Category Archives: Shopping

Mega Grand World Hanoi (Vietnam)

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Mega Grand World Hanoi

Prior to our departure back to Manila, we made a short stopover at the Mega Grand World Hanoi, a large-scale entertainment and leisure complex that opened in 2023.  Designed to be a comprehensive destination for both locals and tourists, it combines shopping, dining, cultural experiences, and entertainment. This new urban area, mega complex and vibrant festive space, conveniently situated at the heart of Ocean City, to the east of Hanoi, offers visitors a unique blend of top-tier entertainment, upscale shopping, vibrant events, and where visitors can immerse themselves in the rich cultural tapestry of Asia and Europe via a captivating fusion of Asian and European landscapes. 

L-R: Jandy, Grace, the author, Lourdes and Lorraine

It connects the Coral Avenue of Vinhomes Ocean Park 2, the Four Seasons Avenue of Vinhomes Ocean Park 3, and Ring Road 3.5. From the timeless elegance of Venetian-inspired areas and the bustling energy of Korean-inspired zones, Grand World provides endless opportunities for sightseeing and photography.

Jandy and Grace

The lively Venice – Riverside Western Market, featuring an authentic array of colorful shops lining the colorful streets and enchanting banks of the river, offers Italian charm with gondola boats, which are reminiscent of those found on Venetian canals. Visitors can board these gondolas and enjoy a picturesque cruise along the serene, 830-m. long canal, admire the magnificent sunset, explore the diverse shops, and immerse themselves in the vibrant culture that this zone encapsulates. During the ride, you will also get to enjoy impromptu European music performances.

Pedestrian bridge crossing the canal

Crossing the canal is a pedestrian bridge connecting to Asia, with typical Korean ancient houses in the K-Town subdivision.

The bustling K-Town – Coastal Eastern Street, featuring a dynamic blend of traditional and modern architecture, creates a vibrant ambiance reminiscent of some of Korea’s most iconic areas. This zone captures the essence of both ancient and contemporary Korean culture through its diverse offerings, including the upscale Gangnam shopping street, the multicultural Itaewon cultural street, the youthful Hongdae food and art street, and the bustling Myeongdong fashion and beauty street.

Little Hong Kong, a zone that captures the essence of Hong Kong, feels like entering a paradise of shopping, entertainment, and joy. Stepping into Little Hong Kong, visitors can experience the culinary delight and cultural life of Hong Kong, right in Hanoi, as they enjoy an array of experiences that extend from vibrant shopping streets to lively entertainment venues, including lounges, bars, and pubs.

The unique Grand Voyage Show, a special, unforgettable performance held on Asia’s largest outdoor boat stage, brings to life the bustling and magnificent European trade route, crossing the maritime Silk Road, five oceans, and the trading port of Hoi An, Vietnam through captivating performances enhanced by advanced technology, impressive 3D mapping, dynamic sound and light effects, a giant water screen, and a talented cast of over 62 actors.

Gondola ride

The mesmerizing and unforgettable “Journey to the Wonderland,” a circus show presented by a talented troupe of professional performers from China, invites and transports audiences to a new realm of thrilling dreams through the captivating language of elaborate circus performances. With awe-inspiring acts and mesmerizing choreography, the show promises to dazzle audiences of all ages.

The fantastic and delightful carousel ride, with its vibrant colors and enchanting music, offers a nostalgic journey for visitors of all ages as you enjoy panoramic views of Grand World’s bustling atmosphere while being carried away by the gentle motion of the carousel.

Grand World, a shopping paradise that cater to every shopping enthusiast’s needs, boasts a plethora of renowned fashion and cosmetic brands. Visitors can also shop for furniture at Sinh Phu, sofas at Kuka Home, and household appliances at Lock & Lock. 

Come evening, visitors are treated to a dazzling spectacle of lights and colors as fireworks light up the sky above Grand World, adding an extra layer of magic as you’re strolling through the vibrant streets, enjoying a delicious meal at a restaurant, or simply taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling complex.

The serene Tropical Lagoon, a man-made beach with fine white sand and clear blue water amidst urban landscapes, provides the perfect setting for moments of relaxation and rejuvenation. It also boasts an array of artworks, making it a haven for photography enthusiasts seeking to capture quality photos.

Grand World 0ffers an unparalleled culinary experience, with hundreds of renowned domestic and international brands. Visitors can indulge in dishes from Vietnam’s three regions as well as explore unique flavors from Thai, Korean, Japanese, Italian, and American cuisines. After a satisfying meal, you can relax at beautiful coffee shops, bars, and clubs, including favorites like Highlands Coffee, Trung Nguyen Legend, Katinat Cafe, Poseidon Bar, and 729 Club.

VinWonders Wave Park & Water Park, surrounded by blue water and white sand, offers a variety of thrilling and exhilarating water sports activities such as slides, themed playgrounds, and outdoor and indoor pools.

