The Grandest Source

Am I in Italy? Isn't that the Colosseum? Nope, just seems I'm at the Van (Central) Public Library

Yep, that is what I thought - a darn impressive place to store... books. But then, in the same breath, there could be nowhere more fitting actually. Knowledge is what built this place, and by that I mean, Israeli architect Moshe Safdie and his team must have poured countless hours into their research and meticulous design in order to produce this Colosseum-like monster. A building that not only won public confidence when considered, but was built in the early to mid nineties to critical aplomb.

The VPL (Vancouver Public Library) is simply a fantastic resource, especially for any recent IEC visitor who is about to settle down in the city. It is a great place to check papers for job listings, to look for inspiration in some of the 1.2 million books, dust up your resume, or to use the computer stations or free wi-fi available to check your Facebook, naturally! The housed collection is spread out liberally over seven floors, and has some stunning views that you find yourself gazing aimlessly out at - although these seats are the ones that are seemingly always taken by locals in the know, I presume!

If you are in Van for a while though, and have a permanent address then I suggest you join up. It's free, which is always a bonus, and they let you take out a fair amount at a time, with about a month lease. What's more, it is worth checking the notice boards within for readings and other literary events taking place, as the library has a fairly lively roster of things to get involved with. Most importantly, where there is a mass of books, food must be near by. Thankfully, coffee shops line the entrance atrium where you can purchase that essential study snack.

Good Greek

Need your fix of Greek grub? Apparently you may have to wait a while... 

Discovering a new city through its culinary provision is THE BEST! (ensuring you haven't already been on Yelp) Food wise, you come with no preconceptions about anywhere, except with the knowledge that if the place is a Greek restaurant, you're pretty sure it will serve olives and feta. Nothing unsurprising there. However, it is great when a place surprises you, just like Stepho's did. Authentic, wholesome eating in the heart of Vancouver.

Off twenty-odd years experience, this taverna is not only homely and comfortable, but very friendly and familiar. It may look a bit tired from the outside, decor wise, but if anything that adds to its Hellenic charm. It's sat in a very busy restaurant district, along Davie St, and I can see how you would need to stand out to stay afloat - catching a waft of the roasted lamb, as I walked past, drew me in! That and the fact that if there is a long line-up outside it means it is probably worth the wait...

Once through the door you are greeted and seated by the most welcoming of staff. It has a cosy ambience. Exposed wood, clay tiles, and plenty of harmonious traditional music. The menu is extremely budget friendly, and includes all the Greek faves, think dolmathes, youvetsi, and baklava for desert. I was extremely pleased with my lamb souvlaki served with a zingy tzatiki, spanakopita and greek salad. What's more, it only cost 20 bucks - incredible value for money, and a warm feeling of fullness on leaving.

Craig And His Infamous List...

Craiglist is equally famous for its 'best of' advertisements too!

The title to this post sounds like the making of a spoof Harry Potter movie. But seriously, what is all this hot air about Craigslist. I mean, I had heard of the site whilst back in the UK, played around with it a bit and quickly got the impression that it is more commonly used in and around cities for sharing classified ads, but in Vancouver (and North America generally for that matter) this site is huge.

The brainchild of Craig Newmark - since arriving in Van I have spent a fair amount of time on this site, as it is a primary port of call for gaining employement (and had I not been with my girlfriend, I probably would have been looking for accomodation on here too!) The site is easy to navigate around, and has this tag line of info that draws you in depending on the certain words that you are looking for!

What's more, after getting fed up with the mundane job searching, you can always dip into the hilarious 'best of' Craiglist ads too, which is a killer way to pass some time, as the nice little story above demonstrates. My experience of the site is so far so good. I haven't had any luck with getting a job (despite applying to loads) but I have managed to purchase a really decent road bike, and make a new friend to go riding with in the process!

You just have to simply reply to the email address provided at the top of any advertisement, and the rest is up to the person that you notified with your interest. Then they will come back to you with more details, an offer, etc.

