Saturday, February 29, 2020

Victoria 2020 - The view from up here

I wrote this after we first arrived. Just posting it now.

Ever notice how things look different from 30,000 feet up in the air? It never fails to fascinate me.

On our Ottawa Vancouver leg our seat mate was a quiet reserved man who wasn't interested in talking. When I asked him where he was going (Vancouver), I asked if he was going on business. He said no, but for personal reasons. He was very polite, but I could tell he didn't want to talk. I felt that maybe he was going through something? Anyway I didn't want to be too nosy so I shut up. I did feel a need to say a prayer for him so I did.








Friday, February 28, 2020

Victoria 2020 - Duncan and Chemainus

This week we rented a car for 3 days, and did a number of day trips outside our walking radius on Tuesday and Wednesday.‎ We went to Beacon Hill Park for the first time since we arrived, and to Victoria West, Esquimalt (CFB Base and Saxe Point Park), View Royal (lunch) and Portage Park.

There are so many parks here. It's bonkers.

Thursday ended with an afternoon trip to Chemainus. It's about 45 min North of Victoria by car, and known for numerous outdoor murals.

Then we went back to Duncan a bit further South toward Victoria. We checked in to the Ramada hotel, and went for dinner at the Craig Street Brew Pub, and a walking tour downtown to view their extensive collection of totem poles. Every town seems to have developed their own attractions.



















Beer and nachos at the Craig street beer pub. My beer is the dark one. It was so good I had to put it into both our pictures. Yummy.



These two pics were in the washroom at the pub in Duncan.



Lots of totem polls in Duncan






On the widows at a drug store.




Water filtration plant in Duncan? We just happened across it. Being naturally nosy I asked. Here is the answer I received from the Municipality of North Cowichan.
"The lagoon is a sewage treatment facility. The City of Duncan, Municipality of North Cowichan and Cowichan Tribes contribute sewage to the facility. The land is owned by Cowichan Tribes and is operated by North Cowichan staff. Sewage entering the facility is screening for grit and trash, it is aerated and introduced to a biological process through five cells that cleans the influent. The effluent is chlorinated and outlet into the Cowichan River."


At a lookout on the way to Duncan. Man the west coast has some beautiful vistas.

Victoria 2020 - Saxe Point Park

This week we went to Saxe Point Park in Victoria. It's actually in Esquimalt which is right next to Victoria.

We had rented a car to go to Duncan so we were just driving around Victoria. When we literally happened upon it. I was looking at the map and said to Fred, "Here's a green part on the map." And there it was. It also had this whole network of paths. Beautiful.