Vivacious vancouver

Even though Stanley Park offered a lot to see and do, we found the amazing seawall to be the best. The 10-kilometer-long paved path that encircles the park with the water flowing on one side is simply majestic.

The port looked gorgeous from the seawall. Floating planes and harbor cruise boats operate on the water for those who want to get a better look at the Canadian Rockies and the city's skyline.

Before we'd realized it, we were inside a beautiful area called Brockton Point. There were hundreds of cars and people going in and coming out of the place, which is like a small park within a bigger park.

It was the area for "people among the people" with Coast Salish gateways and totem poles.

The totem poles represent many of western Canada's native tribes. Apart from the three beautifully carved, red cedar portals and nine brightly colored poles that adorn the area, I loved the board that read: "The totem was the British Columbia Indians' coat of arms."

Each carving tells of a real or mythical event. They were not idols, nor were they worshipped.

The eagle represents the kingdom of the air. The whale symbolizes the lord of the sea. The wolf stands for the genius of the land, and the frog represents the transitional link between land and sea.

We next encountered a huge bronze statue of track and field runner Harry Jerome. It was a hot photo stop with many people lined up to snap shots with the statue.

We hadn't yet noticed the rain clouds had disappeared, and the sun was shining brightly.

By the time we reached the Brockton Point Lighthouse, the dazzling blue water shimmered in the bright sun. The area around the lighthouse is paved and juts out over the water.

There are a couple of pretty arches under which we strolled and took in the freshest of air. The Vancouver skyline looked beautiful, as did the mountains.

I'm not sure how we missed the statue of "the girl in the wetsuit", or "the mermaid", as it is popularly known. My friends made me feel miserable about it. But there's always next time.

Prospect Point offers a beautiful view of the Lion's Gate Bridge. We wondered what was on the other side as we admired the architecture.