It looked like a stay-indoors sort of day, but the rain finally cleared and we got out in some afternoon sun for a boat tour of the Victoria harbor.
Waiting for our departure , we took a quick peek inside the Fairmont Empress Hotel across the street. It proved to be even nicer than our Days Inn.
Onboard our harbor cruise, we motored under old trestle bridges, now part of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, a popular 55-kilometer rail trail connecting Victoria to the ghost town of Leechtown north of Sooke.
And we saw wildlife.
It proved to be a pleasant way to spend time and experience a different side of Victoria.
We awoke to beautiful blue skies. This should be a perfect day to explore Victoria’s harborfront.
We had breakfast at the restaurant in the hotel…
…and back in our room, we watched as the ferry from Port Angeles arrived, unloaded, reloaded and took off. This will be our vessel back on Monday.
Ready to hit the streets, I donned my cap (“I like your hat” locals keep telling me)…
…grabbed a camera (cell phone only today), and we set off on a stroll around the harbor. Our first stop was to find a jeweler who could fix a broken clip on Dianne’s pendant. That quest first took us to an indoor mall in downtown Victoria. It was the first and only shopping mall I’ve visited this century.
The jewelry store employee here told Dianne to take her necklace to a small repair guy nearby in Old Town. On our way there, we passed the standing facade of an old building being renovated. Only the front and back walls remained…
…bearing the date of the original construction.
The pendant repaired, we set off again on foot, crossing in rainbow-painted crosswalks sure to make the anti-gay folks in America consider jaywalking. Designed to demonstrate the city’s commitment to inclusivity, they’ll need to be repainted when Canada becomes the 51st state.
Ahead, we saw a bridge high in the air…
…so this high-masted vessel could scoot through.
Through the use of counterweights, 75 horsepower electric motors are all it takes to raise and lower this 870-ton span.
With the bridge safely back down, we crossed over and headed to the Delta Hotels Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort for washrooms and a brew. This hotel seems just a bit fancier than our Days Inn across the water.
Rather than return back across the bridge, we took a taxi…
One can’t go to Canada and not have poutine, so we asked around and found this little poutine and burger place down near the harbor.
Our Ucluelet stay completed, we packed our bags, paid our bill (ouch) and were soon driving back across the island and down to Victoria on the southern coast of Vancouver Island.
A few observations about driving in Canada: Speed limits are merely suggestions, tailgating is the norm and Canadians aren’t afraid to pass, regardless of curves and double yellow lines. For the most part, the pavement is more intact than most roads in Colorado.
We arrived in Victoria, found our Days Inn motel, and checked into our room, which cost more per night than our quarters at the Black Rock Resort.
After hauling our gear up to the room, we hit the streets. The hotel is located along the waterfront…
…directly across the street from the ferry that we’ll take to get back to the U.S.A.
Close to downtown, the area offers paved walking trails to explore…
…from which we watched water taxis scoot across the harbor…
…and float planes take to the air.
We “dined” at Victoria’s version of Fisherman’s Wharf, a collection of small eateries along the waterfront.
There, we shared a table with a couple from Tennessee who were returning from a voyage to Alaska on one of these things:
After dinner, Dianne and I walked over to the cruise ship docks and gazed at these floating cities. This Royal Caribbean vessel has 2,091 guest rooms and can accommodate 4,180 guests. Our river cruise boat in Portugal held 30 passengers. That’s more our style.
