Fine Art, Food And Drink

It would be difficult to overpraise Vancouver, surely one of the most liveable cities in the world.

Yesterday started with a visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery, a grand but apparently inadequate space - they are at the start of a project to move to new premises. Exhibits of varying quality but the star turn undoubtedly Of Heaven and Earth: Five Hundred Years of Italian Art, a visiting show of paintings from the Glasgow Municipal Galleries' Mclellan Collection. To cap the experience they gave me student discount.

Mucky Italian picture

We exited the gallery to midday heat and had what I (after due deliberation) have to say was the best street food I have ever eaten. Stand up and take a bow Mr Shawarma halal chicken purveyor of Robson Square. Nothing short of superb.

Devour some art and then some chicken

Onward thereafter (after detour due to the map being upside down) to Gastown, the oldest part of town where we sat outside at the Chill Winston and enjoyed just enough (never too much, Heaven forfend) sauvignon blanc and predictably charming Canadian service.

Mellow out man

All in all a great day but journalistic ethics do mean that I have to disclose that it was Sharon's fault that we got lost. Not perfect after all.

Today has dawned sunny and we will do some more urban wandering before we move on to Seattle tomorrow