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Tours 2009

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This page was last updated on Saturday, 30 May 2009 08:36:02 PM
Sacred Tours for 2009

Stanley Park (Vancouver BC)
What a gracious gift the people of Vancouver BC have been given to have such an extra ordinary park at their front door

We started our journey on the corner of Denman and Davies in Vancouver's West End and walked along the promenade that makes up English Bay, known by locals as the place to see a setting sunset past the statue of David Oppenheimer Mayor of Vancouver from 1888 to 1891 and up to Second beach before turning onto North Lagoon Drive and up to the Lost Lagoon Lake and back to English Bay via the Great Blue Heron Colony. So you went for a walk, so what you say, and you would be right to say such a thing however this was no ordinary walk. If ever there was a time you felt connected to the animal kingdom this was it .. maybe the animals talk to us all the time but are we listening or observing their behaviour. In one afternoon a remarkable story unfolded here are the photos.

A raven landed and walked across our path and up to this almost obscure plaque. In doing so we learnt that on the 7th July 1988 a Silver Birch tree was planted and this message left for the subsequent generations of Russian and Canadians. If you click the plaque it will enlarge onto another page and you can read it for your self. I find it interesting that a human wish for peace is rekindled by the simple actions of a raven to bring our attention to what was lost is now found.

Come and meet the local Canadian Geese they just hang loose in and around Stanley Park.

Then meet the Raccoons .. how close can you get to animals in their natural habitat ... amazing how they just come out of the under growth as if you're not there. Remember Stanley Park is not some man made zoo this is one large park with free admission. The Human tribe have got the swimming pool, bowls club, tennis club, yacht club, the ocean, sunsets, views of snow covered mountains, restaurants, cafe's, aquarium, (you pay) bitumen cycling & walking & running tracks. There is a free bus to get on and off around the park, viewing sites to see those massive cruise and container ships sail under Lion Gate bridge (that links North & West Vancouver with Downtown) to go up to Ocean or Lynn Terminal.

This raccoon caught a fish out in the shallows of the lake came up to the shoreline if you have a look at the photo on the left he / she has it in his / her paws and proceeded to eat it in front of us. His / her actions brought over the swan and there we are three different species in the wild at Stanley Park all looking at each other.

The Great Blue Heron   Arrive in Stanley Park in an around March Start looking for a partner in April Serious bonking & egg laying in May Chicks pop out in June Fledgling chicks in July

But this is the real story just check this out
		Willem said put your hand out and this is what happened ... we had no food yet these little birds trusted us completely and flew onto our hand. Other people saw what we were doing and tried to emulate what we did but they wouldn't come to them .. how interesting was that.

This is the black squirrel. Have you ever had that feeling that someone is watching you, well it turns out it was this fella he was watching us with the little birds perhaps he thought we were feeding them, which wasn't the case, sorry mate! Anyway over he comes to say hello. He got right up close and personal

But this little man I saved to the last .. Yep he's a grey squirrel "He's the Man" a natural born comedian.
Check out the sign writing on the bitumen path "Watch for Bikes" Our mate instead of getting on all four's (as is custom for squirrels see photo to the far right) decides he's walking on two legs across the path. He's such a natural.