Aduchamp1

We spent a week in Vancouver, BC an agreeable city but one with limited diversions. The first day we walked the entire perimeter of Stanley Park which is a bit over six miles and that affords you a continuous view of the harbor. We started on the eastern side which was sparse with hikers and bikers and when we finished the park was flush with locals. The bits and pieces of conversations we overheard were very west coast, “We are all androids, except we are flesh and blood.”
The second day we visited Granville Island a pleasant combination of art galleries, industrial plants, and a food market. The crafts galleries were far superior to the fine arts galleries and this seemed to be the case throughout Vancouver. The ceramics and First Nations sculptures were high quality and imaginative, while the paintings often lacked craft and thought. The food market had decent food including a bagel maker who actually boiled his bagels before baking as the best tradition requires.
We walked in the rain to Chinatown. The Sun Yat Sen Garden was beautifully designed and serene. http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com/
Chinatown itself had more stores for the local population than restaurants for the tourists, a welcome change. We ate at the well-known Hon’s. While the potstickers were excellent the other dishes were average.
The following day we had our splurge meal at the Vancouver institution, Joe Forte’s. The staff was personable and well-informed. We shared vichyssoises with a dollop of whipped cream which was the best course. My scallops were done to a turn but not interesting while Mrs. Adu seafood pasta was fine but not exceptional. The two desserts tiramisu and butterscotch something were also just a shade above average.
We visited the art museum, which had a special exhibit of women’s art from the 1960’s and 1970’s which was already dated and more historical than artistic. The permanent collection is limited with a concentration on the Canadian artist Emily Carr.
We were fortunate enough to receive a time share as a gift and stayed on the top floor of the Sheraton Wall Center. The room had a spectacular view of Vancouver and the ever changing weather created beautiful light and contrasts. Downtown is filled with undulating glass apartment houses and office buildings. It is a new city with a few Victorian remnants.
Unfortunately the concierge dedicated to the time share was filled with poor information. Besides sending us to a restaurant in Stanley Park that was closed that day he did not know the renown Anthropology Museum at University of BC was closed until the beginning of March, which we did not find out until we arrived on campus. The highly regarded school has a sprawling campus with uninspired buildings. Each student was nicer than the next when we asked for directions.
Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympics but the newspapers and stores make it seem like it was starting tomorrow. If you have not have traveled much, put Vancouver at the bottom of your list. If you have traveled somewhat, two or three days should do it.

bellalinda

I guess it depends on what sort of diversions you are after.
While I agree that Vancouver is a young city and not very sophisticated, the draw is, and always has been the lifestyle and it's natural setting.
As soon as there are whitecaps in the harbor, Spanish Banks beaches are alive with kite boarders and wind surfers, flying high on all the latest techie equipment, or if it's a glassy calm day, the kayakers, long boat canoes and rowing skulls are out.
Vancouverites take their outdoor sports very seriously.
Within the city perimeter on the westside alone there are 5 golf courses, numerous horse stables, UBC's 763 hectare forested park with 33 miles of mixed use trails, 4 sailing centres, not to mention the 3 very decent ski/boarding mountains just over the bridge on the North Shore - which of course double as mountain bike parks in the summer.
You may have been limited on inside diversions, but Vancouver is an outside city - even the outgoing Mayor who is quadrapelegic, is an avid outdoorsman, sailor and trail rider.
It is a unique city, but to really get it, you need to experience it.

SallyCanuck

Annetti and her husband spent a month there ... wondered if you read her report?

I'm not sure how to link it ...

Aduchamp1

I read what I found on the board and also purchased a Rough Guide plus other sources.

We walked a great deal of the city including when it rained.

I thought the report was fair and offered thinge we liked and did not like. It may not be what the Chamber of Commerce wants to hear but trip reports are written for potential visitors who should hear all sides.

annetti

Aduchamp: I agree that the Vancouver Art Museum is not noteworthy, but then as Bellalinda pointed out, museums is not what Vancouver is all about. Too bad, you missed the UBC Anthropology museum, you may have been more impressed. Having a concierge give you misinformation has to sour your point of view a bit.

Bellalinda expressed herself well that Vancouver is an outdoors kind of city. We spent almost 5 weeks last summer in Vancouver and loved it. We walked endlessly, over and over the same areas, admired the clean streets,wonderful transportation system, enjoyed the great restaurants, especially all the sushi, and were overwhelmed with everyones' helpfulness and general friendliness. We thought it a beautiful city, too, with all the views of the water and lovely beaches, and when we returned home to Southern California, and told people about our trip, the refrain from them was" Didn't you just love that city?" We did, too. Sorry, you were not as pleased as we were. However, I think you did a comprehensive job of giving your thoughts on specific places, and did a good job of letting us know your thoughts both positive and negative.