Mega Grand World Ha Noi: Nghĩa Trụ, Văn Giang, Hung Yen, Vietnam.  Tel: +84 1900 232389. Open 24/7 (some activities and services have specific operating hours). You will need to pay for optional experiences like gondola rides or costume rentals.  Entrance fee: Free of charge (some activities and services have specific fees). The main daily show, “The Grand Voyage,” takes place on the Venice River at 9 PM (21:00). Various attractions have different opening and closing times. The gondola ride service on the Venice river operates daily, from 10 AM to 8 PM. The Teddy Bear Museum may have separate ticket prices. A general admission ticket is available for around $150,000 VND. 

How to Get There: Visitors can easily reach Grand World from Hanoi via various means of transportation. If you have a motorbike or car, you can drive to Grand World from Hanoi yourself in just about 50 minutes from the city center. This complex is equipped with numerous parking lots.  Just follow the route: Vinh Tuy Bridge – Co Linh Street – Hanoi-Hai Phong Highway – Grand World. VinBus. which continuously operates, connects Grand World with various locations in downtown Hanoi. Free electric VIN bus service is available from Hoan Kiem and Time City to Grand World Hanoi. 

Sun Plaza Sapa (Vietnam)

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Sun Plaza Sapa

Come morning of our second day in Sapa, after breakfast at Bora Hotel, we walked along Cau May Walking Street, towards Sapa Square and the stunning, instantly recognizable four-storey Sun Plaza Sapa, a shopping and entertainment complex and the essential hub and crucial starting point for our visit to Mount Fansipan, the “Rooftop of Indochina” as it houses, at the first floor, the ticket office for the iconic Muong Hoa funicular.  Offering a unique way to travel through the clouds while taking in breathtaking views of the stunning mountain scenery, the train has a classic design and luxury vibe.

Check out “Cau May Walking Street” and “Sapa Square“

The Muong Hoa Funicular

The building, in itself, is a must-see spot in the heart of the beautiful town of Sapa. Sun Plaza Sapa is a place with great views, a shopping center and dining options, including a bar, at the first, second and third floors, and a parking area at the ground floor.

The clock tower

Designed in a grand, classic, luxurious and beautiful French-style architecture (by architect Bill Bensley of the international architectural firm Chapman Taylor) that brings a touch of Europe to the Sapa mountains, it was built by Sun Group and completed in late 2018.

L-R (front row): Des, Grace, Lourdes, Lorraine. L-R (Back row): Jandy and the author

The building, with its striking yellow and green façade, also features large glass windows, which create a bright and inviting atmosphere, especially at night. The clock tower at the entrance, one of the main attractions and a symbol at Sun Plaza Sapa, attracts many visitors for photos.  Inspired by the famous Big Ben clock tower in the United Kingdom, it has three large clocks with a round, lantern-like design.

The circular central hall

Upon stepping into the large circular hall of Sun Plaza Sapa, its floor decorated with motifs such as centrally located bronze drums, we felt like we were entering a European royal palace or a castle without leaving Vietnam.  Showcasing unique French-style of architecture with an interesting Vietnamese touch, its delicate interiors features a dome, large columns, stunning lights, grand corridors with intricately decorated walls, elegant glass doors, European-style lamps, arches, and metal railings.

The funicular ticket office

The symmetrical design adds to the elegance, and the delicately painted artwork on the ceiling in the main lobby, with flowers and leaves, along with bright, sparkling light beams, is particularly eye-catching. This place is a perfect spot offering countless beautiful spots to snap amazing, Instagram-worthy photos.

The dome with its delicately painted artwork on the ceiling

Shopping is a must at here as this shopping center is full of fashion (shoes, clothing, bags, cosmetics, etc.), local souvenirs, and regional specialties, ranging from budget-friendly to luxury items. As a food paradise, it offers delicious European dishes, prepared by professional chefs, to make your dining experience unforgettable. There are also cozy cafés and eateries, including a Starbucks.

Passing by the Starbucks on the left

De la Coupole Sapa – MGaller, a luxury 5-star hotel inside Sun Plaza known for its elegance and charm, offers a unique, unforgettable experience, with 249 stunning and creatively designed rooms inspired by local Northwest culture and French and Indochinese design. A perfect spot for a special and relaxing getaway, the hotel also has restaurants, bars, a spa, and event spaces.  

Passing the Highlands Coffee shop on the right

Absinthe, a cafe on the 10th floor, next to Sun Plaza, with French design and art creating a cozy vibe, is a great spot to relax and the perfect place to sit down for a coffee either inside, to enjoy the blended artistic interior space and French fashion style, or outside to take in the beauty of Sapa, enjoying nature and the amazing views of Sapa’s majestic mountains and forests hidden in the flying clouds.

Stairway with intricately designed metal railings

Sun Plaza Sapa: 1 Ng. Cau May, Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa, Lao Cai.  Tel: +84 948 309 999. Open daily, 7:30 AM to 10 PM. Website: www.sunworld.vn.

Cau May Walking Street (Sapa, Vietnam)

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Cau May Walking Street

After our tour of Sapa Square and the Church of the Holy Rosary, we all proceeded to walk along the historic Cau May Walking Street, to reach Bora Hotel where we were to stay overnight.  Also known as Western Street, it is nestled in the grandeur of the Northwest mountains. 

