Victoria

 

Butchart Gardens were created by the wife of a local businessman. Originally she wanted to do something about the disused quarry on her doorstep which was an eyesore. She created a sunken garden. Friends and neighbours came to visit, she made them tea. Friends and neighbours brought their friends and neighbours and Mrs. Butchart found she was making 1000 cups of tea a week so she started to charge for entry. She added a Japanese garden and while her husband was away on a trip planted the tennis courts with roses. Every where in the rose growing world supplied her with specimens. We even found Chicago Peace which we planted in Belfit Drive in 1966. Mrs. Butchart had it in 1962. We had to pay for our tea and scones in a delightful tea room. There are now over 1 million visitors per year, and most of them seemed to be there on the day of our visit, but in spite of that the two hours flew by. Outside there was a performance of the Wizard of Oz for the kids who did not appreciate flowers.

Our whale watching trip is slightly delayed by an oil leak which the skipper is not prepared to take to sea being ecologically conscientious. We soon pick up J and K pods. The guides know each whale by the markings on its dorsal fin and the one Meg gets the best picture of on her digital camera is identified as Flash, a young male from L pod. I foolishly listen to one of the guides telling a young woman not to use her video camera's viewfinder but to watch the whales with her naked eye and aim the camera along its top surface. We see lots of whales and I have lots of jerky pictures of the sky. We see several new birds on the trip including a spectacular Bald Eagle sitting on top of a navigation light. Canada has many more Bald Eagles than the U.S.A. Meg is impressed by tube fish and moon jellies which Toby identifies in the harbour. We set off on Walk No. 2 in our guide book. The flag shop has moved since the guide was printed but the new owner redirects me and I acquire a pre 1991 USSR hammer and sickle. Meg buys some more moose; I think we have 6 now, one for each of our grandchildren and one spare. The walk takes in a China Town a very narrow street and an interesting market. Victoria is bright and fresh and clean

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