Orcas

Thanks for your report! We haven't been to the Chinese Gdns and will go on our next trip.

One of the things we enjoy doing in Vancouver is bicycling around Stanley Pk and the waterfront areas. It's a nice way to see and feel the city when it isn't raining.

There is a fun improvisational theater on Granville Island. I hope you get a chance to go, if you return to the city, Adu.

I have a couple of questions for Vancouverites. First, re art galleries, my impression is most have moved to the streets just south of Granville Island, where the rents are less. This is not an area one would necessarily visit. Is this the case?

(When we were there last, we visited a gallery in Yaletown that was closing and the owner told us they could not afford the rents in downtown Vancouver anymore.)

Also, is the west side of Stanley Pk open? We haven't been for a couple of years. When we were there last the paths were still closed due to storm damage.

Aduchamp1

It was absolutely immaculate. And we walked everywhere, in fact we did not use all of our discounted bus tickets.

What I was really surprised about was I could not buy a junior or minor league hockey cap. I wanted a cap from Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Kamloops, or Moose Jaw and they were not available. A nice old guy in N. Vancouver sold me a Vancouver Millionaires hat, however.

And as irony, a cousin from Galicia in Spain wrote and said a friend of hers was applying for a faculity position at UBC. The irony is greater becasue the climate is identical to Galicia, costal, rainy and cool with very little snow.

I told her I did I not see Spanish (not Mexican) restaurants. Did I miss them?

Carmanah

There are very few Spanish restaurants. The most famous is probably La Bodega: http://www.labodegavancouver.com

NorthwestMale

The original post on this thread has got to be among the most clueless posts ever penned on Fodors.

To others, Vancouver is the most livable city in North America in survey after survey, and yet to Aduchamp, Vancouver has "limited diversions".

Most of us can plainly tell that Aduchamp's post lacks authenticity at the very least, and is indicative that he/she is far out of touch with mainstream North American reality.

Add to that the fact that Aduchamp has not far from 2000 posts at Fodors this year alone and you've got the makings of an internet troll. (that's one post every 4.5 hours for 11 months!!)

No wonder the time in Vancouver was so unappealing, when the limits on diversions were for reasons of having to get back to Fodors every 4 1/2 hours just to post.

Hopefully everyone will consider the source and take this absurd knock on Vancouver accordingly.

Aduchamp1

To others, Vancouver is the most livable city in North America in survey after survey, and yet to Aduchamp, Vancouver has "limited diversions".

Most of us can plainly tell that Aduchamp's post lacks authenticity at the very least, and is indicative that he/she is far out of touch with mainstream North American reality.

First, I am flattered that you took the time to investiagte my history.

Second, my wife and I have been traveling independently for over 40 years and have visited close to 40 countries. We also visited the eastern part of Canada on numerous occassions including visiting a friend in Hamilton last year. And between business and pleasure have visted more than half of the United States.

Third, I do not know what lack of authencity and out of touch with mainstream reality mean but clearly they are not complementary.

Fourth, if you want Vancouver to be more than what it is you must not defend it as you do. It sounds provincial and defensive. The
ad hominem attack exemplifies that.

Fifth, it was an honest appraisal, with both good and bad.

Sixth, as to my numerous postings. Most of those were political. Posting is but one of my avocations.

Seventh, earlier this year I wrote trip reports for Paris and Northern Spain with the same type of honesty.

Eighth, as a life long hockey fan, I know more about Canada than the avergae bear.

Ninth, I left out many things I did not like. So let me add them now:

There are very stores that we saw that were unique. We saw many Canadaian and American chain stores wherever we went. This includes the omnipresent Starbuck's.

The much vaunted bus service did not list the bus numnbers or show the routes at the bus stops.

The food was sxpensive and most of it average.

We visited Yaletown suring the day and there were more dental practices than art galleries.

We visited Gastown and did not understand the charm.

During our walk around Stanley Park, we saw on the N. Vancouver side industrial sites and a harbor littered with idle tankers. He heard noisy seaplanes which were just for tourists.

There was very little of Vancouver past, even the totems we saw were created in the last fifty years.

Now, if you want to attack again, please do, but defend what I say and do not attack me.

taggie

I live in Vancouver and I agree with quite a lot of what Adu says. I'm sorry he didn't like the city better, but he did report on the good with the bad. To each his own.

