incredibly high cost of living - generally high property prices versus low wages - hasn't changed, but it's always been a reluctantly accepted part of the deal when living in this part of British Columbia - you have to pay for impressive locations. Other things have stayed constant including the ridiculously cheap and readily available coffee. Sydney arguably produces some of the best cafe coffee in the world and Vancouver can hardly compete, but I'd be kidding myself if I thought myself a coffee connoisseur. I want cheap, large coffees and I don't want to pay the earth for them. With over 200 Starbucks in the downtown core alone, Vancouver is a coffee addict's wet dream.
Story poles, Capilano. Photo credit: Russell VJ Ward
Old passions reignited
Returning to Vancouver gave us the chance to return to old haunts - the Aquarium nestled in amongst the ancient firs of Stanley Park and a chance to introduce Elliot to the beluga whales, sea otters and pacific seals; Chinatown's resurgent night markets and a city skyline photo shoot from a special secret location; afternoon nibbles and drinks at the Brewing Company in the trendy and vibrant district of Yaletown; Granville Island by Aquabus and a walk around an overcast and moody False Creek.
On this visit, former memories were stirred and old passions reignited. I love this city and its people. I love its ambiance and its vibe. It has a look and feel that suits me down to the ground.
When I'm in Vancouver, I feel a peace and connectedness. I'd even go so far as to say I feel like I'm home.
What do you think of Vancouver - the highs and lows? What would your favorite city be and why?
If you want to follow along on my journey across Canada, either check in regularly on In Search of a Life Less Ordinary to read my blog posts or jump onto my personal page on the Keep Exploring tumblr site here. The Canadian Tourism Commission and Tourism Vancouver hosted me for the Vancouver leg of this cross-Canada journey.
