Vancouver
Vancouver is the capital of British Columbia and is located on the ocean on the south-western corner of the province, close to Washington state in the US.
Quite a relaxed city, Vancouver is very friendly and easily accessible for visitors with a great Light Rail Transport system and bus system (though using a car is quite easy with ample parking and easy driving throughout). The central area can be a bit confusing with numerous one way streets but it is not that large…The city itself is spread out quite a lot from the base of the mountains on the coast to the north (after Stanley Park) and to the south almost to the border with the US.
If you are downtown, be sure to visit the trendy Gastown area…
Chinatown
Chinatown is quite interesting with a few, though not a lot, good restaurants. It does have a lot of tacky souvenir shops. It is, unfortunately, located fairly close to an area of town that is not exactly the most comfortable place to visit…
Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Located in the middle of Chinatown, the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden is one of the star attractions in Vancouver. Dr. Sun Yat Sen was instrumental in attempting to bring democracy to modern China (in the 20th century) and visited Vancouver a few times.
A lot of the garden is open free to the public (including access to the pagoda in the middle of the small pond) there is also a section that is only accessible only by paying a small entry fee.
Stanley Park
An island in the middle of the city, Stanley Park is also home to the Aquarium and a set of antique and modern totem poles. It offers spectacular views of the city all around.
The park is used a lot by local people for fitness and it is not uncommon to see numerous joggers and bicycle riders. There is a road that leads all around the island with parking lots around the island (not free).
A great place to visit to get away from the relative hussle of the city…Come at night to look at the lights of the city all around.
Further Information
For further information, see:
- Winter Olympics 2010 - Vancouver - A page about my visit to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010
- Tourism Vancouver - Official Site
- Vancouver Chinatown - Official Site
- Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden - Official Site