Getaway to Victoria, BC - Day 3

On Wednesday, October 19, 2011 Neil and I finally were able to visit Butchart Gardens on the way back to the Swartz Bay ferry.  We had wanted to visit it for years, but never seemed to find the time.  We spent a lovely four hours there, including lunch in the coffee shop.   We can certainly see why the gardens are world renowned.  Even in the fall, with few flowers in bloom, the gardens are spectacular, and peaceful.  Here are a few of our favourite spots:

The Sunken Garden, including the Ross Fountain

Sunken Garden

Ross Fountain

The daliah gardens were in full bloom and very colourful:

Daliah Gardens

Daliahs - close up

The Japanese Gardens and the Butchart Cove:

Torri Gate at entrance to Japanese Gardens

Butchart Cove

Japanese Garden with Fall Colours

And the seasonal display of pumpkins, in front of the Coffee Shop:

Pumpkin Display at Coffee Shop

A very lovely visit - glad we could make it.  And then home - always wonderful to come home again.

Getaway to Victoria, BC - Day 2

On day two of our getaway, Wednesday, October 18, Neil and I walked up Government Street starting at the inner harbour.

Inner Harbour with Grand Pacific Hotel in the background

 

We first stopped at the Victoria Tourist Office to get information about the "Homecoming" statue and tribute bricks in honour of the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy.  The statue and the tribute square are located on Wharf Street right behind the Tourist office.  Our family purchased a brick in memory of our father who served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1940 to 1947.



Homecoming Statue



Tribute Brick for Dad

I then wandered into Roberta's Hats on Government Street, wondering if they might have hats suitable for women chemo patients who have lost their hair.  What a delightful store!  Lovely hats including fascinators, and I got absolutely great service.  Found some 100% cotton touks and banded hats that would work perfectly to cover a bare head, both of them coming down far enough in the back and front to cover baldness.

Next we stopped at the City of Victoria Archives to drop off some very old photos of my grandparents' home which was located at 619 Bellevue Street in Victoria.  This is the present day site of the Royal BC Museum.  My grandmother owned the lot from about 1935 to 1955, and the family made it into a wonderful commercial flower growing enterprise, including a flower shop for fresh cut flowers and handmade lavendar sachets, located at the corner of Bellevue & Government Streets.  The Archives were very pleased to receive these pictures.

My grandmother at the Flower Shop at 619 Bellevue Street, Victoria, early 1940's

Family house at the back of the lot - 619 Bellevue Street, Victoria

Next off to Oak Bay Village for lunch, and the mandatory scenic drive from there around Beach Drive and Dallas Road back to the hotel.

View of Ocean from Clover Point Park on Dallas Road

Me, sitting on a bench at Clover Point Park looking at the ocean view

That evening we went to the Bard & Banker Scottish Pub on Government Street, for dinner.  We were amazed to hear that it had been completely stripped down inside and rebuilt.   Everything looks so old and genuine.  We sat in a cozy snug beside a fireplace and had a great dinner.  Highly recommended.

Inside the Pub

Bard & Banker Scottish Pub

After that we walked back to the Grand Pacific Hotel, seeing the lights of the BC Parliament Buildings.

Getaway to Victoria, BC - Day 1

Neil and I needed a getaway and decided to go back to one of our favourite haunts, Victoria, BC, for three days - Monday to Wednesday.  We took the BC Ferry over on Monday, arriving after lunch.  We headed towards Mount Douglas Park, drove up to the parking lot and then hiked to the viewing spot at the top.  We had glorious sunny, warm weather for the three days - best three days of the month!

The park is craggy and has lots of Arbutus trees, which unfortunately are diseased.

There was a 360 degree view from the top.

Next, we drove down Columbia Drive in the Gordon Head district for some nostaligic moments.  My grandmother lived on this street and her daughter, my Aunt Helen, and Helen's husband, Les, lived in the house beside her (all now deceased).  My grandmother's house unfortunately looks like a dump yard - her wonderful rockery gardens destroyed, weeds everywhere, and junk strewn about the property and the open garage.  Helen & Les' home is being redecorated and the gardens revitalized.  Nice to see.

We then drove to our of our favourite beaches for walking:  Willows Beach on the east size of Victoria, just north of Oak Bay.

View of Willows Beach from Cattle Point



Cattle Point

North End of Willows Beach

Willows Beach

We saw several sailboats out in Oak Bay

We then headed for the Hotel Grand Pacific on Bellevue Street in downtown Victoria, facing the inner harbour, where we stay every time.  Very comfortable hotel, within walking distance of the downtown sights.  They had a special reduced rate for BC residents at that time.  After a swim, we headed out to meet our long time friends, Janice and Jim for dinner.  They booked us at the Sizzling Tandoori restaurant on Johnson Street  - very good Indian food and the only Indian Restaurant open on Monday nights.  Check out Janice's review and the pictures on her blog under the date of October 17, 2011:  http://janicesextonart.blogspot.com/index.html