In August of 2015, I flew to BC to spend a weekend with some friends. Between their busy schedule and my sedentary habits, it had been a long time since I visited them. But thanks to some airline sales and a general need for me to just get away for a bit, we were able to make arrangements :)
I had forgotten just how beautiful Vancouver was. I love the idea of a cosmopolitan urban centre surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of the ocean. I was able to spend the sort time just wandering around, taking in the art gallery, the the waterfront market, and the right downtown, immediately accessible beaches!
One day was put aside for a Lynn Canyon Park hike. We got there early enough to avoid most of the tour buses and were able to enjoy a relaxed pace through dense forest. And even though the province was experiencing a drought, there was still enough cool water in the stream to dunk our feet in.
Another highlight was an evening at the Storm Crow Tavern, quite probably the best bar you'll visit that has rayguns and battleaxes mounted on the wall. Its a pub where gamers, sci-fi and fantasy fans can hang out, drink a tasty microbrew and nosh on tasty edibles. We watched cartoons on the big screen bigscreen TV, played board games, and rolled D20s for random shots! I highly recommend dropping in if you have the opportunity.
It felt great to just stop worrying about everything and spend a weekend on the west coast. And it was great to reconnect with good friends, who were infinitely patient, inordinately accommodating, and immensely entertaining. I'm already looking forward to my next opportunity to visit!