Victoria BC & Butchart Gardens

Laura's and my honeymoon twenty-nine years ago was a combination of camping and staying at B&B's. We did both in Victoria during our visit to the Butchart Gardens.  As part of our RV trip to Port Townsend this year, we decided to take a day trip to Canada.

We drove to Port Angeles, WA (47 miles away) to ride the Blackball Coho ferry to Victoria, BC.  Some earlier research showed that it was cheaper to walk onto the ferry and rent a car in Canada than it was to ferry our own car to Canada.

Leaving Port Angeles

The Empress Hotel

Water Taxi

There is something nostalgic about knowing that I was aboard the Coho in 1970 with my parents and my sisters.

Parliament

Our rental from Avis was a Chrysler 300.  Very nice car, but better than we needed.

Butchart Gardens

Coming to Vancouver Island twice in our Catalina 22 sailboat was a kick with Sean. On one trip we were moored at Brentwood Bay and caught a bus to the gardens. On another trip, we had a slip in Sidney and rented a car to visit Victoria and the gardens.

Laura Mack

This is the direction the west side of our home is being guided toward.

The famous sunken garden. Hard to believe it was a rock quarry.  I never grow tired of seeing the gardens.  They are always changing.

We have never stayed at the gardens late enough to see the fountain lit up at night.  Perhaps a future trip.

Love the moss on the roof

After this trip, we've decided to add more ferns to our landscape.

Laura Mack

The Japanese garden is always a favorite with us

The view through the hole in the hedge

Victoria, BC

Murchie's in downtown Victoria, famous for tea and coffee.  One of the places Laura disappeared into while I waited outside.

Laura inside buying a gift for Sean

M/V Coho (circa 1959)

Built the same year my sister Monica was born.  The Coho has been maintained in wonderful shape.

Between the gardens and walking the shops in Victoria, we'd had a wonderful day.  We arrived back in Port Angeles as the sunset.

Live well, Laugh often, Love much