Student report by Christina F. – A weekend in Vancouver
East Hasting
Vancouver seems to be a really nice city. Yes it is for sure! But every big city also has a “dark” side, so does Vancouver. We didn’t watch out where our hotel was placed. Actually it wasn’t really a problem but it is still nice to know that in advance. Vancouver is split in a West and an East side. The area around the East Hastings Street is marked by drugs and homelessness. I was really shocked when we came there. There were a prostitute waiting in front of our hotel and a bunch of homeless people sitting near our hotel. I’m living in a big city so I actually should be used to it but that really shocked me a bit. Anyway, I never had the feeling to not be safe and we just went back to our hotel by Uber at night. Once we walked a long street by day light we saw a lot of people side by side taking any kind of drug and injections lying around the street. No one really talked to us and I think you are quite safe anyway but if you want to avoid it, it’s a nice fact to know.
Vancouver and Capilano Suspension Bridge
Now coming to the brighter side of Vancouver, there is a lookout tower quite central. It has a 365° view and if you paid for it once you can visit it as much as you want during the day you paid. So we took advantage of it and went there by daylight and in the night. It is a really nice view over the city and if you like to see cities from above I can really recommend that. The entrance is about 10 CAD for students so not that much. Vancouver in general has a lot of offers for students so make sure you bring your student ID. Moreover an attraction of Vancouver is the Capilano Suspension Bridge. At the harbor you can get a free shuttle to the bridge. On the way back you have to show your entry ticket for the Capilano Bridge to get back for free. My personal opinion is that it’s overpriced. The entry for students is around 30 or 40 bucks which isn’t really cheap. Considering that the bridge is not that long and the area around to discover is not that big as well. I’ve been to a bigger suspension bridge back in Germany so maybe it’s just my personal opinion but I won’t recommend going there. Save your money for something more worthwhile.
Stanley Park
Something I can recommend is the Stanley Park. If you’re in Vancouver it’s a must see. Keep in mind that the park is really huge! Me and my friend didn’t inform ourselves very well so we started walking around the park until we noticed that the park is about 10 kilometers if you walk it on the outside – in Vans it’s not really comfortable. My recommendation for you would be to rent a bicycle so you can see more – except you’re enthusiastic about walking but then take your time.
