Sasamat Lake is a cozy little lake just north of Port Moody with a nice trail. It is near to popular Buntzen Lake. Sasamat Lake is quite small but it is not as crowded.
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Vancouver is famous for its geographical location, nature, rain and (at least for me) sushi! Thanks to the high availability of fish and a strong asian population there are about 300 sushi restaurants in Greater Vancouver. However, only 10% of them are actually Japanese-owned and operated. So if you look for authentic Japanese cuisine, make sure to visit these restaurants. One of them is Fuji Sushi at Burquitlam Plaza (526-B Clarke Road, Coquitlam) and is very close to the Lougheed skytrain station (approx. 10 minute walk up North Rd. from the skytrain station).


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If you think, fish and chips is British junk food, think twice. Especially, if you live in or visit a city that is at the ocean you might find one or two spots where they serve pretty good fish and chips. For Vancouver, this spot is definitely Steveston.
Continue reading "Awesome Fish and Chips in Vancouver: Dave's Fish and Chips in Steveston"

As a German, the first time I heard about the Chambar restaurant in Vancouver, I thought "Belgian food? I have no idea what the Belgian cuisine is famous for". Well, first thing I learned: Beer (living in Germany somehow keeps you from trying lots of foreign beers. I wonder why that is...). Second: Belgian cuisine seems to be similar to the French. At least Chambar has a half French, half English menu...


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Each winter the Squamish River near Brackendale and Squamish offers a wonderful opportunity to watch one of the most magnificent birds on earth. From late October through early February many bald eagles stay in the area to hunt salmon. The peak is mid December to end of December. The number of eagles depends on human disturbance and on the food supply. More fish = more eagles.
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You may or may not have seen the olympic torch for the olympic and paralympic winter games 2010 in Vancouver. If not, have a look. If you know Vancouver and its - well - relaxed attitude towards marijuana, you can easily figure out why the torch looks like a joint

Ever wondered what Vietnamese food tastes like? Well, so did I when I met Nhi two years ago. Nhi is from Vietnam and studied computer science with me at Simon Fraser University. Lucky me, that she took me to her favorite Vietnamese Restaurant in Vancouver.
Continue reading "Song Huong: One of Vancouver's best Vietnamese restaurants"

I am not too much of a shopping fan. But my wife is And she told me that anyone coming to Vancouver (for shopping), should hit Metropolis at Metrotown (or just Metrotown). Well, what should I say. It's huuuuuge. I don't know how many shops the mall has, but several hundreds is definitely a good guess.
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Vancouver has quite a few parks to offer. The most famous one being Stanley Park, directly attached to Downtown Vancouver. Another "in-city" park worthwhile visiting is Queen Elizabeth Park (or Queen E Park). Especially in the spring you will find many flowers there which want to be watched, smelled and photographed.
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One of the most famous attractions in Vancouver is Capilano Bridge. The suspension bridge is more than 100 years old and is quite high. That's why it's fun to cross it. But did you have a look at their rates? For an adult it's between $20 and $30! That's quite a price. Especially, when you look at your alternatives in Vancouver.
Continue reading "Forget Capilano Bridge, go to Lynn Valley"

If you are looking for a comfy place which is not too expensive but offers decent west coast / North American food, you should check out a Cactus Club Cafe. There are several restaurants in BC and quite a few in Greater Vancouver.
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my name is Bernhard Finkbeiner and I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada. I moved here in August 2007 from Germany. I like living here in BC, I like good food, I like taking pictures and I like building web sites. That's why I decided to start this little project here. vancouverinsider.net is for Vancouverites, fans and tourists visiting one of the most exciting cities in the world.
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