Ian's Birthday Cruise

Last Tuesday was my lovely other halves 24th birthday and as a surprise I'd organized a lunch cruise up the Indian Arm, a coastal mountain fjord, courtesy of Harbour Cruises down on Denman Street. The way I figure it, the best gift I can give right now is a piece of Canada and a great day out rather than something physical that takes up loads of space that we don't have and baggage space when we eventually go home! (I did also get him a mug (romantic eh?) with a Canadian maple leaf on it, so he had something to unwrap!)

So Tuesday morning rolled around and at 9:45 we shot out of our apartment and powerwalked down Howe and Georgia till we hit the harbour. Boarding was at 10:30am sharp, so we waited around for awhile, taking in the harbour views and people watched. As we sat there it dawned on us we were among the youngest visitors waiting to board, and were slightly apprehensive it would make for a slightly awkward trip. But upon boarding our fears were allayed! We were ushered on board, and our tickets indicated we were on the upper deck, where we discovered they had divided up the group with the younger ones on the upper deck and some of the older visitors below. We felt this was very well done and showed great consideration for all parties. We were shown to a table, which had a name card for the booking and very thoughtfully, a birthday card for Ian. (When I went to pick up the tickets earlier in the week they asked if it was for a special occasion, I should have twigged!) We did wonder if they'd do something further like announce it on the loudspeaker as there was a gentleman doing some chatter as we left the harbour, but thank goodness we weren't picked on!

Then we were off! The boat started moving, and we left the harbour and followed the Inlet east. After we's started moving we were allowed to move around the vessel, so after a quick cup of coffee Ian and I darted up to the next deck which was outdside so we could take in all the views in the fresh air. I swear I saw some jellyfish in the water too! The picture right features the Trans Canada Highway on one side and the railway line on the other. (On our return journey a monstrously huge train passed over us just as we went under it, pretty cool to see!) As we traveled we were provided with information about the sights we passed, such as parks, the McBarge (yes someone unfathomably built an McDonald's on a barge) and an oil station and I took a million photos. About an hour into the cruise and we turned left into the Indian Arm, a glacial fjord which basically consists of stunning cliffs covered in trees and scattered with waterfalls.

At this point we were asked to take our seats for lunch so we had to go below deck again. The food on offer was delicious. The buffet style of serving meant that you could have as much or as little as you liked and go back for seconds, and things on offer included a garden salad, a Greek style salad, BC salmon filets, roast chicken with garlic, and a lovely pilaf. It was all very fresh, tasty and pretty healthy. I must say I was so eager to get stuck in I forgot to take pictures, but imagine a plate piled as high as humanely possible and you get the gist of how good it was. For desert there was some sort of fruit tart thing, but honestly my concentration zoomed in on a piece of chocolate cake and I was done for. Following a very fulfilling meal, Ian and I dashed back outside to take in the gorgeous views. Below are two of my favourite shots from that day, it was so photogenic I couldn't stop snapping.

From there we followed the Indian Arm further north, and we stayed outside for the duration, enjoying the sunshine, the breeze and the views. Eventually we reached the northernmost point of our journey, Silver Falls. Here the captain produced a very impressive maneuver where he sailed the vessel very close to the falls for photographs. Mine didn't come out fantastically as we stood on the highest point of the boat and were looking down at the falls and the prow of the boat which reflected the sunlight and made an awkward white glare, so I had to dash to the front of the boat for a better view, this was the best I could do, as at the time we were reversing back out of the gap in the rock where the waterfall resides.

From that point onwards we were on the return journey, taking a similar route but following the opposite shore so we did get new views. We passed close to Deep Cove, a lovely area we had recently visited with friends, and we spotted lots of kayakers and rowers. Then it was back into Burrard Inlet and towards the harbour again. This last leg was very informative with lots of commentary, it started to get quite windy but we persevered and stayed outside to listen. We passed an array of vessels as we headed along North Vancouver, including a Russian millionaire's yacht worth $30 million, barges carrying cargo and 2 which were partially submerged after an accident. We passed massive cargo ships and tug boats waiting to be loaded, some with grain, others with products such as sulphur. We even passed a group of seals basking in the warm afternoon sunshine. and then alas it was back into the harbour and time to disembark.

Considering the journey was 4 hours long (almost to the minute), Ian and I agreed it went by so quickly, we didn't want it to end! We both loved the trip (at least I think he did!) and would absolutely do it again. Overall it was a great experience, a very relaxing and chilled out day that made you feel very taken care of throughout. The staff are very friendly and attentive, the food great, the coffee and tea free-flowing, the commentary is entertaining and informative but not too overbearing, and the natural beauty of the places you get to see and truly breathtaking.

Stockholm - There's SO much to see!

This time last year we were in Stockholm, Sweden. Quite why it's taken me so long to write about it I don't know, as it's among my favourite trips which we've taken to date.

The Vasa

We were there for 10 days and we crammed in a lot during that time. Flicking through the photos I'm actually pretty astounded how much we managed to do in such a short time, so I'll just cover the highlights!

