Day 1
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Day 2
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We Get Really, Really LostWe need to get to Canada Place to take a shuttle to Capilano Suspension Bridge, so we walk. As we're on our way, two things happen. First, we exit the side of town where humans live and enter the actual walking dead. This is not an exaggeration. One minute, I'm enjoying a nice stroll through the city, the next, I'm cringing away from one-armed zombies. There's a dude with white eyes. There's a lady with a broomstick (a literal witch!?). No one is wearing real clothes. No one is speaking.
Let's be clear. I've seen homeless people. I know what homeless people look and act like. These people are not homeless. They're dead. We exit zombieland and then...we get lost. Like, really lost. Somehow, we end up underground. There are trucks. Is this a loading zone? I don't know. There's nothing here. The place is wet and dirty and we're doing this all on foot, so by the time we realize how lost we are, I'm SO over it. We backtrack. Reemerge into open air. Okay, I think we need to head that way. The only problem is that way is blocked by train tracks with no end in sight. We look up. We see a bridge. (A bridge!). The bridge will take us to the other side. The problem is that the bridge is part of a subway system, and you have to pay to enter. We don't do that. We instead wait until someone else opens the door with their key card and follow them inside. We're running across the bridge! We're doing it! This is great! We get to the other side only to find...you need a key card to exit, too. Shit. We're trapped. What do we do? Can we follow someone through the turnstile? There's a handicap exit that, once activated, stays open for slightly longer than the others. In a moment of abandon, I watch someone open the handicap exit and run through after. Mike follows. We look around. I'm expecting someone to tackle me to the ground. Maybe some policemen repelling from the ceiling or something. But nothing happens. Success. |
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Suspension Bridge AdventureWe finally make it to Canada Place. It's rainy and we're feeling sleepy, so we grab yet another Blendz coffee and sit and wait for the free trolley that will drive us to the suspension bridge. Mike orders a matcha tea without really understanding what matcha is. He decides he doesn't like it. Don't worry babe, we can share mine.
On to the bridge! I'm a little worried about the rain, but according to the park's website, visiting in the rain is magical because it creates a fog over the forest. This is true. The bridge is awesome. It's semi-crowded, which isn't ideal, but we spend enough time there to soak in nature. It's quiet and peaceful as we walk through the trees. |
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Dinner and DrinksAfter heading back to shower and change, we go for dinner at Wild Tail. Mike gets a beer and I have a glass of wine, and we order a raw oyster platter (some of the most enjoyable oysters I've had), a horseradish salad (small but extremely good) and salmon with pea risotto (amazing, Mike loves this one). We laugh and talk and enjoy the evening.
After, Mike wants to grab another beer, so we walk to Yaletown Brewery. Mike looks around the bar and comments that Canada feels very much like the states. "Could you even tell that we're in a different country?" he asks. Not really, except that the city is more culturally diverse and feels very safe. After beer number two and a quick stop for ice cream, we call it a night. |
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Day 3
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Lunch, the Game and DinnerMy feet are pretty dead after all the walking and we're starting to get hungry, so we trek back into the city for lunch at Bao Down. I get poke toast (I'm hooked on poke now, it's quite tasty) and Mike gets a bunch of different bao buns (he's slightly disappointed).
After, it's back to the Airbnb to nap. The Ohio State game is on, and Mike's eager to watch it. We discover that the TVs in the workout room have the right channel, so we workout while watching the game. Shower, change and it's back out for dinner! I'm semi-dead by this point. We've been on vacation for over a week and my energy meter is on E. But Mike wants to make the best of our last night here, and I can't turn him down. We walk to Royal Dinette for mescal cocktails. The inside of this place is cool, kind of swanky but in a not-in-your-face kind of way. The cocktails are spectacular. I get the Woodstock (whisky, ginger liqueur, white peppercorn mezcal honey, pressed lemon) and Mike gets something similar. After, we walk around a bit, not entirely sure where we're headed. We wind up at Lucia Verde for our second round of drinks. The bartender is pretty cool and we get to talking. He tells us that the Grouse Grind is over-hyped and it's probably best we didn't make it there. On to stop number three! I'm feeling better at this point, so we hop into Blind Sparrow. Mike gets a beer and I go for a cider. We also order some maple bourbon popcorn (and why is it spicy? Still not sure about that). The waitress has a crush on Mike, which makes me smile. After, Mike and I have a "disagreement" about where to eat dinner. He wants Chinese. I want Indian. We end up at neither, instead taking the waitress's suggestion and heading to this Japanese restaurant called Kingyo that ends up being the best meal of the trip (especially for Mike. He adores this place). We order lots. Lotus root agedashi (it's AMAZING. Deep fried crunchy lotus root stuffed with cream cheese and blue cheese in agedashi broth), fresh sashimi salad, a noodle bowl (pretty sure it was in pork bone and shrimp broth, very good), fried soy beans (Mike likes these, I'm not a fan) and sushi. Everything tastes amazing. |
Day 4
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Our Favorite Memories
Mike: "Suspension bridge or the Japanese meal." I knew he'd say that. "Actually my favorite was the Chinese garden." He laughs. I just shake my head.
For me, it was walking around the city the first day and enjoying its beauty. It really was breathtaking.
For me, it was walking around the city the first day and enjoying its beauty. It really was breathtaking.