In both 2001 and 2000, Vancouver has been rated as the city with the best quality of life ... in the world (surveys by the William M. Mercer company). Those of us who live in the area can't argue with that statement.
Vancouver began as a fur trading post after Don Jose Narvaez discovered the Straight of Georgia & English Bay in 1791 and when Capt. George Vancouver discovered Burrard Inlet in 1792.
Today Vancouver is a bustling metropolitan city of two million, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean and the majestic coastal mountain range. Termed the 'Crown Jewel of Western Canada', Vancouver is the financial, shipping, industrial and cultural centre of Canada's west coast.
Be sure to see the landmark conference centre Canada Place where cruise ships dock while in Vancouver (shown in photo).
Go to the world famous Stanley Park, and the Vancouver Aquarium. Visit Gastown and Chinatown. Go shopping at Lonsdale Quay and Granville Island. Take the gondola up Grouse Mountain. Don't miss Vandusen Botanical Gardens or the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
