"The city I hardly knew" a Vancouver Travel Page by duanestorey

As for me, I'm enjoying this city as I would a great meal, taking each bite slowly and deliberately. Every day I discover something new about Vancouver, and make a mental note of several more areas I need to explore.

So what do I like most about Vancouver? There are so many things, and it's difficult to put words to most of them. The smell of the ocean; the feeling of an evening sea breeze down at Kits beach. The horn from a cruise ship slowly leaving Canada Place. The sound of the rain drops against my window in the autumn. The view from the top of Grouse Mountain. There's so much to love about this city, and I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface yet.

** UPDATE -- Vancouver has just been awarded the 2010 Winter Olympic Games!! Plan your trip now!

I've been living in Vancouver for six of the last eight years, and only now am I beginning to see the real beauty behind this magnificent city . I spent the first five years living in Point Grey, which is on the Pacific Ocean at the very west end of the Greater Vancouver Area. Back in those days, I didn't have a car, so I only made it downtown a few times a month. Now that I'm more mobile, and more adventurous, I've really begun to unravel the mysteries behind this great city. I've come to the sad realization that I hardly knew this city, even though I had lived here for five years.

For the two years that I wasn't in Vancouver, I was living out east in Ottawa. I always considered my stay in Ottawa to be temporary, so when I would be away visiting (in Boston, or Toronto for example), I usually told people that I was from Vancouver. Every single person I told this to was immediately interested, and wanted to know every little thing I could tell them about Vancouver. I would estimate that around 75% of those people living in Eastern Canada would someday like to end up in Vancouver.

So what is it about Vancouver that people find appealing? For some, it's the moderate climate, with mild winters (Vancouver has the warmest winter in all of Canada),and beautiful summers. For others, it's the appeal of a city that promotes healthy living (no smoking in most restaurants/bars). Some people enjoy being this close to the great outdoors (camping, hiking, snowboarding and sailing are all within 30 kms from Vancouver, and are even possible on the same day during the spring), while others feel comfort being nestled between large, looming mountains and the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean. With all these great qualities, it's no wonder that Vancouver has consistently been voted one of the top places to live in the entire world.
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Alain Gerbaul once said "I wanted freedom, open air, adventure [and] I found it on the sea." After spending time away from the ocean, I've come to the understanding that I was meant to live near the water: to be able to walk along the coast in the evenings, or to sail with my friends in a place like Vancouver's Harbour.

Vancouver is such a great city, and I feel privileged to live here. I encourage everyone to explore Vancouver on their own at some point in their lives. If you're coming this way, make sure to drop me a line.. I love meeting new people, and know many great locations on the water for having a beer or two.

My dad was in the navy when he was younger, and my grandfather was a fisherman, so I believe there's a sailor somewhere within me. So, before any journey on the water, the call is made out: "all ashore that's going ashore".. The bell rings, and the boat slowly makes it's way out the harbour.

So, if the waters are calm, and your spirits high, simply raise your sails, batton down the hatches, and point your bow towards Vancouver Harbour: you're in for a great adventure.