Vancouver British Columbia is just north of Portland and is accessible by through train service.  While I’d spent many voyages from Astoria to the West Coast of Vancouver Island by sailboat, the prospect of a casual, comfortable, warm train ride had great appeal.  Over the past several years, travel in the off season has proved to be rather enjoyable.  Sure it’s cold, but that’s what heavy jackets, scarves and hats are for and besides the real reward is the lack of crowds.  Amtrak operates a train from Portland via Seattle to Vancouver with minor stops along the way.  It departs around 3pm and arrives at 11pm.  The route runs along the water side for a good portion of the way, and while it is dark most of the northbound voyage, the return trip leaves Vancouver at 6:30am affording wonderful views.

We have a great interest in culinary delights and decided to stay in Granville Island where we had booked a hotel and a food tour.  Granville Island is also home to a Public Market that is the 2nd largest tourist attraction in all of Canada (after Niagara Falls).  While the trip had great promise Amtrak doesn’t quite live up. So we decided to pack dinner for the northbound trip.  Wine, cheese & baguette, chicken & romesco sauce, quiche, kale salad, followed by puff pastry.  The food tour was great.  Our  small group were escorted through the market by a delightful hostess who provided background selected vendors and samples of their delights.

The University of British Columbia Anthropology Museum was high on our list of must see.  BC First Nation art has long held special interest and appreciation and while I’ve enjoyed it for many years while traveling the west coast of Vancouver Island, nothing prepared me for the incredible examples housed in the Museum,  A few examples ……..

Canada has long maintained warm relations with China even during the Cultural Revolution.    Vancouver has a large China Town and a remarkable Chinese Garden built by and from materials brought from China.  Even during the winter, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is delightful.

Our visit was short, just three days.  On the last day we took the Hop On/Hop Off service which tours the city and allows participants to get off the bus and any one of a dozen stops – spend a little time – then catch the next bus and continue the tour.  Its a pretty good way to get around and get a sample of things to see.  Normally, one takes the tour at the beginning of  a visit not the end, but we had specific things we wanted to initially do.  We went through the city then to Stanley Park and got off English Bay, had lunch then walked to Sunset Beach and took the ferry back to Granville Island.  Along the way . . . .