Hanging in Victoria with Gary & Sarah

[rowanf]

Today I got up nice and early and after breakfast at the hotel headed to the Royal BC Museum. Wow. The First Peoples Gallery which Sarah had particularlay recommended is spectacular. The artefacts and the way they have arranged and lighted the galleries is wonderful. I had about an hour and went through the pre-European contact area and then ran down to the ferries to meet Sarah and Gary (Gary is panlives and I think Sarah has a journal too but I don't know her handle) who had come over from Port Angeles to have lunch and hang with Russell and me.

They had a list of interesting shops they wanted to visit so we set off and wandered down Government St. toward Chinatown. The guy who sold me my ticket to the museum noticed my pentacle and asked if I was Wiccan. I said yes and we chatted and I asked about local shops. So we checked out Three Spirals which took us to the Fan Tan Alley. I didn't buy anything there but the nearby shops got some of our money. Gary was looking for a good pearl tea and found the Bubble Tea Place to be quite good. (When we came back several hours later so he could get another before leaving, I bought a cool shirt there.)

We had lunch at Garlic Rose where Gary & Sarah had halibut fish & chips and Russell and I had "seafood wellington" which was really good with perfect puff pastry and a yummy cream sauce. We sat and visited for quite awhile before heading out again. In the Market Square we ran into a choir performance with two choirs touring together - one from Namibia and one from Alberta. They were doing wonderful African harmonies and dance. A delightful and unexpected find. :-)

We went into a tobacconist so that Gary could look at pipes and I checked out the Cuban cigars. I didn't see any of the sort that pearlshadow says are Exu's favorites. I may have to get *something* for the Orixa whilst I'm here though.

We wandered into Roberta's hats and Sarah found a nice everyday hat. I tried on an amazing (and expensive) confection that saffronrose would have drooled over too. *sigh* Oh, to be a lady of means! *laugh* This hat was such a wonder that I'd have to build an outfit around it and I'm really not costuming anymore.

We finally went into Roger's Chocolates so Gary & Sarah could get a treat for their dog sitter. I didn't have any Willied money on me so I was able to resist. I do plan to got back for a chocolate and orange peel bar before we leave. (It is only a block from our hotel.)

We walked Sarah & Gary down to the ferry and they headed back across the border. I went back to the Museum to finish my tour of the First Peoples and a bit of the history of BC galleries. The museum closed at 5pm and I grabbed a virtual and a small cache before heading back to the hotel. I've walked almost five miles today and I decided I didn't want to go back out. Russell went down to the Museum to the IMAX theatre to see the moon movie. I took a bath with the "bath ball" which seems to have been just bath salts without scent that the hotel provided. Life is good. [Russell just got back... the movie was pre-empted by a fighter pilot movie - I'm so glad I took a bath!]

Comments

Re: It's probably this one...

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

Thanks. We probably won't. We pick up our car today and so will probably be eating away from Victoria. Also, we live in the Vietnamese part of San Jose and I am not sure I feel a great need to go away to eat that cuisine. :-)

It was great getting to hang with you two!

[eve-prime.livejournal.com]

The First Peoples exhibits there were very, very impressive even back in 1975 and 1981. Probably the nicest anthropological exhibits I've ever seen. I'm glad you got to see them.

[rubibees.livejournal.com]

I'll have to put that museum on my 'to-do' list!

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

It is worth the visit. I'd happily come back with you. :-)

[maellenkleth]

Glad that you are enjoying Victoria. I am running down there on Friday for the quarterly MINDEP committee meeting: working on a better protocol for sealing of boreholes which flow artesian water.

My Island is your Island. Pleasant stay to you,

M.
from Cumberland, 227 km north of you (on Inland Island Highway 19, exit 117).

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

Thanks! We're leaving Thursday, I'm sorry we'll miss you at least touching base on Friday. We're driving up to Cowichan Valley to taste wine and around a bit tomorrow but not so far up Island as that.