Victoria Weekend April 14th-16th 
Victoria Weekend April 14th-16th We left Vernon around lunchtime for our journey to the West. The weather was forecast for cool and rain patches for the next few days, all over B.C. It was a pleasant drive to Victoria, with leg-stretch stops at Kelowna, Merritt and Chilliwack. The road was bare this time of year in total contrast to our previous white-knuckle drive in January. There were some flurries over the Connector, and plenty of snow on the Coquihalla, but the terrain was discernible this time around, the melting snow causing fantastic cascades along the roadside, raging torrents in some sections.
We saw one young deer huddled in the tree line with its distinctive
”flag” tail pointed to the wind/snow, an inquisitive face watching the
passing traffic. Around the Hope area the cypress and Douglas fir make
way for groves of alder and birch trees. B.C’s provincial emblem, the dogwood,
flowered profusely along the roadside, credit to the milder coastal climate.
We were amazed to see the abrupt change in landscape driving out of Surrey
with heavily wooded suburbs, down into the Cloverdale delta area, a distance
of a few hundred yards. We made the ferry
connection with minutes to spare around 7pm; as the ferries leave 2-hourly
we were relieved that we didn’t have to wait for the next one. The ferry-ride
takes about 11/2 hours to reach Sidney on Vancouver
Is. . The sun was setting by the time we reached the channel with its
myriad of little islands. As the ferry negotiated the channel we could
make out houses (mansions!) on each of the islands. Later that weekend
we met some locals from the islands who informed us that their lives are
often dictated by the timetables of the ferries, but their quiet, relaxed
lifestyles are compensation. The ferries are well appointed and smooth.
Except for being surrounded by ocean you would hardly know you were on
a boat. (For those landlubbers that dread the “roll and pitch” image of
a ship at sea.) The kids were entertained with a play-gym while Richard
braved the deck to snap some sunset shots.
As it was dark when we left the ferry we could do little except follow
the highway to Victoria and find our host family.
Elizabeth and Gary Nordstrom, with their children, Peter and Patricia,
live in the south-eastern corner of Victoria, Oak Bay, about four blocks
from the water. It was convenient to downtown and all the teacher exchange
activities. Like many of the host families, Gary and Elizabeth had been
on exchange to Australia. Their exchange was to Southport on the Gold Coast,
so naturally they knew our hometown very well.
St.Ann's Academy
After a seminar with the Ministry for Education held at St. Ann’s Academy,
the teachers and their families were escorted on a tour of the parliamentary
buildings. The profile of government house is the picture out-of-towners
are most likely to remember about Victoria. 
Just a short walk away through an "English mist", (if I said “rain” Queenslanders
would entirely misunderstand) we arrived at our luncheon destination. The
Gatsby Mansion
boasts an incomparable harbourside view, beautifully restored furnishings
and delightful attentive staff (that’s actually my opinion, but it sounds
like the brochure!) We finally were able to match a few names to faces,
as this is our first exchange teachers’ event, although there have been
others.
After lunch we wandered along Belleville St. to the Royal
B.C Museum and took the boys on a tour. The dioramas were great. Taxidermy’s
not really my thing, but it does give you an appreciation of size, etc.
The grizzly looked pretty real to me. The boys thought so; they wouldn’t
even pose close for a pic.
Grizzly Bear-Royal B.C.Museum
We headed home via the scenic drive and tried to make out the coast
of Washington U.S, however the horizon was distorted with clouds, we thought
we caught a glimpse of the mountain, who knows. We arrived home a little
weary, just in time to help celebrate a birthday at our hosts’ place. We
spent a lovely evening with the Nordstrom’s, reminiscing on their Aussie
trip.
Not so bright, but relatively early on Saturday morning, we set out
to see some of the sights of Victoria. Having only one day, we knew
we were limited, so our first stop was Beacon Hill Park.
Beacon
Hill Park
It is a wonderful park that stretches from the shore to downtown. There
is a mixture of manicured gardens, rolling green lawns and sections of
“untamed” park with masses of naturalized flowers, daffodils and marguerite
daisies, their yellow and blue heads growing wild amongst the grasses.
The park has a wonderful children’s playground and a delightful petting
farm where the boys spent over an hour playing with pygmy goats. There
were a dozen or more baby goats, each with a name and a distinct personality.
The children were given brushes to groom them, and hay for them to nibble,
although most of the little ones were still fed by their mothers. Hayden
and Nathan were mesmerized by their antics… the goats were no bigger than
a small puppy, but very agile and were able to climb all over the boys,
nibbling on ears and shoelaces. The farm has many other “farm-yard” animals
and some not so usual (several beautiful peacocks, including two white
ones, a Vietnamese pig, a Zebu or Brahmin cow, and a couple of alpacas)
needless to say they all paled beside the goats!
After leaving the park we ventured into town and toured miniature
world with dozens of dioramas. The boys adored the train settings as
they were working models. 
The hours of painstaking assembly were incredible.
With the morning now all but over, we drove north to Butchart
gardens where Richard prudently dropped me off to wander the gardens
alone! Although flowers in Vernon have just started blooming when we left,
the flowers in Victoria have been out for some weeks now and the display
in Butchart was breath taking.
Cinerarias
Tulips in sunken garden
(If you’re a garden fanatic) Rhododendrons, azaleas, massed tulips and heavenly perfumed hyacinths, begonias, daffodils, jonquils, pansies and primulas, and a beautiful plant called crown imperial that only flowers in April. In a few months the landscape changes and all the roses bloom, lilies, irises, etc. There is something to see all year round. Coming from a tropical clime I was pleased to have caught the tulips and hyacinths.Amazing to think it was once a barren quarry.
Saturday evening we joined the other teachers, families and hosts for
a buffet dinner at St.John's Church Hall. After dinner we played a few
"getting to know you" games and then returned home to put the boys in bed
at a reasonable hour.
Sunday we caught the 9am ferry to the "mainland" so we would have a
leisurely drive home. The sun peeped in and out of clouds all morning,
the drive home was pleasant, stopping in Chilliwack, and Merritt on the
way. Just before Merritt we espied our only other wildlife for the trip
(that wasn’t stuffed, that is!), aside from a squirrel with a death-wish
we narrowly avoided in Victoria. The Merrit creature was rusty-brown with
a head and body like a prairie dog but a rather bushy tail. Wasn’t a raccoon
or badger, too big for a squirrel…no idea! (ed's note:maybe an infamous
groundhog?) 
Just
sat by the road curiously studying the traffic fly by. (As I was the only
one that saw it, my three male co-occupants all agreed I was probably dreaming
or needed glasses). Which brings me to the point…if you must see exciting
things on the side of the road, anticipate well in advance and allow for
travelling speed and reluctance of driver to slow down on the expressway,
so little five year-old eyes CAN SEE IT TOO!! "Where’s the deer, I can’t
see any deer, you were joking, weren’t you Mum, don’t joke with us, only
tell us if there really is a deer because we don’t like jokes about deer,
Okay?"
We arrived safely in Vernon to sunshine and a warmish afternoon. The
locals later told us it had snowed 10cm on Friday, happens in mid-April
about once every 20 years or so…and we missed it! Can’t say I’m too disappointed!!
Once more we have collected fantastic memories of our travels around British
Columbia.
You can reach us at this email address.
Other interesting Victorian places to visit:
