July 26 – 30, 2023
That’s right. We are in Vancouver, British Columbia. So, did we haul the RV here from Traverse City? Nope, the rig is still in Michigan. We flew from Traverse City to Vancouver. (Unfortunately, Dawn couldn’t come with us, but we left her in a nice kennel that some other sheltie owners in our park recommended.)
On the morning of our flight, we got up at 2 a.m. to complete the last minute packing, shower, dress, and drive to the airport. We left the truck in the long-term parking lot and checked in for our 6 a.m. flight. We changed planes in Chicago and landed in Vancouver around 12:30 p.m. Our arrival was delayed by about 1.5 hours due to a storm in Chicago. We watched the skies darken while waiting to board that connection. Once we were all aboard, they delayed push back for a bit. Once free of the gate, we joined a line of planes on the taxi-way awaiting take-off assignments. Meanwhile we could see the storm getting closer. After waiting there for some time, the pilot made an announcement that we had a take-off assignment number. By now, it was raining a lot. Next, the pilot informed us that we had been asked to move out of line. So, we sat on the tarmac until the storm passed. What fun! Finally, the weather began to clear and we eventually were on our way to Vancouver.
At the Vancouver airport, we collected the one bag that we had checked and effectively breezed through customs. Following a 30 minute taxi ride, we arrived at our B&B around 2 p.m. Vancouver time.
O Canada House B&B
When planning our trip, Bill and I had elected to splurge and stay in an historic B&B on Barclay Street in downtown Vancouver. We carried our luggage up the front steps of the house and rang the buzzer. One of the caretakers greeted us and gave us a tour of the public spaces before leading us to our second floor room.
We had booked the East Suite which featured a king-sized bed under a bay window complete with wall-in closet, ensuite bath, air-conditioner, and tv. Although the room showed signs of wear, the closet had no light, and the tv mostly worked, we loved it. The bed was SO comfortable (!!) and we had plenty of space.
Breakfast was included with three seating times available and three choices (two selections changed each day). Each evening, guests selected their breakfast seating for the next day via a whiteboard in the dining room. At the same time, they also filled out an order page with their choice from the posted menu. The pantry with coffee, tea, baked goods, and snacks (as well as sherry for those that wanted a nightcap) was also available 24/7.
Breakfasts were absolutely delicious and filling. We especially loved the bannocks on the first morning. Unfortunately I failed to take a photo.
Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House
After settling into our room in the O Canada House, Bill and I walked around the corner and down the street to Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House where we had a dinner reservation.
In keeping with the reputation of the man whose name we adopted, Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House has achieved legendary status in Vancouver.
For over 35 years, Joe Fortes has consistently earned and maintained its reputation as an award-winning Vancouver restaurant. Guests from the world over have come to expect a dynamic culinary experience in this San Francisco styled seafood grill that always delivers more – more hospitality, more variety and more buzz. This iconic Vancouver restaurant is conveniently located just off of bustling Robson Street. Joe Fortes is where locals and visitors alike come to enjoy the best food in town, complemented by an award-winning wine list that boasts over 300 wines, and a uniquely personal level of service and hospitality.
Quality, service and reputation – that’s the stuff that we are made of. And that’s what you can look forward to experiencing on each and every visit to Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House. We look forward to serving you.
Joe Fortes
After a great meal, complete with creme brûlée and port wine, we walked back to the B&B.
Granville Island
Following a good night’s sleep, we set off for our first full day of exploring Vancouver. Our target today was Granville Island – a peninsula and shopping district across False Creek from Downtown Vancouver, under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge. To get there, we walked to the Hornby Ferry Terminal and took an Aquabus across False Creek. The walk was about 15 minutes and the ferry ride about 5 minutes. The major attraction for us was the Granville Island Public Market – a European style market with vendors selling everything from meat, cheese, fish, bread, fresh produce, chocolate, fudge, to clothing and souvenirs. There are also numerous restaurants to choose from.
After working our way through the market and investigating the nearby shops, we decided to grab a light lunch at the Sandbar Restaurant located under the Granville Street Bridge. Then it was back to the market to pick up some treats for later in the evening – parma ham, serrano ham, cheese, baguettes, cherries, and wine – before returning to the B&B.
Gastown Food Tour
The next day we had tickets for the 2 p.m. Gastown Food Tour. This was a 3 hour walking food tasting and history tour. We love to do this type of tour as they not only let us taste the regional cuisines but also provide a great introduction and history of the area. We set out prior to the tour to investigate the harbor area and Canada Place not far from Waterfront Station where the tour would start.
After meeting our guide, Chirag, the group set off for Gastown.
Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood, Gastown grew from a single tavern founded by John ‘Gassy Jack’ Deighton back in 1867. Today, the district retains its historic charm and independent spirit. Victorian architecture houses a thriving fashion scene, impeccably curated décor boutiques, one-of-a-kind galleries and some of the best culinary fare in Vancouver. It’s a gathering place for stylish locals and an ideal neighbourhood to explore on foot. Gastown lies along the north of the downtown Vancouver peninsula, from Richards east to Main Street, and south to Hastings Street.
Gastown
Our first stop was at Steamworks Brew Pub (one of Vancouver’s original brewpubs) for a taste of their craft beer.
Steamworks Brew Pub has established itself as one of the most well known and unique microbrewers in BC. In 1995, when we they first occupied their historic Gastown brewpub location, they discovered that the building had a rare steam heat system. Their brewmaster had only read of steam powered brewing, but had never seen a functional steam brewery. These are very rare indeed. They ventured forth, experimented, and created a one-of-a-kind steam generated brewery. The only one in Canada. Steamworks offers 8 of their own crafted beers on tap plus an awesome big patio with incredible views of the North Shore.
