Day 30 Victoria

My day started with another early morning saunter. One of the many joys of traveling with Cliff and Liz is that Cliff, like me, is an early riser. This morning I had the pleasure of his company as I discovered the treasures only available at 6:00 in the morning! The early morning mist was thin enough that we could manage to see one another as we walked side by side for the first part of our toddle around the harbor. We were happy enough with one another’s company and our Bailey’s laced coffee to ward of the dawn chill. Before long though the fog started to lift and the world around us revealed riches galore. A bald eagle glided overhead as if to show us the way to interesting stuff! We were smart enough to listen. I noticed as we reached a boardwalk that stretched around the harbor that there was a gigantic pink starfish at the water’s edge. Getting very excited, as only I can do (!), I noticed another, and another, and… we began to count. At 18 I stopped realizing that what I thought might be a rare find was just one of countless starfish that pepper these waters and are so big and pink that they didn’t look real. As well, there were fishing boats, shrimp boats, tour boats and charters, crab boats, coast guard vessels, sail boats and dories – sounds like a line for a song! The variety created such an interesting view but the fog was still too thick (combined with my limited talent!) to translate that to a picture. As fisherman started to arrive Cliff and I paused and noticed some mysterious “water fountain fish”. Don’t know what else to call it since we really couldn’t discover the cause, but along the water’s edge, tiny fountains of water would arch into the ocean periodically. Like a clam squirt, only bigger, they created a random rhythm much like a Disney fountain (only smaller!). We may never know they answer to that one but it was fun to watch, and speculate, nonetheless.

Our misty world shrouded in fog, slowly revealed a warm day of glorious sunshine. By the time we had packed up to go, the clouds had once again descended and we were enveloped in a grey, misty world. Don’t like the weather? Just be patient – it will change!

The road out hadn’t improved any since our trip in and David carefully motored our way along the edge of the cliff to the less remote east side of the island on our way south to Victoria. I never tire of the views as we drive. The roadside scenery is just spectacular and only the vigilant traveler will benefit… when she has a driver patient enough to stop when she shouts, yet again, pull over! Been trying to keep this under some control while driving with guests but sometimes the view is just too tempting …

Come on ... can you blame me?

This time our trip through MacMillian Provincial Park yielded, if not an actual parking spot, a spot that David felt was safe enough to park our considerable bulk. The hike through Cathedral Grove to stand in awe of the ancient Douglas Firs was worth every effort we made to get there. There are trees along this surprisingly short trail that were standing when Christopher Columbus was foraging about looking for stuff – and they were old then!!! Cliff mentioned that he expected a dinosaur to materialize over the next rise, and it certainly wasn’t hard to imagine. The lichen draped branches of the very old giants that watched over the waist high ferns screamed primordial! I don’t think the pictures really show the incredible heights but here they are…

Everything draped in moss ... Fern Gully/Jurassic Parkish...

Look at the size! The trees - not me!!!

Had to include this to give an idea of just how big these are.

Dwarfed standing in a crack in the trunk!

In front of an 800 year old tree. The fallen one in front of it shows that even the smaller ones are as big around as I am tall!

We tried to stop at a little place that our friend Mary had suggested. Goats on a Roof was a funky little spot in Coombs Village. At least it looked like a funky little spot as we drove by. The little town was hosting a Bluegrass festival at one end and an antique car show at the other. Consequently there was no place to park our massiveness and we moved on to the next little town on our list. Ladysmith was an instant historical town since the buildings had been moved from other locations and reassembled here – guess that’s one way to do it! It was a colourful little town with a local bakery that tempted us with their giant cinnamon buns.

Colourful buildings in Ladysmith.

After awhile though, even happy wandering needs to stop and it’s time to land in one spot for a bit. The campground in Victoria looks like a lovely place to do just that, another awesome campground in a city that makes for great urban adventures. We are just 13 minutes from the heart of downtown Victoria and since Liz claims to know a great pub, we are set up in record time and off we go.

Apparently Liz knows her pubs! The Bard and the Banker first opened its doors at a bank in 1886. Beautifully restored it has more than 30 beers on tap, many of them local, so this is the place for me!

The Bard and the Banker

My (good) choice!

A stroll of downtown Victoria, not surprisingly, built around the harbor, was proof for me that the next few days promise bliss! The stately parliament buildings grace one shore, the beautifully Empress Hotel another and the third side of the harbor teems with a market, buskers, and throngs of people spilling from the downtown shops and restaurants. I will spend some happy times here, I can just tell!

Parliament buildings with a harbour aquarium in the water (the white thing in front). Glass below the water level to view the underside of Victoria harbour.

The Empress Hotel

Army, Sea and Air Cadet parade that just "happened" by. I'm sure they were there to welcome us!

"Plaster Man" - one of the many street performers on the waterfront.

Interesting find like this red tree are everywhere!

Hedges grown/trimmed like whales.

Even the downtown bike stands are interesting!