So off we went, flying from San Francisco to Vancouver. My man was fascinated by the view of all the places we flew over, pointing out Mount Hood and Mount Rainier popping up through the clouds, Crater Lake and more. I read a book by Wally Lamb, She Comes Undone, and loved the short 2-hour flight. Compared to the usual 11 hours to Europe, no problem.
Downtown Vancouver is a growing, international city with many fascinating places. Stanley Park is lovely and the Emily Carr totem poles are a must-see. If you have the time, go for a long stroll, but as we only had an hour, we had a taxi driver give us a quick tour. I had originally planned to eat at Bao Bai, a Chinese restaurant Ruth Reichl recommended. I'm a big fan of hers and read both her books and her blog. And she did such a fantastic job with Gourmet magazine. By the time we were ready to eat, it was too late for Bao Bai, so we ended up at Joe Fortes, dining on the roof top. The oysters there are outstanding and taste different from the ones in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. The food and ambiance were pleasant and we enjoyed our first evening in Canada.
We drove back on Highway 5 to Vancouver, overnighting again in Kamloops.
Jasper is a cute town and I hope to do this trip again one day, but will fly into Calgary to eliminate some of the driving. This trip was more a feast for the eye and the soul than for the belly, experiencing nature at its best. Life is good.
by sunnycovechef