The outward-bound nature of the place is happily countered by a laid-back vibe — this is the West Coast after all — where pockets of hippie counterculture exists with counterculture of the consumer variety.

Jen looking out over Vancouver from Seymour Mountain

With all the tension and negative press regarding gang violence, isn’t nice to stop for a moment and realize that we still live an enviable life in one of the world’s most remarkable settings?

Read CNN’s take on Vancouver here