A couple of years ago I was attending college in Vancouver, and the following text was written as my school assignment. I’ve recently rediscovered this text and thought that it might be nice to share it here. I can’t help but wonder why I didn’t write more back then. Maybe I thought I would remember every little thing. How optimistic! Well, I don’t, and this text feels like an insert from an entirely different life, especially from today’s (Spring 2021) perspective. Also, I cant seem to find the photos in their original format, so this is the best I have. Apparently I’m getting good at losing memories!
I have always liked to act as a tourist in the city I live in. From time to time, I even did in my own hometown. Simply, no matter how long have you been somewhere, you can always discover something new. In this regard, Vancouver is no different from the other places I lived in. Moreover, due to its multiculturality, I find out something new every day. But, to be honest, I have lately been so overwhelmed with the information I got through my interaction with other people that I forgot to discover new places. Fortunately, a simple school assignment reminded me that it’s time to change that. And is there a better place to start with than one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vancouver – Granville Island Public Market?
Getting to Granville Island Public Market is quite simple. Bus number 50 takes you directly to the Island from the Waterfront station in Downtown Vancouver. It is approximately 10 minutes ride, with buses running every 10 to 15 minutes. And yes, one of the things which often surprises tourists and new Vancouverites is that Granville Island is actually not an island, but former industrial area located below the Granville Street Bridge. On an ordinary day there would be nothing really special in getting to the Public Market. But on that particular Friday afternoon when I went there the City of Vancouver was covered under a white blanket of snow. Therefore my little outing got a bit more adventureous and provided a great opportunity to take some really interesting photos.
Now I just want to say that the following “selfie” was originally intended for my mother, but since I really like how my umbrella looks in this one, I decided to put it here too 🙂
After walking for five minutes since getting off the bus, I finally arrived to the Public Market. On the outside, the buiding looks quite industrial. However, there is a strange artistic appeal to it. It’s a decent piece of industrial architecture, if you ask me.
The moment I entered the building, I realized that there truly is something different about it. Numerous stalls displaying different food products and national cuisines strongly reflect the city’s multiculturality. Frpm Italian pasta to Japanese sushi, everything seems to genuinely represent Vancouver’s heterogeneous spirit.
Since it was Friday afternoon, I guess that the place was more crowded than usual. Of course, mostly with tourists, although I did get a feeling that some locals like to go there from time to time. A group of people were singing Christmas carols, enriching the Market with festive holiday atmosphere.
When it comes to food choices, a lot of gourmet products can be found there. Artisanal homemade products predominate – fresh fish and meat, fruit and vegetables, bread, cheese, cookies, cakes and other gastronomic pleasures. A lot of them are meant to be tried on the spot, so if you like to choose between sushi, tacos, pasta, pizza, pho, burgers and pancakes, Granville Island Public Market is the place for you. Tables are placed in a common area with a great view on Downtown and Yaletown, and people group there to try all that delicious food. Unfortunately, I was so occupied with my wild rice and spinach pie that I forgot to take the photo of that view. And believe me, its taste was much better than the photo I took. Never had it before, but I’ll definitely have it again!
After my lunch break, I decided to walk through the entire Market once again. This time I focused more on the art and jewellery stalls. Featured artists are mostly local ones, with a lot of First Nations motifs used in their works. Therefore they make great souvenirs to be taken home from Vancouver. The same thing goes for the jewellery.
An hour and a half spent at the Public Market passed quickly. When I left the building, it was still snowing outside. Walking back to the bus stop, I was thinking about how much I enjoyed the experience even though I didn’t discover anything completely new for me. Well, except for the fresh salmon in that quantities. There’s just something in the air there, a specific feeling to the place being created due to the unique combination of food and art. I guess that is one of the things Vancouver is all about, and Granville Island Public Market encompasses it in a great way. Therefore it is definitely a place to see while in Vancouver – both for tourists and those who want to feel like them in their own city.