Vancouver, a city of many attractions

Shopping, taking leisurely walks, people watching, and enjoying nature, especially the gardens, are some of Vancouver's best attractions. While like Seattle, Vancouver B.C. is quintessentially Northwest, it is a bit more diverse, offering a smattering of Europe in its downtown core, as well as a large contingent of Chinese-Canadians in the old and new Chinatowns.

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Vancouver is a serious shoppping town. There are enough here to overwhelm the most serious shopping addict. But unlike many towns in the United States, where suburban shopping malls anchored by the same large companies and offering almost identical wares, Vancouver B.C. offers many interesting shopping neighborhood. One of my favorites due to the European atmosphere, is Robsonstrasse. If your pockets are deep enough, you can try to shop here, but even if not, window shopping in Robsonstrasse is just plain fun.

Robsonstrasse is on Robson street and reflects the European influence on the city. There are a large offering of European luxury shops, designer outlets, and the "in-crowd" coffee stores. The heart of Robsonstrasse is about six square block, bounded by Burrard, Haro, Jervis, and Alberni streets. Stores for the rich and famous are well-presented here, for you will find name like Armani, Saatchi and to some extend Club Monaco and Benetton. However, the unique and quirky are also well-presented here, as little specialty shops selling hancrafted jewelry, clog shoes, Belgian chocolate and art glass also proliferate here in Robsonstrasse.

In addition, Robson Fashion Park at 1131 Robson Street has a number of boutiques selling high fashion. There are also souvenir stores along this stretch.

British Columbians adore nature, and especially flower beds. This characteristic is already apparent the minute we cross the border. Even the sign welcoming visitors are embedded onto a large bed of flowers.

So it is no wonder that Queen Elizabeth Park manages to totally charm its guests. Located at Cambie Street and 33rd Avenue, the park is almost a straight shot from the border. The 130 acre park features various ornamental gardens among which is a totally impressive rose garden, conducive for walking and admiring. My mother even likes this park better than the more famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria, most well-known for its unparalleled collection of roses. A main reason is that Elizabeth Park is usually not crowded—even on a hot day in mid-May, our party of 8 had many of the walks and park benches to ourselves.

The main attraction here is Bloedel conservatory, which houses over 500 tropical plant species. For those who are not into flowers or plant, the -park offers some of the best views of downtown Vancouver, where the whites of the buildings contrast with the darker color of the mountains of the North Shore in the background. Artists are peddling paintings and other goods in the park, thus affording additional opportunities to observe people.

One of the largest urban parks in North America, Stanley is a 1000-acre oasis situated right in the city. It is a must-see for any visitor, for Vancouver's reputation as a beautiful city is linked with this gorgeous park. If you are pressed for time, follow the one-way scenic drive signs from the park's main entrance off Georgia street. You can also admire the natural setting by taking a horse-drawn wagon, biking or walking,

A distinctive feature of Stanley Park, which you are sure to discover the minute you pass the gate, is that it is almost a huge forest. In fact, trees cover an area larger than 50% of the park. There are western hemlock, Western red cedar, alder, Douglas fir, maple… This green forest skirts a seawall offering gorgeous views of the city skyline and the harbour. The seawall is approximately 6 miles and can be covered in two hours of brisk walking, or it can be better enjoyed through a leisurely stroll. It is the best way to take in all the sights.

Another reason for visiting Stanley Park is because if offers more recreational and entertainment options that you can imagine. Besides the breathtaking view, you can take advantage of an internationally renowed aquarium, a zoo, a renowed rose garden, a miniature railway whose engines are scale replicas of the first train that cross Canada, totem poles commemorating the Squamish Indian, the first peoples of the coast, and of course, picnic areas. For those of you after more strenous pursuits, there is a rowing club as well. The park's features are too numerous to describe--it is a true oasis in the middle of a busy city.

Another extremely popular sight of interest a bit north of Vancouver is the Capalino Suspension Bridge and Park. A park is complete with totem poles and trading post filled with souvenirs. The bridge itself is a swaying footbridge suspended over a chasm 230 feet above the Capalino River. The bridge is fun to walk through once, and I have to admit that the first few minutes can be heart-stopping for those not used to heights. Invariably, if you are among friends, someone will take upon himself or herself to swing the bridge, to the yelp of delight or fear. I have to admit that the thrill becomes old the second time around, and with admission going up every year, I have not been back for a while. But it is a fun first time experience.

Beware: for people familiar with sound system only. The healthy stock market of the previous two years, coupled with longer work hours and a more stressful lifetime, have created an enormous demand for items that would improve the quality of life in our spare time. Home theatre is one such product, and the demand for such have seen the proliferation of audio and visual stores in many parts of the U.S.

However, while Seattle is one of the hotbeds of high-tech millionaires, it is Vancouver that outdoes Seattle when it comes to high-end audio and visual gear. We went to Sound Plus on one of our trip. Located at 600 W Broadway, Sound Plus specializes not only in gear, but also in small or large-scale home installation. But for a store that carries speakers that run as high as $75,000, or a power amp for more than $10,000, the salespeople at Sound Plus are just wonderful, and spent a lot of time just showing us around. They have an annual show every November, attended by thousands in two days. Good food and good music are featured.