Travel Postcard: 48 hours in post-Olympics Vancouver

VANCOUVER - You watched the Winter Olympics and Paralympics on television and are curious about the host city Vancouver.

If backdrop scenes you saw during the Games already looked familiar, that's because Vancouver is North America's third largest film production center, nicknamed "Hollywood North."

Not too cold in the winter. Not too hot in the summer. Always wise to keep an eye out for rain.

Got some time to spare and want to check out the city on Canada's Pacific coast? Reuters correspondents with local knowledge have some tips for a 48-hour visit:

FRIDAY

6:30 p.m. - On arrival at the Vancouver International airport, or "YVR" as most people call it, you should take a moment to glance at the artwork. Bill Reid's sculpture The Jade Canoe shows why the late Haida artist's works are so cherished.

The Spirit of Haida Gwaii is a monumental sculpture in bronze: 6.05 m long, 3.9 m high, 3.5 m wide and weighing 4900 kg.

Head into the city on the Canada Line. The rapid transit opened just before the Winter Games and got positive reviews for handling the Olympic-sized crowds.

8 p.m. - Plenty of options for dinner in Vancouver. Two places that got good marks from visiting Olympic correspondents were Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse, which has a regional flare, and the Joey's Restaurant in the Bentall One Center.

In keeping with the reputation of the man whose name we adopted, Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House has achieved legendary status in Vancouver.

They are both close to the Robson Street retail area if you need to walk the calories off. Grab a copy of the Georgia Straight newspaper to see what music acts are rolling into town. Shows at the Commodore Ballroom are always fun.