Stanley Park

One drawback aboot (yes, that's Canadian for about..) having a small crew here is that we end up working some pretty long days. The first week seemed like we were going a minimum of 12 hours every day, and one day I turned in a 17-hour shift... It's not like it's hard labor, but one drawback is that it leaves less time to actually get a taste of other things to see and do. Strangely enough, my first real opportunity to get out and wander came after Butch headed to Florida for the Tiger Woods circus. We were a man down, but the schedule was kind -- only four medal events on the day he was away, only one of significance, and that wasn't starting until almost noon. So, I decided to take the morning to wander, with Stanley Park my destination.

Stanley Park is, in a word, massive. Just a few blocks from the downtown core of Vancouver, you'll find a tranquil 1,000-acre park that has extensive running and bike paths, majestic hemlock, cedar and fir trees, plenty of wildlife, and terrific views of downtown Vancouver, the Lion's Gate Bridge, and various surrounding areas.
Stanley Park is named after Lord Stanley Preston, who was Governor-General of Canada in the late 1800's. Sure enough, he's the same fella the NHL's Stanley Cup is named after. Hockey is big in Canada, eh.. So are the red mittens adorning the statue above. They are without a doubt the hottest item at the Olympics. Just $10 for a pair, they're all the rage and I've had several requests to pick a few up...
The totem poles in the park. They're just one of the numerous sights at Stanley Park, along with Deadman's Island, Siwash Rock, Beaver Lake, Lost Lagoon, the seawall, the Aquarium, the Brockton Oval for rugby and cricket matches, the Brockton Point Lighthouse and the 9 o'clock cannon.

I walked the seawall for a while and then branched off into the forest to wander the paths through the huge trees that stretched as high as 250 feet and were hundreds of years old. I spent about 2 1/2 hours walking and only saw a small portion of the park..

I finished off my walk at the Lost Lagoon, where kids were feeding the water fowl and old men were playing golf at a pitch-and-putt course that I was inextricably drawn to.. Still hoping to sneak a round of Canadian golf in, if possible, but definitely plan to get back to see more of Stanley Park. Butch has spent a few early mornings running the seawall, but not being a runner myself I found a nearby place to rent bikes -- that's my plan for the next free morning, when I'll attempt to loop the entire park.