Vancouver 2005

As tonight begins the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I have decided to document my trip to the major Canadian city.

I will start by giving my family connection to Vancouver. In the late nineteenth century, Gustav Roedde (my great-grandfather) opened Vancouver's first bookbindery. The Victorian house he had built for his family is now the Roedde House Museum. In 2005 I went with some of my family to visit the house, among other things. Unfortunately I used a disposable camera to take all of my pictures, so I won't be able to post any of them.

I was only eleven years old the summer of 2005. The main thing I remember from the six-hour plane ride is passing over the Rocky Mountains. They were majestic and beautiful, and I was especially struck by them because I hadn't seen them since I was four.

The customs process went smoothly, and soon we were on a shuttle bus passing through downtown Vancouver. The geography of the area is stunning; the green hills of Stanley Park, the rolling blue waves of the Pacific, and the Canadian Rockies looming over it all.

We stayed at the Sylvia Hotel, where the staff was familiar with our family. It was a quaint, stone building directly across from English Bay. My father and I had a suite complete with a kitchen and balcony, while my aunt and uncle had an attached room with two bedrooms. That first night we ate dinner in the elegant hotel restaurant.

Across from our hotel was English Bay, and the trails along the seawall. About a mile down one of the trails was a small waterpark that I would go to with my dad when the weather became brutally hot. Behind our hotel was the city. I became obsessed with a burger joint, Fatburger. If I could go back now, I would try more unique food.

One day we drove our rental car to our family cottage on Cultus Lake. My father relived memories with his siblings as I learned to skip rocks. It was a beautiful area; nestled in the forest with the mountains in the background, I never wanted to leave.

On our way back to the hotel we had a frightening experience. We were in a traffic jam, and were considering getting off at an exit to get something to eat. My Aunt Gail got a weird feeling and said she thought we should stay on the road. After awhile we saw a man walking very slowly on side of the road. Then multiple cop cars went zooming by. Later we turned on the radio to see the reason for the traffic. We learned that the man we had seen was a maniac who had been walking through Stanley Park with a rifle, and he had been at the exit we were thinking of getting of at. I always trust intuition now.

The Stanley Park aquarium was very entertaining. We saw a Beluga whale show, and I sat in the "poncho section." My dad was displeased to discover Beluga pool water doesn't mix well with lattes.

Seeing my family home as a museum was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. We met up with my Aunt Marlena, who had driven up from San Diego, to go see the house. When we walked into the museum a touring group was passing through, and the tour guide told them who we were. The group clapped for us and treated us like celebrities. It was surreal. We walked through the home, my nana pointing out the things she rememberd from her childhood. She didn't grow up there, but frequently visited the family who did at the time.
Afterward the Roedde House staff held a tea for us. We had a lovely time chatting and snacking as we looked at the family tree on the wall. It was extremely cool to see my name and birthdate in a museum.

Later that night we took a ferry to Bowen Island to see cousins that I had never met before. The ferry was loud, and we stood on the outside deck. The sun was about to start setting, and the Pacific Ocean was beautiful. However, I did find the mountains a bit intimidating. Once on the island we went to a nice restaurant and had a multiple course meal. When we were finished we walked around and had a great time with our family. I met my cousin Kate, who was about fifteen at the time, and we really hit it off. She told me about her life, how every morning she takes a ferry to school instead of a bus.

It was hard to leave, but when we did it was dark. This time we sat inside the ferry, but halfway through the voyage we felt a jolt as the ship stopped. I became scared, thinking we were going to die. The mountains lurking in the dark didn't make me feel any better about being stranded in the open Pacific. Within twenty minutes everything was ok, but I was still shooken up.

On our last night in Vancouver we drove by the house my nana had grown up in. The current inhabitants were outside and invited us in. It was amazing to hear the stories of her childhood and imagine everything she described.

Later we walked along the seawall. In the dark I saw some sort of otter flip in the bay, and I decided that Vancouver was my favorite city. That conclusion is valid even today.

Roedde House Website
http://www.roeddehouse.org/home.php

Picture Citations:
http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect6/Vancouver_%20BC_%20Aerial%20view.jpg
http://www.roeddehouse.org/home.php
http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/vancouver/cities/bowen.jpg