Check out “Sapa Square“ and “Church of the Holy Rosary”

This popular and vibrant, though relatively small pedestrian-only street, in foggy Sapa town, is known for its lively atmosphere and local street food, with numerous modern restaurants, bars, cafes and 3 to 5-star hotels, and is a cultural hub where locals and tourists can interact, stroll, explore the bustling night market, sample local street food, and relax at a bar. 

Food stall and restaurant

It was built in 1905, during the French colonial era as a retreat for French officials and Vietnamese locals alike, and serves as a convenient point to access other tourist spots in Sapa. At night, the street comes alive with colorful displays and many shops and stalls selling local street food and traditional handmade crafts.  

Sapa’s nightlife is often described as a blend of liveliness and an atmosphere that remains more tranquil than in large cities. Visitors can enjoy a variety of delicious and high-quality local Northern Highland specialties, ranging from humble to upscale culinary experiences.

They include dishes like sour salmon hotpot, Sapa green vegetable stir-fry, grilled deer with lemongrass, local pork, honey-glazed grilled duck, hotpot with gang hot sauce, butter lemon sauce fish, Sapa mushroom and lotus seed braised chicken, thang co (a famous horse meat soup), thit trau gac bep (dried buffalo meat), xoi ngu sac (five-color sticky rice), grilled skewers (lamb and bird) and bamboo-cooked rice as well as more modern dining options.

Cau May Walking Street in daytime

The street has a unique ambiance that harmoniously combines the allure of vintage and classic Western charm of the past century, with a touch of modernity, the captivating culture of local ethnic minorities, such as the H’mong and Tay. The street occasionally hosts cultural events and festivals that showcase the region’s heritage. 

Bora Hotel

Cau May Walking Street: 19 Cau May Street, Sapa Town, Lao Cai Province.

Hanoi Train Street (Vietnam)

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Hanoi Train Street

Upon our arrival in Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, we met up with our Vietnamese guide from Hava Travel and boarded our coach for our city tour.  Our first destination was Hanoi Train Street, a 25.2-km. (45-min.) drive away.  This captivating blend of old-world charm and vibrant modern life winds its way through several bustling streets, including Phung Hung, Dien Bien Phu, and Le Duan. Here, we were to experience something unique many visitors enjoy – the thrill and excitement of sipping coffee while watching trains pass just inches away.

L-R: the author, Jandy, Grace, Lourdes and Lorraine

This narrow train bypass in Hanoi was built in 1902, during the French colonial era, when the French established the railway system to connect Hanoi with other parts of Vietnam.  As of 2025, it is still an active rail line.  It sees, several times daily, a train pass close to buildings on either side of the single train track line.  It runs north from south, to Hanoi railway station whose width takes up nearly the entirety of the famous Hanoi Train Street which refers to the narrow railway tracks running through residential neighborhoods, along Tran Phu and Phung Hung streets, in the Old Quarter.

When trains approach, local residents living alongside the tracks clear their belongings from the narrow space. During other times, they often use the space for daily activities like drinking tea and playing board games. The street developed into a tourist destination and, along the narrow alley, tourists would often stop and take pictures to post on social media. In recent years, safety concerns have increased as tourism has grown.

One of the cozy cafes lining the tracks

The street attracted widespread recognition and, eventually, became a tourist attraction. In October 2019, citing safety concerns, Vietnamese government directed businesses along the train track to close and implemented barriers and police presence to restrict tourist access to the street. This prompted thousands of complaints on social media and negatively affected local tourist businesses. In early 2023, the train street has reopened for tourists. 

Since it became popular with world tourists, Hanoi Train Street has seen a growth in local businesses and, as the number of visitors increased, many residents around the area turned their colorful homes into small, cozy cafes (Cafe Đường Tàu, Cafe Ga Đông Hương, etc.) and small businesses selling drinks, food and a range of traditional handmade local handicrafts (railway paintings, conical hats, embroidered wallets, ceramic teapots, etc.). Along the streets near the railway, numerous souvenir shops also line both sides of the road.

A reminder of the dangers on the track…..

Upon arrival, we approached the train tracks crossing Dien Bien Phu Street and the crowds were beginning to gather.  As we walked along Train Street, we caught the rich aroma of coffee and the enticing scents of traditional beef pho and fragrant grilled meat from roadside stalls.

We all sat down at outdoor seating areas closer to the wall at one of the local cafes, its façade adorned with colorful hanging lanterns and flags.  Along the alley are vibrant murals, in bright, vivid colors, that beautifully depict scenes from the past, such as Hanoi trams (which ran from 1901 to 1991), bustling streets, street vendors, festivals, and old houses that capture the everyday life of Hanoians.

The train arrives….

