Pole position
chose Le Morue Charbonniere, a piece of roasted sablefish with salt cod puree, rainbow chard and hazelnut tapenade. It was as Instagram-worthy as the venue.
My base for this trip to Vancouver was the JW Marriott Parq hotel, one of those shimmering glass buildings, situated in Yaletown, another of the city’s older areas.
There were three things I loved about my room – its amazing power shower, the excellent coffee machine, and the chaise longue looking out over False Creek. I could relax there with a cup of coffee, watching all the fit and healthy Vancouverites running, cycling and dog-walking round the seawall that encircles the creek.
Feeling a little guilt-tripped into taking some exercise, I took a wander along the seawall myself, checking out the superyachts and sailboats bobbing about on the water while kayakers paddled past.
From here I hopped on to one of the ferries that run passengers up and down the creek to Granville Island. This compact little island is packed with restaurants, galleries, artisan shops and, at its heart, the public market.
There are stalls selling locally grown fruits and vegetables, wine from the Okanagan Valley vineyards and delis where I picked up some of the ubiquitous maple syrup.
My eye was caught at Oyama Sausage Co by some very green looking sausages. Chorizo Verde it turned out, flavoured with Serrano pepper and tomatillo giving it its unusual colour.
I was assured by the stall holder that it tasted amazing and I could sample it for myself at the Mexican restaurant across the road, which they supply. I couldn’t pass up a
recommendation like that… and I wasn’t disappointed.
Alimentaria Mexicana’s Chorizo Verde Tostada showcased the sausage perfectly, sitting on a crisp corn tortilla topped with refried beans, charred cabbage and feta.
Aiming to walk off some of the calories, I headed to Stanley Park, the 1,000 acre peninsula park at the tip of Downtown, where you can spot stunning totem poles.
A seawall path runs around the edge of the park and I started near the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. I retreated from the threatened rain into the shelter of the old-growth forest. From there, I ambled along paths around Beaver Lake out to Prospect Point before making my
way back along the seawall on the opposite side of the park.
But you can swap nature for culture with a visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Once the city’s courthouse, its grand pillared exterior reminded me of London’s National Gallery.
But here the old masters give way to exhibitions on the influence of AI in our world with an interactive artwork that could distinguish whether I looked happy, sad or angry by how I contorted my facial features.
After experiencing the fabulous views, culture and natural wonders of this vibrant city, I don’t think the artwork had too much trouble ruling out sad and angry.
Picking up maple syrup, my eye was caught by very green sausages