Dehydrated, Yet Surrounded by Water: Vancouver

Vancouver is wet. Beyond the fact it is surrounded by water, the rain alone is infamous. But during a week-long adventure in British Columbia, I found myself desperately searching for water everywhere I went, typically without much luck.

After a week of torrential rain, turbidity levels in the water made it hazardous to drink. No ice-cold beverages at restaurants, no stops at the drinking fountain, and horror of horrors, no cocktails.

But my travel companions and I survived the lack of water by exploring the depths of Vancouver and discovering an unexpected and unexplainable love for this Canadian city, even without a martini in hand.

Vancouver is located in the province of British Columbia in Western Canada, where the locals say “eh” and carry umbrellas everywhere they go. Budget constraints forced us to stay at a mediocre hotel about 25 minutes from downtown, but life near the Cassandra Hotel was anything but dull.

The distinct smell of marijuana plagued the first floor and the property was bordered by multiple hookers on Kingsway Boulevard, yet somehow we found these quirky problems more entertaining than appalling. But if scent and security are issues for you, find another place to stay.

An Indian movie theater, ethnic restaurants, Starbucks, and a Safeway are all in walking distance and perhaps the best destination of all is a mere mile away—Jaguar’s. We ended up at the Jags, the bar in the Ramada, three out of the six nights spent in Vancouver. You can’t beat the prices, eccentric clientele, or Sunday night Jam session if you tried.

Back to the tourist basics, Vancouver is full of must-see tourist spots, with a few second-rate sites you can scratch off the list. Stanley Park was an essential stop as one of the biggest urban parks in North America, but after a harsh storm in January, tourist season at the park is postponed.

Deep forests and rolling greens are surrounded by the choppy waters of the harbor, but the park faces $9 million in restoration costs after trees were uprooted and the seawall destroyed. Looks like I had good timing. For pictures of Stanley Park before the rain wrecked havoc, here’s a good site.

Back in downtown, Robson Street is a shopper’s haven, with colorful storefronts lining the street. Parking can be a hassle and locals say to avoid it, but finding an open meter is certainly feasible with enough gumption and parallel-parking skills.

Gastown seemed dead, with soggy leaves blowing in the cold wind as your only company, but follow the red brick road to see the Gastown Steam Clock. It verges on lame, but makes for a good photo-op as it claims to be the only operational steam clock in the world.

Nightlife in Vancouver was hopping if you’re into the club scene. Being that my friends and I are not, our group hit The Railway Club instead. An upstairs bar with a $5 cover, the Railway at 579 Dunsmuir Street was jammed pack for a night of pretty decent beer and rock-n-roll. The Yale Hotel is a cool venue for rhythm and blues, but we took a rain check when we found out it was a $10 cover charge.

As for a spot to avoid, pass on Chinatown, which failed my expectations. It’s not the tourist destination you’d find in the likes of San Francisco, instead it was more for locals, mostly offering groceries. The Punjab Market was another ethnic center that got our hopes up and failed miserably.

We went on a Tuesday evening, the one day of the week all the store owners had an unwritten agreement to close, according to the one guy who stays open seven days a week. But even with the shops open, I found myself disappointed in the lack of stores. Stretching five blocks, there were few restaurants and general interest stores, but rather several boring businesses catering to the Indo-Canadian group.

The Good Eats:

If you’re craving Indian food, there are plenty of restaurants around Vancouver to get your curry on (Masala Restaurant 432 Dunbar St., Maurya 1643 W. Broadway St., Nooru Mahal Restaurant 4354 Fraser St., Original Tandoori Kitchen 689 East 65th Ave., Vij's Restaurant 1480 W 11th Ave., and Rangoli 1488 W. 11th Ave to name a mere few). The Tandoori Palace on Commerce Drive boasts some of the biggest samosas I’ve ever seen and is highly recommended.

A can’t-miss dessert stop is The Buns Master on Marine Drive (5960 No. 6 Road), a place we stumbled upon after being lost on the West side for two hours (note: make sure to have good maps in tow to avoid driving in circles, or in our case, squares). The owner was one of the nicest people we met on our travel adventure and provided us with directions, delicious donuts and a raspberry pie at a discounted price.

We embarked on another culinary taste test in downtown Vancouver on a self-proclaimed pizza tour. Every corner boasts a pizza joint for as low as 89 cents a slice and we stopped at three of them to satisfy our hunger. Most are open until 4 a.m., so after a night of club-hopping, these corner shops verge on perfection.

To get a taste of collegiate life, seek out Simon Fraser University or the University of British Columbia, both located in semi-remote areas of the city, but each on a scenic route. Self-contained and crawling with students, each campus has a few pubs and restaurants that will appeal to youth on a budget and the more refined. The Harbour Centre (515 W. Hastings) is home to the downtown branch of Simon Fraser University, with great views on every level and a Tim Horton's coffeeshop on the first floor (the classic Canadian coffee and pastry shop).


Tips on crossing our border to the north:

When you’re in Canada, eh, your cell phone will be considered international and stop working once you cross that northern line. But if you call your phone company ahead of time, you can get international roaming rates (for Sprint PCS, call 1-888-226-7212). It can cost up to 65 cents a minute, but that’s better than hunting for pay phones, which I’m starting to think don’t even exist these days.

Old passport rules have gotten the boot, so travelers are facing new requirements for crossing the borders to the north and to the south. As of Jan. 23, 2007 all travelers need to sport their passport when going north by air. But feel free to sneak across the line without a passport for the next year, as passport rules won’t be enforced for land and sea travelers until Jan. 1, 2008.

Because it is considered an international flight, make sure to arrive at the airport at least two hours early from departure to secure your check-in and seat. But if your airport is anything like Tucson International Airport, they won’t even check your ID when you do the self check-in. They should probably work on that…

And finally, bring a gigantic jug of water on your trip, because you never know when high turbidity levels will hit and you’re forced to have a cocktail-free vacation and get dehydrated in Vancouver, even though you’re surrounded by water.

Come back next week and discover my namesake as we spend 24 hours exploring Victoria, British Columbia.