Even though Vancouver is only a few hundred years old, there is a heck of a lot of history, much of which is bound to raise a brow or two. To get a better idea, watch the above video featuring Chris Mathieson from the Vancouver Police Centennial Museum as he offers a small sampling of what to expect in one of his fascinating “Sins of the City Walking Tours.”

A unique two-hour must-see for anyone wanting to learn about the edgier side of this great city, the 10-block tour on foot leads you through the oldest parts of Vancouver as Chris regales you with stories about:

* Bootleggers, prohibition, and the often quirky evolution of liquor laws (and their enforcement) in the city
* The development of the early drug trade and the surprising Vancouver origins of Canada’s narcotic laws
* Racial and labour tension boiling over into demonstrations, riots and murder
* The evolution of the sex trade, from brothels to streetwalkers
* The city’s considerable predilection for gambling

Pick a topic: Drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling and there will be something worth discussing. It would also be very worthwhile to discuss the origins of the phrase “skid row” with Chris; our Downtown Eastside is a classic example, especially when you look at its early history.

Previous to working at the Police Museum, Chris worked in Chinatown and gave tours of that area, discussing the history of the early Cantonese immigrant community. Although he sometimes alluded to the brothels, opium dens and gambling houses that used to be there, he didn’t get to cover them in any detail. Once he started his new job, the topic seemed like a perfect fit for the Police Museum. And, of course, it’s just darned sexy stuff!

The Police Museum has always been relatively unknown to those who live in Vancouver, but the tourist guidebooks (like Frommers and Lonely Planet) consistently rate it as one of the best and most interesting museums in the city. Tourists have definitely found this tour appealing (thanks in part to an international surge in so-called “black tourism”), but locals also seem to be keen on learning more about their own city’s naughty past, particularly when we have such a squeaky clean appearance.

Chris says that back then, men greatly outnumbered women in Vancouver, which is why brothels weren’t just about sex. Men went to a brothel to smoke cigars, drink brandy and hear some music. It was about finding the comforts of home and sometimes that included the services of a woman. The city’s first madam was named Birdie Stewart, who opened a brothel at the corner of Water and Abbott streets. But as the neighbourhood grew, the community forced her to move. A cream-coloured building on Alexander Street was a hospital before it became a brothel and then a rooming house, which it remains today.

“Ohhh! That’s why things are that way!” is the most common reaction. Often, people will walk down the street and see things, but not really understand them. Why are there separate “Gentlemen’s” and “Women with Escorts” entrances into the old hotel bars? Why is Vancouver so casual when it comes to marijuana? Why do we have government-run liquor stores? Why are there so many rumours of tunnels under Chinatown?

There really are too many misconceptions to recount. A few include: That Vancouver is a quaint seaside city with a quiet and boring history (the tour proves otherwise!), that the issues of the Downtown Eastside are a recent phenomenon (they’ve been there for 120 years), that there was a large system of tunnels in Chinatown (ummm… no!), that Vancouver is and always has been a multicultural city (we’ve actually been pretty profoundly racist for much of our history)…the list is long.

The Downtown Eastside and Gastown are the oldest (and some of the most beautiful) neighbourhoods in Vancouver. Chris doesn’t go down Hastings Street on his tour, as it can be a bit chaotic; the majority of the tour happens on quiet streets that are perfectly safe during the day. He’s not had an incident and honestly doesn’t expect one (part of this tour is about busting the reputation of the Downtown Eastside; there’s so much more to it than Hastings and Main).

Now in its second year, Sins of the City Walking Tours are led by Chris himself, rain or shine, every Friday and Saturday from 4 - 6 PM throughout the summer. All tours depart from the museum, which is located at 240 E. Cordova St, Vancouver.

The cost is $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. This includes tax, as well as admission to the museum on the day of the tour. There is no age limit set, but this is definitely a tour for adults. A few cool parents have brought their teenagers, but this is definitely racy material.

Reservations are required 24 hours in advance by calling 604.665.3346 or emailing programs@vancouverpolicemuseum.ca. Chris can accommodate up to 30 people per tour, and can do tours at custom times and days for groups of 10 or more at a discounted price, regardless of the season. For more info, visit www.vancouverpolicemuseum.ca