The first time I visited was Boxing Day when not very much was open - sadly no Boxing Day sales. I did however get a good long look around, walking around the Chinese Gardens and then around Stanley Park. Boxing Day was the best day for weather I had in Vancouver and luckily I got to spend it looking at, arguably, on of the nicest cities in the world. The Vancouver skyline is amazing and when not looking towards the city you can look away from it and see snow capped mountains in the distance. Surely if I'd had more time there this would have become one of my favourite cities in the world. Sadly I didn't and I want to go back for a much more prolonged visit, one that might include skiing.
Above - the Vancouver skyline from Stanley Park
Below - Ice Hockey match Vancouver Canuts vs Calgary (Vancouver won)
One evening my third cousin, or is it second cousin once removed I 'm not sure, took me to watch Ice Hockey. A proper manly sport with fighting on the pitch and plenty of beer off it. Like cricket in Australia I really got into Ice Hockey, it is faced past, great fun and really brutal, what more could anyone want in a sport?
Most of my time there was spent with my relatives whom I had never met before; they all made me feel really welcome which was fantastic. Christmas was great, it was good to spend it with a family, Christmas with friends on the beach in Sydney was also great but this was different. I've not been a fan of Christmas for a long time but the past two Christmas' have really changed my mind.
I left Vancouver early in the morning on 29th December and arrived into Manchester early evening on... ooh can't finish that now that's for a different post.
