A Trip to Vancouver BC

Vancouver, in the summer, is a hill-less Seattle, a palm tree heaven, and plenty of high-rises. 

Locations visited:

• Stanley Park
• Aberdeen Centre
• Yaohan Centre

People are quite stylish here (completely just observation, so don't take my word for it), and we even chanced on a girl getting her photos taken for a fashion blog near one fancy high-rise. In the suburbs, maybe in Surrey or Burnaby, I'm not sure, the neighborhoods are neatly arranged like on a grid and clean. This is a city known for its huge Asian population, namely Chinese people. They don't like you to forget that - One thing you'll notice is the ubiquity of real-estate signs and advertisements at bus stops that are written in Chinese.

At Stanley, there was a pleasant beach atmosphere without the overbearing summery heat that arises typically with Los Angeles and other Southern beaches.First place we went to was the park. At first, I was a bit annoyed that we arrived around noon, which is the least desirable time to go to a park, where the sun is blazing like an angry man. But...

Stanley Park was amazing (today)! The beautiful clear day contributed to my increased liking for this place. Though, not having visiting it for half a decade, I’d definitely forgotten how pretty it is. In essence, this is a children’s park with beaches scattered around the island. And it doesn't hurt that there are vendors selling hot crepes and other foods next to the beaches!

Parking was a pain in the butt. We circled the area like vultures and --- and --- FINALLY. I was physically drained by the time we set foot on the actual park, but I guess it was still worth the effort. But next time, we shall try not to come on a Sunday (but the other days are workdays for people >.< hard to find time). At a dock overlooking Vancouver's beaches and the water, an old man was playing an er-hu. Er-hu is a traditional Chinese instrument that is played sort of like a cello. 

After hitting the beaches, it was time for some shopping and nom nom. Aberdeen, though it has been dubbed the largest Asian mall outside of Asia, it was literally like walking into a ghost town. Few shoppers are actually visiting any of the fashion stores, most people liked to crowd around the giant fountain (sometimes a show is on) in the epicenter or at the food court. I think there's a new Hong Kong street food inspired place now because last time I came, I don't remember seeing it. Well, this HK vendor had the longest line so we got dinner here. I ordered this:

The bubble waffle was otherworldly. The pho-like meal was typical. What differentiated this place from the other restaurants was its ordering sheet - you choose a soup base, toppings, and then if you want to include the bubble waffle, you get a discount for paying together. Smart marketing strategy, take note restauranteurs.
On Sundays, Aberdeen closes at 7pm, so no Daiso shopping today.
Yaohan Centre, which is a short walk away, was our last destination. I guess this place is more known for its Panda Express-like diners (think orange chicken). This food court has pretty sweet bubble tea shops --- they sell Redbean Tofu dessert. Red bean + Tofu = healthyrupppytummy. Called 红豆豆花 in Chinese. I cannot believe I have never had this stuff before! Apparently this is a popular summer treat similar to the Korean Patbingsoo. The texture is slightly thick because of the tofu, and you have to mix it with the red bean (if you don't, the tofu itself will taste bland). Needless to say, the place is a must go to.