| Vancouver is the largest city in Western | | | | Vancouver is perhaps best known for its |
| Canada, and third largest in Canada. Located | | | | scenic beauty, and the opportunities afforded |
| at the southwestern corner of the coastal | | | | by its natural environment. Vancouver is one |
| province of British Columbia. It is well | | | | of those rare places where you can ski in the |
| known for its majestic natural beauty, as it | | | | mountains, windsurf in the ocean, and play a |
| is nestled between the coastal mountains and | | | | round of golf all in the same day. Surrounded |
| the Pacific ocean. It is frequently ranked as | | | | by water on three sides, and crowned by the |
| one of the "best cities to live in" and is | | | | North Shore mountains, Vancouver is a great |
| certainly a beautiful destination to visit. | | | | destination in itself, as well a a great |
| | | | starting point for discovering the area's |
| While Vancouver is a comparatively young | | | | many outdoor activities. |
| city, at just over 100 years, its history | | | | |
| begins long before. The indigenous peoples | | | | Vancouver is a major sea port on the Pacific |
| (First Nations) have lived in the area for | | | | Ocean, and a base for many Alaska Cruise |
| thousands of years, and Vancouver's namesake | | | | Ships in the summer. |
| Captain George Vancouver sailed through the | | | | |
| First Narrows in 1792. The first settlement | | | | Landmarks/Points of Interest |
| on the downtown peninsula was Granville, | | | | |
| located on the spot of today's Gastown. In | | | | Canada Place Venture over to the cruise boats |
| the year of Canada's confederation a saloon | | | | ready to depart and you can converse with the |
| was built on this site and gave birth to a | | | | lucky passengers about to embark on 'inside |
| small shantytown of bars and stores adjacent | | | | passage' tours through Alaska. CP has an IMAX |
| to the original mill on the south shore of | | | | theatre as well. CP is located adjacent to |
| what is now the city's harbour. A seemingly | | | | the Pan Pacific Hotel. |
| endless supply of high quality lumber was | | | | |
| logged and sold through the ports of Gastown | | | | The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden |
| and Moodyville, across the inlet. Some of | | | | is the first full-sized classical Chinese |
| trees were gigantic beams which were was | | | | garden outside China. It is located in China |
| shipped to China to construct Beijing's | | | | town on the edge of downtown Vancouver. |
| Imperial Palace), and one account maintains | | | | |
| that the world's windjammer fleets could not | | | | International Buddhist Temple is the most |
| have been built without the trees of Burrard | | | | authentic example of traditional palatial |
| Inlet. Vancouver proper was signed into | | | | Chinese architecture in North America. It is |
| existence in 1886. The first City Hall was | | | | an edifice straight out of the Chinese past, |
| little more than a hand painted sign nailed | | | | as it resembles any authentic temple that can |
| to a wooden tent post. The arrival of the | | | | be found along the banks of the Yangtze |
| transcontinental railway a few years later | | | | River, where one of the world's oldest |
| spurred growth even more and by 1892 the area | | | | civilizations originated. Come explore |
| had over 20,000 residents; eighteen years | | | | traditional Chinese art, culture, and the |
| later this figure was over 100,000. | | | | Buddhist philosophy inside this magnificent |
| | | | place. Free admission. |
| Factor in constant growth every year since | | | | |
| (many in the double digits), and Greater | | | | University of British Columbia This Campus |
| Vancouver today is Canada's largest | | | | has streets lined with trees and stretching |
| metropolitan area west of Toronto with well | | | | over an area encompassing a small city, the |
| over 2,000,000 residents, roughly half of | | | | UBC campus offers much to see and much to do. |
| British Columbia's population as a whole. It | | | | You can attend free lectures, relax at |
| is also the fastest growing part of Canada. | | | | clothes-optional Wreck Beach [18], or see a |
| Greater Vancouver is one of the most | | | | show at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts |
| ethnically diverse metropolitan areas in the | | | | [19]. The UBC Libraries form the second |
| world and is home to the second largest | | | | largest library collection in all of Canada |
| Chinatown in the world. | | | | (second only to University of Toronto). A |
| | | | must for cash-strapped visitors: UBC often |
| The city truly arrived in 1986 when Vancouver | | | | hosts free events, such as seminars, |
| "hosted the world" with the Expo 86 World | | | | theatrical performances or student concerts. |
| Fair. Media attention from around the world | | | | |
| was consistently positive, and many | | | | Granville Island is Vancouver's famous public |
| considered it the most successful World's | | | | market. Along with the large market there are |
| Fair to date. Vancouver has been awarded the | | | | also numorus local art galleries, restaurants |
| 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and this event | | | | and even a brewery. |
| will no doubt cast Vancouver into the world | | | | |
| spotlight once again. It will be the largest | | | | Gastown is Vancouver's historic district, |
| city ever to host the winter games, and | | | | there are many tourist shops, restaurants and |
| interestingly, the only city at sea level to | | | | pubs in this area. This is also where |
| host them. | | | | Storyeum is located. |
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