I heart Vancouver

This year for Valentine's day I will not only be extra nice to myself. I will also send lots of telepathic love to a place I love and all the people who live there.

You can buy this as a poster at Lake Jane's Etsy shop

I am absolutely head over heels in love with Vancouver.
There is no place like it. It is nearly perfect. I have been there in Autumn and Summer (I dare you not to fall in love with Vancouver in Summer - it's impossible) and would love to go there in Spring and Winter next year.

This is a picture of me on the Burrard Bridge

Mind you, I am writing this from the viewpoint of a homesick tourist. However, every time I have been to Vancouver I have been extremely tempted to just 'miss my plane' - oops.

This picture was taken by me

The public transport is great and will take you to many of the most amazing hiking trails in the Vancouver area. The lakes are beyond awesome. And if you have always been dreaming of sitting by the lake and swimming in water so clear you can see your feet AND the stones on the bottom, and jump into said lake from a tree.. Vancouver is dream land. Even in the tourist season I have been hiking and swimming and not seeing anyone for hours.
I only went to places I could get to by public transport. Buntzen Lake is gorgeous. Especially if you walk to the 'top' part (about an hour hike), because most people are too lazy to go there and rather stay at the beach right at the start of the trail.

Picture by my lovely ex Erik and post processing by me

Vancouver ofcourse also has huge and beautiful Stanley Park where you can get aquinted with raccoons, huge squirrels, geese and other woodland and water creatures. Inside the city are many places to just sit and enjoy the view. On the benches which have personal messages on them, or the big logs overlooking the sea. I have a weak spot for cities that have pine trees in their streets, between the buildings.

This picture was taken by Wintergonesummer

Vancouver has such sweet and funny graffiti. Just look here for more. I have been on the bus from Coquitlam to Vancouver Downtown And saw the buildings painted with at least 20 declarations of love "I love you, I love you, I love you - I love you all".

This picture was taken by Benny

 


Even though it's advertised in every city guide of Vancouver, don't miss the Granville Market. It's a huge market where you can buy locally farmed food and handmade goods. I bought delicious goat milk soaps from a sweet French guy. I've never been able to find anything that topped those.

Sign inside Granville Market

And this Summer I bought a big box of freshly farmed raspberries and ate them while gazing out of the window at the seagulls on the boardwalk and colourful aquabusses. You can also buy yummy olives, vegan snacks, veggie burgers and pies there.


You should also try to visit the Lonsdale Quay, it has everything the Granville Market has, but is much less crowded.

Found at InsideVancouver.ca

I could go on like this for many more pages. I could easily write a NaNoWriMo sized book about how much I love this city and where you should absolutely go. I haven't even mentioned Gas Town, North Vancouver and Kitsilano yet.


I have been dreaming of moving here (like so so many people from all over the World) for over ten years now. I hope to be able to after I finish school. Maybe in a few years I will write you from Kafka's Coffee and Tea without my rose coloured tourist glasses on and will be able to give a more balanced view of the city.
But dreaming your lover perfect is a fun start of a budding relationship. So I'll keep on dreaming for now..