Along the False Creek

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Geo: 49.2605, -123.114

Vancouver in spring sunshine is glorious and where better than to appreciate it from water. From the southern end of downtown, you can take the rather cute Acquabus to Granville Island. It's a very short hop and then change there for aquabuses to other destinations on the False Creek. I bought myself a day pass - buying single tickets every time can mount up. It was a good idea to start early as I had a boat to myself and had a mini guided tour.

The first port of call was the Village. This is where the athletes stayed during the 2010 Winter Games. Now the "halls of residence" have been transformed into very desirable low-rise condos. The flats facing the Water have six-million-dollar views and price tags to match. It is still very new and not quite established. In fact, it felt a little sterile. We need a few 7/11 shops, newsagents drug stores and supermarkets, for it to feel like a real community. Well, at least the small area near the taxi pier. However, they have a branch of Terra Bread which did an exceedingly yummy pan au chocolate.

Next up Granville Island. What was a sand bar grew into a vibrant industrial site and when that declined, the old warehouses were transformed, with the encouragement of the federal government, into a vibrant mini town of shops, markets, restaurants and performance arts space. The Public Market was one of the best I've visited, packed with all kinds of stores, many selling food... :-) The green grocers had lovely neat displays and they all at pains stressed that much of what they sold was local. Great to see that. But you can also find lots of imported cheeses, I noticed mature cheddar from Cheddar, Bleu d'Auverne, buffalo Mozzarella and cheeses from the Basque Region. Of course, you pay a higher premium. I was pleasantly surprised that they sold, and could grow, tomatillos, used a lot in Mexican cooking. The chap told me that they can be grown locally in summer and imported the rest of the year.

Eating your way round the Public Market wasn't difficult. The difficulty is to decide what to eat with the limited stomach capacity. There are sweet baked goods of unless varieties, breads, bagels, donuts, fruit, olives, cheeses, pies, sushi, curries, chow mien, phó, tacos, burritos, etc, etc, etc.

I had to drag myself away, lest I might burst and sailed to Yaletown. The area was rather industrial and rough in the old days but has been gentrified and full of tall condos. The streets were packed with hair salons, nail bars, wine bars and rather expensive restaurants. A good proportion of the pedestrians were well heeled residents walking their dogs. Skid row no more!

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Photos

False Creek
Burrard Bridge

False Creek
Condos along the shores and there are many, many of them. More are going up. Who is living in all the apartments??

False Creek
Looks gorgeous in the sunshine

Telus World of Science
Originally built for the World Expo in1986.

Acquabus
Looking towards the Plaza of Nations and the Stadium.

The Village
The main plaza

Granville Market
One of everything, please!

Yaletown
Old warehouse are now nice (looking) restaurants or spas.

Comments

[Etsuko & JC]

?Queso de Vasco! ?Has encontrado Chorizo Vasco tambi?n?

[Rob de Koning]

Dear Alan and Hamish, I very much enjoy reading these every day. It sounds like you're having a wonderful time, and you manage to cram so much in, you must have planned this meticulously (as usual). Enjoy the remaining time!Very best wish
es, Rob