As far as the tourist trail goes we did pretty well. First off we did the Vasa museum, a place which houses a 17th century warship, the Vasa, which sunk in 1628 but has gone on the become the most intact 17th century ship in existence today. It's simply beautiful, and took up a whole morning in itself wandering around the boat and museum (you can't go on it but you can go around it.) Rather than waiting for a tour we did it at our own pace, and waited for the English language showing of the video they show about the ship. It's actually pretty fascinating, the Vasa sunk on her maiden voyage, less than a nautical mile into her journey, and laid on the bottom of Stockholm's harbour until it was rediscovered in the late 1950's and salvaged in 1961. It's thought she sank because of the organisation of the ballast and weight of the guns in the hold, which made her more unstable, and also that she was sailed with the the gun ports open, which meant when the gun ports dipped below the waterline they further increased the weight and she capsized entirely.

Getting progressively more drunk and cold.

Next on our list of things to do was the Ice Bar! While they now have locations in London and Oslo, the Stockholm location was actually the original, and I've always been keen on trying this out. It's not cheap to get in, and then you have to pay for drinks on top, and boy do they hit you for the drinks, but I treated it as a once in a lifetime type of thing...and of course got promptly smashed. Once you get your ticket to go in they deck you out in a not very flattering blue poncho and mittens, you do feel a bit of a tit to start with but once your inside the ice you thank the heavens for them. You step in and are immediately blasted with cold air, and head over to the bar! The cocktail choice is actually quite varied and between the 2 of us I think we rattled through the majority of the menu, finding ones we each liked. You're given a glass made of ice to drink from, which I loved, and I suppose quite handy for them in that they dont need to wash anything, just chuck them out!

You're given 45 minutes in the Ice bar, which we thought was pretty meager for the ticket price, however there is a reason for it. I think we got mixed up with a second group of people who entered after us, and we actually got an extra 15 minutes, and after an hour in there I was beginning to get pain in my fingers and toes. Time to leave! By which point I for one was pissed as hell, we ended the night with a burger and tottered home.

Gamla Stan

Another day was spent wandering Gamla Stan, the Old Town area of Stockholm, the very centre of the city and I believe the area where today's Stockholm originated. It houses the Swedish palace, the Stockholm cathedral, the Nobel museum (I wish we'd visited this, I'll have to go back!) the Stortoget square, and it's beautiful cobbled alleys have seen much history. We spent the morning wandering here and were lucky to get there just as the palace changed their guard, so we hung around awhile and took in all the ceremonial pomp, as a marching band paraded through and played awhile, followed by some pretty intimidating guards.

Changing the guard.

We were in Sweden for Ian's birthday so we spent his day wandering the city, as just walking and exploring is by far our favourite way to get to know a city. We discovered the island of Skeppsholmen, where we also came across a hostel/boat which is permanently moored on the island and has a bar! Much fun was had just chilling here! (See right for a picture of this beautiful boat!) If your ever staying in Stockholm maybe look this place up, I haven't looked at reviews but it seems to me an awesome place to stay. We also discovered the neighbouring island Kastellholmen, where we sat and took in the views of the city, and took a look at a small (teeny in fact) castle.

Another day out we spent at Skansen, an open air museum and zoo on the island of Djurgarden. Skansen includes many buildings which have been bought and moved to the Skansen location piece by piece, in an effort to protect the rural way of life and tradition customs, and range from the 18th to the 20th century. They also include replica exhibits, where tradesmen which include tanners, bakers, engravers and shoemakers demonstrate their respective skills. Skansen also includes an animal section where we saw brown bears, wolves, foxes, elks, owls, seals and Scandinavian breeds of pigs, cows, goats and sheep. We even saw a bright red squirrel running around. All round a great excursion that took up much of the day, and was very informative about the Scandanavian culture and history, and is also surrounded by some of the prettiest gardens I have ever seen!

Outside 'Lisbeth's' apartment - Girl With the Dragon Tattoo tour.

Next we made sure we booked ourselves up to do The Millennium Tour. (That's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo tour to those less book orientated.) We had both read and enjoyed the Millennium trilogy, and seen the Hollywood version of the first book (the one with Daniel Craig in, not the ones in Swedish, but we've since watched those too!) so we were keen to see some of the sights mentioned and which acted as inspiration for the story. With the city of Stockhom being so deepseated in the book, it was amazing to see the areas in real life, such as the particular buildings where the main characters Blomqvist and Salander were supposed to live, a cafe they regularly drank in and one where Larsson apparently wrote portions of the book, (incidentally we later went back to both for coffee) a restaurant they eat at, the office Blomqvist works at, and various other locations. The tour was great, it lasted a few hours but zipped by really quickly, I loved our tour guide Mia who was very enthusiastic about the books and stories, and had lots of little inside bits of information on the films, and she seemed to relish people asking her questions, she certainly knew her stuff.

