Victoria
28 August – 4 September
We decided to take a
short break from the Texas heat and go to Victoria, BC, Canada for a few days.
We flew from DFW to Seattle, changed planes and flew across to Vancouver
Island. Coming home reversed the process.
We chose to stay in The Empress Hotel located right on
Victoria’s inner harbor. The historic property met our expectations. We booked
“Fairmont’s Gold Service” and had access to a private lounge and the services
of dedicated staff. Our harbor view room provided spectacular views. We enjoyed "Afternoon Tea" in the historic lobby twice.
We visited The Butchart Gardens twice. The flowers
and landscaping defy explanation. Pictures work best.
This ad for the gardens
appeared on the hotel lawn several times.
The “Classic Boat
Festival” occurred over Labor Day Weekend and we walked down to the docks in
front of the hotel for a closer look.
We even took photos when
they sailed out at the end of the show.
Some of the many water
taxis perform the “World Famous Water Ballet” to music played over
loudspeakers. We saw it once from the docks and twice more from our room.
We enjoyed seeing the
city and walking around in the cool weather.
One afternoon we walked
across the street for a self-guided tour of the British Columbia Parliament Building. At night the structure is outlined in lights.
Another time we visited
the British Columbia Museum with its
fascinating displays.
As one of the bus
drivers said, “Victorians are spoiled for choice when it comes to seafood.” We
ate in several places and never had a bad meal. We really enjoyed the city and
hope to return.