We get very sensitive here when we are criticized. We like to trumpet being a "world class city" but it's not world class to have such a chip on one's shoulder! Not everyone has to fall in love with this place! I will take Vancouver over almost any other Canadian city, and it's a good place to live, but as a tourist I'd much prefer Montreal, London, Paris, San Fransciso, Athens, New York, etc. That's just MHO.

So Adu has lots of posts? Whatever. My count is really getting up there too - I post on here, the Europe board, and the Lounge (which is a almost a full time job for some of us!). If you participate in a number of the boards then it's easy to get your count up - that's not trolling at all. If you take a look at the Lounge, you'll see what I mean.

Plenty of people who visit here in 2010 are going to have complaints. It's not the perfect place for everyone! If people are THAT sensitive then they are in for a shock.

llamalady

I thought Adu's trip report was
very informative - Vancouver does
have limited diversions compared
to the major cities of the world
(esp. NY!).

Because we are such a young city
we are very defensive about our
relative small-town-ish-ness.
But, in fact, our manageability
that gives us our 'charm'.

IMHO, you have to leave the
downtown area to eat really
well - Joe Fortes was a 'hot'
place in the 80s but is now
a pretty standard place for
tourists.....good food, but
no 'buzz' anymore.

The 'idle' tankers are awaiting
berthing room b/c the port is
so busy. And the seaplanes are
used by locals on a regular basis
as a necessary link to many coastal
towns.

Yeah, Gastown - tackay! And the
influx of US chains - hmmm, some
are leaving us now and not out
of choice.

I think it's essential we look
at appraisals of our city like
the our Aud took the time to
write and be objective - we
are not in the Big Leagues as
far as urbanity is concerned.
Probably will never be - but
we do have 'diversions' that
are unique and appealing and
we should foster them and
appreciate them for what they
are and skip the Urban Envy.

After all, some folks hate NY,
AND some loathe Paris........

BowenLinda

Exactly, to each his own.

I'm sorry the OP didn't get "my" Vancouver experience of attractions, restaurants, history and natural setting.

But, hey, I didn't like Siena and have been one too many times to San Francisco.

Orcas

I do have to go back to something we heard when we were in Vancouver a couple of years ago. We heard that prices for rentals had gone up so much in the downtown that the independents - coffee shops as well as galleries, were being driven out of the downtown core (including Yaletown) and that the chains, like Starbucks were the only ones with deep enough pockets to stay or fill in. It is an unfortunate price to pay for becoming so expensive.

Aduchamp1

An interest postscript.

I recived a handwritten thank you from the waiter at Joe Forte's, the one described as personable and informative and we live three thousand miles away.

There was a survey at the end of the meal and he was praised with an honest assessment of the food. And as noted in the trip, the people we encountered in Vancouver were very pleasant.

NigelWaring

I found all the posts in the thread informative and interesting. Not every city will appeal to everyone, we think that we will enjoy Vancouver, seems to have enough of what we like and we now have a good idea on what to avoid. Thanks to everyone for their contributions to the discussion, we hope to be there late summer 2009.

bluzmama

I have relatives in the Vancouver area and I love to visit. I think Vancouver might be more interesting to people who like to spend time out-of-doors. North Van has Capilano Park which I believe is really quite beautiful. And you can take a tram to Grouse Mt. I did so, but in the summer.

In parts of Vancouver nature isn't far off-I'll never forget my cousin calling her mom to tell her there were 4 bears in the backyard! And I only got to see the black squirrels!

Vancouver can also be a fun place to shop depending on the value of the US dollar vs the Canadian. It does tend to fluctuate.

More than anything, I've found the Canadians to be very polite if reserved.

NeoPatrick

Having been there twice before for three nights each time, I'm really looking forward to our full week rental of an apartment in downtown Vancouver in early June. We find plenty to do. New York it ain't, but it's a grand place -- and yes, it's all about the outdoors.

annetti

Although a lot of people recommend Dr Sun-Yat-Sen's Classical Gardens, I was not particularly impressed, but I would recommend VanDusen's Gardens. They are quite large, and I have been told (on this board) that they are fairly comparable in size and beauty to the more famous Butchard Gardens in Victoria. For people spending more than two days in Vancouver, I suggest they seek them out. They are close to downtown Vancouver and it is a short bus ride. Annetti

Aduchamp1

Just a point a reference.

Last summer, as we have done numerous times in the past, we spent time on a Spanish diary farm. My wife walked the 500 mile Camino last summer as well. We have climbed the temples in Tikal and hiked the rain forests of Belize, Gutemala, and Costa Rica and hiked in the Alps.

We are just not admirers of city cultures.