Seeing Beauty In Unpopular Places. Strolls Around Vancouver. BC- Most Beautiful State of North America

in art •  6 years ago 

I think I live in the most beautiful city in the world. Yes, Vancouver. Not the one in States, nobody knows that village, but THE ONE in the world famous British Columbia.

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One of my Vancouver cityscapes. The real thing is better of course:)

Vancouver is indeed the most beautiful city I ever visited. And I have visited hundreds of them. Sure, it rains a lot, but at least we're not freezing our limbs off in winter like the guys on the East coast. West coast is where the real beauty is, anyone with half functioning brain can see that. Why? Because we have it all- high mountains and beautiful beaches. East coast sucks. Either it's freezing cold or sweaty and flat like Florida. Never understood why anyone would love Florida. I am happy I sold the house I used to own there (Cape Coral fyi..). California beats the ass of Florida big time an any time.
And well, British Columbia beats the ass of any state in North America, by a frikin yaaaaaard stick! :)

Check this out fellas, if you don't believe me, and I ain't even posting anything outside Vancouver, which is just countless mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, endless forests and ocean inlets:

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View from Grouse Mountain. One of the many places right in Vancouver where you can ski (get a $3 public bus to get there in no time)

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Wherever in Vancouver you are, you are spoiled by ocean and mountain views. Typically both at the same time.
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The seawall is curvy and literally endless. Goes around all beaches and they are many. Unlike California or other coasts, Vancouver is composed of islands and peninsulas, so you got TONS of waterfronts, not just one straight line.

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Summer in famous Kits beach

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Logs, typical Vancouver beach scene.

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And of course, the famous nudist beach- Wreck beach. Hidden behind a cliff and a long stairway through the pristine old forest. Love that place!

ALL ABOVE IMAGES COURTESY OF GOOGLE

Vancouver is one of the rare gems where you can ski on the glacier (even in summer) and swim in the ocean in one day. And you can squeeze a downhill mountain bike ride in between if you like.

But when I paint Vancouver, I sometimes like painting scenes that do not typically attract that much attention. I walk or bike and I see mundane places, sometimes industrial places, that shine beauty in their own particular way.

I would like to show you some of those "B-side" scenes today.

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Old depot (Mill machinery) in Olympic village, on 1st AVE, will disappear probably soon. I like the ragged beauty of it.

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This is a small study of a metal scrape yard in the industrial part around Clark Drive and 1st AVE. I see beauty even in that, in a particular way.

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One winter night, as I walked up William street to Commercial Drive, I admired the view across Britannia Elementary school, all the way to Grouse Mountain....

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Corner store at the end of Chinatown (Gore and Georgia) and beginning of Strathcona neighborhood. Love that place!

I think there is beauty in everything. To be honest, I take this statement to the extreme, because I see beauty even in the real bad back alleys of Downtown Eastside, filled with junkies and piss smelling dump walls. It must be the artist in me. The shapes and reflections of light, and shadows cast from the random array of power wires over the rain covered broken asphalt roads....I think it has its own magic.

I hope you liked my B-sides and that I motivated you to move to Vancouver! Hey rent is not cheap but food is way cheaper and WAAAAAAAAAAAY better than anywhere else in north America (especially the crazy country down south...is it USA still or USSA already? :D)

Much Love to all, and don't take my jokes personally please ;)

Thank you for reading, commenting and upvoting!

Peace,

Jan
follow @jankasparec

Found you! :-)
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I am so blessed to be able to visit the most beautiful city in the world Vancouver, many times a year.
I really never even thought of Vancouver being the most beautiful city in the world, since I have not seen many big cities myself.
I knew that Vancouver is very beautiful but now I see it in a different perspective hearing from someone who has traveled a lot.

We have a lot of family in Vancouver and my son plays a lot of soccer tournaments there, and we absolutely love visiting the beautiful city.

Maybe one day we will run into each other. That would be so cool.

That’s great to hear @joalvarez. Yes lemme know next time you’re here. Btw my close buddy runs the best soccer school for kids in Vancouver. Www.volfsoccer.com . You should get a trial training with him he’s a superstar!

Wow. That would be so cool to meet him and try it out.
I checked the website and it looks amazing, but I think it said up to age 13 and my son is almost 16.
But I did send them an email about it and all the other questions.

I really, really appreciate that @jankasperec.
That is very cool.

i loved vancuover:-)

  ·  6 years ago (edited)

Vancouver is indeed beautiful with the pictures you posted here, cheaper food in beautiful places makes it more interesting and unique.. I wish I could visit Vancouver to experience all you mentioned

Put it on your vision board and make it happen bro!

marvelous photography @jankasparec . good job.Thanks for sharing. very enjoyable.

  ·  6 years ago (edited)

Man, that view from Grouse Mountain is gorgeous! I especially loved the paintings of Old Depot and the Corner Store. Vancouver seems like heaven!
How do you paint them? Is it memory or by taking a photograph maybe?

I take a photo when I go past. Sometimes I take a day off and go photo hunting for scenes that inspire me. Thank you!

That's a cool idea, then you'll have both a beautiful photograph as well as a painting haha!

I have been there and I love the city! We hired a tandem bike and cycled along the sea! I have actually written a blog about that here on steemit! Btw, beautiful paintings! :)

Biking the sea wall is the best in Vancouver! I never tried tandem bike but it must be so much fun 😊 I see lots of them around! Thank you

wow...hear some great photography and art....i like it....i hope everybody like your post...thanx for shear it

  ·  6 years ago Reveal Comment

What a beautiful city, thank you @jankasparec for teaching us a little of the beauty of Vancouver. Someday I hope to go there!

Crossing fingers fo you ! 🤞

i agree with you.its a nice photography.
thanks a lot for sharing..

Yes you are right. This photos shows us you live most beautiful city. I want to visit Vancouver. Great post.

Thank you for show us beuty of the city

I wish i could visit Vancouver . From the pictures posted here, it is easily deduced that Vancouver is heaven on earth.

I'm with you. If I could afford it I'd move over the mountains.... I love Vancouver so much. The Lynn Valley is one of my fave haunts.

Lynn valley is a total gem. I painted up there , actually down in the river bed 😁

This is great article and wonderful artwork sir. it is really work
Thanks this post @jankasparec
Have a great day

$0.00Reply Edit

The view from the top of the ski resort is amazing, my favorite piece is the corner store, I like them all but that's my favorite! I wonder why most all the people at the nudist beach are wearing clothes? You know what they say, when in Rome...

Wonderful work! I am an urbansketchers too i love stroling around sketching a city even its my own hometown because theres always something new to see everyday when you are out with your papers and drawing tools! Great works you have here! :)

You make me want to move there now!

Vancouver is a amazing and beautiful city I have been so far! Can't wait to live in this nice place very soon :) Btw last pic is awesome! Who took it for you haha :D

As a resident of BC I must say, and not to pick apart your post everything about it rings true, except not once did you mention that b.c exists as a province in the beautiful country of Canada 🇨🇦 Haha followed though!

great photos