Hello, my fellow adventurer!

I’ve always had a passion for exploring new places, experiencing different sights and tastes, and discovering hidden gems that make every journey unique. Over the years, I’ve collected countless memories, sketches, and photos from my travels, and I’ve been searching for a special way to share these experiences with you.

That’s why I’ve decided to create this space, not just as a travel blog, but as a vibrant, storytelling journey brought to life through the eyes of two of my original characters - Penny and Po, who are inspired by me and my husband, respectively. Penny is the grey kitty, and Po is the icy white cat!

These two adventurous cats will be your guides, sharing their fun perspectives and experiences as they roam the world. Through them, we will dive into the heart of each destination, and capture every moment in a sketchbook. Art and illustration bring me lots of joy, and I hope my sketchbook pages do the same for you!

Now, for our first stop, let’s go to Canada!

We visited Canada in late May and early June of 2024 - with 4 days in Vancouver (mostly downtown area), and then 4 days in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

Before embarking on a trip, I like to ask myself (and my travel companions), “What would you like out of this trip?” That way, we can set our expectations. And if you are traveling with someone, everyone is on the same page (or can work around it). For us, we both wanted to simply take a break from work, relax, and enjoy some sights. Which means, if we don’t get around to doing ALL the things, that’s okay!

For me specifically, I really only wanted to try poutine, Canada’s national dish, get a taste of some Canadian maple syrup, and perhaps find a little moose souvenir! Other than that, I was all for relaxing!

Of course, I still did a brief research of some places that would be worth visiting, should we be in the mood to, and I will be sharing them here on this blog, starting with this post.

Port of Vancouver & Canada Place

We stayed at the Coast Coal Harbour Vancouver Hotel, which is situated in downtown Vancouver and easy walking distance to multiple places one might visit while in the city. We got a king room with a view, although surrounded by other tall buildings, it was more of a partial view!

Still, the view of the harbour and the mountains with the city bustling beneath was a lovely sight. And it was made even better with the floor-to-ceiling window!

Once we checked-in at the hotel and dropped off our bags, we immediately headed to Giovane Caffe, an Italian coffee shop a few minutes’ walk from our hotel. The quality of the food was top-notch, with a super fresh and fluffy foccacia sandwich. I also loved how the coffees came with a little amaretti cookie!

After our snack (late lunch?), we strolled to the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port and home to Canada Place, an award-winning cruise terminal with iconic white sails. Strolling along the promenade, there were stunning views of the harbour and the North Shore mountains, and of course, the impressive cruise ships!

I was fangirling over the Disney Wonder (I wish to go on a Disney cruise someday!), while my husband was so excited to see the seaplanes land and take off. You can purchase tickets to go sightseeing on a seaplane, and they offer various day trips and tours. (For example, check out Harbour Air.)

Canada Place also has FlyOver Canada, a flight simulation ride that I can only assume is like Soarin’ in the Disney theme parks. And at $38 per person (at the time of our trip in late May), we decided to pass and get a coffee at The Flying Whale Waterfront Cafe (the attraction’s cafe) instead.

Gastown & The Steam Clock

Next, we went to Gastown to see the famous Steam Clock, which is a clock that puffs out steam and a little whistling song every quarter-hour.

I have to admit, it’s quite funny to see a bunch of tourists crowded around a clock (including us, of course), just to watch a clock puff out steam. It’s a cute tourist attraction and doesn’t take much time…if you make it before the steam goes off of course! It’s not a necessary stop, but if you like clocks (and steampunk things like I do), it’s worth a short visit.

While Gastown exudes an old-world charm with its cobblestone streets and boutiques, we didn’t spend any time in the shops. It was rather quiet on an early evening on Monday, and to be honest, looked as if it had seen better days.

Dinner in Downtown

We found an Asian restaurant in downtown called Heritage Asian Eatery, where we had some dim sum and noodles. I was really excited to try the Asian food here in Vancouver, as the city is known for having lots of Asian eateries, and this place did not disappoint!

There were lots of vegetarian options to choose from (I am a vegetarian), and the noodles, pea shoots, and fried cauliflower made for a light but filling meal for two.

Afterwards, we went for a walk to get dessert at Bella Gelateria. During our walks around downtown, we had noticed a bunch of gelaterias in the area and were wondering, Is this a thing in Canada?! So we had to try it! Turns out this place is an award-winning gelato shop, and we can most definitely confirm that the gelato is really good. We chose two flavors - pistachio and nocciola (hazelnut) - for $10 CAD, and both were a 5 out of 5!

Finished off with a hot tea from Breka Cafe, a 24 hour cafe and bakery chain, this was the perfect way to wrap up the evening.

What I love about morning flights and getting to your destination before nightfall is being able to explore more while you are still buzzing with excitement and have a lot of energy. Already in half a day, we were able to experience quite a bit of Vancouver downtown. But there’s more to explore, so stick around to see where we are headed next!

Helpful Travel Links

Coast Coal Harbour Vancouver Hotel - downtown hotel near Canada Place
Giovane Caffe - Italian coffee shop for espresso drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and salads (multiple locations)
Canada Place - touristy cruise terminal area with FlyOver Canada; also has markets like their annual Christmas at Canada Place
Harbour Air - seaplane tours
Gastown Steam Clock - located at 305 Water St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1B9
Heritage Asian Eatery - fusion Chinese bbq, dumplings, and craft beer
Bella Gelateria - award-winning gelato in Vancouver and Burnaby (multiple locations)
Breka Cafe - 24-hour bakery and cafe with a lot of sweet and savory options (multiple locations)

This travel blog is part of a bigger project to create my first ever printed travel zine. While I work on the illustrated book, I share my process and all the initial sketches with my Wonderscouts on Patreon. If you would like to get a behind-the-scenes look on this project and support the making of this book, please consider joining us on this adventure! You will also get access to The Secret Shop, where you can shop exclusive Penny & Po goodies like the ones below!

Become a Wonderscout

The Secret Shop