Viva Vancouver!

CEBU, Philippines - Vancouver, like most anything, has to be timed perfectly.  With rain and gloom for three quarters of the year, catching Vancouver at the right time is like catching blueberries at their ripest, most luscious state: you get incredibly delicious goodness with every bite.

It was a fine August day when I made my acquaintance of Vancouver, having breezed through my flight.  The direct flight offered by Philippine Airlines is the best and easiest way to make one's way to this coastal city of Canada, and affords one an entire day: you land in British Columbia an hour before you leave Manila!

While you figure that one out, let me get cracking on what's hot about this city: everything!  Fantastically fresh food, uber-sociable and friendly populace, beautiful views of mountains, lakes and ocean, and a cosmopolitan vibe that makes visitors want to up and migrate.  Word of warning though: the sunless months do have a tendency to drag cheerful personalities into SAD (seasonal affective disorder), so Vitamin D would be de rigeur if you find yourself here on those dreary months.

But now is summer, and the bright yellow sun is out.  The beaches are full of hot bods biking, swimming and playing beach volleyball, so better bring your best form to play.  Speaking of which, biking seems to be the best way to get around the city, as bike lanes have been set up all over, trumping cars and even pedestrians.  A five-hour bike ride will cost about $20 Canadian if you wanted to rent a bike together with gear, and this might be your best bet to see those gorgeously scenic spots you might never see were you to just walk around.

Choose from such routes such as Coal Harbour and Bayshore Drive, where fantastic cityscapes can be seen, or a simple loop around the Lost Lagoon, where you can encounter verdant foliage and feathery friends (just don't mess with the raccoons!) or even a circuit of Stanley Park, where majestic ocean views and deserted lanes make for a peaceful getaway.

All that exercise should make you hungry, and there are plenty of excellent restaurants to be hungry in.  There's so much fresh produce that it's easy to encounter dishes of absolute scrumptiousness (and this was why it was blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries for moi every single day.)  The anti-oxidant infusion served as a healthy foil for the excellent desserts that we discovered, including the scrumptious tarts from Thierry Cafe in downtown Vancouver.  Pair the desserts with a frothy cappuccino, and you can spend an entire day lolling in the open air seating while scoping sexy pedestrians.

We also made our acquaintance of fresh raisin and blueberry bagels from that ubiquitous coffee chain Tim Horton's (check it out - coffee here is at least fifty percent cheaper than Starbucks) and specialty donuts from Lucky's, and came away many pounds heavier.  There is a Burgoos in this city that is so different and way beyond the unrelated diner in Manila (and believe me, there is no comparison).   Try the pulled pork sandwich as a stuffing exercise, and then order a creme brulee after. You will not regret the thousand calorie infusion.

Now, where to burn those calories.  Go gallery hopping!  Granville St. in downtown Vancouver would be a safe option, with its fine collection of contemporary works and masters.  Walk down to the beach, and encounter "A-maze-ing Laughter" by Chinese artist Yue Minjun, a stunning collection of  bronze statues in various poses that was only supposed to be on loan for two years.  (That is, until the residents who had fallen in love with them created enough uproar for the statues to find their permanent home in English Bay.)

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, like we were, take a day trip to Bowen Island, where an artists' community resides.  It's only an hour or so ferry boat ride away to Bowen, and the picturesque island is a leisurely way to spend an entire summer's day.  Walk around trails and rivers to try to spot beaver dams, hike to the artist's village to get bitter espresso at the Chocolate Coffee (or yes, a hot chocolate drink) and browse through galleries full of sculptures, photographs and oil canvasses.

On our way back through an uneven path marked with colorful wooden bird cages, we stumbled across Stacy Beaner, an engineer who had decided sculpting was a better career alternative for him. Around his studio are scattered various found objects like beams, rocks and tree trunks, which Stacy fashions into art using his engineering background.  What better way to pass the time but to create? (That Stacy had a lawyer for a wife who could support him might have figured heavily in his decision to retire).

Another day trip you might take could be Victoria Island, the capital of British Columbia.  A two hour ferry ride away, Victoria offers fabulous historical buildings as well as the Butchart Gardens, a fantastic floral paradise where one can wander and be amazed at the sheer varieties of roses in bloom.  A Japanese garden offers a pocket of Asian tranquility, and huge fountains of water are to be found in a hidden vale.  Walk among magnolias, tulips and other plants too exotic to know.   Beware the foxglove flower, that toxic plant that always crops up as the poison of choice in many a mystery novel.

If gardens are too tame, then count yourself lucky if you find yourself in Vancouver during gay pride week.  The Pride Parade is one giant love fest, with gay and straight people from all walks of life coming together to celebrate diversity and acceptance.  Not as raunchy as other big cities like Sydney or New York, this parade is (mostly) child friendly, with beaming rainbow clad marchers, balloons, taffy candy, and beads and baubles!

We waved to gay firemen and policemen, as well as representatives from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who were, naturally, mounted on their stallions.  There were opera singers and transgenders, gym buffs and anti-fur protesters, plus delegations from Thailand and the Philippines. (Calling the Philippine Embassy: you call that a good representation of our country? We need a bigger budget!).  And what would pride parades be without the Dikes on Bikes, or buff go-go boys?

One morning after the excitement had died down, it was shopping time.  The best bet is, seriously, Holt Renfrew.  While hard to pronounce, this department store will be easy enough to appreciate.  The selection is amazing!  This store has fashion buyers with such a keen sense of fashion that you will find items here that cannot be found, even in flagship stores around the world.  Try Kenjo jackets, Jimmy Choo sneakers, and McQ printed tees.  Acqua di Parma cologne (so hard to find in the rest of the globe) is a mainstay.    I was amazed at the pairs of Gucci shoes Holt Renfrew carried, which I never saw in Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, or even the international website!

We didn't want to blow all our pocket money though, and so we meandered across Robson, Burrard, and Howe Streets, where the prudent thing to do if one wants to avoid beggaring oneself is to window shop.  Hundreds of shrines dedicated to shopping are located here, from the usual American brands like Gap and Levi"s, to the European luxury empires such as Hermes and Prada.

Food is not a problem in the picturesque streets of downtown Vancouver.  There are kiosks serving fantastic street food, and Japadog, the famous Japanese hot dog pitstop, awaits discovery ny curious tourists.  While avoiding the lure of the retail gods, perhaps a quick detour to Chapters, a local bookstore chain with a Borders feel to it, might perk one's appetite for books.

Books, beaches, and bodies.  Summer in Vancouver?  Count me in!