If you are interested in Totem Poles (and who isn’t?), you have two distinct possibilities to see them firsthand in Vancouver. B.C.  One option is “free” near the entrance of Stanley Park (see our September 28 blog).  The constant rumbling of tour buses stopping in the parking area is an interesting juxtaposition of ancient cultural and modern forms of pollution … 

I’m sure the original First Nations population of British Columbia would have been appalled, or at least confused by the throngs of tourists snapping photos and taking videos of the assembled collection of Totem Poles in the park.   

The other option for seeing Totem Poles and other collections of First Nations art is not free, but without the tour buses. 

Approximately 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver, and an interesting drive through the suburban area of south Vancouver, is a quieter and reserved observation of the creations of the First Nations peoples.

(First Nations – - – refers to the over 600 aboriginal bands of peoples of Canada.)

A large collection of over 35,000 artifacts are housed at the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) located on the campus of the University of British Columbia.  Today’s building is far more complex than its humble beginnings in 1949 in the basement of the University Library. 

The current museum was designed and built in 1976, holding collections of not only First Nations artifacts, but that of the South Pacific, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. 

Most well-known for its Northwest Coast collections, the MOA exhibits large sculptures in the Great Hall. 

These large wooden sculptures of red cedar are representative of several First Nations communities such as the Haida, Kwakwaka’wakw, and Oweekeno.  

Even a thousand years ago, guys were telling fish stories…

"Really guys! The fish was THAT big!"

A more modern sculpture, the Haida Bear is representative of recent First Nations work.

Haida Bear by Bill Reid

As you enter the galleries just past the guest services desk, you descend The Ramp which also features large sculptures grouped by culture/community area on either side.  The Coast Salish communities near the top of the ramp moving down to more northern groups such as the Haida. 

A large number of the larger sculptures on either side of the ramp were once parts of the cedar plank houses where families lived. Serving as supports for roof beams or as decoration in, or outside the house, the sculptures usually represented ancestors that were historically linked with the inhabitants. 

About 1900, the most vivid of the ceremonial feast dish covers (below) was created in Kingcom Inlet, British Columbia.  It is carved from red cedar.

Ceremonial Feast Cover

This box (below) was created both for storage and as an heirloom in its own right.  The sides were bent from one piece of wood with steam, then colored with mineral-based pigments.  Red came from hematite; black was derived from magnetite.  The pigments were then mixed with a binder of ground and chewed salmon eggs!

One piece of wood was steam bent to form the sides of this heirloom box

Unfortunately, the large open storage area is currently in renovation, scheduled to open in January 2010.  A $55.5 million project dubbed the “Multiversity Galleries” will make nearly 15,000 objects visually accessible to museum goers. 

Along with the permanent exhibits, temporary exhibits are scattered throughout the museum. 

So, although not as complete an immersion into First Nations culture as I would have liked, due to the renovation, I was still impressed.  And if I were a beaver, or a woodchuck … I would have been HIGHLY impressed by all of that wood in the Great Hall!           

HOURS

Summer:

Mid-May through Mid-October

Daily 10 am to 5 pm; open Tuesdays 10 am to 9 pm

Winter:

Mid-October through Mid-May 2010

Mondays: Closed

Tuesdays: 10 am to 9 pm

Wednesday – Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm 

ADMISSION

Adults          $11.00 (CD)

Students & Seniors (65+)  $9.00 (CD)

Family (2 adults & up to 4 children -18)     $30.00 (CD)

Tuesday evenings 5-9 pm     Flat rate    $6 (CD) (groups included)

Children 6 and under    Free

http://www.moa.ubc.ca/

Tomorrow… Come back to learn about a place with 38 flavors of ice cream and a fun time…

The aforementioned $2 bite, in our case a very inventive corndog, was served with a green peppercorn mayo and totally unlike the prototype. It was not greasy or gooey, but flavorful and crunchy on the outside.

To make sure I had my veggies, I ordered a salad. This enormous plate of fresh greens had some components I have never seen, let alone tried, before. Since I ate everything before I could ask, I never did find out what one of the lettuce leaves was. The dressing was a citrus concoction, not too sweet, but delightful.

My Angus rib eye was served with a gorgeous array of thin, tender green beans, yellow beets, baby carrots, poached rhubarb – amazing! – no bitter taste, some exotic mushrooms and caramelized onions covering the steak. Every forkful was a rhapsody of flavor.

A scallop dinner with crispy pork belly was luscious and served with equally fresh and colorful pairings.

To top off the feast, we ended with a dish of three sorbet flavors. Each sorbet was a brilliant color – red-purple for raspberry, yellow with a lemony-sweet taste, and a pink strawberry scoop. Garnished with a gooseberry, the three-sorbet dessert was the finale of a meal I can only describe as superb.

Chef Karen Gin is the maestro of this sophisticated establishment. She employs fresh ingredients, mostly locally sourced, and creates taste- and eye-appealing menus.

Long may Zin prosper! I highly recommend a visit while in Vancouver.

BE AWARE — We charged our bill at Zin to our hotel room since Zin is in the Pacific Palisades Hotel where we were staying. Although we only ate one meal there, meals on two consecutive days were on our hotel bill. We don’t know how the second charge came to be on our bill, but it points out the need to be alert. Check your bill!

