Victoria BC

Norm is still feeling under the weather so I was on my own to go walk-about again.

I love walking around through neighborhoods to see what I can see.  Here is a bush I almost walked into (isn't it incredibly beautiful?) and a couple of buildings that caught my attention.

I did head deliberately to see the Emily Carr house (she “was a Canadian artist and writer heavily inspired by the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast”.)  I didn’t go through the house, just looked from the outside.

Then I walked around Thunderbird Park, which had these amazing totem poles.

Right across the street was The Old Spagetti Factory, a chain restaurant we went to in Toronto about 40 years ago.  Can’t believe it’s still around.

I made the obligatory stop at the Jade store to drool over the jewelry and carvings.  This particular piece was about 12” tall and cost only $36,000.  The bears were several hundred dollars each.

Don’t know what was going on with a group of  motorcyclists who passed me earlier in the day and were parked in front of the legislature when I passed by on my way home.  Very pretty bikes, though.

The cats continue to amuse; they are fascinated with bags of any description.

Victoria BC

Norm didn’t feel well yesterday and today he’s down for the count with a cold.

So I went walk-about and was very pleased when my S Health said today was my most active day ever!!! Even more outstanding, I never turned on the GPS and I got home with no problem!!  The weather today was fabulous.

I got to the harbor just in time to see the Coho pulling out for Port Angeles WA.

As usual, I cannot pass the Legislature or the Empress without taking a photo – don’t know why, but this time I tried to get Queen Victoria and still can’t get it right.  She always comes out dark.

I stumbled upon this lovely tribute celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Canadian Navy (May 4, 2010).

We had planned to walk the Ogden Point Breakwater and I decided I was going to give it a go.  Definitely the day to go.  Here's the start of the breakwater, the welcome to Victoria and Pier A, and looking toward the Inner Harbor from the end of the breakwater (the breakwater is 1/2 mile in length).

M’Lady and Guv’nor have adapted to us and we are having a wonderful time just watching their antics.

Victoria BC

This morning we decided to go up island.  It was overcast with some light rain but that all cleared up about noon.

 

First the news.  It was announced on the news last night that the most popular Canadian emoji is the Pile of Poo.

Great pile of sh**t, eh?

We were driving along the Trans-Canada Highway and stopped in Mill Bay for a coffee.  I was thrilled to discover the huge gates and long driveway into Brentwood College.  This is the boys’ boarding school that my brother Rick attended in the late 1960’s.  Having never been here, we drove on campus to look around.  What a lovely spot.  Wonder if the kids attending this school can possibly appreciate where they are.  Even though it was drizzly, it was warm.

 Norm insisted on a photo with this sculpture that he said reminded him of Marie's sculpture (think Everybody Loves Raymond episode.)

Then onward to the City of Totems, as Duncan is known.  This is an on-going project to develop the world’s largest, outdoor collection of publicly displayed totem poles.  Very quaint little city and apparently the smallest city in the nation.

We saw this sign and couldn’t resist going into the store.  Marijuana for medical use is legal here.

We then went to The Raptors in Duncan.  This place “ offers a compelling interactive front row seat to watch these predators of the sky and mother nature’s true athletes teach us about their world and how we all benefit when they thrive and survive.”  Unfortunately we arrived too late in the day so didn’t get to see these birds of prey in flight.  Maybe we’ll get a chance to get back there.  We did, however, see some of the birds, particularly falcons and eagles.

Victoria BC

I’ve been told that there has been some problem with adding comments to the blog so I have adjusted my settings and I think it is now set up so that you do not need to have any particular ID but can post as an anonymous guest (just put your name so we can appreciate your comment).  If this is not okay, let me know and I'll take another look.

We got a late start today but still managed to cover some ground and see some interesting sites.  We started off on the walking tour of the Old Burying Ground.  There was one grave site, that of Lucy Sanders, that we found particularly noteworthy.

”Lucy Sanders came to Canada from South Africa in 1911.  Her daughter married Jim Carney and lived in Shanghai in the 1930s.  The Carneys’ twin toddlers were evacuated just before the Japanese occupied the city in 1937.  One of those children was Senator Pat Carney.  Lucy died in 1947 and requested that a bench should be placed where people could stop and rest.”

The Honourable Pat Carney, P.C.Senator Emeritus

The Hon. Pat Carney, P.C. has made a major contribution to Canada’s political and economic development and has pioneered roles for women in both her professional and political life.   As a role model herself, she has had the distinction of being the ‘first” woman in many male dominated fields. 

Across the street was the YMCA and we stopped in to see if our Santa Barbara membership would allow us entry and yes, it will.  Time will tell if we actually take advantage or not.  It sounds like a wonderful idea but who knows.

We passed the Royal Theater in our walk and stopped in to get tickets to "The Piano Men" on Sunday.  This is a musical salute to two of the century’s most popular contemporary songwriters. From “Your Song” to “Candle in the Wind” and “Just the Way You Are,” award-winning pianist and singer Jim Witter takes you on a tour of the greatest hits of Billy Joel and Elton John.  Should be a grand performance.

We stopped into two cathedrals, Christ Church Cathedral and St. Andrews Cathedral.  They were very different from each other but very beautiful in their own way.

Exterior of Christ Church Cathedral

Interior of Christ Church Cathedral

We had a wonderful surprise when we saw this plaque on the outside wall:

Exterior of St. Andrews Cathedral

Interior of St. Andrews Cathedral

On the way home, just a block or so away, we saw this sign.  Am pushing Norm to go.

It’s  been a glorious day weather-wise and we actually didn’t use parkas or tuques.  Hallelujah!!!

 Enjoying the balcony.

Victoria BC

We’ve now broken our walking record – we walked for 6.5 hours!!!!  Did it burn off our lunch and the Peach Martini and Rangpur G,M,T?  Probably not.

Masala Fries, Naan, Pakoras, Beef Burger with signature chutney at Varsha Sips + Nosh House

We woke up this morning to the Times Colonist 10K and Thrifty Family Run which had 13,000+ participants.  The first to start were Wheelchair Athletes and Visually Impaired Athletes and then five minutes later, everyone else started in the 10K.  They ran past Rob’s street and we were able to watch thousands go by.  We then went downtown to see all the festivities and the start of the Thrifty Family Run.  It was all very exciting.

From the balcony

The finish line of the 10K

Start of the Thrifty Family Run

We then had to take a walk through The Empress before heading up Government Street.

Ceiling in the tea room in The Empress

The Victoria Conference Center

Where we will be going for a Happy Hour

Loved this Irish Times Pub window!!

We then strolled through Chinatown, passing through the Gates of Harmonious Interest.

A quick walk through the Bay Center (indoor shopping mall) and then back home to collapse.