The author’s visit to Maple Leaf land made her realise that the country is filled with scenic views, exceptional adventure, decadent food and warm people.
My first impression of Vancouver was blurry, thanks to jetlag. On our first day out, we were going to be driving to Whistler village on the Sea to Sky Highway which is reputedly ranked among the five best road-trips in the world. The drive went through the 1001-acre Stanley Park which has a breathtaking view of the city’s skyline. The bay divides the city and yet it bridges a gap that many cities struggle with — the balance between development and nature.
Once at our destination, we took a cable car ride to the top of the Blackcomb mountain. As we hopped into the Peak 2 Peak gondola, we readied ourselves for an 11-minute journey which includes an unsupported cable, four hundred feet from the valley. There are some stunning views of the valley where the two mountains marry. Soon we were walking the paved walkways to see the charming stores with potted ferns and plants of the pedestrian Whistler village.
The village has one of the best mountain bars in North America, The GLC, which is an ode to the Garibaldi Lift Company that was formed in the 1960s to make the mountains accessible to public. Chilled apple cider, chicken wings, salads kept us company as we made plans to explore the village. Whistler Valley is home to the Squamish and Lil’wat people who are the First Nationals of the region.
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre screens a film explaining their varied traditions, heritage and culture which laid emphasis on co-existing with the nature. While the cedar bark is of great use, they never take more than a certain amount to avoid harming the tree. Next, we boarded plane that takes off and lands on water! As the plane rose higher into the mountains, the blue-green waters, the cascading valleys beneath us made for a unique experience.
At the other end of the journey was dinner at a celebrated Vancouver restaurant CinCin, which is located at the heart of the city’s busy shopping area — Robson Street. Ignoring the bags and shoes that called out to us from store windows, we briskly walked towards tastes of Tuscany that CinCin promised. We kicked back with some lovely wine and enjoyed the aromas wafting around. We felt perfectly at home with a roast tomato soup, ravioli of goat cheese, truffles from Marche, salmon and Tiramisu — coffee and kahlua-soaked rum fingers dressed in a mascarpone whip wait for a spoon to rescue them from within a wall of thin chocolate.
Our second day started with a zodiac boat ride. The boat gets out of Horseshoe Bay, you spot luxurious homes by the sea and they cost less than a flat in Dadar would! The real fun begins when you enter the choppy Strait of Georgia and the boat becomes a water rollercoaster! By the time we got to the shore, we were hungry. Next stop: Granville Island Market — a vibrant neighbourhood with restaurants, food stores and more.
Lunch’s at Edible Canada, which aims to introduce people to the food of Canada by serving dishes created from local ingredients that are available in their store. We had been on Canadian soil for 48 hours and hadn’t tasted Poutine, so we got the Duck Rillettes Poutine which was delicious. A walking tour of the market with Chef Rohan D’Souza followed, which included gastronomic retail therapy. The evening was spent at the Fairmont Waterfront’s poolside, where the chef has her own kitchen garden and there’s an apiary! The bees are gentle, we are told.
Before they come out to see us, they have to be distracted with smoke which ensures that they can’t communicate with each other during the disruption. Sounds like a revolution? Every morning, the bees travel to collect nectar and we taste this fresh, pure honey which is unlike anything I’ve tasted before.
Next on the agenda is a chef’s dinner at Oru at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. As fresh Sushi comes to our table, the chef warns us not to have our fill. The grand surprise of the evening is Quail, Peach and Burrata cheese. As Vancouverites make way to work on a Monday morning, we drive down to Tsawwassen where we are scheduled to take a ferry down to Swartz Bay in Victoria. Imagine eating breakfast while you see an island pass by! After reaching, we drive down to Butchart Gardens to hear their heart-warming story that started with a humble gift of sweet peas and a rose to Jennie Butchart from a friend. The beauty of the gardens hits you when you walk towards the light through a thicket of trees and you are looking down at the magnificent colours of the Sunken Gardens.
Informal visitors to the gardens were served tea, sometimes by Mrs Butchart herself. Today, the Butchart residence is home to The Dining Room restaurant. We had the privilege of being seated in the room where the family breakfasted. The food is comforting and homely – Smoked Salmon Flatbread, Crab Cakes, Gnocchi and being a Goan, finishing a meal with rice is hardwired into my DNA. To eat chicken vindaloo with rice, was bliss! Desserts were chocolate pastries, lemon cheesecake tarts and their specialty chocolate truffles along with the traditional English Battenburg cake! After the decadent meal, I spent a minute staring at the private garden where a tea-cup and a hat sits even today. I thought of Mrs Butchart...
After a hearty Italian dinner at Zambri’s in Victoria, we decided to spend the only night we had in the city pub-hopping. What little we managed to see of British Columbia was so scenic that I hope I’ll be back some day.
This is part one of a two-part series on Canada
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