We’ve spent the past week in Vancouver, British Columbia; and while rain and work kept me indoors for parts of three days, we’ve still managed to squeeze in a lot of roaming about. My husband and I first visited the city together 30 years ago, and we returned about 18 years ago with our then-young daughters and rediscovered its delights through their eyes. The city has grown and changed a lot since then, but it’s also retained its cosmopolitan yet friendly air.

The weather was decidedly cool and occasionally rain spit out of lowering clouds on the day we visited Granville Island. That worked in our favor, as the streets and shops weren’t too crowded, and we enjoyed the crispness and freshness in the air. Granville Island hosts a wonderful mix of maritime bustle (with marinas and False Creeks ferries docking here), industry, arts and commerce. Our route took us past the Granville Island Brewing and a distillery and down Railspur Alley. Lined with artisans’ shops and backed by their working studios, it provided the opportunity to enjoy an eclectic mix of art and craft and see some of it being produced.

Next, we stopped in a small café in the Maritime Market to warm ourselves and satisfy our growling stomachs with a hearty bowl of clam chowder. Thus fortified, we meandered through a variety of shops, from standard souvenir hawkers to bead and paper shops, art galleries to toy stores. Our ultimate goal and epicurean delight was the Granville Island Public Market, a sprawling warren of permanent stalls offering fresh produce, baked goods, grains and pastas, meats and cheeses. We took our time, picking out items for meals we planned to make back at our accommodations but often succumbing to the totally unnecessary but far-too-tempting beauty of that apple or this wedge of cheese.

Finally, Wednesday saw the sun riding clear of the clouds, and we walked several miles around town, down to Gastown, through Chinatown, past BC Place (host to the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics) and back to our place in Yaletown. The weather was perfect for our rambles, with that edge of chill to the air indicating (along with the glow of maples turning firey red) that fall is truly here, if not yet back home. Looking to the mountains north of the city, we could see snow topping the highest peaks.

We decided that we can’t possibly leave another long stretch of time before we return to this lovely city; we’ll be back again soon!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor