Stanley Park

We have visited Stanley Park a few times since arriving in Vancouver. We still have plans to cycle the sea wall, visit the beaches, and explore the areas that we haven't yet seen.

One of my favourite things about visiting Stanley Park is looking back at Downtown across the water. There is something about the Vancouver skyline that I love.

Stanley Park is home to a variety of art. We took a walk one afternoon and decided to view a few pieces that Stanley Park is famous for. Unfortunately, Vancouver was still in the depths of winter and the rainy season, so we were accompanied by our yellow umbrella. I was focused more on staying dry than getting great photos. First on our list was the totem poles.

A plaque in front of the Totem poles states: 'The totem was the British Columbia Indian's coat of arms. Totem poles are unique to the north west coast of B. C. and lower Alaska. They were carved from Western Red Cedar and each carving tells of a real of mythical event. They were not idols, nor were they worshipped. Each carving on each pole has a meaning. The eagle represents the kingdom of the air. The whale, the lordship of the sea. The wolf, the genius of the land. And the frog, the transitional link between land and sea.'

Next to the totem poles is the statue 'Shore to Shore' by artist Ts'uts'umutl Luke Marston. The statue depicts Portuguese Joe aka. Joe Silvey (Marston's great, great grandfather) and his indigenous wives.

Each carving on the bronze statue represents part of the story of Portuguese Joe and the life he led with his first wife Khaltinaht and, after she died of tuberculosis in her 30s, with his second wife Kwatleematt.

Stanley Park is also home to a bronze statue called 'Girl in a Wetsuit'. Lots of people compare it to 'The Little Mermaid' statue in Copenhagen. Due to copyright issues, Vancouver couldn't replicate 'The Little Mermaid', so commissioned their own modern version. The artist, Elek Imredy, claims the statue was in celebration of the rising popularity of scuba diving in Vancouver.

The dragon head is a replica of the figurehead of the 'S.S. Empress of Japan'. From 1891-1922 the 'Empress of Japan' carried Vancouver's commerce to the Orient.

Stanley Park is huge and we have so much more of it left to explore, though we might wait for the summer months when we're out of the rainy season!

As I am on the Project Life Digital Creative Team, I thought I would also share how I documented these photographs in the app for our album.