Playing Tourist in Vancouver BC

Annette and I took advantage of a sunny winter day to play tourist in the Vancouver area. I tend to get around town more than Annette, so going to some of these places for the first time in a few years is a bit of shock to her system - so much has changed in Vancouver in just a few years.

PS - click on any picture to make them full size!

This was the first time Annette had actually been to the Olympic Village area in False Creek so it was a wonder to see so many new high rises in the fast developing area that had formerly been populated by industrial buildings.

From the large globe of Science World to the small water taxis puttering back and forth between shores it was a good day to take in the views.

It also gave us some good views of the south and east sides of downtown Vancouver with the North Shore Mountains as a back drop. We wandered around the Village area for a while, checking out the small shops and the local grocery store all designed to cater to the tony residents of the high rises. Annette and I bantered back and forth whether we could live in a condo like these and we decided "no, at least not yet". Both Annette and I love the privacy that a suburban home offers, and as we're still young enough to maintain the yard and gardens, I think we're pretty happy staying where we are! 

After enjoying the view of the local mountains, we decided to go up them.....well......at least drive part way up one of them!

We headed over the Lions Gate Bridge into West Vancouver and then caught the Upper Levels Highway for the short jaunt to the Cypress Mountain turnoff. Cypress Mountain is one of the three local North Shore mountains where there is skiing available with great views of Vancouver. National Geographic did an article on Vancouver a few years back, they stated that "Vancouver is the only city where you could go sailing in the morning, skiing in the afternoon, then sit out at a beach side patio table for a splendid candlelight dinner"  

The view from Cypress Mountain as always was spectacular even if there was a bit of a winter haze lending to the grayness in the sky. Stanley Park, Lions Gate Bridge, and downtown Vancouver lay immediately at our feet.

Off to the east was the Vancouver Inner Harbour with an opaque view of Mount Baker in Washington State on the horizon 70 miles away.

 To the west was Georgia Straight covered with a thin film of ocean fog, the Island Mountains on Vancouver Island providing an end plane 25 miles distant.

We stayed for a while playing with the cameras and just enjoying the view; it's easy to get use to living in one's hometown and forgetting how beautiful our city really is.

So next sunny day, get off the couch, put your coat and gloves on and go out and re-discover your identity!

PS  If you like what you have read, leave a comment down below!

To see all the pictures from the day of fun, click here to go to my Flickr web page.