Sun. 30th August ‘26
Gastown is Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood known for its cobbled streets, Victorian-era buildings and the Steam Clock. This latter would have put it on our itinerary even without Claude’s input. But what we probably wouldn’t have done is realised that it is best visited early in the morning before the crowds arrive. And so it was a 5:30 alarm, a quick coffee, grab the camera kit and head on out. This was a good call.
Although the sky was brightening rapidly, the iconic street lights were on, sensible people were in bed, and we were able to get the pictures we wanted. Of course we had to tack on a few more ‘well, this is close by, we should just go here’ stops – seeing a little more of Gastown and finding a bridge to look out along the train lines – before returning for breakfast and a well-deserved rest in preparation for the rest of the day.
One of the joys of travel is coming across unexpected gems – but you have to be prepared for the converse. One of the stops on today’s itinerary was the Vancouver Art Gallery – "a grand former courthouse worth visiting for the architecture alone". Well maybe we are just spoiled in the UK & Europe. Another reminder that nothing is really old here.
M
oving on, we get to the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. Now this really was worth the visit. If we didn’t know, we would have guessed Japanese rather than Chinese. Either way a formal garden laid out around a pool with trees overhanging and repeating patterns of pebbles laid out in the surround. In the centre there are parallel zigzag paths separated by a wall. A metaphor, it was explained to us, for not being able to see the end of your journey. Also, one side had morning sun & afternoon shade, the other the reverse.
After lunch (an always yummy Pho from a nearby Asian food court) it was off by bus and rainbow hued Aquabus to Granville Island to see the Public Market. This is on the other side of the downtown Vancouver peninsula from Gastown & Canada Place where we have spent most of our time so far. Up to this point Vancouver seemed to be having a sleepy Sunday and we had commented on how quiet it all was. Ha!
On disembarking at Granville Island we saw where it is that Vancouverites go on a Sunday. The place was rammed. The Public Market itself is a big warehouse building, surrounded by smaller buildings and an open area with benches & tables (and busker stalls). Think of something bigger than your mental image is right now.
The market itself is a hipster hotch-potch of all the markets we’ve ever been to. Not just fresh meat & produce, but pastries & cooked food, chocolatiers along with ceramics and other craft stalls. And all so crowded that walking around with camera backpacks was impractical. Find a place to sit outside, take backpacks off and go explore one at a time. Whilst you wait for your turn to explore, just relax and watch the extraordinary collection of craft go up and down the river. We saw everything from a $25m gin-palace to pedal-powered waterbikes and even a sauna boat.
We realised that our original intention to have dinner here wasn’t going to work. We wanted more than something from a food stall and the restaurants looked mediocre & busy. So, we sat & mooched and watched the world go by and generally chilled for an hour or so before moving on and catching our final Vancouver ferry. If the Aquabus was a small ferry, the False Creek ferry was like a bath-time toy. Positively dinky but all that was needed to get to the mainland on the other side of Granville Island.
Here at Elsje Point with views back to downtown and out to the Pacific is the Maritime Museum, and Wooden Yacht Club. All pretty enough, and the itinerary has us doing sunset photography here. However, the skies are low and grey and there doesn’t seem to be much chance of sunset colour – or even much of a subject and the museum is about to close. We decide that it is beer o’clock! Serendipitously, there is a micro-brewery close by and en-route both to an Italian restaurant and the bus route back to the hotel so the decision is easy. Not only that, but the August brewery turns out to be our favourite of Vancouver both for the vibe and for the taste of the beer.
Sitting down with our beers, we reflect on our time in Vancouver. Whilst we haven’t been to any museums or art galleries (or bought any enormous oil paintings!) we’ve thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We’ve had a good go at the itinerary and put in a huge number of steps (20k again today). As well as taxis and busses, we’ve travelled by aircraft and sea-craft and visited 5 (of the seemingly infinite) craft breweries in the city. Truly, we’ve had a great time in this crafty city!