February is for Romance
-
courtesy
Tourism Vancouver
with additional material from GayVancouver.Net
Snuggled into the arms of British Columbia's Coast
Mountains, Vancouver's wild Pacific setting nurtures romance. Vancouver's magic
appeals to any romantic couple's sensuous side with a rich variety of exciting
experiences from the fun and playful to the serene and soothing. Here are
a few ideas (including a couple that are truly unique) to celebrate your love in
February:
Romance Afloat
The
AquaBus fleet of nine little passenger ferries provides service to five
points along False Creek; locals use them to get around as much as tourists use
them to ooh and ahh. Sightseeing mini-cruises of the Creek are offered year
'round, while cruises around False Creek are only on weekends and in the summer.
You don't need reservations; you just show up and wait; it won't be long before
the next one chugs up to the dock.
Candlelight, a setting sun and wedding bells?
The Sunset Dinner Cruise from
Harbour Cruises offers a spectacular dining experience as well as romantic
setting for couples and singles. Who knows? You may just meet the man or woman
of your dreams.
Garden Romance
Dr.
Sun Yat-Sen's garden is a large, faithful reproduction of a private Ming dynasty
garden that was created in the Chinese city of Suzhou in the 1300s. It is the
first, and one of the finest, full-scale classical gardens ever built outside
China.
At first, the Garden seems to be mostly all
architecture-mazes of walls within walls, with courtyards wrapped around still
smaller courtyards, while a variety of pavilions, halls, bridges, covered
galleries and summer-houses crowd in the viewer. Trees and flowers play a
relatively minor role. There is nothing even remotely like a lawn and although
the small lakes and streams seem to follow 'natural' courses, they are
surrounded by extraordinary rocks which, both signally and in huge piles, often
dominate the scene.
Wet Romance
The
Hotel Vancouver is one of Vancouver's major landmarks; the 900 West Lounge
has huge chandeliers, wing-back chairs and genteel waiters who add to the
upscale ambience. Grape connoisseurs know that they have a good selection of
wines, ports, ice wines and the like, and the waiters are knowledgeable enough
to help their patrons find something to interest their palate.
Romance on a Plate
Inside
the
Wedgewood Hotel, settled in front of Bacchus' carved limestone fireplace is
the place for brunch on a blustery Saturday and Sunday. Adding to the warmth is
cherrywood panelling and a liberal use of gold silk and velvet. The atmosphere
is intimate, the service is attentive and the a la carte menu has something for
everyone. Low ceilings, low-lit, low-key, with black wrought-iron glowing
mysteriously by the light of tiny orange-brown lampshades on every table-you
could imagine love affairs discreetly kindled here.
