Vancouver – If A Place For Living

Factsheet 4×1

Date: 12/10/2012 to 17/10/2012

Saímos of: Whistler, BC, Canada

Destination: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Distance: 123 km

Travel time: About two hours.

Path: We left Whistler for BC-99, that led us straight to the heart of Vancouver

Where to sleep: Receptivity and warmth in the house of Gaius. We had the opportunity to stay with a Brazilian hosted in Vancouver. How we got there is a long history, you still get for our trip to Brazil.

What eat different: Food good and free in Hindu temple. Practically an intercultural experience.

Tire cheio: A few days in Vancouver and already sees what is quality of life. There are several attractive city, that often lives up to the status of a better place to live. Vancouver é charmosa, safe and rich in natural beauty.

Tire murcho: Rain rain, nonstop rains! If you have a place to shower, lugar é esse Vancouver. Practically every day we spent in the city were gray and rainy. We suspect that Jorge Ben came by to make your music.

Vancouver, BC - A place to live

No wonder that Vancouver is always mentioned among the best in the world to live. Neither the steady rain brings out the sympathy, the warmth and beauty of the city. Special landscapes and amazing people have made our passage there a unique experience.

The day we arrived already foreshadowed what lay ahead: More rain and rain! Vancouver has a dry climate during summer (July and August), and spends the rest of the year during the rainy season, being that from October to March, Chuvas as is intensificam. Due to its geographical position, winds move from the sea to the mainland and cool as they are forced upward as encroaching on the continent towards the mountains that surround the city, condensing as rain. We feel on the skin because of the city affectionately termed "Raincouver". Almost every day we spent there were gray and rainy! But, smooth, all that water did not remove the brightness and friendliness of the city.

You can literally say that Vancouver is a green city. Trees are scattered everywhere and densely forested parks are just minutes from most points in the city. It is common to see people walking or riding bicycles in the various sanctuaries of tranquility and nature that the city offers. Its natural range is very well preserved in its surroundings and provides an extremely varied range of activities outdoor.

Once we arrived in Whistler, we were very well received by Caio, um Brazilian KNOW by accident of fate. The story of how we ended up at your house is curious, and still starts when the Expedition passed through Northern Brazil, Marjorie to know where a boat trip from Belem to Manaus. She and Caio traveled the world, through various countries. Great companies for a good conversation. Caio was an excellent host and gave us the best tips for Vancouver in the context of a local.

The rain was no deterrent for us to leave to explore the city. Our first stop was already shining eyes. After a quick lunch (and cheap!) in one of the thousands of Japanese restaurants around the city, follow the suggestion of Caio and went to incredible suspension bridge in Lynn Canyon. Do not confuse this with the Bridge Capilano Suspension Bridge! The latter can even be more famous (one of the main sights of the city), longer (136m vs. 40m) and higher (70m vs. 50m), but is definitely more expensive! The Capilano charges about $ 30 for entry, while the bridge of Lynn Canyon is free and as cool as. The bridge appears after a short trail along the river that bisects the canyon. Close, she shakes vigorously at every step. Adrenaline rises as we move forward and realize the time when the bridge is suspended. The view is to take the breath away! The trees surrounding the long waterfall that graces the stage. We could not resist the excitement and increase the maximum we could skip. The bridge rocked like never laughed like children while.

We took one day to tour the majestic Stanley Park. The park is a mosaic composed of many natural scenarios seaside, dense forests com, lakes, small beaches, Gardens rosas, all colored by yellow and red autumn coladinho and the urban center. We would have rented a bike for a spin, but the rain did not give truce. We stopped with Tanajura at specific points and went through some interesting excerpts. Among them is a set of totems, that remetem the old inhabitants of the city. Could not help but stop at the small beaches that appear around it to look at the view. Moreover, various points in the park, There is an interesting view of the city, even on rainy days we were there.

Being from the city center, the Gastown neighborhood is an excellent area for a walk. And that's exactly what we did with our friends from 1000days, Ana and Rodrigo, two Brazilian expedition with a relatively similar script with our, we finally had the pleasure of meeting in Vancouver, after a few attempts along our paths. Em Gastown, the city developed as an important store of the region's timber business in the mid-nineteenth century. The neighborhood is due to captain “Gassy” Jack Deighton, who opened the first tavern in the area right there, no ano de 1867. Cobblestone streets lit by streetlights are surrounded by charming Victorian buildings that today house from souvenir shops to brands of stylish clothes, and several bars and restaurants. With informative signs placed strategically along the street to tell the story behind several buildings and monuments, Gastown is quite inviting a ride. We spent one night in one of their cozy restaurants, followed by a very interesting show bourlesque, washed down with lots of laughter and good conversation with Ana and Rodrigo. Moreover, Our meeting with them was definitely one of the best moments of our passing through town, but let greatest detail for the next post.

Another interesting thing was the walk Downtown. We walked aimlessly, passing by beautiful buildings and several shopping streets charming. The most interesting was the Canada Place. In the form of a series of plugs designed for nautical sky, The building draws attention away from. Walking by its surroundings is quite interesting and offers beautiful views of the mountains north. There is an open air exhibition that tells a little of the history of US-Canada war during American independence, when they wanted to attach the Canadian territory.

At a birthday party of neighbors Caio, who kindly invited us after a casual conversation, discovered an interesting program for the Sunday morning: o Science World. This is a science museum, luckily it was open to the public that day. The place was completely full. Most parents were taking their children for a little edutainment, but some attractions were also interesting for those who have grown and that may include some of us. We got places to attend a session in Omnitheater, they passed the film "To the Arctic" ("To the Arctic"), that tells the survival story of a mother bear and her cubs in the icy waters of the Arctic. Charged a value for entry (about U.S. $ 10), but definitely worth it. The film and the screening room (planetary type) themselves were amazing! We feel like we're jumping the glaciers with bears.

In our comings and goings, could not help but notice the number of aliens who are scattered throughout the city. Vancouver é fato, a city internationalized. Eastern and Indian mountains, inúmeras other nationalities and of course, Brazilians every corner! Moreover, was in a Brazilian bar that actually had fun in the city. Caio took us to see the Boteco Brazil, where he would play a legitimate samba. Beer, coxinha and that steak with rice and beans were accompanied by great music and joy that only the Brazilian has. Gave to kill a bit of homesickness. We take the opportunity to mark the meeting there with the expedition 1000dias (Rodrigo and Ana), rejoiced further overnight, with the company of Kombianos (Meli e Kike), Colombian couple who travels to America for years. Talk to them and learn their stories was an amazing experience and inspiring.

The conversation in the bar was extended for other days, when again we find the 1000 days and Fiona for a city tour. After a lunch in Brazil Boteco, enjoyed a late afternoon and setting sun on Wreck Beach, a beach northwest of Vancouver.

This mixture of cultures also gave us an experience at least curious. Another hot tip from Caio took us to a different lunch. We went to lunch at a Hindu temple! Indian Food, made directly by Indians (or descendants of)! And best: was all free and at ease! Hindus have this culture of charity and distribute food to those that appear on your doorstep. The food is spicy as all Indian cooking, but it's pretty hot! Anyone can come in predefined times and will be served with great sympathy. Jovens found, old, families, had all kinds of people in the cafeteria. And if one of the last to arrive, still have a chance of being invited to help clean the room before it is closed. We were!

Vancouver city seemed really hot to live. Culture, nature, tranquility, hype. The city has it all and then some, and gathers the best things we can ask of a place to live. He was the one wanting more and curiosity of how it would be out there in the rainy season.

To see more photos of our passage through Vancouver, click here.