Travel: The Pacific Northwest
Naturally Hip
Monday, July 26, 2010
By Courtney Nzeribe
Mountains or sea. If you had to choose which would it be?
In the Pacific Northwest, you can have both. Flying into Seattle over the majestic Rockies, a city dweller contemplates what like must be like for those that live in that vast expanse of land where plenty of untouched land still exists. Besides the resort towns there are people that are fortunate enough to live in such beautiful surroundings everyday.
The imposing Mt. Rainer greeted us as we descended into Seattle Tacoma airport all covered with snow the weekend summer was to kick off. The plan was to rent a car and drive up the coast to Vancouver, spend a day there and take a ferry to the rustic Southern Gulf Islands for a wedding. I had wanted to arrive in Portland Oregon, and visit the thriving artistic and foodie community and drive up from there, with a detour through the Willamette Valley wine country, but work schedules and time did not permit such an indulgence. We were on a strict schedule for the next six days.
The drive from Seattle to Vancouver is roughly 170 miles and 3 hours long. It’s a beautiful ride and one can be tempted to meander through the Cascade mountains, perhaps visit one of the many Indian reservations, state parks, casinos, or even outlets (there are priorities). There is something for everyone. My boyfriend, who was the driver, and I just enjoyed the silence while listening to satellite radio.
We crossed the border after being interrogated by a gruff customs official. In all the places we have traveled, we have to say that was the roughest, rudest customs official ever. But these are perilous times and he was just doing his job. Immediately upon entering British Columbia, the signs for wine routes are posted. Unfortunately, time did not permit us to take a liquid detour. British Columbia has wine regions worth exploring if you get the opportunity, the best being the Okanagan Valley, an area connected by lakes reaching from Osoyoos to Vernon.
Though the climate can be rainy, once in Vancouver rainy we were lucky not to get a drop. First on our to-do list was the city’s famous Chinatown. Guidebooks bill it as the oldest Chinatown in North America. Vancouver has a large Asian population that has grown even more over the years. The first wave came in 1858. Unfortunately, after checking into the hotel and walking the short distance to E. Hastings and Pender, Chinatown’s epicenter, we were disappointed. Many shops were closed and the restaurants looked dismal.
What were in abundance were tons of people with addiction issues congregating in the streets and alleys. This was a first. We were asked to buy weed more than a few times. We quickly hotfooted it back to the hotel. My boyfriend compared the scene to to the movie Dawn of the Dead with the zombies wandering aimlessly in search of brains. We asked the hotel concierge what gives. She said it was not the most desirable of neighborhoods and is best seen at daylight and to stay to the West side of the city.
By her advice, the best Chinese restaurants were not in fact, in Chinatown but in Gastown, a hip emerging district that borders Chinatown.
A rough element exists there as well, and the Socialist/Progressive approach to dealing with addiction and street people is not working. It was explained that because of the mild climate, addicts come from all over the colder parts of Canada to live. Someone even made the joke that the Mayors of other Canadian cities give out free train tickets to Vancouver to the homeless. It will be curious to see how it’s cleaned up for the Winter 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Barely any mention of this in guidebooks, but forewarned is fore armed.
The downtown scene of Vancouver is dazzling with its glass high rises and impressive architecture. Beautiful people sipping cocktails on rooftop patios. All the fashionable shops beacon you as you walk around Granville streets. The snow-capped Mountains never let you forget where you are. A short walk to the waterfront and you can see the seaplanes and cruise ships come into the harbor while local office workers take their lunch along the Sea Walk.
The next day we caught the Ferry to head to the quiet and almost primitive Galiano Island (Nanaimo). One can be a foot passenger or drive the car aboard the ferry. We packed the SUV and drove aboard. While on it, we talked to some locals. Galiano attracts what miht in another time be called “hippies”, the 'Greens' and wealthy Vancouverites who have weekend and summer residences there. The ferry docked into Sturdies Bay where Whale watching, hiking, golf, bicycle riding, camping, kayaking and all options. The wedding was on the more remote North end of the island at the Bodega Inn, which offers stunning sea views. Rustic log cabins are available to rent. Sometimes they partner up with owners of houses nearby to handle guest overload.
Bodega Ridge is a popular spot for weddings. The ceremonies take place atop a cliff, overlooking the sea, with Canadian bald eagles and an occasional hummingbird flying by. A few climbs up the steep hills will get you fit in no time at all. The sun is wonderful by day, but the temperatures drop by night. No need to worry about bears and such, as there are none on the island. Just lots of deer. When you get cabin fever, you can always go to the Hummingbird Pub for drinks and great bar food.
After the wedding, we went back to Tsawwassen by ferry and drove back to the US border. Sometimes the wait times to cross are long, so be patient, especially during holiday periods. We entered Seattle through Mercer Island and checked into the hotel. Judging by the look of the property, life looks abundant in Seattle.
The hotel clerk directed us to a wonderful place to dine late night. Palace Kitchen, part of a famous group of restaurants by Tom Douglas, a James Beard award-winning chef who defines Northwest cuisine. For a reasonable $30, I chose the Urban Eats menu featuring three courses of local meat, fish, and produce. Mushrooms, fiddle head ferns, amazing fish, and nearby Oregon beef, and an amazing Coconut crème pie from Dahlias Bakery.
The next morning we walked a few blocks to the legendary Pike Place Market. A foodie dream. On the waterfront fresh fish stalls, artisans, honey producers, jam makers, bakers, shopkeepers, European and Asian fare vie for your attention and money. I would gladly give my time and money to spend a day or two there eating and exploring. There was so much I still wanted to do. Take the Alaskan highway and drive up into Yukon Territory near the Arctic Circle. Whiz down Whistler and learn to ski. Maybe not in that order.
I looked with wistfulness at the Rockies from the plane, contemplating the workweek ahead, and hoping that we would make it back to the Northwest one day. It felt like a new frontier.
Resources in Vancouver and Seatle
Vancouver
BC Ferries
Galiano Island
Bodeaga Ridge
Hummingbird Pub
47 Studies Bay
250 539 5472
Seattle
Tom Douglas Restaurants
Pike Place Market
Courtney Nzeribe is a Food contributor to EbonyJet.com and published the cooking blog Coco Cooks.