While waiting for the train to arrive, we ordered aromatic and creamy egg coffee (Cà Phê Trứng), a rich, creamy and decadent Vietnamese drink featuring a sweet, airy foam of whisked egg yolk, sugar, and condensed milk and served atop strong, dark coffee, often brewed with a traditional phin filter. Prices typically range from 25,000 to 60,000 VND (USD 1 – USD 3).

While sipping our strong Vietnamese coffee from our front-row seat, street vendors, residents, and children were playing near the tracks. Soon, we heard the blaring of the train horn and the locals quickly pulled in tables and chairs just in time as, seconds later, a train barreled past us.

Egg Coffee

It was an exhilarating experience, as the rumbling train sped by, just inches away from us.  Watching the train race through Hanoi Train Street was a thrilling spectacle.  Truly, Hanoi Train Street was a place where the soul of Hanoi thrives, framed by the hum of trains and the warmth of local life.

Hanoi Train Street: P. Trần Phú, Hàng Bông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam. Usually, there are over 7 trains passing by, from 7AM to 11PM. There is no entrance fee to visit Hanoi Train Street. Popular viewing times are around 3 to 3:30 PM and 7 to 7:30 PM. Local cafes, on both sides, indicate the train timetable. You could also request train passing by time from cafe in advance.  The stretch through Phung Hung Street is, undoubtedly, the most vibrant, drawing visitors with its lively atmosphere and the thrilling spectacle. You can also watch along the alley of 224 Lê Duẩn street, specifically, along Điện Biên Phủ and Phùng Hưng streets, Alley 5 on Tran Phu Street and the main Hanoi Railway Station.

Honesty Coffee Shop (Ivana, Batanes)

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Honesty Coffee Shop

From Mutchong View Point, it was to be a long 20.1-km. (40-min.) drive to the small, quaint and unmanned Honesty Coffee Shop in Ivana where we did some souvenir shopping.

Check out “Mutchong View Point” and “Church of St. Joseph the Worker”

Located near the Church of St. Joseph the Worker, this icon of the province’s ingrained values is the most popular coffee shop in Batanes.  Perhaps the only one of its kind in the country (and probably the world), it tests the honesty of its customers as they purchase their products.

Opened in 1995, nobody tends to this store owned by Mr. Jose and Elena C. Gabilo, a retired school teacher, but a plaque inside is inscribed with the words “The Lord is my Security Guard.”  You can post your own thoughts or notes on one of its walls.

Souvenir T-shirts

In this self-service store, we simply picked the items we wanted from a shelf or rack (coffee, instant noodles, bread, Ivatan souvenirs such as printed T-shirts and vakul, homemade bukayo, garlic chips, etc.).

Souvenir hats and caps

We then checked for the list of prices at a logbook, then listed our purchase (printed T-shirts and some snacks) and the denomination of money paid in a notebook.

Souvenir handicrafts

Exact change is then dropped in the designated money or “payment” box or drawer.  In the event that change is needed, you can just it get from the box.

In case you need to collect your change, you can press the buzzer for an attendant to assist you.  However, it will spoil the experience.  It also has a few tables where you can sip your coffee and eat your snacks.  A 6.5 min. segment in the 2015 film You’re My Boss, starring Toni Gonzaga (as Georgina) and Coco Martin (as Pong), was shot at this store.

Scene of Coco Martin and Toni GGonzaga shot at the Honesty Coffee Shop

Honesty Coffee Shop: National Rd., Brgy. Radiwan, 3902 Ivana.  Mobile number: (0908) 771-1565.

How to Get There: Ivana is located 13.85 kms.(a 15-min.drive) south Basco. The coffee shop is located near the town’s church and port.

Provincial Heritage and Tourism Office (PHTO): Mobile number: (0929) 230-5934. Website: www.breathtakingbatanes.com. 

Ivana Tourist Information Center: 3902 Ivana.  Mobile number: (0947) 541-4100.

Spean Bridge (Scotland, U.K.)

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Spean Bridge

Part of Scottish Highlands Tour

From the Three Sisters Viewpoint, another 45-min. (49.56 km.) drive brought us  to Spean Bridge, a small and attractive village This prominent landmark, visible from the A82, offers views across the River Spean valley to the peaks of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mòr to the south.

Check out “Three Sisters Viewpoint”

The village, nestled at the southern end of the Great Glen, was named for the Highbridge, over the River Spean, built by famed military road and bridge-builder Gen. George Wade in 1736 (only the piers now remain).

Mhor Health Pharmacy

This was believed to be the place of the first Jacobite Uprising action in 1745, called the Highbridge Skirmish, where a small force of 11 men and one piper, all Keppoch MacDonalds, fooled government troops into thinking the bridge was heavily defended. These forces were then reported to be chased to Loch Oich, at which place they then surrendered.  The village is best known for its iconic Commando Memorial.

Check out “Commando Memorial”

Spean Bridge Mill

During our short stopover, we dropped by Spean Bridge Mill which has a wide selection of knitwear, accessories and gifts.  Homemade food, tea and coffee is also available at the coffee shop.  The resident weaver there demonstrates his craft on impressive Hattersley Looms. The Whisky Shop beside it boasts over 150 different Scottish malts.

