So 54 weeks after the last trip, I am back in glorious Vancouver, this time with the beloved, on his first visit to Canada. The West End, also home to the delightfully colourful and gay (really) Davie Village is our 'hood, AKA where the glorious Century Plaza is. More about that wondrous, long-standing independent hotel later, but first...
On the corner of our street, as we turn into Davie Street we have a lovingly tendered community garden. You can see the tall buildings in the back ground. The West End is right on edge of the commercial area, leading straight to English Bay. About 15 minutes walk from the hotel, which is 10 minutes walk from the big
shopping malls the other way. This delightful beach is clean and relatively quiet with locals simply enjoying the sunshine when it appears, which this week is daily.
There's something about the sunshine
that I noticed last year too; one its frequent, even on rainy days and secondly its warmer. Their 12c feels like the UK 18c so we were out mostly with cardigans rather than jackets each day, except for when we went up icy Grouse mountain but again, more later.
I'm disappointed to learn the only book shop in the area (which to me seems very writer-ish) is closing but only because the owner is retiring so 
it's not gloomy news. However, I'm surprised he wasn't able to sell it as a going concern as the nearest outlet now is down town. Hopefully there's a new (independent) book store when I return.
What is a delight to frequent on more than one occasion is Melriches, the coffee store I only discovered on the last day
of the previous trip, selling Jersey (UK) roasted 'Bean Around the World' coffee. Learn something new every single minute.
Finally, can you see the little rock structures the guys are making on the beach? There is art everywhere in this city.
More to come...
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