Last but not least was the food. We ate out a lot in Stockholm, as it was a holiday we wanted to make sure we tried as much as possible. One place did amazing plank steaks with sauce and the most humungous burger I've ever seen (the place was recommended to us before we went, and we loved it so much we went three times!) another stand out dish was meat balls with lingon berries. Another day I tried veal... it was pleasant but all things considered I'm not sure I'll eat it again. Alcohol is very expensive in Sweden, so barring the Ice bar we only went out for drinks on one other evening, and though it had a cool relaxed atmosphere we didn't stay till very late.

But the stand out meal for me was eating out at Eriks Gondolen restaurant close to the Slussen T-Bana station (that's Stockholm's metro system.) To get to Gondolen you take a lift up the building, the restaurant is high up and has fantastic views of the city. I can't actually remember what we ordered but I do remember being very impressed, and then following our meal walking out onto their balcony and taking in the beauty of the city as the sun went down.

My favourite shot of the trip.

Stockholm is beautiful, fun and an exciting city. The people are kind and friendly, it's easy to navigate and unintimidating. There is so so so much to do, I could go back for another 10 days quite easily and not get bored, there are still so many things we didn't do. Stockholm is most definitely on the list of places I need to revisit, as well as checking out other areas of Sweden.

Adventures and Interviews!

Siwash Rock!

Recently we've quietened down on the whole tourist thing and gone low scale, choosing to do cheap and cheerful activities, and things which are a little more off the beaten track.

Last Tuesday we took another opportunity to tackle Stanley Park. The first time we went a month or so ago we walked a portion of the sea wall and then cut through the middle, and with me in my crappy cheap trainers which I brought back in the UK, was a sorry mess by the end of it. Good shoes are a must, and quite frankly I was in agony by the end of that day. This time I was more prepared. I have purchased some ridiculously comfortable shoes (thank you Payless Shoesource!) and armed with those and a crap load of water we were off. This time we walked down Davie street, past English Bay and went clockwise around Stanley Park. Along the way we came across Siwash Rock, a beautiful rock formation which we had to clamber across a rocky beach to get to and sat on for a considerable amount of time, taking in the gorgeous views and watching the boats drift by. A very memorable and beautiful experience.

View of the sea wall - taken while sitting on Siwash Rock!

I'm in the Hollow Tree!

We continued further along the wall, going under the Lion Gate Bridge and then cut into the Park to take in some of the stunning trails available. After a considerable amount of walking (and for a portion of it going round and round in circles as I'd forgotten my map) we eventually stumbled across the Hollow Tree, a huge Western Red Cedar stump, estimated to be about 700-800 years old. The stump was almost removed in 2006 after it was damaged in a storm, but locals formed a society to save the tree, and thus it still stands.

All in all, we had a great day, and were both knackered and fulfilled by the end of it. Stanley Park is such a beautiful location and one that just keeps on giving. There's so much of it to see.

This weekend we dived back into Chinatown again, I think it's fast becoming one of our favourite areas. With the Chinese Market taking place every weekend, I can't get enough of the place, and this was my third visit (so far!) We were there for Chinatown's second Outdoor Film event for this year, where we watched Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon. Again we came prepared with pillows and snacks, but we couldn't help feasting on Chinese food from the vendors. I snacked on my favourite - sweet and sour pork and then some delicious stir fried rice rolls from the Dim Sum Express stall, which where incredibly filling and I would highly recommend. The film experience itself was brilliant (if a little dark to begin with, but they fixed the contrast eventually!) and if they had more films planned, I would definitely go. Next up for Outdoor films is Raiders of the Lost Ark, however this one takes place at Second Beach, so I realise it's going to be very busy and a different experience entirely.

For some reason it makes me look rather small!

On Sunday evening we had a lovely meal out with another couple - our first 'double date' in 3 years, which was great fun, we had a meal at The Templeton (yes again, we really love that place) and then one evening this week Ian and I hit up our local pub again. It was the day before I had a big session of job interviews, to help steady the nerves of course!

The last few days have been a blur of job interviews for me, things have finally started to come to fruition so I have high hopes something will appear very soon. I've had a real mix of opportunities crop up suddenly, including one for a bakery, one for a hostel and one for a contact lens company. Once I nab that elusive job I'll make sure to post about my job hunting experience.

This afternoon I had another job interview, one I'm rather excited about getting as it's in a pretty cool location, and I'm very enthusiastic about. Fingers crossed I get a call back from them for a second interview!

I've also been rather busy with Birthday plans, as it's my better halves birthday this coming Tuesday. I have a surprise lined up for him which I'm really looking forward to, I think it's pretty awesome and I can't wait for him to find out what it is! I hope he likes it! More on that later!

Vancouver - On a budget!

So moving to Vancouver can be pricey. We heard it before we arrived, we heard it when we got here, and we still hear it now. And I'm not going to lie, a lot of things you pick up, take one look at the price tag and put it straight back down again. Sometimes I get the urge to bellow 'Ian! Ian! Come and look at this!' across the shop because I can't quite believe my eyes.

