Thursday, 13 July 2017

20 days in North America: Vancouver Island pt 3

On our last day in Canada we drove to Victoria. On the way from Qualicum Beach to Victoria we did a detour to Sooke.  However there wasn't really anything there. If there was, we didn't find it!  We took a short walk along Whiffin Spit.




We continued our journey to Victoria and returned the hire car.  After leaving our luggage at the hotel we had a rather late lunch and then walked round the city.  This was the view from the steps of the hotel.

The harbour


A tiny water taxi

Empress Hotel

Parliament building


The Old Customs House

We went inside the bookshop to see the architecture.


 One of the quilted wall hangings.

We walked around the Old Town and Chinatown.








We took a water taxi to Fisherman's Wharf where there were these colourful homes on pontooons.  There was even a B&B.



I loved this memorial statue.

The city lights came on as the darkness fell.


And so to bed.  The next day we took the ferry to Seattle.

Thanks for stopping by
Bernice

Wednesday, 12 July 2017

20 days in North America: Vancouver Island pt 2

You'll be pleased to know that I am going to amalgamate a couple of days on this blog post, otherwise there will be 20 posts - one for each day - and I'm not sure any of us want that.  Thanks for sticking with me through this trip.  You might notice a recurring theme today.

Yes more monochrome.  When I'm on holiday I always want my photos to have blue skies and look as though I am away from home.  Rather than have the grey skies I associate with the UK!   However it was not to be as it rained most of the day.


We drove north along the coast to Campbell River and then inland to the Elk Falls.

Elk Falls are part of the hydroelectric system which was built 70 years ago.  The water is transported through these wooden pipelines which are currently being replaced.




Roger walking across the bridge to get a better look.

Back up the staircase to the car.

We drove back to Qualicum Beach where we had booked two nights in a wonderful B&B and had dinner at a quirky restaurant called Leftys.

And then the weather cleared up and there was a beautiful sunset.

 

The next day we planned to go to the west coast to Tofino.  On the way we stopped at Cathedral Grove, a forest with enormously tall trees.

We walked through the woods and down to a lake.

Back on the road and over half way to Tofino we discovered that the road was closed so we stopped at  Port Alberni. In the end we had a rather more interesting day visiting waterfalls and a sawmill rather than driving a very long way to look at the Pacific Ocean!

Stamp Falls




The sawmill



Everything was a bit rusty!





On the way back the clouds lifted and we discovered there was snow on the mountain tops.

Englishman River Falls


 So now only one day left on Victoria Island.  My next post will be about the city of Victoria.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice