As the crimson ball of fire slowly sets over the glimmering bay of ships, the city of Vancouver, BC only gets more stunning. Walking along Coal Harbor, my family and I laugh and bond while sharing cups of frozen gelato. To the left, the beautiful sapphire water sparkles and every vessel that sits upon it calls out for attention with its unique splendor. To the right, the city is buzzing with excitement, awakening with its newfound freedom in the night. As the sky starts to fade, beautiful colors of pink, orange, red, and violet blend together to create a work of art in the sky. It is this exact moment that I can remember falling in love with the Vancouver.

Although I have only visited Vancouver two times in my entire life, I feel like I’ve lived there for an eternity. When we first arrive, the laid-back, serene atmosphere of the city’s many beaches catches my eye first. While riding bikes on a path along the water, we pass many different beaches of all sizes. Some are small and secluded, while others are larger and energetic. Each beach we pass has its own mood and character, all able to accommodate the personality of almost anyone.
After passing the water, we decide to find a change of scenery. We veer off the path, through the city, and within five minutes, Stanley Park looms before us. As we enter, the luscious green views take my breath away, and I almost fall off my bike. Beautiful overhanging trees shade us from the sun and it feels like the temperature has dropped ten degrees. The surrounding plants and even animals make me feel like I am in a rainforest and I’m suddenly transformed into an explorer in the Amazon Jungle. Lakes and ponds litter the stretching grass next to us and flowers of various exotic colors reside in a garden on our left. After passing through the greenery, we are out in the open again and the tall buildings of the city bring me back to reality and snap me out of my daydream.

By the time we reach our hotel, my stomach is growling louder than the sirens we hear in the background, and my family and I agree to get something to eat. No need to discuss anything because it’s a no-brainer: when in Vancouver, get Thai food. Having only been there twice, I don’t exactly have every restaurant in the palm of my hand, so we go to a familiar place: Chili House Thai Bistro. We walk through the busy city down to the water once again. The bay lies before us and we can’t help but stare. The magnificent water sparkles in the dwindling sunlight and tiny ferries connect to Granville Island, which sits beyond. Although I could stand there all night, the rest of my family urges me to keep going and my hunger suddenly becomes more noticeable. The restaurant is not far, just a few blocks from where we were, and still along the water. Luckily it is not too crowded yet and we are able to snag an outside table with the same amazing view that transfixed me before. After pulling my eyes away from the landscape, I open the menu, fuss over which amazing meal would be best, and then enjoy the slight breeze coming off the water. Within ten minutes the steaming plates arrive and we dive in. Conversation is suddenly scarce because everyone is concentrating on enjoying their meal. After finishing half of my plate of fried rice, I switch with someone for stir fry and someone else for curry chicken. That is the beauty of Thai food, with so much diversity every plate is just as amazing as the last, and I am never disappointed. After we all finish our meals, we’re glad that our hotel is just two blocks away, and head back to rest up for the next day of exciting sightseeing.
The rest of our trip is a blur, one beautiful moment crashing into the next, each as magnificent as the one before it. And no matter how far or long I am apart from Vancouver I know that it will always be a part of me because of my cherished memories of that trip. I haven’t been to Vancouver since, but, in some ways, it feels like I never left.