Stanley Park and watching lions

Stanley Park is a municipal area in the middle of Vancouver.  It is a huge area of both developed parkland, and original woodland.  I won't go into all the facts and figures about it, you can read about all that here, however it is around 1000 acres in area.

As far as I'm aware there is no formal residential development in the park, although there are a few places to eat, visitor centers etc. Surrounding much of the park is water, and much of this coast is fringed with beaches imaginatively named first, second, and third beach.  When I went there was a very hot spell, and the sand was being well used.  Be aware that there seems to be a liberal attitude to clothing so if nudity offends you then try to look at the horizon and enjoy the mountain vistas if you visit.  Vancouver is a city of cyclists, and although there often are separate paths for walkers, and bikers, it's as well to keep your wits about you.  Remember UK folks, it's drive on the right here!

Around Vancouver, and the parts of British Columbia I visited, there is a growing recognition of the aboriginal history of the area.  A lot of the place names are now displayed in English, and in some of the other local languages.  In Stanley Park there are some references to ancient legends and customs such as Siwash Rock, and the totem park

In addition there are more contemporary artworks such as the "Girl in a Wetsuit" statue.  You can of course enjoy a horse drawn carriage around the park.

One of the things my brother was keen for me to see was the spectacle of a Canadian Football game.  Now for the record this is not the same as American football, although there are similarities.  I can't pretend to know the rules, but here is a wiki break down of the game.  As you might imagine if you have seen either sport on the television this is an event full of razzmatazz. The local team, the BC Lions were up against Calgary.  With Canada being so huge I gather it is unusual for many of the away teams supporters to gather.  Consequently much of the stadium was bedecking in orange.

Local and national pride are much in evidence, from the entrance to of the team via large inflatable lions mouth, complete with a guard of honour by the energetic Felions cheerleaders, to the singing of the national anthem with massive flag, and recognition given to the emergency services.

 The game itself is a mixture of fast paced action, interspersed with many periods of stoppage.  Fortunately in these periods the crowd is still entertained with things like the Kiss Cam, games for fans to win prizes on the pitch, and of course the routines by the cheerleaders.  All in all it was an amazing experience, with the game often becoming an interesting sideshow to the rest of the action going on in the stadium.  Sadly the local team lost on this occasion, but for me it didn't really matter, what was important was being there, and seeing Canadians enjoy a sport they clearly love.