ENCHANTED BY THE MANY CHARMS OF VANCOUVER CANADIAN GEM.

Byline: ALESSANDRA DJURKLOU Staff Writer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- It's a beautiful July day in British Columbia, and I'm standing at the edge of the sea wall. The deep blue water stretches out in front of me, all the way to the pine-covered mountains on the other side of the harbor. There are houses scattered across the foothills of those mountains, but not in any way that detracts from the natural beauty.

About 300 yards to the right of me is a seaplane tied to a dock. It rocks on its pontoons as passengers get on for an aerial tour.

I take a deep breath, feeling as if I'm miles away from the city, with its concrete and stress and smog and traffic.

Except I am not.

All I have to do is turn around, and there is downtown Vancouver's bustling financial district.

Unlike other urban beasts, however, there is not a lot of concrete, but green glass instead. Most of these newish high-rises, whether condos or office buildings, seem to sport similar glass, leading my traveling companion to dub downtown ``The Emerald City.''

We have been here for a week's vacation, a choice that seemed puzzling to some of our friends, who think of Vancouver only as a launching point for Alaska cruises.

We found plenty to do -- more, in fact, than we could fit into a week, particularly since we also took side trips to Whistler and Victoria.

Vancouver's charms aren't exactly a well-kept secret, which was evident in the large number of vagrants in the downtown area, lured there, one local told us, by the temperate weather and tolerant city government. I don't believe I have gotten solicited for cash more times in any one place, except perhaps on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

But even the down-at-heel seemed pleasant in this city. We were staying downtown, and on our first day decided to explore the historic Gastown District, a former industrial area now full of charming restaurants and boutiques. Its focal point is a steam-run clock and a statue of Gassy Jack (so named not because of gastric distress but for his garrulousness).

We strayed a little too far, however, and wound up in Vancouver's version of Skid Row. Knowing that we were off course, we stopped at the foot of a war memorial in a pretty park to get our bearings. We were approached by a young man, who very nicely told us it wasn't advisable to stay there after dark, or to wander any farther down the street, since we might run into some shifty individuals.

He then gave us tips on places to dine and to visit in Vancouver. It was only after relating an exhaustive list of helpful suggestions that he told us he needed money for a bed that night. We happily paid him, feeling we had just tipped a particularly helpful tour guide.

As for the real tour guides, we didn't want to get stuck on a behemoth of a tour bus, miles above the sidewalk. But neither did we wish to explore on our own.

That's why we were thrilled to find a hop-on, hop-off service run by the Vancouver Trolley Co. For roughly $26 U.S., visitors may board a charming red street trolley (no wires or tracks, this is fully motorized) to see the city's main attractions: Stanley Park, Granville Island, Canada Place, Robson Street, Chinatown, Yaletown, Vanier Park and the aforementioned Gastown.

On the trolley, we discovered that glass isn't the only thing that gives the Emerald City its hue. Also adding to the color scheme is the green mermaid shield of a certain coffee chain.

I don't think I have seen such a concentration of Starbucks coffee shops in my life. They seemed to be on every corner. There are even two facing each other on one corner of Robson Street, the city's main shopping drag. (On another corner, for good measure, is a Canadian coffee house.)

We shunned the mermaid, preferring instead the homegrown Tim Horton's for doughnuts and Murchie's for tea.

The trolley tour was great fun, and we stayed for a full circuit to get oriented to the city, and to determine which places we wished to return to.

The trolley drivers were sources of great trivia and information. We learned that two Fairmont hotels in Vancouver have dogs on staff for guests who miss their pets and wish to take one for a walk. We caught a glimpse of a yellow Lab at one of the hotels, and both dog and human companion looked very contented.

It was also evident that the Vancouver area is rapidly becoming the new Hollywood. Films and television shows are constantly being shot here, American studios lured by lower production costs and the lush landscape, which can double as Europe or the East Coast.

Our driver pointed out the Vanier Park home of actor David Duchovny of ``The X-Files.'' And on one of our side trips we ran into a crew filming the WB's ``Supernatural.''

