Vancouver: A beauty of calm in a metropolitan world (Vancouver)

Member Name: totallyextreme

Product:	Vancouver
Date:	14/09/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beauty, never be bored

Disadvantages: Touch Cold!

Last year i visited Vancouver and was completely awe-struck by its sheer size, magnitude and beauty. Here, i have tried to write a cut down travel guide to the city; i hope its of use to you all.

History and Culture:
The first European settlers made their way to Vancouver in the late 19th century as a result of the gold-rushes which had began along the Fraser River at the time. However, the city grew rapidly after the building of the Transcontinental railway in 1887; the wide variety of differing nationalities working on the site and eventually settling there were a main cause of this. This mass population rise has resulted in many different cultures becoming eminent and make it a brilliantly diverse place to visit. Over 52 percent of the 2.3m people who reside in the metripolitan area speak a language other than English, ranging from French to Vietnamese. Obviously, this ensures that whatever you want from the city, you are bound to find it.

Things to do:
The Vancouver Art Gallery is a must visit location for anyone even remotely interested in anything related to the modern art scene. Having a permanent collection of over 7900 items which value at over 100m US dollars, it is a truly awe inspiring location to visit. However, if art or music are not for you, and you prefer a more outdoorsy experience, then a visit to the nearby Stanley Park is bound to quench your thirst for an Vancouver based activitiy. At over 400 hectares of beatifully untouched parkland, the park is one of the largest of its kinds and houses many different species of both animal and birds; so be sure to take the binoculars! It is very easy to feel "out of the city", in the city, if that is something which you desire. Ontheotherhand, if your a big sports fan, theres also much for you in Vancouver, with sports teams playing anything from american football through ice hockey, even to british soccer. My recommendation would be to watch the Vancouver Canucks play in the NHL, as its an experience not to be forgotten.

Climate:
Vancouver has an oceanic climate, with summer temperatures peaking around the relatively warm 25 degrees centigrade mark. This is deeply contrasted with the harsh winter conditions of the City, where temperatures rarely rise above freezing; and a snowy christmas is generally expected.

Where to stay?:
Loden Vancouver (www.lodenvancouver.com), St. Regis Hotel (www.stregishotel.com)

Where to eat?:
Vij's Restaurant (Indian cuisine), Stanley Park Fish House (Seafood)

Summary: A must go to place when visiting North America