Classical Chinese Garden
Today, we were visiting Dr. Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver. These gardens tend to be very serene, allowing one to meditate, think, admire nature and the artistic way everything came together.
Before heading there, we hopped on over to the Wicked Cafe once again, other options opening much later, and we wanted to get a head start on our day. A few delicacies later, we made our way to the gardens using the extensive public transport present in Vancouver.
The garden materials were sourced very carefully, and the place is an authentic representation of Chinese traditional gardens, we were told. Rocks, moulded into their shapes by waters of Lake Tai, were on display in key places of the garden. The yin-yang philosophy extended to the very architecture of the area. Softer and rougher shapes were used to make the design of the cobblestone walkways. The waters in the garden are a creamy green colour due to the clay present in them. Koi living in the waters are thought to be a sign of wealth, perseverance, and strength. We were mesmerized by the natural beauty of everything in the garden and stayed for hours, taking it all in.
The only downside to my day was that I wished we’d picked a different day to come. It was sweltering hot, and I was exhausted by the end of the visit. The garden is in no way devoid of areas to sit in the shade. However, the heat that day was not forgiving. I felt myself practically melting away. Craving something to drink, we wandered over to an East-Asian supermarket on our way to our next stop.
Lonsdale Quay
Being by the water, we were offered a reprieve from the heat with frequent breezes. To get to Lonsdale Quay, one can take a ferry by Canada Place. We decided to try different food items, taking a mushroom pizza from Cobs Bread, and mini waffles of three different flavours. Admiring a woman singing by the quay, we took in the air and a much-needed rest.
Steveston Greenways
A lady in a shop we visited highly suggested we make our way to Steveston Greenways. Not having any other plans, we took a bus and got there for our before-last stop of the day. We walked by the beach and saw a snake darting by the driftwood. We took in the air, the wall art and the happiness of picnicking families.
Supper At The Eatery
My younger sibling having been to Vancouver before and having a friend there recommended I visit the Eatery. I suggest making a reservation or getting there early, as this place was packed to the brim and the long line to get to eat there was something to behold. Once again, having no other plans, we waited. Once seated, we perused their extensive menu. The sheer number of options was quite dizzying. Loud music, bright colours seem to be a staple here. After our long day, this wasn’t necessarily what we were looking for. The sushi we ate was pleasant but having eaten at Miku the day before it was hard to see The Eatery’s sushi in an objective light as a stand-alone. (I clearly had a preference, surely due to more than one reason at this point).
Now, a notable thing about my experience at The Eatery was the wasp that seemed to want sushi even more than I did. I managed to catch it with my chopsticks, intending to get shoo it away. However, I dropped it out of fear of what I’d just done. I wanted to go back to the hotel right then and there, thinking the wasp was surely going to call its friends back to take revenge on the way I manhandled it!
As we sat on a bus to get back to our hotel, we noticed that everyone leaving thanked the driver. Something we don’t see as much of in Montreal. It made us smile, thinking how distinctly Canadian this seemed.
Want to read more about my Western Canada adventures? See Day 1 for our first impressions of Vancouver or go to Day 3 for the continuation of our adventures.
Important Notes For Day 2:
When writing this article, I came across news about the gardens, not the kind of news anyone wants to read. Ignorant individuals have desecrated the walls of the garden, with urine and graffiti. I do hope these people are found and made to pay and to fix what they have done. I encourage all who can to visit this beautiful place, allowing it to continue to flourish and rise above adversity.
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