Come to the beautiful west coast of Canada. Our home is located in Burnaby, part of Greater Vancouver. It is a comfortable two story bungalow, built in the fifties, that we renovated when we moved in. Located on a south facing slope, it has a view from the living room and master bedroom towards the Fraser river. The house is bright and warm and has a large rear deck and attractive garden to relax in. We have good neighbours on either side of us. The neighbourhood is quite diverse and has many convenient amenities nearby, including shopping, movie theatres, golf courses, parks, river and lake. There are many mature trees in the area and while we are in the city, there are working farms with nurseries and some produce in our are a as well. Vancouver city centre is a 30-40 min drive or 20 min ride on the sky train rapid transit, from our nearby Royal Oak station. The airport is only a 20 minute drive away and we are close to several major roads that can take you to popular destinations like: 35-45 min drive south to the US border or to Tswassen ferry terminal (where you can catch ferries to Vancouver and Gulf Islands); 35-40 min drive west to Horseshoe bay ferry terminal (to visit Gibsons, Sechelt and the Sunshine Coast); 2 hour drive north along the very scenic sea to sky highway to Whistler.
There is lots to do and see here - some highlights include Stanley park with totem poles, aquarium and 7 mile seawall walk; Granville island where you can shop at the market and craft stores or rent a kayak or paddle board; the museum of anthropology featuring local and global indigenous artifacts; Grouse Mountain gondola ride to hike or have a meal with a stunning view; Bard on the Beach - Shakespeare plays under a tent overlooking English Bay; packing a picnic and going to one of the beaches like Kitsilano or Jericho; getting out on a boat for a day of sailing or cruising. There are many sports/outdoor activities and cultural events. More information: http://www.tourismvancouver.com
Using our home as a base you could also do short trips taking a few days away to see other parts of our province - like Vancouver island, the Gulf islands or the Okanagan valley where we have many wineries. Visit this web site for more BC information http://www.hellobc.com
As a food lover and gourmet cook, I (Tannis) can point you to some of my favourite restaurants and food sources. I am also an artist so can help with some cultural suggestions too. Rick loves activities and can give his tips on skiing, sailing, some golf and cycling in the area.
We have two very sweet older indoor cats, Sophie a small 7 lb Singapura, and Jasper, a large 20 lb black and white tuxedo cat - they make quite the pair! We would love to swap with someone who likes cats, or has a cat that needs care as well.
Please let us know if you have any questions! Would love to hear from you
Tannis and Rick