Steamworks
From there we stopped in at Guu for a taste of Japanese tapas. Our next stop was Brioche (our favorite) for a pasta dish with wine. Next was MeeT (a vegetarian restaurant) where we sampled their Sweet Chili Cauliflower which was excellent. After MeeT we went to Six Acres for some poutine (another winner). Moving on to dessert, we stopped at Soft Peaks (organic milk ice cream) followed by Waffleland Cafe (you guessed it – waffles). Wow – what a great selection of interesting and tasty food.
One of our non-food related stops along our walk was the well-known Steam Clock. Chirag timed our arrival to coincide with the top of the hour.
Gastown’s most famous landmark is its steam-powered clock, located on the corner of Cambie and Water Street. The clock was built to cover a steam grate that was part of Vancouver’s distributed steam-heating system. The clock was built as a way to harness the steam and to prevent street people from sleeping on the spot in cold weather.
A plant adjacent to the Georgia Viaduct generates the low-pressure steam that powers a miniature steam engine in the base of the clock, which drives a chain lift that moves steel balls upward, where they are unloaded and roll to a descending chain. The weight of the balls on the descending chain drives a conventional pendulum clock escapement, geared to the hands on the four faces. The steam also powers the clock’s sound production, which uses whistles to to signal the time and produce the Westminster chime. Each 1/4 hour the clock sounds the chimes on 5 brass steam whistlers.
Steam Clock
After bidding goodbye to our guide, Bill and I decided to walk from Gastown to the nearby Chinatown neighborhood. I had read about a bar there that I thought we should go check out.
The Keefer Bar is an Apothecary themed cocktail bar located in the heart of Chinatown, Vancouver. The bar has been noticed as the 2nd best bar in Canada 3 years in a row, with a list of over 25 unique cocktails and a dark moody atmosphere to enrich guest’s experience.
Keefer Bar
The bar was extremely crowded but we still enjoyed a couple of cocktails before calling an Uber to take us back to our B&B.
Stanley Park
The following day we headed out to Stanley Park (about a 25 minute walk from the B&B), considered by some to be the “crown jewel” of Vancouver.
Ideally situated on a peninsula at the northwestern edge of downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park is one of the city’s main tourist destinations, attracting approximately 8 million visitors each year. Featuring lovely beaches, miles of well-maintained paved and dirt trails, and an array of can’t-miss kid-friendly spots (including a pool, water park, miniature railway and more), this 400-hectare (1,000-acre) haven is recognized as one of the greatest urban parks in the world.
As Vancouver’s first park, with its ever-blooming gardens, pristine coastal areas and roughly 500,000 cedar, fir and hemlock trees, Stanley Park has continued to live up to its “greenspace” designation for almost 130 years. For these reasons and more, this tranquil oasis is the perfect city escape.
Stanley Park
For an overview of the park, we elected to take a one hour horse-drawn tour. The tour included a stop at the Totem Poles and provided views of the Rose Garden (unfortunately beyond its prime), the Lions Gate Bridge, the red cedar forest, Deadman’s Island, the Girl in a Wetsuit Statue (Vancouver’s answer to the Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen) and the Empress of Japan Figurehead. It was a fun tour but not quite what we expected. Would you believe that one of the horses was named Bill?
After the tour, we walked around the seawall area for a bit and then headed to the Stanley’s Bar and Grill for lunch. The setting with all of the flowers was beautiful and the Butter Chicken was very good.
Then it was time to hike back to the B&B and relax before our evening outing.
Sunset Dinner Cruise with Fireworks
It was just by chance that we were in Vancouver during the Honda Celebration of Light international fireworks competition. This competition spanned three nights – July 22 (Australia), July 26 (Mexico), and July 29 (the Philippines). We heard but did not see Mexico’s display from our B&B. Lots of folks told us how great that show was. We decided that we wanted to see the Philippines entry on the last night of the competition but we didn’t want to be in a large crowd on the beach. Instead, we opted for a sunset dinner cruise that would allow us a view from the water.
It’s like dining in a restaurant that looks out onto all of Vancouver’s finest views. Enjoy a 2.5 hour leisurely cruise past the downtown skyline, the cruise ship terminal of Canada Place, the Mountains of the North Shore, Stanley Park and more. Take in the sights and sounds of the city as you enjoy live music and a delicious West Coast-themed cuisine. You’ll have the best spot in Vancouver to watch the sun slowly disappear into the Pacific Ocean.
Harbor Cruises
We took an Uber to the harbor where we boarded the MV Britannia. We were shown to our assigned table and given time to explore that ship prior to dinner. The food was served buffet style with hand-carved roast beef, salmon, chicken and plentiful sides and desserts. It was actually quite good. We were free to go out on deck at anytime to enjoy the skyline and sunset (around 9:30 that night).
At 10 p.m. the 30 minute musically choreographed fireworks display commenced. Check out the photos and videos below.
This was the first time for The Philippines to compete and (we found out later) they actually won!!
The trip back to the B&B after the cruise was a bit longer than expected due to the crowd and traffic but the Uber driver managed it.
Farewell to Vancouver
After breakfast the next morning we packed up our suitcases, carried them down the steps, bid everyone at O Canada House goodbye, and piled into a taxi. We had a great time here and definitely want to come back but for now we have some other plans. Stay tuned…..
