Welcome back to Vancouver

Well here we are back in Vancouver. Did you enjoy the flight from Anchorage? My luggage arrived so I’m good for clothes. I hope yours arrived because tomorrow morning we are off to Vancouver Island.
How is Vancouver Island different from Vancouver, you ask? Vancouver is the city made up of smaller cities and Vancouver Island is where the government of British Columbia is sited in Victoria, a city at one end of the island. That cleared up the confusion?
Victoria is a tourist destination. It is full of restaurants, shops, the beautiful Empress Hotel and the Legislature building. You can get there by bus,car, ferry or seaplane. We are  boring and taking  the tour bus and ferry You really wanted the seaplane.

Walking from Chinatown you can go down the narrowest street in Victoria. Check out the shops squeezed in or the restaurants, or just shuffle past other tourists.
Lunch was fabulous but time is passing and there are things to see. First a walk pass the Empress…..sorry no time for a fabulous high tea.

The Legislature building was constructed at a similar time to the Empress. It has fabulous stained glass and a rotunda displaying occupations in Canada. It is a truely beautiful building.

Now at the other end of the island is a disused limestone quarry that has undergone extensive changes. You guessed it, the Butchart Gardens.     
Jenny Butchart converted her husband’s limestone quarry into a magnificent garden when all the usable limestone was removed. It is still owned by the family and provides work for local families all year round. The main flower chosen for mass planting this summer was begonias.

  Star garden

I expect you are tired now…….my feet are! Well we are heading back on the ferry and tomorrow I promise will be a bit slower…..maybe.