We hopped off the trolley in Stanley Park. Founded in 1886 on a peninsula northwest of downtown, it was Vancouver's first park. Back then, most of the trees had been logged, but today Stanley Park is lush and deeply forested and full of wildlife.

We decided to check out the marine wildlife at the Vancouver Aquarium in the park, and were particularly entranced by the Beluga whales and the sea otter habitat.

After getting our fill of fish, we boarded another trolley, this one green and free, for a circuit of the 1,000-acre park. There were plenty of dazzling views, notably at Prospect Point and Brockton Point.

The guide on this trolley was just as informative, telling us that Stanley Park was named after the same man as the hockey cup.

Also, she warned us against feeding any of the wildlife. Apparently, the critters in Stanley Park are so tame they no longer bother to teach their offspring to hunt. Instead, the animals beg, and thus are in real danger of starving in the winter when tourists are scarce.

Raccoons are particularly fond of ketchup, which has caused the park concessions to switch from plastic packets to pump dispensers. ``But,'' our tour guide cautioned, ``it's only a matter of time before they learn to work those, too.''

The guide also had a thing or two to say about Lion's Gate Bridge, which connects Stanley Park to the North Shore. Built by the Guinness family of beer fame, the bridge only has three lanes, which inevitably leads to snarls during rush hour.

We were blissfully unaware of traffic as we relied on public transportation for a ride to Granville Island and Vanier Park.

Vanier Park houses many of Vancouver's museums and an outdoor theater. Being space buffs, we explored Science World, a place full of interactive features -- including one that shows how you might look as an alien.

Granville Island's main attraction is its public market -- think of a farmers market on steroids. I deeply missed my kitchen at that moment, because there were so many goodies for sale I could have whipped up the banquet of a lifetime.

With no kitchen handy, we ate at restaurants in Gastown and on Robson Street. (If you crave a crepe, you can't beat Creperie La Bretagne on Robson Street.

Robson Street has plenty of retail for anyone. Gastown has fewer shops, but we enjoyed its artsy atmosphere -- though we never did get to the Storyeum, an interactive show/museum on the history of the city.

Neither did we visit Chinatown or Yaletown, but just saw them in passing.

I, however, couldn't get enough of hanging around the sea wall. If that is urban living, then I may stay much longer than one week on my next visit.

IF YOU GO

TROLLEY TOURS: The Vancouver Trolley Co. offers a number of sightseeing options, including the hop-on, hop-off City Attractions Tour. Offered daily, it makes 23 stops, and costs about $27 for adults, $13 for children. www.vancouvertrolley.com; [phone].

VANCOUVER AQUARIUM: Located in Stanley Park. Currently open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning June 24). Admission is about $16 for adults, $12 for seniors and teens, $10 for children ages 4 to 12. www.vanaqua.org; [phone].

LODGING: The all-suite Le Soleil is a small, charming boutique hotel a few blocks from Canada Place (Vancouver's convention center). Our room was shoebox-size, but the decor was tasteful and the windows actually opened (we could see a sliver of water between two high-rises). The service was impeccable -- notably the concierge, who fielded our steady stream of inquiries about Vancouver. 567 Hornby St. Rooms from about $212 in summer, $127 in winter. www.lesoleilhotel.com; [phone].

INFORMATION: Tourism British Columbia: www.hellobc.com; [phone].

CAPTION(S):

6 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Above: Downtown Vancouver, with its sparkling skycrapers, is a visitor's delight on a pleasant day. The buildings' greenish glass glitters in the sulight. Below: Tourists stop to take pictures in Stanley Park, where totem poles stand sentry. Founded in 1886, it is Vancouver's first park.

Chuck Stoody/Associated Press

(3 -- color) A steam-powered clock presided over the historic Gastown District, a former industrial area now featuring many restaurants and boutiques.

(4 -- color) A seaplane rocks on its pontoons as passengers prepare to embark on an aerial sightseeing tour.

David K. Whitney

(5 -- 6) Asian ingredients are among the wealth of items awaiting shoppers at Granville Island's farmers market, above. Joggers and walkers, above left, make their way past the Stanley Park sea wall, a pleasant spot on a sunny day in Vancouver.

Eric Noland/Travel Editor

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IF YOU GO (see text)