Arriving in Vancouver: Burgoo review

Less than 24 hours after touching down from Croatia and a quick turnaround and case swap at home, I set off to the airport again for a two week trip of a lifetime around Canada.

A long flight later we touched down in Vancouver full of anticipation to see the city that people kept telling me they would gladly live in.

We have friends who live there who were happy to put us up for a few days so the Carnivore was excited to see one of his oldest and best friends too.

We met at Rogue Bar in the waterfront station which had a great selection of beers to choose from and a lovely looking menu, although we didn't get to sample the food. In all bars and restaurants in Canada they always bring you water to start which seemed a good idea to me. It really reminds you to hydrate, keeps you full while you wait for your food and beverages and probably avoids people getting too wasted!

After three craft beers, lots of hugs and a very surreal feeling of travelling thousands of miles and seeing a friend from back home, we grabbed our suitcases and made our way to the seabus.

There was heavy cloud and a dampness to the air that smelled fresh and shrouded the mountains surrounding Vancouver in wisps of white, hiding the peaks fully from view. The trip to the North Shore was short but interesting, as the vibe gradually turned from downtown and industrial to alpine trees, mountains and trendy farmers markets.

First on the agenda was to meet our friend's wife and their adorable new baby for a bite to eat. Burgoo was exactly what we were looking for after a long flight. It had trendy New York vibe, with industrial lighting and booths for an intimate dining experience. The After School Special of Yummy Carrot soup and the best grilled cheese I think I've ever had, came highly recommended by our friends. The carnivores went for the clam chowder.

After a good feed it was back to their house for beers and catching up long into the night. The sound of the babbling creek and rain dripping on the huge trees running through the verdant national park at the foot of their garden providing a constant background soundtrack.

After a while the jet lag crept in like a heavy fog making our eyes misty and tired. We slept like the logs that Canada is so famous for that night.