This is the much-belated finale to the series of posts about Vancouver. Looking through these photos again makes me want to go back—Vancouver was such an amazing city! Our time there was a good balance between spending time in Vancouver proper, while also enjoying outdoor offerings nearby. 

Earnest Ice Cream was a great discovery—salted caramel forever. There was a girl outside feeding the last of her ice cream cone to her dog, so obviously we were in league with some kindred spirits.

I loved exploring the gas light district (note the old gas lamps, now converted to electric lightbulbs). The architecture in this area was amazing and varied, and there were lots of great restaurants (we ate at a great pizzeria) and shops to look at.

Just beyond the city, you could see a backdrop of snow-tipped mountains; it was so lovely. The proximity of amazing outdoor areas to the city is similar to what I love about Utah, although in Vancouver, you're close to the ocean, so the salt air is even better.

Some other areas we loved were Stanley Park (the location of the beautiful horsechestnut tree above and lighthouse below). We also took a ferry to Granville Island and ate delicious fish and chips at the indoor food market there.

I also loved this area of Stanley Park with First Nations' totem poles. The artistry and symmetry are incredible, and I loved reading of the symbolism of each. Below is a description of one of my favorites, titled (rather, the English translation) "People Come From Far Away To Seek Her Advice." I love this story of Ellen Neel as one of the first renowned female carvers in the Pacific Northwest in the 1950s.

We hiked to another lighthouse, at Atkinson Point, at dusk. The hike took us through beautiful territory—tall, dense evergreens which led to a rocky outcropping overlooking the sea.

The two photos above are from the street where we stayed in an Airbnb. It was so lovely! The magnolia trees and cherry blossoms were in full splendor. One morning Lar and I went on a run and found ourselves on the edge of a misty cemetery. It was a beautiful area of the city.

We also stopped by the Vancouver Public Library to explore briefly. The architecture was beautiful, and as I researched the library, I learned it was designed by Moshe Safdie, who also designed the Salt Lake Public Library—the resemblance is apparent!

We tried to convince Lauren to buy these Canadian sunglasses... she did not. And below, an homage to my beloved Liberté yogurt. I had a very visible/audible reaction to finding this at the grocery store, for which Lauren and Allison made fun of me, but any of my friends who have experienced European yogurt know and understand this substantive difference.

I am leaving today for a very long roadtrip, which begs the question, what are your favorite roadtrip pastimes? I always bring a fully charged iPod, but occasionally I like a good audio book (Harry Potter with Jim Dale, Guernsey are some favorites). As a passenger, if I'm not navigating/keeping the driver company, I can usually read without getting carsick, but the second we hit windy roads I'm a goner.

I have another roadtrip coming up in a week with Mallory and we've been discussing what we should listen to—please pass along your favorite suggestions! (Obviously the selections will include Céline Dion).

see also: Vancouver part i: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

soon to come: part iii detailing explorations of Vancouver proper

 . . . . 

When they say "beautiful British Columbia," they are not kidding. Deep Cove quickly became one of our favorite spots from our trip, for obvious reasons. I'd file it under dreamy summer escapes (right up there with Mackinac Island and Balboa Island).

Allison's friend Helen, a Vancouver local, gave us the best recommendations, of which Deep Cove was our favorite. She recommended this hike on the Baden-Powell trail to Quarry Rock, which takes you up to an outcropping of rock that overlooks the cove. I loved spotting tiny kayakers in the water below (something I'd love to do next time!) and the trail wound through redwood forests with moss-covered rocks, ferns, and waterfalls around every turn it seemed.

Most of these photos are nearly identical, but let's just call this a study in the nuanced beauty of Deep Cove, right?

In this last photo, you can just barely spot the vertical face of Quarry Rock on the right side of the mountain at the left. We walked around the cove when we arrived, trying to find the trailhead. We had no idea where the hike would take us until we got to the top and it was a perfect surprise. It was Good Friday, a state holiday in Canada, so the trail was thick with other hikers enjoying the beautiful weather, and nearly everyone had their dogs with them. Magic.

During my research for our Vancouver trip, I discovered the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and we knew we had to go (check out their historic photos—it is so incredible that the original bridge—since replaced with newer technology—was constructed by a civil engineer in 1889!). It opened right when we got into Vancouver, so this was our first stop, and perfect too, as we missed most of the crowds and the morning mist still hung in the air. The Pacific Northwest rainforest is so tranquil and lovely. We reveled in the clean, damp air and wandered around the park—walking the main suspension bridge, the elevated tree-top bridges, and the cliff walk (the top photo is from the cliff walk).

The panorama is a little odd with the angle of the bridge, but it gives more of a sense of the surroundings—so pretty!

