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