So things that are expensive:

• Food - Certain foods, such as chicken, sandwiches, (really, don't bother with them) most kinds of processed food, even some veggies are more expensive than at home. I got taken for a ride at a salad bar recently. I won't be doing that again.
• Toiletries. Bring your own, as much as you can possibly pack. Its ridiculous.
• Banking - Here it is normal to pay for your bank account, and the basic ones seem kind of reasonable but some of the crazy ones with all the bells and whistles are extortionate. Free banking is definitely something we take for granted at home.
• Events and attractions - Lord some of these are really expensive, do your research before you turn up or you could end up forking out quite a lot to get in!
• Transport - I have heard getting a car out here is ridiculous, and buying single tickets or dailies can soon push costs up if you're traveling regularly, which we were.
• Tax - Its easy to forget that they add tax onto EVERYTHING. (OK not literally but onto a lot.) You pick something up and smugly have all the correct change clutched in your sweaty paws, and then realise when you get to the till that you forgot tax again and that's another 12% please.

Since we've been here we have devised quite a few little ways to save money, and it does soon all add up. We are in saving mode to be honest, so I thought I'd share a few little nifty ways we've devised/found to save ourselves some dosh!


To begin with I'll address the list above and how we have chosen to deal with them.

• Food - So certain foods are expensive, but if you are careful with what you buy in supermarkets it can make a difference, bulk buy products when you see good deals (things like loo roll and meats tend to do this) and generally shop smart, you can really bring your total down. Helpfully a lot of places give prices per 100g/1kg so you can compare brands and get the cheapest. We shop at Safeway and they have a Club card, certain items throughout the store have special club prices for those with the card, which honestly can knock off quite a bit of money. When deals are on for non-perishable stuff grab it and store it somewhere.
• Toiletries - Buying from supermarkets or cosmetics places seems nuts, get shampoo and soap from cheap shops like Dollorama or the Army and Navy shop, it's all the same stuff just with a smaller price tag.
• Banking - If you're coming over a newcomer to Canada, I would recommend Scotiabank. They don't actually advertise it much but they offer a program called StartRight which is designed specifically for newcomers to the country. You get unlimited transactions and they wipe all account fees for the first year. So far they've been pretty good to us, they did accidentally charge us for the first month, but we got in contact and they quickly reversed the charge. We also get cheaper films as they have a deal with Scotia Theatre, where you earn points and then get free cinema tickets!

  

  Make Music Vancouver - One of many free events!

• Events - Now this ones a favourite of mine. Vancouver so far has been awash with cheap/free events so far, we have managed to spend very little on days out and such. Keep an eye on events online and in local papers and advertising, there is so much free/cheap stuff to do! So far free events or attractions I've rocked up to include: Make Music Vancouver, the Chinese Night Market, the Dragon Boat Festival, Vancouver Jazz Festival, outdoor films, the Canada Day celebrations and Lynn Canyon. The Chinese Gardens are free for the last half an hour of the day, the Vancouver Art Gallery is entry by donation on Tuesdays, and things like Granville Island brewery tours offer 2 for 1 if you join their mailing list online. There are massive areas like Gastown, Yaletown, Coal Harbour and Stanley Park which are just gorgeous to walk around. Seriously, just go for a walk.
• Transport - Living in Shaugnessy in May we soon wracked up quite a bill when it came to transport. We discovered you can get a monthly ticket for $90, on which you get unlimited travel within a zone of your choice. Fortunately for us we found our apartment in Downtown Vancouver shortly afterwards so our need for such a ticket disappeared as now we seem to just walk everywhere. But if you're living outside of Downtown or are going to be using public transport fairly regularly, it's worth looking into. (Note: They can be bought from around the 20th of the previous month and they do run out, so you have to be quick.)
• Tax - Well, this one you can't really dodge, but do be mindful when you are buying things that just adding up the face value of what you're buying might not give you your total. They do add tax to a lot. Take note!

Raider Rachel gets Facebook!

Hey guys, just a small announcement!

I've opened a Raider Rachel Facebook Fan page. Rather than bombarding my personal page with blog posts and travel babble, I've created a page solely for my travel bits and bobs and somewhere I can share my travel updates so people can stay in touch!

Please do Like and Share the page if you're interested!
You can find me at: Raider Rachel

Happy Travels!

A piece of Rock Legend!

This weekend was a quiet one for us, but we did go on a little jaunt to a place which is in my opinion a a pretty damn cool destination. Nestled on Union Street in Chinatown is a small building, which if you weren't looking for you really would miss. And there lies Vancouver's little Jimi Hendrix Shrine.

I've been a Hendrix fan for some years and as the place is only open during summer months it was a must for us to go and visit. Hendrix was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, just over the US border where his parents Lucille and Al met. His paternal grandmother, Nora Hendrix, lived on East Georgia Street in Vancouver and worked at this location on Union Street, back when it was Vie's Chicken and Steak House. As a child Hendrix was often brought here to visit her during the summer months, and he visited again for the winter of '62-'63 following his stint in the army. It is said he practised at Vie's after the shop hours.
 
