Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Friday 9/7/2012

We took another drive from Sequim to Port Angeles, but this time to jump on a ferry to go to Victoria on Vancouver Island, Canada.

A sign that welcomes you when you get off the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles. ( My connection is slow here in Cheney, which is SW of Spokane, so I sometimes get pictures that upload with different layers of colors. This happens quite often so, if you see them please understand. Up loading pictures uses a lot of data, and after up loading picture after picture with this look, I just gave up).

We were standing behind a gate here waiting to walk onto the ferry. Cars were also waiting next to us. The cost for the ferry to Victoria was $32 each round trip. Parking our car cost $6.00 for all day at a lot 11/2 blocks away. There was 2 other parking lots closer at $8 and $10 a day. We got there early enough to walk the short distance to save $4.The LaFontaine way.

Because we were entering into Canada, we had to go through customs. We had Mallery with us, and were told to bring her rabies record. No one asked to see it, but just when you don't bring it, you will get asked to show it.

View back toward Port Angeles and Olympic National Park as we leave the United States.

Snow capped mountain to the east, which I found out later was Mount Baker in northern Washington.
When we first boarded the ferry, we asked a couple of people if we could join them in seats that were directly across from them so we could have a window seat. The response was not that welcoming, but then we heard someone from behind us saying we were welcome in seats across from them. The couple was from the town of  Poulsbo, which is located on the east side of the Olympic peninsula on Puget Sound. The couple were visiting Victoria for the first time also. They had moved from the Midwest 9 years earlier. They said the people around there, took a while to warm up to outsiders. They were a really nice couple!

We got a message from the captain that whales were sited on the starboard side of the ferry.

We saw several orcoa whales, also called killer whales.

One actually jumped up and out of the water which was very exciting, but Joe didn't get a picture of it. It was very hard knowing where they were going to come out of the water and jump.

View looking south and getting the tail end of a ocra fin going under the water.

View of Victoria and Mount Baker in the background.

Norwegian Cruise Line at the outer skirts of the Victoria Harbor.

Our trip on the ferry took 1 1/2 hours to get to Victoria. I posted this picture because I thought this sail boat was unique.

Jet boats going out to the Strait of Jaun de Fuca for whale watching.

Condo's or apartments along the harbor in the James Bay area of Victoria.

Arriving into Inner Harbor with views of downtown Victoria.

The ferry reaches our port and we disembark.

The BC Parliament Building has a free guided tours year round.

We walked around the harbor area, and got a view of the Black Ball Ferry Line that brought us across the Strait of de Fuca.

This is a close up of our ferry. The company was founded in 1816.

The Fairmont Empress Hotel was first built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) as a luxury resort on a global transportation route. Visitors would arrive on the CPR steamship. The hotel became a fashionable destination.

Entrance of the Empress.

Along the harbor is a boardwalk with arts and crafts vendors.

On a street corner was this orca manicured bush.

We walked into the Empress Hotel to check to see if they had dog friendly rooms.  They did, but none available for the night. Just checking in case we wanted to spend the night.

In the Empress there were boutiques and gift shops. The Empress also has a Tea Lobby that serves, "Afternoon Tea" as the beloved ritual and traditions of England. We stopped in and was shown a 4 tier tray with scones, pasties, and tea sweets and a listed of special blended teas for one person for $59.95. I guess we will have to add this to our "Bucket List" for another day.

We only had three hours to visit Victoria and decided to wander around to see what we could see during that time. We walked to Chinatown which was a disappointment when you have been in Chinatown in San Francisco.

 

In Chinatown we found the Fan Tan Alley. The Fan Tan Alley is said to be the narrowest right-of-way in Canada.

There are interesting shops that survive condemnation of  buildings in 1970, which are under special earthquake provisions.

This front facade of a building was saved, with the rest of it gone.

As we headed back toward the harbor I spotted this shopping district with the giant tulips. After walking around Joe and I wished we had taken the Butchart Garden Tours instead. The garden tour was going to take our entire time being bussed to the garden, walking the gardens and then being bussed back. But from what we saw, our time would have been better spent seeing the historic 100+  year gardens.

As we walked around the harbor, we watch planes coming in from viewing Vancouver Island and Victoria from the sky. This too would have been a better choice of time verse wondering around the town.

View of the Fairmont Empress from across the harbor.

As we entered into the ferry terminal to cross the strait, Joe saw this sports car. Anyone know what kind of car it is?

We boarded the ferry at 7:30PM,  for our 1 1/2 hour trip back to the USA. Mallery was ready for a nap.

It had been  very warm in Victoria that day, which wore both of us out. We walked the entire three hour, with the exception of sitting to get a bite to eat. Mallery rode in her stroller most of the day, but without her frequent daily naps, and being in the sun, she too was worn out.

As we left the harbor the sun was setting.

Going out the Inner Harbor toward the strait.

People returning from their 3 hour boat ride.

View of the dusk lite Inner Harbor of Victoria.

One of the cruise ships as we left the harbor.

Further out we saw three more cruise ships.

Pink jet trails in the sky.

The harbor shore light twinkled as we got further away.

Joe chilling with Mallery while I was gone to get some pictures.

When we got to Port Angeles, we still had a 20 minute drive back home on unfamiliar roads. We didn't get home until 10.30pm.

A couple we meet that knew we were going to Victoria, told us that they reserve a room in Victoria and spend the night. I would recommend that advise. There just is not enough time to see and do what you want to do in 3 hours.