Note: The hotel did remove the second erroneous charge when we brought it to their attention.

http://www.zin-restaurant.com/

Tomorrow…Come back to see a beaver’s favorite museum.

Downtown

In our downtown hotel location on Robson Street, there are shops (like Guess, Banana Republic, Tommy Hilfiger) with upscale names and glamorous window displays. The prices were glamorous, too, except for a modest Chinese Restaurant, Hon’s Wun-Tun House, which whipped out our food very quickly for takeout. The menu was enormous and we had a hard time choosing, but the prices were generally under the $10 (Canadian) price range for each entrée.

In contrast, we spent considerably more – $40-plus with tip – at O’Doul’s (Listel Hotel) for a corned beef hash and Eggs Benedict breakfast.

Sculpture on Robson Street

A sculpture, appearing to be a whimsical orange twisted wire, was in front of O’Doul’s. We saw other interesting art around Vancouver.

A totem-like art piece in downtown Vancouver near Gastown

Robson Street at night

What drove us nuts in downtown was the profusion of one-way streets. Trying to get back to our hotel after a day of sightseeing, we had to go round in circles until we hit the right combination of streets that would let us turn where we needed to be. We tried this three different ways and were beginning to despair that we’d get back. Driving in rush hour downtown Vancouver – not a good choice.

Almost to Gastown, Canada Place is a very photogenic sight with its sails and the attached building that makes it look like a giant ship.  Cruise ships dock here, a hotel is located in the building and commerce uses this as a focal point.

Canada Place - Cruise ship port and hotel with plaza/fountain in foreground

Yaletown

An area that has been renovated from warehouses, Yaletown is s center of cafes and shops with – we’re sure – pricey upstairs condos. (It reminded us very much of the Pearl District we had previously visited in Portland, Oregon.) There are one-way streets in the area, which make it essential to have a map or walk.

Yaletown - Chic street converted from warehouses

Kitsilano

A residential neighborhood, Kitsilano has established, upscale homes. Desirable, we could see that the neighborhood was well-established because of the landscaping. The neighborhood is described as “chic” in a Fodor guide. We whisked through on our way to the University and the Museum of Anthropology (see more on that in our blog tomorrow).  There is also a major park, Kitsilano Beach, with a pool and other recreational opportunities.

About driving in Vancouver

Much as we would have liked to take public transportation, there was no connection in all of the areas we wanted to visit, so we drove. Or I should say, my husband drove. And, he was not a happy camper. He was passed on many streets (while doing the speed limit or above), and found the lack of advanced notice on one-way street closings exasperating. At a merge, he found himself converged upon from both directions. A bit scary – and he’s a pretty formidable driver himself.

Granville Island

We had heard about Granville Island. It was a “must see,” impossible to get a parking spot in, crowded, and fun. Except for the impossibility of getting a parking spot – which was not true in our case – Granville Island was fun.

 
A little challenging to get to because of one-way streets, Granville Island signs finally appeared,  directing us. Our hotel concierge told us that a water taxi would have been the best way to get there because it was reasonable. He said parking would be expensive and impossible. We did find a free parking spot (with a three-hour limit) and had just a little challenge as we drove around until we found the spot right near the public market.

More tomorrow on –  Granville Island and its Public Market.

 
One panhandler startled us, since she appeared so well to do and polished. She approached us, we thought asking for the time, but instead she asked for some money. We saw street musicians, some quite talented, performing for money.

 
The panhandlers were most disconcerting at times, especially one who appeared disabled, who suddenly appeared two blocks from where we had last seen him. We ambled, window-shopping and sightseeing. He was planted in his new location almost too quickly for someone who appeared disabled. I must have a kind face, because most of the people walked right up to me. I carry no cash, so I was not in a position to help them even if I had wanted to.

Some neighborhoods

We made a point of traveling around to see some of the neighborhoods mentioned in the travel guides with evocative names like Gastown, Yaletown, Chinatown, Kitsilano, and Granville Island.

Gastown

Charming shops in Gastown

Named after “Gassy Jack,” this section of town has some specialty shops and restaurants. Cobblestone streets and glass globe lights line the main street. The most distinctive feature of Gastown is the steam clock, which plays music every quarter hour and spouts steam on the hour. Tourists all jockey for a photo op, as did I. Supposedly, the city was looking for a way to cover a vent from the steam system, which heated buildings.

Steam clock at work

Steam Clock in Gastown

The steam clock is unique and so is the crowd that gathers. Everyone seems oblivious to the other tourists waiting to photograph the clock. We waited.

 
Right across the street from the clock on Water Street is the Water Street Café. With white tablecloth service, we had a delightful meal with attentive service. My potato gnocchi with proscuitto, shrimp, and butternut sage sauce was scrumptious and such an abundant portion I was only able to eat half.

Unusual architecture in Gastown

Chinatown

Just a few blocks over from Gastown, we drove briefly through Chinatown. Signage was in Chinese lettering. The banners on the streetlights also reflected an Asian flair.

Chinatown shops

Chinatown with signs and banners

 Come back tomorrow as we visit downtown Vancouver and some other neighborhoods.