I read in advance that it was a small slightly run down place and well...it was. But to be honest the chilled out vibe and laid back rock and roll style sort of added to it's charm. We wandered in and were greeted by the most enthusiastic man I've ever met. There is only one room of the building left now, which they believe would have been a storeroom for the shop, but the guy enthusiastically offered the idea that Hendrix could have jammed exactly on the spot we were standing on.

The walls are covered with posters and pictures. There are family photographs of his relatives when they were alive and news clippings about them, along with images of tickets to his shows and copies of his handwritten lyrics. There's a small section for merchandise, and the volunteer who greeted us very kindly gave us a guitar pick with the image of an album cover on it. The guy loved us. He said that we actually looked interested when he did his little introductory talk, and I think he loved that we were British, he kept talking about the 'British connection.

After we had a little wander round the room, we had a peek round the back where they have a small garden with seating, and a few people chilling out in the sunshine, and more pictures/murals of Jimi.

Overall, it is a pretty small attraction, but it's only there for a few months of summer, and run completely by volunteers. The guy told us he does it out of love, thanked us so much for visiting and told us just to 'Keep loving Jimi.' You get the feeling it really has been born out of love and respect for the man and his music.  Sadly the owner is thinking of alternative uses for the building, so it might not be there for much longer. If it's something that would interest you get down there a.s.a.p.

Personally, I loved the place and the experience and would love to now visit the Jimi Hendrix Exhibit in Seattle. It's been added to the To Do list!

Forests and Fireworks!

So last weekend was a three day one due to Canada Day, and boy did we make the most of it. The weather has recently blossomed into a gorgeous summer and I'm loving the constant sunshine, but not the heat of our bedroom, I swear its a sun trap.

Friday night we frequented the pub that we have fallen in love with, and somehow spent quite a lot. The food there was nice but not amazing (apart from the Yorkshire puddings which were great!) so we're going to stick to just drinking there. Saturday we had a chilled day, we had a chilled out morning with a jugo juice protein shake and short walk and later in the day I precooked our picnic for the next day. Sunday was our cool planned day out at Lynn Canyon Park so I wanted to make the most of it. Sunday morning and we were up bright and early, we took the Skytrain down to the waterfront, and then made our way to the Seabus (I was slightly apprehensive about the boat thing as last time I was at sea I was on a a catamaran for 8 hours and seasick for a large majority of the journey, however on the 12 minute crossing I was absolutely fine.) The seabus is pretty darn cool, you get amazing views of downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park as you cross the harbour. From there we took the #228 bus, (you can take the #228 or #229 to get there) the journey takes about 20 minutes, driving through North Vancouver, which I would say is very pretty, but much more suburban than downtown. It's more kids and families orientated than any other part of Vancouver I've seen so far.

On our way in we spotted a bear warning sign, which both excited and intimidated me equally. I have yet to see any bears, though I am tempted to soon go and see the ones at Grouse mountain, it's on my to do list!

Anyway, onwards we went and came to the canyon and suspension bridge. We choose Lynn Canyon as a day out mostly because it costs nothying. There is another, the Capilano Suspension bridge which is also in North Vancouver and is supposed to be amazing, but costs $25 to get in while Lynn Canyon is completely free. That being said, it was not disappointing. The bridge is quite big, and the drop is substantial. The damn thing moves and the more people who walk on it the more it sways. It might be safe as houses but when it wobbled I did not feel it. I'm a bit of a wimp sometimes, so I clung to the sides. Our first trip over the bridge wasn't too bad, as it was still relatively quiet, but later in the day when it was considerably busier, I was quite apprehensive at crossing.

Crossing it is very much worth it though. On the other side is the 30ft pool, a stunningly beautiful water pool where you can swim and play or in our case, as we hadn't bought any swimwear with us just dipped our feet in. On the plus side it was so hot outside your feet dry off very quickly, and the coldness of the water was very refreshing. We walked more around the area, checking out the Twin Fall waterfalls further down stream and walked through the gorgeous Park, which is classed as a temperate rainforest. We snacked on our amazing picnic of homemade salsa (Mango, cucumber, red onion and lime juice) and cold pizza and crisps, and finished the day with ice cream from the cafe. (They love their peanut butter flavours out here! T'was delicious!) And finally on our way home I managed to take some cool shots of Downtown from the front of the Seabus!

The following day was Canada Day, so we got up with the aim of wandering down to Canada Place to check out the festivities. But on our way we were waylaid by the Busking Festival going on along Granville Street and we spent most of the morning there instead. Some of the artists were so talented, there was the artist who drew a Pit of Terrifying Doom on the ground (see right) Bendy Em, a contortionist who fit her body into a small box, Reuben Dot Dot Dot, a strength and gymnast type act who performed feats of strength on a pole (It's more impressive than it sounds) and many more to take in.

