CHINESE GARDEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY

It was a rainy day and I was all by myself in this new city called Vancouver. I was supposed to meet two of my friends here, but they both missed their flights and couldn't get on another flight without paying exorbitant fees. So I was on my own in discovering this place and I was determined to check off as many places on my list as I could. One of those places was the Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden. I've never been to a Chinese garden before so I wasn't sure what to expect. And it was conveniently located in the middle of the city, specifically Chinatown, so I didn't have an excuse not to go. Once I stepped in, I honestly felt I was in a different place in the world. It felt authentic even though I couldn't compare it to a real Chinese garden since I've never been to one. I think the rain actually may have made the garden look even more wonderful. You can see this sight in less than an hour for sure, since it's not a big garden. But there can be a temptation to just sit, take in the scenery, and contemplate about life. It was definitely an experience I went into thinking would be lame, but pleasantly surprised it wasn't. There's also a guided tour available every 30 minutes that comes with your admission fee. None of the guides were available the weekday I went so I had a different staff member show me around briefly; and since I was the only one on this impromptu tour, it was like I had a private guide with me explaining the history behind the garden.