The park itself was thoughtfully designed, and the engineering techniques implemented in each area were explained in detail. The treetop walks are constructed from braces which don't bore into the tree, but rather use the 360-degree tension to suspend the structures, allowing the tree to expand as it grows. I love that these installations don't cause permanent damage to the trees, as it is such a unique experience, but I would have been saddened if it were at the expense of a beautiful forest.

"Rainforests are sometimes referred to as the Earth's lungs, and they are responsible for 28% of the world's oxygen turnover. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air and give off oxygen, which we then breathe. Just one of these giant trees releases enough oxygen to support a family of four." Amazing, right?

Walking around a hip neighborhood in Vancouver, I noticed this quote painted on the rear wall of a restaurant. It's another iteration of an oft-repeated line in the musical Hamilton and quite a good motto, I think.

A few weeks ago I traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia with my dear friends Lauren and Allison. It was a whirlwind trip but easily one of the best decisions I've made this year. I love the Pacific Northwest, and I loved my first brief experience of the Canadian side of the PNW.

One of my favorite things is farmers markets and in Vancouver we stumbled across the most delightful winter farmers market. I wanted to post a few photos as I loved the variety and locality of the wares there. We had talked about going to an Indian restaurant for dinner that night, as recommended by our Airbnb host, but when we came upon the farmers market, we quickly changed our minds and decided to sample produce and other things before picking up some ingredients for a homemade dinner (leek and spinach frittata, Island brie with a levain boule, the best salad, and delicious fresh-frozen blueberries and blackberries—YES please).

I loved the stand selling nettles (at the top) and the photo above with seaweed and earthy-colored fungi. I should have asked whether these were cultivated or foraged varieties, but no matter, what great options! I have never eaten nettles, but Alice Waters always writes about them and it's something I'd like to try at some point.

Feminist cheese—YES (Monterey Jill). The Island Brie on the left was phenomenal and we left with a small wheel. It was so creamy and buttery, with a wonderfully bloomy rind.

This stand was sampling their nut milks; I tried the date almond and it was soooo good. I'll be looking for this closer to home this summer.

"TRY ME I AM GOOD"

Well we did, and they were right. This awesome sign was in one of the larger produce booths, where we bought leeks, carrots, and spinach to use in our dinner. The elementary-school-aged son of the owner was ringing us up and we threw him off his change-giving groove. Oops. Gotta love those diligent dads instilling math lessons and work ethic in their kids from the get-go.

One of my other favorite things about Vancouver was the expectations for recycling and conservation. The sign above is from the farmers market—isn't this great? There were no trash cans at the market! I have wished for a long time that mainstream American culture would adopt some of the practices of California and the rest of the world—in most other places, it is simply expected that you bring your own bags, or you pay for them. If these kinds of practices were adopted across the country, it would engender the taking of responsibility on the part of individuals. Environmental conservation and protection don't just happen of their own accord—they require many small, thoughtful actions which cumulatively make an impact. I love that this is simply the norm in Vancouver (and other places), and the public is expected to rise to the occasion, with the infrastructure to remind and encourage them.

Likewise, the waste receptacles throughout the city have similarly specific instructions. I love this conscientious means of educating the public. And at our Airbnb, our hostess gave us a rundown of the recycling situation—just outside the door of our apartment were two bins, one for plastic and one for glass; a plastic sleeve for paper; and beneath the kitchen sink, a bin for any food scraps (including meat—she said the city had found ways to compost without having rat problems!). And sights like the photo below were common—a barrel to collect rainwater, to then use for gardening.

This may seem silly, but these great systems made me so happy as we traipsed all over Vancouver. I grew up in a family where recycling was just what we did, we'd routinely plant trees in our yard, my dad was conscientious about waste, and my mom had canvas grocery bags from the early 80s when she was in medical school. Somewhere my mom saved a note that my dad wrote to my first grade teacher because he had accidentally recycled my homework—my teacher thought this was great, but it was just to be expected, wasn't it?

When I came to BYU, I was a little appalled at the lack of recycling facilities in Provo. I am happy to say that P-town has made some serious strides in the years since I've lived here—there are even options for recycling glass now! (I used to save all my glass bottles for when I knew I'd be going to Target and could recycle them). I have also slowly indoctrinated roommates and coworkers who were previously reluctant recyclers (or would needlessly print extra pages at work). My next tree-hugger dream is for Utah to officially recognize Earth Day (who's with me?).

Ultimately, my fervor for such things (everything above, recycling, vintage clothing, used books, etc. etc.) is fueled by my love of nature and the outdoors. I have spent so many of my best hours in the mountains, by the ocean, in beautiful forests, and I try not to take these things for granted in my everyday actions. This post became longer than I'd intended, but hooray for the coolest, greenest city in BC.

(more Vancouver photos to come, probably)