In the evening we headed to the Canada Day parade, where we enjoyed seeing floats and exhibitions from different communities of Vancouver. The emergency services and army, (we saw mounties!) UBC, people from so many different ethnic communities it's impossible to name them all, Chinese, Japanese, Saudi Arabian, Philippinno, Thai and Latinos are just a handful. There were also representatives for Gay pride, dance troups, Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, the list goes on and on. From there we had a cheeky dinner, then hit up Canada Place again for the fireworks. We got a pretty good spot just behind the Olympic Cauldron, and though my firework photography was awful, I got some pretty good videos. Below is some pictures of the parade, and then the firework finale for your enjoyment. And then we trekked home and collapsed into bed, ready for another week!

Mounties!

 

 

 

And the video:

Recent Shenanigans

So I've had a somewhat hectic week of events, including a packed out weekend where I decided to squeeze in as much as humanely possible, I had lots of things I wanted to be doing, and not enough time to get it all seen to! In an effort to make more progress and to stop my woeful procrastination I am treating job hunting like a job. Monday to Friday 9 (ish) to 5 I am putting my efforts into finding a job and on the weekends and evenings I'm relaxing and doing the fun stuff.

Crazy good xylophone skills!

Make Music Vancouver!

So Friday evening rolled around and Ian was working late, and I had nothing planned. I heard that there was a free music event down in Gastown so I grabbed my bag and headed for the Skytrain. On route I came across a small community event where a group of young people were playing xylophones (very skillfully I might add!) so I actually spent a good portion of the evening standing on a patch of grass 2 blocks from home just marveling at them. I got a bit jealous. If my school had a band like that, I would have 100% joined. Eventually I tore myself away and hopped on the Skytrain down to the Waterfront and checked out the Make Music Vancouver event in Gastown. It was relatively early when I arrived, but packed! There were around 25 different locations across the event, and each one had 4-5 acts throughout the evening so there was a lot to be seeing, I slowly wandered up and down Water Street, picking out acts that appealed and listening for awhile. My personal favorites were the Vancouver Didgeridoo Players and a Samba band named Bloco Energia (who I am very tempted to contact and try and join!) Just wandering and soaking up the energy and atmosphere made for a great evening and hung around till around 10, and then headed off to meet Ian for a cheeky Subway!

Saturday was a packed day. I had planned on spending the morning exploring Kits, but a lay in somehow worked its way into my schedule, and we had a relaxed morning just chilling out. Ian headed off to meet a friend, but shortly after he left I got a noisy phone call from him to tell me that Robson street was all closed off and the Jazz festival was in full swing, full of people and music and to get my butt down there and check it out. I could hear it all in the background and excitedly grabbed my stuff and power walked there! I wandered through the venue and loved the atmosphere, but I only had a quick look round, I had plans! I then met up with the lovely lady I have mentioned before (Louise, you got another mention!) and we made our way to the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival. There we watched a few races, dragon boats looking somewhat like canoes and come with a rich Chinese history, we enjoyed taking in the views, the racing and chatting away the afternoon.

Dragon Boats mid race and Science World.

Later that evening, Ian and I made our way to Chinatown, to check out the Chinese Market which is held in the evenings every weekend from May to September. It's a great little place, with food stalls on one side and shops selling clothes and other such things on the opposite side. To be fair we were only really interested in the food, so I'm not entirely what they were selling. We tried a few dishes, some of which were delicious, I had a sweet and sour one which was so moreish! And then we hung around and waited for the real reason we were there - an outdoor cinema! Around 9:30 we plonked ourselves in the middle of a car park (armed with pillows we'd brought from home for our comfort, I swear we were the only ones who did, it must have been crazily uncomfortable!)  and waited for the sun to go down. Steadily the sky darkened and the screen being projected onto the side a building emerged. And then the fun began! The film was Iron Monkey, not the best film in the world I must say but it was more about the experience, being outside and surrounded by people. It just has a great feel about it, and we'll definitely be returning for Enter the Dragon in a few weeks time!

Sunday was Jazz day. We wasted a few hours doing boring household type things like shopping and such (yawn!) and then finally we got to visit the Jazz Festival. After my brief wander round the day before I was really excited for it, so we had a walk around and took in a few sights, then plonked ourselves on the steps of Vancouver Art Gallery and spent a few hours listening to some great music.

 

Tuesday is ordinarily quiz night, but this week we switched to another, so we took the opportunity to visit the aforementioned Vancouver Art Gallery, as Tuesday nights between 5-9pm its entry by donation. (Ordinarily its $20 to get in!) It was quite a small space, with 2 main exhibitions, one on Flemish art work and another on Hotel architecture, we whizzed around it, there were a few pieces we liked but honestly most of it wasn't quite our cup of tea. The whole thing took us about an hour, and I'm pretty glad we didn't pay full price to be honest.

Yesterday was quiz night, and I'm not sure the quiz was quite as good as the Lamplighters, I think we might try somewhere different. Following the quiz Ian and I hunted out a pub on Granville Street. We've been after a more pub style establishment rather than the bar type places that make up the majority of drinking holes in Vancouver, we'd done some online research and with this place we struck gold. It has a cool vibe, its smallish and quaint, the staff were great, the drink selection was wide, it even had a pub kind of smell. In celebration we had a pint each and a bowl of poutine. Great way to end an evening! Its not even very far away from where we live, and now plan on going there for dinner soon, roll on pub times!

