My Top 5… Cities

I am a sucker for a vibrant city, ideally one with culture, and some form of water – be it the sea, a lake, a river or canals. Here are my top 5….

Number 1: Barcelona

Barcelona has everything – the wide tree-lined boulevards, the tiny quaint Gothic streets to get lost in, the lovely sandy beaches, complete with volley-ball courts and surfers, the harbour with yachts and palm trees. Barcelona is famous for the architect Gaudi. His work is beautiful and versatile, ranging from the huge gothic cathedral the Sagrada Familia to the lovely Park Guell.

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Reflections on Vancouver

My overall impression of Vancouver is that of tranquillity. Which is surprising considering it is a bustling metropolis. Maybe it’s the fact that it is surrounded by still water, followed by pine forests. Maybe it’s the mountains in the distance. Or the fact that even in the centre of this city, it still feels calm.

My BF kept happily saying “crime doesn’t happen in Canada!”, and I had to keep reminding him not to be complacent, and that nowhere is a utopia. But it didn’t help my case when we went to a restaurant and the locals went up to the bar to collect their order, leaving their wallets and phones on the table!

What’s Black and White and Red in the Water?

The Whale Watching expedition from Vancouver turned out to be one of the most magical and breathtaking experiences of my life. But we woke up on the morning of our whale watching expedition feeling very nervous.

Me and my BF have had such bad experiences with travel sickness generally (ahem – Nazca bus -ahem) that it has become a paranoia and we both get really anxious. 

Nail biting Cliff Diving at Lynn Canyon

We wanted to do a day-trip from Vancouver.  We read about Capilano, the longest rope suspension bridge in the world. There is a free bus from Canada Place in Vancouver, which takes you right to Capilano suspension bridge, and there are tree-top boardwalks as well. However, it costs $39.85 each. I’m sure it would be a lovely day out, but I thought $40 was unacceptably expensive for a rope bridge. So, we found an alternative; Lynn Canyon.

Lynn Canyon also boasts a rope suspension bridge, which is slightly smaller in height and length than Capilano suspension bridge. However, don’t underestimate it – it is fun and thrilling in equal measure, and perhaps more importantly, it is FREE!!

Exploring on Electric Bikes in Vancouver

We arrived in Vancouver late at night, dishevelled and fed up after a over 24 hours of travelling. When we left the hotel bright and early the next morning, it was like a new dawn. We had a brunch of Eggs Benedict, and then wandered into the centre of Vancouver.

The centre of Vancouver hinges on Granville Street and Robson Street which both had a mixture of chain shops, independent shops, and department stores. We enjoyed watching a street performer Jackie Chan Chan, who was pretty funny and chose my BF to join in with his act as the “strong man”.