Spean Bridge Mill

Spean Bridge Mill: Station Rd, Spean Bridge PH34 4EP, United Kingdom Tel: +44 1397 712260.   E-mail: speanbridge@ewn.co.uk.

The Hairy Coo:  Suites 6 & 7, Administrative Office Only, St. John’s Studios, 46A Constitution St., Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6RS, United Kingdom.  Tel: +44 131 212 5026.  E-mail: contact@thehairycoo.com. Website: www.thehairycoo.com.

How to Get There: Spean Bridge is located around 15.1 kms. (9.4 mi., a 15-min. drive), via the A82, northeast of Fort William in the Scottish Highlands.

Deep Cove (North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

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Deep Cove

On afternoon of our 2th day in Vancouver, our whole family drove to Deep Cove to again escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a more relaxed, rural vibe.  Formerly known as Deepwater, this small but beautiful and picturesque local, waterfront-oriented West Coast village centre at the far eastern edge of the District of North Vancouver, within Say Nuth Khaw Yum Provincial Park (formerly called Indian Arm Park), was just a short and easy, 15-km. (25-min.) drive away from our place.

Panorama Park

As it was a weekend, Panorama Park, a picnic shelter, large grassy lawns on a hill and a popular children’s play area slightly to the north of the shops and restaurants, was packed and it was some time before we found a parking spot as well as a suitable, shady spot on the grass for our late picnic lunch.

Picnicking at Panorama Park

Bounded by the Seymour community to the west, and the wilderness forests of the North Shore mountains, Deep Cove, is on the southern end of the Indian Arm, (its proper First Nation’s name is Sleilwaut or Səl̓ilw̓ət), the southernmost glacial fiord in Canada which is over 20 kms. (12 mi.) long. And if you head just a few kilometers (1.8 mi.) further south, you’ll hit the Burrard Inlet which separates the city of Vancouver from North Vancouver.

Deep Cove Marina

Home to world-class recreation opportunities for locals and visitors alike, it is one of the most scenic spots in the Lower Mainland and is one of the few in Indian Arm which has both a sheltering shape and the shallow bottom required for overnight anchorage of pleasure vessels. The Deep Cove area includes, besides Deep Cove village, Cove Cliff, Dollarton, and Indian Arm neighborhoods.

Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Center

Deep Cove (or simply “The Cove” as the locals say it), home to some of North Vancouver’s and the entire Lower Mainland’s most expensive real estate, is a wonderful place for walks and hikes or simply to enjoy the views, with a couple of nice parks along the waterfront which, on Friday evenings in the summer, plays host to free live music concerts.  The village’s “downtown” consists primarily of a single street lined with restaurants, an ice cream parlor or two, coffee shops, unique boutiques and galleries.

Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Center

Deep Cove is host to a number of interesting events each year, including the following:

  • Penguin Plunge– a New Year’s swim outdoors in the frigid waters takes place every January 1st in the early afternoon. About 300 participants take part each year, with many of them in costumes.
  • Summer Concerts at Panorama Park– free live outdoor concerts take place in the village on Friday evenings in the summer. (Similar concerts are offered elsewhere in North Vancouver on the same day as well, including in Lynn Valley and Edgemont Village.)
  • Carol Ships Shoreline Celebration– a winter holiday event with a community bonfire, music and boats with Christmas lights in December.

Kayaks by the beach

You’ll also be hard pressed to find a better place to do kayaking, boating, canoeing or stand up paddle boarding and, since we also brought the two inflatable paddleboards, Bryan and Kyle did stand up paddleboarding up Indian Arm at the sheltered bay (also called Deep Cove).  As it was summer, there were also kayaks, paddle boards and canoes that can be rented at a rental shop (Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Center) to the south. Beyond is more parkland.

Bryan and Kyle on their inflatable paddle board

Deep Cove’s sandy beach was small but nice for swimming. In town, a paved pathway runs all along the water, with Deep Cove’s pier and the marina in the middle.

Deep Cove: District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

How to Get There: From Vancouver, take the #211 bus from Burrard Station in central downtown.  The trip takes about 50 minutes in total.

Granville Island (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

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Granville Island

The 14 hectare (35-acre) Granville Island, a peninsula (originally used by the Musqueam First Nations as a fishing area)and shopping district in the Fairview neighborhood, across False Creek from Downtown Vancouver, is under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge.

Granville Island Ferry Dock

Granville Island Marina

In the 20th century, the peninsula was an industrial manufacturing area named after Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville. Technically a sandspit and not an island, the neighborhood sits just south of the downtown peninsula, right under the Granville Bridge.

Artsclub Theater Company

Waterfront Theatre

The Improv Centre

It includes a public market, an marina, a hotel, the False Creek Community Centre, as well as various performing arts theatres including the Arts Club Theatre Company, Carousel Theatre, Arts Umbrella, Axis Theatre Company, Boca Del Lupo, Carousel Theatre for Young People, Ruby Slippers Production Company, and the Vancouver Theatre Sports League.