Food (and Drink) for Thought

So we've now been here a whole month already, and in that time we've had a veritable smorgasbord of food! Ian and I are big on meals out, we like our food, and since we've been here we've tried quite a few places to eat and drink at, mostly around the Downtown area.

So here's the lowdown on our findings so far!

Blenz

Discovering Blenz - and on my bday!

The first place we stopped off at to get anything to eat or drink in Canada...and we found Blenz. A great Canadian owned coffee company, we dived into their protein shakes with gusto - the peanut butter one is immense but ridiculously calorific. They also have a great selection of green teas, I love the Citrus one, but found some of the other flavours to be a bit lacking. My new favourite is the Americano Misto - I'm loving the steamed milkiness - and since Ian is now working there and learning the ropes, he's made loads of suggestions and got me to try all sorts of variations, hello agave syrup!

Zefferelli's Spaghetti Joint
This place is amazing. Really amazing. If you love Italian, even if you just sorta like Italian, this place is a must! We went on my birthday back in May as I'm a massive Spaghetti fiend, and I must say it was perfect. The orange juice tasted freshly squeezed (don't judge, we weren't drinking that day) I had a Caesar salad, yes you read that correctly, I think for the first time ever, I ordered a salad  along with a gd ol' Spag bol, while Ian had a meatball dish to start and a carbonara. We were both very impressed, each of our dishes were delicious and really decent portions. We enjoyed Zefferelli's so much we went back to celebrate our first month in Vancouver recently and I opted for the Caesar again, it's that good! (What's happening to me, salad and no pudding??) For a main I had a Penne Michelangelo, and the sundried tomatoes were so packed with flavour it gave the dish an almost meaty taste. Ian had a simple pizza to start, very cheesy, they don't scrimp on ingredients for sure, and a sausage pasta dish. I also opted for a glass of the house red, and it was divine! I love this place. I want to go EVERY month.

The Lamplighter
We've been to The Lamplighter a number of times now, as we've been partaking in their weekly quiz on Tuesday nights and making the most of the $11 beer and burger deal. the burgers are simple, the fries that come with the burger are alright, but ask to upgrade to yam fries instead and BOOM its an amazing meal. Its an extra $1.50, but oh my goodness is it worth it in flavour, those blighters and great! And every time we go we get a different combination of dips, you never really know what you'll get. The main pull for The Lamplighter for me is the quiz, and catching up with other IECers. Oh, and last week I won a pitcher of beer...

It rather made my day!

 

The Templeton
This is by far one of our favourite places to eat at. Its got an old school diner vibe, with leather clad booths, and bar stools, a jukebox with some great music, and a great vibe, and huge portions of food that really doesn't disappoint. When we first went tere I ordered a chicken burger, as we've found chicken is quite expensive as a meat out here we've not been eating much, and I was missing it. It was the most ginormous chicken breast I've ever seen, with the most delicious focaccia bread and BBQ sauce I've ever had, washed down with a $6 milkshake! The next time we went, we both ordered the chicken burgers, added bacon, and finished with peanut butter and chocolate pie. The third time we visited it was pecan pie.
Then this morning... we went for breakfast. We both chose a dish called the 'Big Ass Breakfast.' Eggs, sausage or bacon, pancakes or french toast, potatoes cooked in rosemary and toast. Oh and maple syrup. (There is photographic evidence of my excitement, but I have yet to upload!) If you want a chilled, sort of greasy spoon kinda vibe, but with huge portions, great staff, and just an all round cool food experience, go here, you will NOT be disappointed.

The Flying Pig 
I really enjoyed our meal here, The Flying Pig has locations in Gastown and Yaletown, and a great little menu. I tried the chilli rubbed steak for a starter a) I love steak and this was done to perfection, still quite pink in the middle, just how I like it b) it came with a mountain of matchstick potatoes, which were lovely too. Ian went for a cheese board starter, and I think he rated most of them! For mains, Ian went for a simple roasted half chicken with mash and veggies, it was a large portion (great for Ian and his appetite) and I had a BBQ'd Salmon with risotto and a dill sauce. It looked small on the plate, but was incredibly filling, and the sauce was incredible. I'd definitely have it again.

Japadog
Ah Japadog! What a concept! The basic idea is thus, hot dogs with a japanese theme. Yeah, its almost as weird as it sounds. We dropped into the store on Robson street, as we'd seen a smattering of the stalls across the city and were intrigued. They must be doing well, they have 4 stands and a store in Vancouver, and a recently opened store in New York. I chose a Kurobuta Terimayo, a Kurobuta pork sausage, with Teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed. It was...interesting, I enjoyed most of it, the pork and sauces were lovely, however I wasn't quite sure on the seaweed. If had another, I would chose a different hot dog I think. I also really liked the Shichimi and Garlic shaked fries, and would have those again for sure, I loved the idea and they turned out very flavorsome. My only complaint would be the portions. For myself it was a reasonable lunch, but for a big guy like my other half it was more of a snack, it hardly touched the sides and for the price probably not worth it. I'd go again for a novelty, but it wouldn't count as a dinner!

