Day 32 Victoria

What a day, what a day, filled with surprises! As we were preparing to leave for brunch at Willie’s Bakery the young girl from the campground came by the trailer with a message from John and Roger. We knew it was actually Joan and Roger, our friend Julie’s sister and her husband. They had been following the blog and knew that we were in Victoria. We made plans to meet for lunch under the Carillon, in front of the museum. We have visited with Joan and Roger many times over the years as they came to Ontario to visit so we were very much looking forward to the visit on their turf.

Willie’s Bakery was a real treat. Cliff and Liz had been there before so it was a ringer for breakfast. A lovely little patio in the heart of downtown, we sat in delightful surroundings and enjoyed good, bold coffee and a delicious breakfast.

Enjoying breakfast on Willie's Bakery terrace.

Following our ease into the day, we went our separate ways as Cliff and Liz headed off to meet up with their daughter Joanna and her friend Morgan. David and I were looking forward to our time to putter through downtown discovering the countless treasures that lay in wait. We started out on foot exploring neighborhoods that presented themselves. Everywhere you look there is something to discover.  Window boxes overflow with blossoms. We even saw bicycles with flowers planted in front baskets. Statues, totems and interesting “street decorating” are everywhere.

Even back allies are decorated! Plants everywhere and the outside wall of one building painted like the sky

Beautiful flower boxes

Although it was still quite early, and a holiday, Capital Iron was open for business – and what a business it is! Where else I ask you, can you buy a crystal glass, shower curtain, shoes, a pipe organ, hot tub, chainmail and a musk ox in one easy stop? This was three floors of unbelievable. I have heard it said that such-and-such a place has anything you could ever want. Well, this is actually the place that really does. David and I wasted an hour foraging through shouting to one another to “Come look at this!”

Capital Iron

I told you there was a Musk Ox ... for $4000!!

Puttering back to the Carillon in front of the museum we met Joan and Roger. Although, as I think we proven time and again, we are quite capable of finding fun, it’s a special treat when you have a “local” as a companion – especially locals as lovely as Joan and Roger. Being very open to whatever they had in mind, we shortly found ourselves at the inner harbor boarding those little water taxis I have come to love. Harbor tours are great since they reveal a view of the city you can’t get any other way – so much to see and learn. Our skipper, a retired government employee (originally from N.S.!!), told us he had loved watching these little boats scoot around the harbor. When he retired he was looking for something to keep him busy and loves his decisions to sign on here for a part-time job. He certainly knows his stuff.

He tells us that Harbour Air Seaplanes operates out of Victoria and is the largest seaplane company in the world. Fun to watch them take off and land! On one point of the harbor there are two totems. We learned that, in the past, it was actually the largest totem in the world at 137 feet. However, it was hazard to the seaplanes at that height so had to be taken down and chopped into three pieces. Two remain on the site. The third was brought back to the reservation. On the pilings that pepper the harbor they have built purple martin condos! Apparently the birds disappeared from the area and the introduction of “free housing” has encouraged their return. We sailed by a pirate ship. These are really cute tours for families. Everyone dresses as a pirate and boards a galleon headed for sea. A nasty pirate in a dory lies in wait with the key to a treasure. As they approach, the kids fire “water” from a canon, to sink the boat and steal the treasure. Really looked like a lot of fun! I could see taking Cecilia on that in a few years. We learned about the three pods of Killer Whales that live in the straight just outside the harbor. Having resident pods is the secret to the “guarantee” on their tours. I learned (had no clue) that apparently Killer Whales have a very high infant mortality. So high in fact that although the whales have names, the baby born in J-Pod in July won’t even get a name until he is 12 months old! Victoria Harbour is home to seals who sun themselves on the rocks as we float by, and countless seabirds. It is also an international training site for military vessels. Today a four mast sailing ship from Norway was in dock. Next week apparently a Russian vessel is expected. They use Victoria Harbour and the surrounding waters to train young sailors. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Victoria by water before heading to Fisherman’s Wharf for lunch.

Our lunch of fresh halibut was indeed delicious. Served from Barb’s Fish and Chips window, the line was lengthy so we had a pretty good idea, even before it was our turn, that this was the place to be. Eating lunch right on the dock kept us in the heart of the action and made the perfect launching point for exploring a whole other world. An entire little community of people live and work here on the water. A completely alternative lifestyle, it was fascinating to spend an afternoon considering what life must be like for those folks who reside in The Float Home Village. The narrow streets that run between the houses are docks. No driveways or garages here, but each home has a boat tied to the first floor. Most homes had bicycles on a house rack by their front door – after all, where else would you put it? As the whimsical decorations would indicate, these are people with a different view of life.

With Joan and Roger in front of Mile 0.

Our little boat in front of The Float Home Village.

Where locals store their bikes.

Down a dock "street" of moored houses.

Feeding harbour seals. They were very friendly, when you had fish in your hand.

Perhaps best summed up by the sign someone had placed in their front window … “This is my home. It is not for sale. I couldn’t begin to put a price on this lifestyle. The rhythms of the water and wind have soothed my soul. There is an ease, a peace by the water. It cannot be explained, just experienced. Highly recommended!”

Deciding to walk back downtown from Fisherman’s Wharf provides the chance to see the other side of this southern tip of the island. Looking over at the snowcapped mountains, we marvel at how, on this hot day in August, we can still see snow from a place that rarely sees more than 2-3cm of snow annually! The boats, divers, fellow wanderers and the pleasant company make for a lovely stroll back along the seawall. We passed the spot that marks Mile 0 of the Trans Canada Highway – we have now done the whole thing! A walk through Beacon Hill Park brings us back inland to the downtown core.

Sharing a bench with a local.

Marking the spot where Terry Fox was to have finished his run. The monument has a quote form him - "I believe in miracles. I have to."

True to my word - still drinking local!

Back at the campground David and Liz cooked dinner together. While the goulash was delicious and used the leftover meat that needs to go before we cross the border, the comedy routine of those two sharing a small kitchen was hilarious! Our day ended, led by a discussion of The Bard and the Banker, with Cliff and me (with s couple of Google assisted prompts from Liz) reciting The Cremation of Sam McGee – oh the funny things you do while on vacation!