Cheska and Grace strolling along Duranleau Street

Jandy, Grace and Cheska at Tap & Barrel – Bridges Restaurant

Granville Island was used as the finale of the film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011). The Vancouver International Children’s Festival, the Vancouver Fringe Festival and the Vancouver Writers Fest are all held here.

Festival House

Gallery

One of the best ways to get to Granville Island is one of the adorable mini-tugboat ferries that crisscross False Creek. False Creek Ferries and Aquabus, favorites among young and old, provide ferry service from Granville Island to Downtown Vancouver, Yaletown, False Creek, the West End, and Vanier Park.

Boat Rentals

Waterbike Rental

Other water transportation options include a water taxi service to Bowen Island provided by English Bay Launch. WESTCOAST Sightseeing and Vancouver Trolley Hop-On, Hop-Off services both have stops located at Granville Island.

Artisan District

Artisan District

Between 1998 and 2011, the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway operated between Granville Island and Science World. The streetcar is now permanently shut down.

The old streetcar tracks. The railway between Granville Island and Olympic Village Station was discontinued in 2012 after the City of Vancouver decided to end its $100,000 annual subsidy for the volunteer-related service. For 15 years, it ran on weekends and holidays, from May to October, carrying 133,000 passengers over its lifespan.

Once you’re there, the biggest attraction on Granville Island is the year-round Granville Island Public Market.  For the food-focused, a walking tour of the market can be a great way to get an insider’s insight.

Granville Island Public Market

Established in 1979 as a location where farmers and other food vendors could sell to consumers, it operates in an enclosed facility where customers can purchase, in endless rows of stalls, fresh produce, meat, smoked salmon, exclusive teas, gourmet foods, baked goods, seafood, cheeses and other products, many locally sourced.

Granville Island Public Market

Attracting both local residents and tourists, the market generally has 50 vendors including retail food vendors that sell a range of items from Mexican, Asian, Greek and deli food to candy and snacks. The market includes a “kids market” designed for children.

Tap & Barrel – Bridges Restaurant

My Island Cafe

Often described as a “food lover’s paradise,” an impromptu picnic is easily picked up between vendors offering cheese, charcuterie, bread and fresh produce. The popular food court, at the end of the market building, is where you’ll find something casual but already put together. If you prefer restaurants, there are some great restaurants offering seafood down there and there’s nothing like dining by the waterfront.

Dalbergia Wood and Fine Objects

Amy Stewart Art and Shira Gold Photography

The area is home to an artisan sake maker (the first in Canada), a spirits distillery, and two breweries.  Granville Island Brewing Co. is the name of a beer company which originated on Granville Island in 1984, but whose main base of operations was moved to Kelowna, British Columbia, some time later.

Granville Island Brewing

JN Glass

In 2009 it was purchased by Molson’s Brewery and continues to brew small batches of its varieties at the Granville Island brewing original site, and offers beer tasting and tours of their brewing facilities.

Pressure Group 6 (1982) by Barry Cogswell. A Corrosion-resistant weathering steel sculpture along path S.E. of Community Center

Ocean Concrete is the longest-established tenant on the island, having set up shop there in 1917. In 2014, OSGEMEOS (Portuguese for THE TWINS), consisting of brother duo Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo, revamped the concrete silos with their ongoing mural project, ‘Giants’.

Materna Ceramics Studio

The Liberty Distillery

Canada’s only hammock shop, the Hamuhk Hangout Place, has been operating on Granville Island since 1995.In the early 1900s, Granville Island was home to factories, plants and sawmills. Things are a little different today—Granville Island is both a locals’ favorite and a huge draw for visitors. The Granville Island Public Market acts as a hub of activity, but it’s also one of the city’s most important cultural districts with theatres, artisan workshops and craft studios.

Railspur Park Playground

Granville Island, with a mix of unique crafts, skilled artisans, outdoor outfitters and deluxe gourmet stores, is one of the best places in the city to purchase souvenirs for back home. At the Net Loft Building, check out the stores for First Nations artworks, B.C. wines, and other unique gifts.

S&R Apron Co.

Performance Works

Along Railspur Alley and the far end of the island, you can peek into artisan studios where glassblowers, potters, jewellers and even a broom maker ply their crafts.  Outside of the market, catch a show at one of the many theatres on the island, browse an art gallery show, or appeal to your outdoorsy side with a kayaking or paddleboarding tour.

Kids Market

Craft Council of British Columbia

Granville Island: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.Website: www.granvilleisland.com. Coordinates: 49°16′15″N 123°08′03″W.

Pikes Place Market (Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.)

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Pike Place Market

After our lunch at Seafood City, Val, Danny and I continued on our way to the iconic Pike Place Market, Seattle’s most popular tourist destination and the 33rd most visited tourist attraction in the world, with more than 10 million annual visitors.  Overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront on Puget Sound, it is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers’ markets in the United States.

Opened on August 17, 1907, it is named after Pike Place, the central street which runs northwest from Pike Street to Virginia Street on the western edge of Downtown Seattle.  The market, serving as a place of business for many small farmers, craftspeople and merchants, is built on the edge of a steep hill and consists of several lower levels located below the main level.

