Lions Gate Bridge

Wednesday was an unbelievably gorgeous clear and sunny day, with the temperature reaching 13C.  I got up and took a bus from my hotel on Georgia St. that runs through Stanley Park and right up and over the Lions Gate Bridge onto the north shore (between West Vancouver and North Vancouver).   From there, I turned around and walked back over the bridge into Stanley Park.  This photo shows West Van from up on the bridge...

On the Stanley Park side, it is a short but steep walk from the end of the bridge up to Prospect Point, which, at roughly 200 feet above the sea, offers some spectacular views...

I actually walked back out on the bridge on the east side to get a better look over Stanley Park back to the Vancouver Downtown area...

From there, I walked all the way down to the Seawall, which is a pedestrian and bike path that circles the shoreline of the entire peninsula (and beyond).   From the north side, it offers a great view of the entire span of the bridge...

The bridge is over 5000 feet long, and the longest span between supports is 1500 feet.  At its highest, it has a clearance of more than 200 feet over the water.  Walking over it was unnerving, and I could feel the bridge moving up and down with the traffic and the wind.  Though I was passed by many cyclists, I didn't meet any other walkers as I crossed over.

The Seawell path around the park is nearly 9km, and offers some beautiful scenery...

There were many walkers, joggers, and cyclists, and a few people who were just enjoying the serenity and tranquility of the environment...

I only walked east along the Seawall for about 2km before cutting through the park back to the main entrance.  From the yacht club area, you get a great view of the downtown (and you can even see Canada Place and the IBC, including the Olympic Torch in this photo)...

The Seawall continues from the park entrance along the shore right into the downtown, and continues to offer terrifc views.  This one is looking across back at North Vancouver...

Eventually, I worked my way back to the IBC for another look at the Torch before heading in to work...

They've actually put up a fence so that we can't walk right up to it any more, and they've also opened up a ramp on the other side to allow the general public to get closer and get a better view.

I can't believe how great the weather was today, and it is expected to be the same through Saturday.  I think I may have actually accomplished the impossible today by getting a sunburn in Vancouver in the winter!