Best of the West. The journey from Victoria to Vancouver was fantastic. A bus trip from South to North in Vancouver Island gave an idea of the very pleasant life style available to those lucky to live there. Proximity to water, with many lakes and the sea adjacent, backed up with some beautiful mountain ranges, residents can avail of many outdoor pursuits. We reached the Ferry in plenty of time for the trip of just over one and half hours. For many it is a regular busy commute through the Straits of Georgia, for a first time traveller like myself, it was a magical journey. The sun was shining, not a cloud in an azure blue sky, the scenery was stunning! This was what I had been expecting of Canada and I was not disappointed. The only disappointment was that although Orcas and Humpback Whales had been spotted in the previous week, none popped their heads up on Sunday! Ah well, an excuse to return! The BC Connector Ferry while very busy, was also very comfortable, with the option of a private lounge with refreshments, for a nominal fee. As we sailed through the Straits, the wooded mountain terrain on both sides, occasionally studded with large lumber style homes, was beautiful. Many sailing craft of varying sizes dotted the horizon and it seemed a idyllic place to relax, sail or fish. After docking, it was another hour through heavy traffic to my hotel in Bayshore Vancouver. My first impression of Vancouver was a city where there was plenty of green spaces and lots of trees. Wonderful to see, when cities like Dublin, are planning to take down trees to make way for more traffic by reducing vital oxygenation of our urban areas! While the Westin, where I am staying, is a vast conference hotel, devoid of atmosphere or personality, it is in a superb location. My room overlooked the Harbour and the Marina, with fab views. With a backdrop of tall shiny skyscrapers reminiscent of Manhattan, the area has a wonderful airy feel to it. A Harbour pathway of about four kilometres up towards Canada Place, which was built for Expo 86, was full of cyclists, joggers, skateboarders, dog walkers and families pushing buggies. There was a wonderful joie de vivre atmosphere, in the early evening, emphasising to me why Vancouver is the most popular city in which to live in North America and also one of the most expensive. Property prices are through the roof here, by far the most expensive in Canada, but I can see why. One could have a wonderful life style here in a city that’s small enough to get around, though there are traffic problems and you have world class skiing, fishing, sailing and beautiful beaches in close proximity to the City. As I returned from my walk delighted my step count is being exceeded most days, I spotted what looked like a nice bar/ restaurant. Corderos, extends out into the Marina and it was jumping! I seated myself at the Bar, a pleasant barman called Lee looked after me , while we engaged in friendly banter and I had a great night! A lone guitarist played a lot of jazz and country and western favourites, many like Cotton Jenny, that I sang along to, not too loudly, but enough to get strange looks from fellow diners at the bar! So what! The seafood was great and I continue to try the BC wines, one better than the last. Next day, the City had to be explored, so I started with the Vancouver Lookout, 168 stories high, with a high speed panoramic lift getting you there in 40 seconds, I kid you not. The 360 degree viewing platform gives a wonderful perspective of the city and simply written boards are strategically placed on the viewing rails giving a synopsis of what one can see directly from that particular point. For someone like myself, with not too much time, it gives a concise picture of the architectural and historical aspect of the city, leaving you somewhat better informed. Another beautiful day, I then walked past the famous Waterfront Station and down into Gastown, an area of eclectic shops, art galleries , interior design stores and many restaurants. A gorgeous area, I found many interesting shops, not least the amazing Unique Soles, shoes by John Fluevog, all created in a design studio on site. The shoes are amazing, go look them up online, fluevog.com ! Colours, material and style unlike anything I have ever seen. Many of them are once offs ( as illustrated by the price) and made by craftspeople in Peru and Mexico. It’s like an Art Gallery! By the way, in case you are curious, I didn’t buy any! Couple of doors down is Filsons, Outfitters for Alaska! They list such necessities as Tin Cloth, Field Bags, waxed Garments and of course warm underwear! Now you know where to go. Meandering down these small narrow streets, there was a great feeling of camaraderie. At Maple Tree Square, I turned right to head to the third largest Chinatown in North America, after Victoria and San Francisco. I visited a beautiful Classical Ming style Garden of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, where a very knowledgeable Guide explained the vegetation, the Taoist principles within the garden, the yin and yang balance and it’s importance in Chinese culture. To sit in this peaceful oasis and sip Chinese tea, felt quite a privilege. After some retail therapy in buzzy Chinatown, I took a different route back, past the famous Steam Clock! Said to be the first steam operated clock in the world, dozens of people wait, cameras at the ready, as the clock blows steam and chimes every 15 minutes! Yes, different! So much more to see, but energy beginning to wane I must away to prepare for the Choo Choo train tomorrow! Yes, the Rockies are calling and we leave at 07.15 on the train, first stop Kamloops, late tomorrow night. We have been warned there is limited or no Wifi coverage on the train or in many locations where we will stay over next week, so I will post when I can. Please be waiting with bated breath and fingers crossed I get to see grizzly and brown bears, my main motivation! Best of the West