Flower stands

Each level features seemingly endless rows of flower stands, a variety of unique shops such as antique dealers, comic book and collectible shops, small family-owned restaurants, and one of the oldest head shops in Seattle. The upper street level contains wader-clad fishmongers, farm fresh produce stands and craft stalls operating in the covered arcades.

High school batchmates Val Sagado, Danny Macaventa and the author at Pikes Place Market

Home to nearly 500 residents who live in eight different buildings throughout the Market, the market’s mission and founding goal is allowing consumers to “Meet the Producer.”  Year-round, local farmers and craftspeople sell in the arcades from tables they rent, on a daily basis, from the Market.

Cheese Box

In the past, most of these buildings have been low-income housing.  However, some of them, such as the Livingston Baker apartments, no longer offers these. The Market is run by the quasi-government Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA). The first Starbucks store, founded in 1971 originally at its location at 2000 Western Ave., moved, in 1977, one block away to 1912 Pike Place where it has been in continuous operation ever since.

Check out “Pike Place Starbucks Store”

Sosio’s Produce

Val directed me to the Pike Place Fish Market, one of the Market’s major attractions, where employees threw three-foot long salmon and other fish to each other rather than passing them by hand. This tradition started when the fishmongers got tired of having to walk out to the Market’s fish table to retrieve a salmon each time someone ordered one.

Pure Food Fish Market

The owner realized it was easier to station an employee at the table and, when a customer orders a fish, an employee at the Fish Market’s ice-covered fish table picks up the fish and hurls it over the countertop, where street buskers catches it and preps it for sale.

Pit Bar-B-ue

This attraction of the flying fish has appeared in an episode of Frasier, the television sitcom  that was shot on location.  It has also been featured on The Learning Channel (TLC) and the opening credits of MTV‘s The Real World: Seattle. When the Seahawks host games at nearby CenturyLink Field, this attraction also appears on numerous prime-time installments of NFL games.

Oriental Market

A taste of the Philippines can be found at Oriental Mart, a three-generation, family-owned business. A mainstay of the Market opened in 1971 by Milagros Apostol, it has an 18-seat lunch counter, operated by Leila “Ate Lei’ Apostol (Milagros’ daughter), serving up a selection of award-winning authentic Filipino cuisine and other novelties such as the salmon collar sinigang and her “Do You Trust Me Plate.”

Ulis Bierstube

Pike Place Market: 1st Ave. and Pike St., Seattle, Washington 98101, USA.  Tel: (206) 682-7453. Website: www.pikeplacemarket.org. Coordinates: 47°36′34″N 122°20′30″W.

Stress Relief at Cartimar Shopping Center (Pasay City, Metro Manila)

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Cartimar Shopping Center

Save for two trips to Robinson’s Supermarket (just a 4-km. drive away) for groceries, it’s been six months since I’ve been out of the house (the last time attending a wake on March 10) due to the COVID 19 lockdown which started last March 17. During that time, all the fishes in my aquarium slowly died, necessitating a return visit to Cartimar Pet Center in Pasay City, the famed Divisoria of the animal kingdom and the place to go to if you’re looking for a new pet, whether it be swimming in a tank or crawling on all fours. My son-in-law Bryan and I drove there in afternoon, exploring the area wearing the mandatory face mask and shield.

During the lockdown, pets act as a buffer against psychological stress, proving to be a lifesaver for many, providing companionship, consistency and even joy.  This pet complex, a one-stop shop for pet owners, is a must-visit for any animal lover.

My aquarium restock with carp

The aquatic pet stores offer plenty of fish breeds for everyone, both freshwater (arowanas, mollies, goldfish, guppies, auratus, discus, tetras, barbs, koi, flowerhorns, cichlids, angelfish, betas (Siamese fighting fish), gouramis, platies, swordtails, etc.) and saltwater (tangs, wrasses, angelfish, triggerfish, clownfish, butterflyfish, groupers, etc.) plus the aquarium tanks to house them, fish food (live worns, pellets, flakes, etc.), aerators, lights and the coral, sand, plants (plastic or the real thing), driftwood and rocks to decorate it.

Freshwater aquarium fishes

There’s also a good selection of pet shops where you can buy dogs (German Shepherds, chow chow, mini pinscher, etc.), rabbits, birds (parakeets, doves, etc.), hamsters, pythons, gerbils, Siamese cats, Malaysian box turtles (I still take care of two of these), Guinea pigs, etc.

Bryan’s aquariums now home to goldfish, mollies, beta and guppies. He is now into breeding the latter three

During the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), there were concerns that pet shops left the animals unattended.  However, pet shop owners said that, although their shop was closed due to the lockdown, they still have caretakers inside to take care of the animals.

Pet birds in cages

The majority of the shops carry pet products like pet food (in kilo or in sacks), pet shampoos, newborn milk substitute, pet toys, toys, vitamins, flea powder and carriers as well as cheap accessories for pets like cages, water bottles, leashes, nest boxes, food, cuttle bone, and collars. There are even veterinarian clinics and pet grooming hubs.

