A Fool Visits Vancouver. 2. Wreck Beach, M of A, Kits, Grouse, Capilano, Bowen

Day 1, I felt I'd explored a good portion of downtown, so my second day I took the pretty frequent #4 UBC bus (every 15 minutes, with Sat./ Sun. service) from downtown out to the UBC campus. Day bus passes ($8) or individual tickets ($2 for Zone 1) may be purchased at 7-11s for example. The bus ride ends in front of the gymnasium there; it's maybe a good 15 minutes walk from the bus stop to my two destinations, Wreck Beach and the Museum of Anthropology.

The steps from the road to Wreck Beach were numerous and quite a vigorous exercise coming up! I was simply in awe of the majesty of the temperate rain forest I passed through going down to the beach. The omnipresence of ferns and enormous trees gave this forested path a look like nowhere I've seen on the east coast before. Wreck Beach itself had beautiful generally unspoiled views of the Georgia Strait with logs to sit on. Wreck Beach is clothing-optional and is legally and socially accepted in Vancouver as such. It was too cool & overcast the day I went, so stripping just wasn't going to happen on my first time to a clothing-optional beach . However, it was probably better I went when I did because there were very few people there. I felt great peace and contentedness sitting watching the majesty of the Strait.

The Museum of Anthropology was next; $9 was very reasonable I felt to see some of the great accomplishments of the Pacific Coast First Nations. The totem poles and double-eyed monsters on storage boxes (both tell a story, something I didn't know) of the Queen Charlotte Islands Haida and the hairy masks of the Vancouver Island Nuu-chah-nulth, amongst others, revealed the rich cultural traditions and incredible skill of early BC peoples. The Museum of Anthropology is on Musqueam land and the weaving of the Musqueam people showed great skill and precision.

On the way back, I stopped on 4th St. in Kitsilano. This area has lots of locally-operated shops; I went to Terra Organic Breads for a sandwich. Coming from a bread-snob city like Montreal, I can honestly say that their bread is top-notch and the sandwich on herb/cheese foccacia bread was phenomenal! Strolling the equally-charming-as-West-End streets to Kitsilano Beach, I again was awed by the peaceful, relaxed ambience and the beautiful views of English Bay from a different angle, this time with downtown Vancouver and mountains behind visible.

Day 3, I rode the Seabus from Waterfront Skytrain station (can ride using the Day Pass for the bus) across the Burrard Inlet to Lonsdale Quay. From the interesting Lonsdale Quay market with local produce, I took the #236 bus to Grouse Mountain (timed with Seabus). Although I nearly turned back upon seeing the $29.95 + tax extortion to ride the cable car to the top of Grouse, I decided I should do it once, so I paid the fare begrudgingly. The views from the Observatory were breathtakingly spectacular of Vancouver, the Georgia Strait and Vancouver Island in the distance. The surrounding forest was just so incredibly untouched here, I found myself moved. The air at top was so fresh, I could taste the difference. I'd recommend bringing your own food if you go though because even after the hefty cable car fee, they still ask $4 for a hot-dog and $3 for a water...

Next I went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge (on the #236 bus also), again overpriced at $24.95 + tax, but again I thought "when will you get a chance again?". The longest man-made pedestrian-only suspension bridge passes at great height over the Capilano River. I walked over my first suspension bridge ever. I thought since I paid this much, I'd try to get as much out of the trails in the park as possible and enjoyed the info on the treetop mini-suspension bridges and the observation points. Both here and Grouse are quite busy on a nice day.


Day 4. I felt equally beautiful and much more reasonably priced was my excursion out to Bowen Island. Taking the express Horseshoe Bay bus (#257) from Georgia Street, B.C. ferries goes from Horseshoe Bay (mainland) to Snug Cove on Bowen Island for only $6.80 RT. The ferry ride with the gorgeous mountainous Gulf Islands and Mainland views brought me much peace & content. Snug Cove is small but has a few eating options; some are expensive but my friend & I went to a healthful sandwich place and got sandwich & salad for $5. Bowen Island was an enjoyable place to hike, with its wilderness temperate rain forest trails. I'd recommend picking up a map at the Tourist Info center and heading to Killarney Lake; for much of the trails (mind you, it was a Monday), my friend & I had the glorious forests to ourselves.

Amazing to think how accessible such beauty, majesty and solitude are available to the urban dwellers of Vancouver.... how many cities can offer that?

I'll do one more conclusion post...

DAN