Stanley Park - A must-see in VanCity

At Stanley Park, Vancouver.  The Lions Gate Bridge is in the background.

 One of the first places I visited when I arrived in Canada was Stanley Park.  We were living a couple of hours away from the city back then.  I remember D didn't tell me where he was taking me so all I knew was that we were going to the city.  I had seem lots of pictures of Stanley Park and I happen to be a sucker for coastal cities landscapes so visiting Stanley Park was first in my list of places to visit in Vancouver.  

Stanley Park was officially opened in 1888 and at the same time the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation was created.  This park was Vancouver's first official green space.  Today is the third largest urban park in North America and is definitely one of the best urban parks in the world.

The Park extends 1,000 acres near downtown Vancouver.  It has two beaches where you can swim and a lake, Beaver Lake, where actual beavers live and work.  Another landmark of the park is the Hollow Tree.   The area of the park was logged in the past and this huge and hollow stomp is a reminder of that.   People love to have their picture taken next to the stump to show its size.  You can check some images here.

Stanley Park has a lot of trails but probably the most famous one is the Seawall with its 8.8 km.  You can enjoy a spectacular view of the city, the water, and the big commercial ships in the background while you walk or ride a bike on this trail .  On one end of the Seawall you will find some nice swimming pools you might want to jump into during the Summertime.  I still haven't tried any of the forest trails but if you have limited time to visit  don't miss out on them. You can also practice several sports in the park besides the obvious jogging and cycling.  Tennis is one of them and you can check the rest of them clicking right here.

If you plan to go to Stanley Park it might be a good idea to get there on public transport.  You can leave your car parked in any of the city's Park and Ride spots.  We spent well over an hour to travel through the few last blocks to get to the park.   It was well worth it though. And also, check out the food venues; they are really good and some offer some pretty spectacular views as well. 

Stanley Park is a huge park.  You may want to bring some extra cash to get drinks and food.  But be ready to pay a bit more than regular price.

Here's a little video about Stanley Park

Mini Post - A Vancouver overpass on a rainy day

This is a different post.  It is kind of an intermission.  Today, we are hosting a very informal Christmas dinner with the family and we are counting down the minutes to it!

Yesterday, I got the coveted (by me anyways) front seat on the Vancouver Skytrain. This is the picture I like best from yesterday's rainy day. 

Metro Vancouver "Create Memories, Not Garbage" Campaign

Our modest Christmas tree.  We are trying not to create too much trash and literally throw our money in the garbage.

I am very pleased with Metro Vancouver's campaign Create Memories, Not Garbage.  For the last couple of weeks, every morning at the SkyTrain station I see an ad that portraits  John , a motorcycle gang rider kinda looking fella with a smile on his face and a halo over his head, who is treating Barb to the opera.  Bravissimo!, the ad reads because  he's creating memories, NOT garbage. This is one of the various ads giving people guilt-free, gift giving ideas.

The city has a point.  I mean how many of us really remember all the gifts we have gotten during Christmas?  What we remember is the memories, not the knickknacks.  Metro Vancouver is giving people some real nice gift giving ideas like dancing lessons, bungee jumping and cooking classes.  Not to mention the added benefits of creating jobs and keeping the money in the community. 
This is the first time I see a campaign like this one in a big city.  I wish Houston, the city I used to call home before,  had a campaign like this going on.  Metro Vancouver was spreading the same Christmas message last year to vancouverites.  I wonder if all major cities in Canada are doing the same.

You can check out MV website here for gift ideas that will turn you into a green angel.

Watch this before buying toys this Christmas

Thinking of buying a tree?