Last weekend we traveled a few hours north to Vancouver, B.C. with two of our favorite traveling companions, Jim and April. The trip fell between April’s and my 40th birthdays. We had a fabulous kid-free weekend, even with the bad weather, and tried to feel young amid crowds of people born after we graduated from high school. So, for Thursday Thirteen this week, I share...
13 things we did in Vancouver last weekend
- “Ate” at the Cloud 9 lounge on the 42nd floor of our hotel. It is a revolving restaurant, and very, very slow/boring. The tapas in the lounge was crazy-expensive and barely edible. It was a regrettable meal. Jim and April went to Earl’s for real food later. Vic and I got a crepe.
- Watched a guy pee in the street. Vancouver may be a pretty clean city, but it ain’t as clean as you think, folks.
- Looked in tons of crappy gift shops for stuff with the 2010 Olympic mascots on it. April and I thought they were cute and our kids would like them but kept thinking we’d find them cheaper at the next store. We didn’t. Here’s some info about the mascots’ origins if you’re interested; apparently their weird, multi-animal features are intentional.
- Walked a lot of blocks of Robson in a lot of rain. It made for a lot of pretty hair.
- Rode a water taxi to and from Granville Island. It was rainy so there were no outdoor markets, but the indoor shops were fun to browse.
- Watched an episode of Law & Order in our room. It was the one when someone gets killed and they try to figure out who did it.
- Ate a very tasty meal at Italian Kitchen. I had the gnocchi, which was good but I remembered that I don’t really love gnocchi. Still, it was vaguely similar to pierogi, and, y’know, when in Canada... The mojitos were amazing. Amazing, I tell you. Everything brought to our table was quite delicious, and I look forward to dining here again at my earliest opportunity.
- Freaked out for a minute when we saw on the news that a plane had crashed. Y’see, Jim, April, Vic and I were on vacation in Manhattan Beach when Princess Diana died, and in Palm Springs when JFK, Jr. died. I think it’s safe to say Jordan/Manullang vacations are bad luck for huge celebrities. And not to discount the tragedy of the Travis Barker/DJ AM plane crash last weekend, but... um... whew.
- Got cupcakes at Cupcakes. I tried “Envy,” a pistachio cake with pistachio-flavored buttercream frosting. Yum. But I have to be honest; the cake was dry and not nearly as delicious as this one. Still, everything they sold was decorated so cute, you just had to try something. We bought a mini-cupcake pack to take back to Katie and Jack.
- Walked through a few blocks of Chinatown. All the stores were the same after a while—junky crap and more junky crap—and the food looked too frightening to eat. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden was peaceful and had really cute little turtles. We all found out what our Chinese zodiac symbols are. Mine and April’s is the monkey—this is distressing because I am not a fan of monkeys—and Vic thinks he’s super-cool because his is the dragon. I can’t remember Jim’s and I’m too lazy to look it up.
- Stayed in a hotel with the smallest and slowest elevators in the history of the world.
- Waited a long time to cross back over into the United States. Figured out the secret of getting through the line quicker: go through the Duty Free Shop parking lot and they let you cut way in front of everyone else. We figured this out too late to actually try it, but we know it will totally work next time. Either that, or we’ll do the smartest thing and take Amtrak.
- Saw Stanley Park. Didn’t drive or walk through it, just saw it. Pretty.
Every Thursday, bloggers jot down 13 things about their week, 13 secrets they’ve never shared before, 13 random things about themselves or their lives that give the reader a better idea of who they are. Then the fun begins; you go blog-hopping! Find other Thursday Thirteeners, spend some quality time getting to know your fellow bloggers, interact with them through their lists, and invite them to yours!
Sounds like a fun vacation even if you did have to watch someone pee in the street. :) For yummy cupcakes it seems worth it to me!
ReplyDeleteJust a FYI about Amtrak. You can't actually take a train from Portland directly to Vancouver. You get off the train in Seattle and then onto a bus for the remainder of the trip. OR, you can spend the night in Seattle and take a train the next morning.
ReplyDeleteIf you take the bus, you still wait at the border, but you go through the commercial crossing a couple miles east of I-5, which seems a bit quicker but is just as miserable an experience. Trust me, I know of what I speak. :(
Dan, I was so disappointed to find out that there's no Amtrak from Portland to Vancouver. We looked into it a couple months ago because it seemed like such a nice, relaxing way to travel. And the Seattle-Vancouver train leaves at the BF crack of dawn, which sucks big too.
ReplyDeleteWe did the truck crossing coming home and the wait was still about an hour. Jim said we could go to another one a bit further east but once you're in line, y'know...
Fun list Jen, we had a blast in Vancouver when we went in July. We took the train and though it leaves Seattle at the butt crack of dawn it's so much more relaxing than driving and dealing with the border lines.
ReplyDeleteI've never found the food to be good in any of those rotating restaurants. Seems their claim to fame is usually that they spin.
Someone got killed on Law and Order and they tried to figure out who did it? Wow what a unique plot.
We also enjoyed the Sun Yat-Sen gardens. Was there a dude toking up in the back when you were there? Maybe the reason we liked it so much is that the whole place reeked of reefer.
The elevators at the Sylvia hotel are older, slower and smaller. Trust me...
well, at least you had a kid-free weekend! : ) As a mom, I know the value in that!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my TT this week!
Julie
http://www.seizingthedays.blogspot.com/
I've always wanted to go to Vancouver. It sounds like it was a lot of fun. That cupcake place sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteVancouver is such a fun city and has such a nice vibe. Hope it was still fun in between the annoyances - and, mmm, cupcakes!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have the great time there except the part where you saw the guy peed (or was it fun as well? :o) )
ReplyDelete-Amy @ The Q Family
And...
ReplyDelete14. Jen did not break her foot, toe or any appendage.
15. My chocolate/vanilla swirl cupcake was the bomb (eventhough it was a surprise when I opened the bakery box since I ordered pistachio)
16. Spent Sunday trying to find simple bamboo salad serving pieces - denied, not sold in Vancouver :). Just found some online though!
17. Jim and Vic still dress alike - although they wore different shades of blue.
18. Do not get fruit salad at White Spot!
19. Instead, get fresh fruit at Granville Island.
20. No more over-priced revolving restaurants :).
21. J&V, thanks for traveling with us - rockin van and all.
Vancouver is such a fun city and has such a nice vibe. Hope it was still fun in between the annoyances - and, mmm, cupcakes!
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to go to Vancouver. It sounds like it was a lot of fun. That cupcake place sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnd...
ReplyDelete14. Jen did not break her foot, toe or any appendage.
15. My chocolate/vanilla swirl cupcake was the bomb (eventhough it was a surprise when I opened the bakery box since I ordered pistachio)
16. Spent Sunday trying to find simple bamboo salad serving pieces - denied, not sold in Vancouver :). Just found some online though!
17. Jim and Vic still dress alike - although they wore different shades of blue.
18. Do not get fruit salad at White Spot!
19. Instead, get fresh fruit at Granville Island.
20. No more over-priced revolving restaurants :).
21. J&V, thanks for traveling with us - rockin van and all.