Around Victoria

Our bed in the Delta Victoria was one of the most comfortable I ever remember, and it was certainly with some reservations that I even got out of bed this morning. However, both Gi and I were anxious to visit Butchert Gardens, which many friends and colleagues had raved about to us through the years. We finally left the hotel at a sluggardly 11 AM, looking for coffee and a pastry. I'm pretty sure Gi was disappointed when I didn't find some quaint little French coffee shop, but instead stopped at a Tim Horton's for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. (For those not acquainted with Canadian culture, Tim Horton's is more or less the Dunkin' Donuts of Canada.)

The Gardens were everything we had heard. The local planting zone is about 8A, which is only about a half zone different from Athens. However, the maritime climate means that summer is like one long spring in our neck of the woods. The flowers grow large and profuse, and we were lucky enough to hit the place right at its peak. We were also lucky enough to enjoy another day of brilliant weather. I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.































We could have spent the day in the gardens, but decided that we needed some time to walk around the city center during the daylight hours. Although the crowds around the waterfront can really swell when a cruise ship docks and the passengers take some shore leave, overall we found the city to be beautiful, easy to navigate, just large enough to have all the culture you would probably want for city living, and small enough that you could get away into the wilds up-island in no time. All in all, it seems like Victoria would be a terrific place to live. Of course, just like every other visit, we've lucked into some beautiful weather during the best season of the year. (I spent a few days in Vancouver last February, and it was just as damp, cold and dark as had always been described to me.)

Still, it was pretty cool to see all the float plane traffic in and out of the harbor -- some just flying circle tours around the city, but most actually flying routes to resort areas elsewhere on the island. Although the afternoon was bright and clear enough that we could see Mount Olympus across the strait (it's in one of the pictures if you look closely), a front moved in late in the day while Gi and I were enjoying an IMAX film ("Ocean Oasis"). A soft drizzle started as we left Canoe, the brewhouse/restaurant where we had dinner (two thumbs up for casual dining with the locals), and it turned to light rain after we were safely ensconced in our room for the night. Fortunately, it's a weak front and should blow through and out overnight, so the weather here and in Whistler should be back to Excellent for our trip up into the mountains.