To Victoria and back

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We got up Friday with the intention of heading to Victoria, provincial capital of British Columbia. Once we got our collective act together, it turned out to be too late to catch the ferry from Port Angeles, which is the shortest route. Further research revealed that if we drove to Anacortes, we could catch a boat that went through the San Juan Islands to a town near Victoria, so we headed north.

The trip through the San Juans was very scenic, including a couple of stops at some of the islands. It was a fairly lengthy ride, but we ultimately arrived in Canada and made our way to Victoria. We drove around a bit, found a room for the night, and started off to see the town. It proved a hit with all three of us. Our friend David didn’t steer us wrong—he advised visiting a particular tobacconist, which proved to be truly world-class. We obtained some Cuban cigars, forbidden fruit in the U.S., merely ridiculously expensive in Canada. Then it was on to Dave-O’s second recommendation, a large bookshop where we found several interesting books and CDs and enjoyed browsing for quite a while. It is amazing how many items we found that are not available in the typical Borders or Barnes & Noble. I guess they have to make room for all of the cheesy best-sellers and romance novels that we Americans consume like junk food.

After dropping our purchases at the hotel, we embarked on the ultimate destination for the evening, and David’s last recommendation: The Irish Times pub. It was all he described and more. The beer list was both extensive and good, and for once, since the drinking age is 19 in Canada, Alec could join Andrew and I in pub drinking. The food was great—fresh seafood and meats, skillfully prepared. We also arrived just in time for the music to start. The first set was a fine country/folk duo, followed by two sets of outstanding traditional Irish fiddle tunes and songs. And last but not least, there were the waitresses. They were all dressed in schoolgirl uniforms (white blouses with short plaid skirts. Did I say short? I guess it’s not politically correct to enjoy such things, but they don’t know it in Victoria. The lasses were also bright and efficient. The pub really rocked, down to the large, cheerful twin lads who served as bouncers. Many beers were consumed before we made our way back to the hotel. All in all, an epic night in what is already a favorite city.

Saturday, we paid a visit to Victoria’s Chinatown, one that has been there for many years and seems very Asian. Alec discovered a very narrow alley where there were numerous interesting shops to browse. We then had a great Chinese lunch, and it was time to head for the Port Angeles ferry.

It’s too bad that the need for security has made it so difficult for travelers to enter the U.S. We were told it was mandatory to show up at the ferry dock at least an hour and a half before sailing so that we could be prescreened for U.S. Customs and Immigration. We passed that checkpoint and boarded the ferry for an uneventful, if a bit rolling, trip. When we arrived in Port Angeles, we were subjected to yet another customs inspection, including having to open the back of our car. We were then allowed to reenter the U.S. Next up, the Oregon coast and Northern California.

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Photos

Victoria Harbor
Seaplanes take off and land regularly in the harbor.

Comments

[Henry]

What
What no photos of waitresses?