By The Sea

White Rock - where the sun is always shining!

The past couple of days I have been out in the 'burbs', discovering some parts of Greater Vancouver. My girlfriend descends from Surrey, which is situated more or less at the end of the Expo Line. Unlike Surrey (UK), this version boasts quite a large East Indian population, and has many malls and large expanses of farmland, and far less private schools full to the brim with spoilt kids installed with the statutory toff accents!

Coming out of Surrey Central, you soon realize this area is where people choose to build a family. Lots of primary and secondary schools, open spaces, no sidewalks, and large MTV Cribs style houses/mansions. It is a really nice area, although I have been reliably informed that Surrey does have a grizzly underbelly too - like anywhere really?! 

Anyway, it wasn't Surrey that I wanted to write about. Just 20 minutes away is not only the mighty US of A, but a stunning little seaside town (although I understand that it is actually a city?) called White Rock. It is so named after a very large white boulder that sits on the shoreline - apparently a glacial erratic from the last ice age. It is so large and vibrant that it has often been used a point of reference for navigators, including good ol' Cpt. George himself! 

My goodness is it steep when trying to slowly manoeuvre your car down into a parking space towards the general promenade area. That brings me to the incredible view that such a gradient provides. Looking out over Semiahmoo Bay, this is an area that is known for staying vibrantly sunny, which it was. Looking back inland there was no hesitation that the grey skies only meant one thing, that rain was bucketing down. 

As my girlfriend and I ambled down the pier, taking in the sea air, and noticing the clanging from the masts of the boats moving in the wind, I asked the obvious question when at the seaside... is there a good fish and chip shop? 

Not expecting anything special, as y'know, the idea of fish and chips in Canada is like trying to find the best salmon in the Humber Estuary. We walked alongside the railway tracks, that I understand are still used for goods transportation to the States, and ended up at the Moby Dick Seafood Restaurant. Boy was I in for a shock!

You go inside, a highly accredited establishment since 1975 (due to the countless 'Best Eat' stickers plastered on the door), and the place has a warm feel to it. Lined with pictures of famous celebs and sports stars (hockey players mainly) you get to the counter and are greeted in a friendly, wholesome manner. We ordered 2 pieces of lingcod and some crumbed oysters, which we decided to take away and eat at a bench whilst the sun went down.

That was some of the best fish I have ever had. Evident too by the amount of seagulls that were lurking to wait for us to drop some. What's noticeable is the lightness of the batter. Usually you feel so sluggish after eating an inch think of stodgy batter, but this was light and had a sweet beer taste - served with a great, fresh tartare sauce. What's more, when you order 2 bits, you get three, order 3, get 4 etc.

After our snack, we strolled back along the road, eyeing up the best of the seafront properties, and sucked in the last of what is a undeniably stunning view. The only down side is the brutal hill start that you have to try and coax all the horses out of your cars engine to drag you up the steep hills! We will definitely be back here in the Summer.

Staying Right

You will see these cool leaf imprints on the sidewalks around Yaletown

This may seem a bit of an odd post to be getting into, but being English (where everything is done on the left) you can perhaps start to empathise with my concerns. Basically, I find myself occassionally walking into people here in Vancouver, not because I am mad, but I have come to the conclusion that this happens because I am just overly English (in some respects!) I mean even when I was in India last year, there is still evidence of a colonial hangover, as I had no worries freely veering to the left-hand side of the (not very exsistent) pavement, or driving on the left-hand side of the roads in Goa, as this was something that was not changed in the wake of Indian Independance.

In Commonwealth Canada however, it is a different ball game altogether. I walk around downtown with my girlfriend, and she is constantly dragging me over to the right-hand side of the sidewalk. Additionally, and somewhat scarily, should you have a current UK driving license, you are actually allowed to drive in Canada for upto six months from your time of arrival - cruising on the freeway wouldn't be so bad, but driving within a city, no thanks! I think the remedy for this little quirk that I have discovered is to just keep practising, right, and if worst comes to worst, just apologize in your best British accent!