Vino Volo

At YVR, we had time to grab lunch before boarding. We found Vino Volo, a wine bar. If you're part of their Loyalty program, you can get a glass of Joseph Phelps Innisfree Cabernet Sauvignon for $2. You can sign up using YVR's free wifi, if you're not already a member.

The sign said it was a 2011 but it turned out to be a 2014. It was pretty good and wasn't as young as I was expecting. It retails for $30 but if you bought it from the wine bar, it was $120. Granted it was Canadian dollars but that's still quite a markup.

Mixed Greens & Goat Cheese--$7. This was a good portion.

Cured Meat Board--$15. You get prosciutto, capicola & soppressata.

2017 08 28

Granville Island

Our last morning in Vancouver was spent on Granville Island.

We walked to the end of Howe Street and hopped on the Aquabus--CA$3.50 one way or CA$6 roundtrip. It's a 5-minute crossing. The boat runs continuously.

Granville Island Public Market opens at 9 am but many of the food stalls were already selling.

Teardrop grapes. Never seen these in the US but they're grown in the central valley.

My favorite place is Lee's Donuts.

I had to wait until 9 am to get these honey glazed donuts. CA$2 each or CA$9.75 for 1/2 dozen. If you buy at least 1/2 dozen, you don't pay tax. They're still as good as always, especially when they're hot. The honey glaze is so good and not overwhelmingly sweet.

Stuart's Bakery is located nearby.

Cinnamon Record--CA$4. Crisp, yet a little chewy.

Reminder that Canada has French influence.

Cement storage art located on Granville Island.

2017 08 28

Bella Gelateria

Bella Gelateria is touted as the best gelato in Vancouver.

It's located in the Fairmont Pacific Rim building, located at 1038 Canada Place.

They won the Gelato World Tour in 2014.

A cup of Wickedly Burnt Caramel--1 flavor for CA$5.50. It was very creamy but a little too sweet for me. I'm not sure they deserve to be known as the best in the world.

2017 08 27

Downtown Vancouver & Coal Harbor

Christ Church Cathedral--dwarfed by the high rises in the downtown area.

Olympic cairn just outside the National Bank

Traffic was snarled because"Deadpool 2" was filming in town. Never saw any of the actors.

Fairmont Pacific Rim. The line is for Bella Gelateria.

The Olympic Cauldron--Vancouver hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Digital Orca, located near the cauldron.

Canada Place--cruise ship terminal, convention center, world trade center and home to FlyOver Canada, a ride that takes you on an aerial tour of Canada.

2017 08 27

Happy Hour at Coast

Vancouver has many places with Happy Hours. We chose Coast, located at 1054 Alberni Street, in the downtown area. Their happy hour is from 3-6 pm daily.

White sangria--$5. You can also get red sangria.

Buck a shuck. It was August and not oyster season so these were milky. We'll have to go back in an "R" month (any month but May-August) to have good oysters.

2017 08 27

Bubble Tea

After biking, we stopped at the Bubble Tea Shop to get a drink.

Bubble Tea Shop is located at 1680 Robson Street.

I ordered the green tea with passion fruit juice and tapioca pearls--CA$5. It was so refreshing and the tea was not bitter.

2017 08 27

Cycling in Stanley Park

After lunch at Dinesty, we found Yes Cycle just a block away.

It's located at 687 Denman Street. You can rent a bike for CA$7 for the 1st hour. Each subsequent hour is CA$1 less--CA$6 for the 2nd hour, CA$5 for the 3rd hour and so on. The rental rate includes a helmet and a lock.

Stanley Park is located just a few blocks away. You can bike the 9 km seawall path, which takes less than an hour, if you don't stop. With stops, expect to spend 2 hours. You can also walk the path, which takes 2-3 hours. There is a carriage tour if you don't want to walk or bike.

First Nations Totem Poles at Brockton Point. There are explanations of the significance of the 9 totem poles. 

Brockton Point Lighthouse

View of the Girl in a Wetsuit and the yellow sulphur piles in the distance. 

When you see the dragon boat, pull off the path to see the Girl. You can also get a good view of Lions Gate Bridge from here.

The Girl in a Wetsuit resembles the Little Mermaid but this is actually a bigger statue than the mermaid.

I love this cairn, which can be found on the beach.

Siwash Rock, a famous outcropping with a tree on top.

Just outside of Stanley Park in Morton Park, you'll come upon the A-maze-ing Laughter Sculpture. It's supposed to inspire laughter, playfulness and joy in everyone who sees it.

2017 08 27

Dinesty

I had read that Dinesty Dumplings were 2nd to Din Tai Fung so we had to try it and judge for ourselves.

Dinesty Dumplings is located at 1719 Robson Street.

Pork Soup Dumpling--CA$6.50 for 6. These were good. The skin was thin and the pork was juicy and flavorful.

Pan Fried Marinated Beef Wrap--CA$6.95. This was also delicious. The meat was tender, had great 5-spice flavor and the hoisin sauce, cucumber and scallion complemented the meat. My only complaint is that it was just a tad greasy. I still prefer the beef wrap I had at the Smorgasburg in Brooklyn.

Noodle Soup with Beef--CA$9.50. This also had great flavor and the beef was tender. There was just a small film of grease on top. I wished I lived on Robson Street. I would cool this dish and skim off the fat. It would be perfect then.

2017 08 27

Sutton Place Hotel

It's expensive to stay in downtown Vancouver. I found Sutton Place Hotel, which was one of the more reasonable hotels but still $250/night (US dollars).

Sutton Place Hotel is located at 845 Burrard Street.

Our room had a view of the Fairmont, just 1 block away.

The hotel had an indoor pool

and jacuzzi.

There is a gym and a small sundry store in the building.

2017 08 26

Gastown

Gastown is a neighborhood that is very popular with tourists.

Walking from Japadog to Meat & Bread, we passed the Vancouver Public Library, which resembles the Coloseum in Rome.

The most famous thing in Gastown is the Steam Clock. It chimes every 1/4 hour. It's located on the corner of Cambie & Water Street.

From the Steam Clock, walk 1 block north and you'll hit the water. There were 2 cruise ships in port at Canada Place (the place with the sails).

2017 08 26

Meat & Bread

The other place I had heard a lot about was Meat & Bread.

Meat & Bread is located at 370 Cambie Street in Gastown.

They're known for porchetta.

You can get a sandwich or a bowl--CA$9.50. It looked like you get 50% more pork if you order the bowl. It's served with mustard but you can ask for the hot sauce. The pork is tender and the skin is crisp but I still prefer the porchetta from Roli Roti in San Francisco. Even though the porchetta was served with a green sauce, there wasn't much flavor.

2017 08 26