I’m currently on vacation in Europe and this month also marks my seventh year in Vancouver. To celebrate, I’m highlighting a few things I’d miss about Vancouver if I moved away:

I work in Gastown, so I’m there a lot. Gastown has changed a lot over the years and continues its transformation.

Lately, there’s been an influx of small hip boutiques and lifestyle stores, but it still manages to maintain its historic charm.

Gastown is also home to tons of restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs making it a vibrant nigh time hub.

Gastown is a popular tourist site, throngs of tourists pass through its cobbled streets every day.

The most notable attraction is the Gastown Steam Clock, and although I don’t quite get the appeal of the clock, I like that that it plays the Westminster Chimes every fifteen minutes.

There is a trendy hipster-favourite ‘wine bar’ off a dodgy, urine soaked alley way which I think is the perfect analogy to Gastown.

I’ll definitely miss Gastown’s quirks and gems if I ever moved away.