Squamish & Vancouver, British Columbia
Autumnal scene
On waking the smoke has gone, but frustratingly, our glimpse outside the bedroom window brings little cheer as it has been replaced by rain and cold, thick, grey clouds. After another visit to the spa and sauna we brave the elements, sheltering under umbrellas as we head to a café called Gone for its vegan breakfast, and then buy gifts at the souvenir shops on the soggy walk back to the hotel.
Sea to Sky Highway drive
Today’s drive to Vancouver is along the Sea To Sky Highway, another fabulously scenic route whose charms are completely denied to us by misty clouds and rains, visibility even worse than with the smoke. Bethan is dismayed as Vancouver has basked in unseasonably brilliant weather and yet, as whenever we have visited the city before, we are greeted by rain and a significantly cooler temperature than the city has had in months. Even more frustratingly, the week ahead promises more sunny dry weather, however for the two days we are due in town, autumn is in charge – with a vengeance.
We stop in Squamish for lunch, a town Bethan has mentioned many times for its climbing and outdoors pursuits. ‘The Chief’, the huge rock outcrop that draws climbers from all over North America, is hidden behind a wall of cloud and as we park the car and set out on the Oceanloop Trail for a walk to the waterfront, it feels more late November than start of September. However, the desolate beach and logging cabins seem to fit the Twin Peaks-esque vibe of the area. This is the kind of place where mundane normality conceals dark mysteries, elemental and dangerous… and a delightful beetroot and falafel wrap at Zephyr for lunch.
Stopping in Squamish
The rain finally stops as we pull into Vancouver, driving through the city centre and arriving at Bethan’s cute house in the Kitsilano district at 5pm. After we quickly unpack, and make our acquaintance with Nea, their lovely dog, we walk to a local restaurant – Rocky Mountain Flatbread – to greet Simon and their gorgeous three year old daughter, Eve, who we instantly fall in love with.
At the restaurant are Fiona (who we met on a previous visit ten years ago), her partner Andrei and their son Cedric – little Eve’s ‘boyfriend’. Gorging on pizza and wine, we chat for a couple of hours and then head back to Bethan and Simon’s to drink more wine and chat before a very contented sleep.