Pet rabbits for sale

We get stress-relieving benefits from being around plants.  On the other side of the complex is the Cartimar Plant Market, a a place filled with stores where, also in the past and present, we bought flowering plants, succulents, orchids, shrubs, herbs, planters, seeds, seedlings, trees, ferns and gardening supplies (pots, fertilizer, topsoil, etc.). Today, more and more people are buying plants while in quarantine.

The Plant Market

During the 6-month lockdown, public transport virtually stopped making biking a viable, sustainable and environmentally-friendly transport option during the pandemic – and beyond.  Two months into the lockdown, bicycle shops started running out of cheaper models of mountain bikes. Today, transport advocates are now pushing for the installation of proper bicycle lanes and infrastructure in Metro Manila and beyond. Cycling also fits the criteria for social distancing to prevent the further spread of the virus.

Cheska’s original 2-decade old bike bought from Cartimar which I now use

Cartimar, cycling’s original melting pot, is thus that place you go to if you’re looking to finally get that brand new city, commuter or mountain bike (Felt, Cube, Scott, Momum, Abloc, Velopac, Velotoze, etc.) or service your existing bike or buy parts.It became the go-to place for bikes in the 1990s.

Bikes for sale

The first bike I bought for my daughter Cheska was bought in this bike mecca for biking enthusiasts and hardcore cyclists.  It’s still being used (by me) to this very day. Big bike shops here, accommodating any level of cyclists, include VeloCity, Ross and Paulina’s.

Cartimar, sitting on 2.5 hectares of land bounded by Taft Avenue in front and Leveriza Street at the back, was opened in 1956, two years before I was born and when rock n’ roll was just starting to fill the airwaves. The country’s first successful shopping center, Cartimar, housing over 1,000 stalls and stores in 8 buildings, was managed by Ernesto Oppen at the time of its inauguration.

Early photo of Cartimar Shopping Center (photo: www.ymail.com)

It got its name from the first names of Ernesto’s parents-in-law CARlos Cuyugan and his wife TImotea Lichauco-Cuyugan, and his only daughter MARgarita “Nuning” Cuyugan-Oppen.  Margarita is the chairperson of Cartimar and mother to Cartimar board president Antonio C. Oppen and its secretary and treasurer Alejandro C. Oppen.

Even for a Saturday, business was slow

When this shopping center sprung up in Pasay, shopping in the Philippines was never the same again. In the 1960s, wealthy Makati residents frequented the place for fresh fish and produce. In the late 1970s and throughout 1980s, Cartimar was the “Greenhills” of shopping addicts as it was the place to go when one has a craving for imported PX goods, with stalls selling the best of what the world has to offer – designer jeans (Levis, Wrangler, etc.), shirts, rubber sneakers, chocolates, perfumes, etc. as well as espadrilles and topsiders to the trendy lot. All these goodies can be found in Cartimar.  Parking then was along the 12 m. wide Cartimar Avenue.  However, unlike with bikes and pets, sales of imported goods hasn’t pick up during the lockdown.

Since then, a new Cartimar wet market building has been added, right across the road from the old one.  The three-storey structure has a ground floor allotted for the market plus the upper two serving as parking space, convenient now as, in the past, scoring a parking slot here has always been a gamble. The market, arranged by row, starts with fruits and vegetables at the front, then transitioning to pork and beef, and eventually ending with fish and fowl. The poultry stalls offer free-range chickens, black chickens and ducks.

The shopping center’s fire truck

There are also grocery stores that provide a wide range of selection of imported Asian (Korean, Japanese and Chinese) goods at reasonable rates.  Tiong Hwa sells mostly soy-based products such as taho, tokwa, soya milk, etc.. The New Hatchin Japanese Grocery Store sells coveted Japanese goods (bento boxes, Kikkoman, wasabi, uni, maki, chopsticks, nato, sea weed, etc.) whether inanimate or organic or in bulk, as well as takoyaki.  A Savemore grocery store, with a pharmacy (Watson’s) within, is also located here

A pet grooming center

Cartimar Shopping Center, Flea Market and Pet Store: Cartimar Ave. cor. Taft  Ave., District I, Pasay City 1300, Metro Manila.  Tel:  +63 (02) 8 831-2261, +63 (02) 8 831-1303, +63 (02) 8 833-7826, +63 (02) 8 831-1141 and +63 (02) 8 831-8425. Mobile number: (0906) 361-8142. Open daily, 10 AM – 8 PM. E-mail (general manager: Jaime Genota): jgenota@yahoo.com. Website: www.cartimar.com.ph.

How to Get There: Cartimar can be accessed by taking the LRT to Gil Puyat station, then riding a jeep going to Libertad or Baclaran. You can then ask the jeepney driver to drop you off in Cartimar. Similarly, you can take the LRT to Libertad, and ride a jeepney going to Gil Puyat (i.e. reverse).