The CPS this year was held in the city of Vancouver, and since I have not been back there since 2003 (during the blackout, when I was working at NYGH and told Dr. B that I had to bolt west “‘cuz the Pet Shop Boys said so”) I thought it would be the ideal opportunity to get reacquainted with the city and make good on my 5-year-old promise to visit Jax and Jeff. The bonus, of course, was that John was able to get a few days off of work as well, so adventures awaited.

The big argument was whether or not, when you have 4 days to explore the western coast of Canada, you should spend two of them on a visit to Tofino. When I lived over Kenny’s Produce Store on College I had a neighbour that saved every penny to go there, and before he went he used to sit outside for hours blabbering on about the beauty of the spot and how once he gets there he will never leave. This, of course, left me intrigued. So we decided to go. And, by the way, if you ever go, stay at the Surf’s Inn Cedar Loft Guesthouse and eat at Sobo Restaurant. So lovely.

But not before we got our fill of the city. Many things I remember from my first trip – Gastown, Yaletown, UBC, YVR, Robson, Tanpopo, Stanley Park, English Bay, Canada Place and the VAG. Others, however, I never experienced – the BC Ferries, Cathedral Grove, Goats on the Roof, Vij’s (lamb popsicles were legendary), great grocery food around Granville Island and at the Public Market, Commercial Drive (where Jacqui and Jeff took us for dinner at Havana Theatre and to a gelato place that had us spinning with excitement – we got to try Durian, Garlic, and Spicy Mango gelato, which were insane). It’s a great city, lots of active people, lots of nature lovers, lots of conscious attempts at conservation.