Western Canadian Rockies (WCR) – Day 3 – Still in Victoria

Western Canadian Rockies (WCR) – Day 3 – Still in Victoria

 

We have a full day in Victoria and we spend the late morning and early afternoon walking around downtown Victoria.  As we arrived in downtown, we first checked out several of the “market places".  This one had some pretty neat places including tours on a Segway.  I liked the popcorn cart turned into a flower pot. 

 

After a block from the market place, we found ourselves in Chinatown (boasted as Canada’s oldest Chinatown) and one of the lamp posts at the beginning of the Chinatown area had a full sized Chinese dragon. 

 

Our first place to go is Fan Tan Alley.  This is an alleyway with shops and not much wider than four feet.  Carmen (on the left) and Helen pose at the beginning of the alley as we begin our trek through.

 

It is interesting that one of the stores, in this case a photographer, has an address of 23 ½.  As if the alley way is so large that addresses require a half of an address to accommodate the number of drops.  Anyway, the alley reminded me of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books.  If you were not looking for the alley, you probably would miss it.  Neat place though.

 

Carmen had to try on one of the Chinese hats.  I thought she looked very Kung Fooish, don’t you think?

 

We left Chinatown and began our trek to go to the Royal British Columbia Museum.  On the way, we stopped for a cappuccino and sat at a table on the sidewalk sipping our coffees.  As we continued, I spotted writing on the sidewalk and took a moment to read it.  It stated “3D Chalk Art and to stand here”, indicating a box.  Just beyond the box I was standing in was the next note: “You must look thru a camera to see the 3D effect”.  So I took a picture of the chalk art for you to enjoy.  The art looks like it has been there a while, but it still look fairly good.

Next, we went to the Royal BC Museum.  They have a fossil tour including Woolly Mammoth teeth and a full replica of a Woolly Mammoth.   

Also a fossilized skull of a Hoplophoneus (really a small sabre tooth cat), that includes the long teeth.  There were many other fossils and animals saved through taxidermy to show visitors how animals live and the environment they live in. 

We continued through the natural history gallery exhibits, and then moved to the First Peoples Gallery.  This gallery featured the natives, how they lived, the tools they made and used, the carvings they made for the totem poles, and other information.  I particularly like the ceremonial masks. There were several cases with masks, but I like this one the best.

But wait, I also found this mask, so I know they believed in zombies.  Beware of the zombies!  HA, ha, ha!

We must meet the bus for our trip to Butchart Gardens, so we headed out with enough time to return to the hotel and get ready.  However, instead of walking back (about a 30 minute walk), we made the decision to take a water taxi back to the hotel; good choice.  It looks like a cartoon boat and I was expecting many people to come out of the small boat and tower over the small size, but that wasn't the case.

Just after arriving at Butchart Gardens, it started to rain.  It rained the entire time we were walking through the gardens.  However, it did make for some interesting picture set ups, like this one of Carmen with an umbrella.  You can make out the rain by looking at her pants and the bottom of the carousel horse.

They had some interesting animals on the carousel.  As you can see from this picture there were zebras, deer, frogs, and cats (with stuff in their mouths like fish or this one with a rat).

The fountain was pretty, but it was difficult to get clean pictures with the rain and trying to hold an umbrella in one hand and take the picture with the other.  Since the light was so low, I had to use an ISO of 2000 just to have a fast enough speed so I didn’t shake so much.

The rain did present some interesting shots of the flowers though.  This Iris has water drops on the pedals providing an interesting look.  If this Iris had a yellow beard, it would have been very dramatic.

Or this rose with water drops on the pedals.

The Japanese Garden section was very serene.  Trees twisted with moss on them and moss on the surrounding ground.  Ponds with small waterfalls and mechanisms to spill water into moving streams of ponds.  This pond had a small stepping stone walkway.  Like most all Japanese gardens we have been to this was also very calming and soothing.

Dinner tonight is on the Butchart Garden grounds and we met the remainder of our group.  Wouldn’t you know it, shortly after we sit down and begin eating the rain stops?  Go figure!  Anyway, as we head out to the bus for our return trip to the hotel, Carmen spots these strangely colored and patterned pansies. 

Tomorrow we leave Victoria and head to Nanaimo where we will leave Vancouver Island via ferry to Whytecliff.  There we will head north on the Sea to Sky Highway. 

Bob and Carmen.