Tim Horton's 
I finally got to try a Tim Horton's! If you like coffee, and not just any coffee, swwet coffee, or coffee with chocolate, sugar, vanilla or lots of cream this is your place. It's sweet heaven, the place is stuffed with ice cream, doughnuts, muffins, cookies and their signature 'Tim Bits.' I had a Cafe Mocha and even for me it was crazy sweet! Its a cool treat I think, but my goodness the calories I coudl eat in there!

Tony's Fish and Oyster Cafe
Last week we made an attempt at Granville Island. But after the whole smashing a glass bottle on Ian's foot thing we didn't get far. We decided to go there just for dinner and chose Tony's as it was supposed to be the best Fish and Chips in Vancouver. We were quite disappointed. We had some Calamari and Clam Chowder to start, they were decent, my Calamari had actual tentacles which I've not seen before, Ive only ever had it as rings so I enjoyed that, and the chowder was tasty. But unfortunately the fish and chips were really not to our taste, I found the batter so thick, dense and over fried, it actually made me feel ill, and wasn't great tasting. If that's seriously the best Vancouver has to offer, I vow not to try any more!

Granville Island Brewery 
We did finally get to do the Granville Island Brewery tour and test out some of their beers. We did the tour first (We got 2 for 1 on the tour price and pretty glad we did, the tour was quite short) and then got to taste a few of the beers. Due to the laws, they were only allowed to serve us 12oz alcohol though, so we only had a few small tasters.
Pictured left to right, the three we tried were Uncle Monty's Best Bitter, Ginga Ninja Ginger Beer and then Cloak and Dagger Cascadian Dark Ale, I particularly enjoyed the Ginger Beer, I liked the Bitter, but the Dark Ale was not to my taste at all! Following the tour we bought a few bottles from the shop and later tried the Imperial IPA (eurgh) the Maple Cream Ale and the Honey Lager (my favourite!) Overall there are some interesting flavours, and the alcohol is actually pretty reasonably priced in the shop, but the tour was a little short and lacking for me.

Anyway, that's it for my foodie round up (unless you want to hear about the Subway across the road that does $5 foot longs!)

Week 3

I haven't done a 'what we've been upto' post for awhile so here's a quick rundown on last week, our third week here in Vancouver! (I can't believe that on Thursday we'll have been here a whole month!

So last weekend was the big move to Downtown, and now we've been here awhile I can safely say we love it. We're going to save so much on transport for a start, busing it back to Shaughnessy everyday was beginning to cost and arm and a leg, and now we're right were we want to be. Ian started work on Monday, and its about a 15 minute walk for him, so that's easy, and it's easy for me to get everywhere I need to in my job hunting quest. The view we have will never get old, and I still love our cosy little room!

Still loving our view - Granville street looks amazing at night!

 I love that because we share an apartment we don't have to worry about things like buying furniture or decorations or cutlery etc. We just use what's already here and have our own little space. It's perfect for us!

So Monday was back to job-hunting for me, but I discovered that there is a beach about a 15 minute walk away from our apartment... much time was/will be lost reading there! Since its discovery Ian and I have gone for a few evening strolls there, there's something incredible relaxing about wandering down a quiet beach (on weekdays its heavenly empty!)

Sunset Beach, Vancouver, BC.

Tuesday morning I stayed in and listened to a friend on the radio back in the UK over the Internet, and then popped out for coffee with a fellow Brit IECer, and finally got to try a Tim Hortons - delicious I must say! (More on that later, I have a food/drink orientated post in the pipeline!

The rest of the week passed quite quickly, one day I popped out of Downtown with the lovely lady I had coffee with earlier in the week. We visited Metropolis shopping mall at Metrotown and it was ridiculously huge! I've never seen anything like it to be honest, it has everything you could possibly want. I bought writing utensils and stationary, as I intend to write letters home to people soon!

This weekend was...interesting, things didn't quite go to plan. We were going to visit Granville Island Brewery and do the tour (we got a cool 2 for 1 deal) however a mishap occurred on Friday! While cooking dinner a glass bottle of olive oil fell and smashed on the kitchen floor and poor Ian cut his foot open. So instead we took it easy round the apartment, and I kept dashing out for crappy food and snacks. Hello Subway and 711! Yesterday we took a short stroll on the beach and then decided we would take a small trip to Granville Island for dinner. We took the bus and found a place to eat (an Oyster and Fish bar, again wait for the food post for a proper verdict!) Slowly over the evening I began developing shin pain, I had shin splints about 2 years ago so after eating we hastily came home and I propped my leg up with pillows and iced it regularly. This morning I'm feeling much better, I'm going to attempt a short walk and see how it goes!

Anyway, as long as my leg stays pain free, back to job hunting for me!