Around noon, we boarded the ferry and prepared for the separation anxiety we'd soon experience at having to turn our iPhones to airplane mode (I may be speaking more about myself than about Tom...).
The ride to Victoria was nice, and the scenery is beautiful: gorgeous, lush mountains and water that just looks so fresh and crisp. We drove off the ferry boat right into downtown Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. We spent the afternoon exploring the area on foot - it's a beautiful city set on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island. Tom and I thought it quite interesting that the province's capital is only accessible by plane or boat. But it certainly adds to the character!
Since the whole ferry experience took about two hours, and since donuts don't have the staying power of a lumberjack breakfast, our first objective here was lunch. We went to a Thai noodle restaurant and had delicious, heaping bowls of lo mein. With full bellies, we walked down to the waterfront. This is where three of Victoria's main attractions are: The Empress Hotel, the parliament building, and the harbor. All were beautiful and felt very European (parliament is basically a shrine to Queen Elizabeth and other British royalty). I want to call Victoria quaint, yet it feels like it's outgrown that word... it is absolutely a big city in its own right as well.
The Empress Hotel:
Parliament:
The Waterfront:
After all this exploration, we checked into our hotel, rested our legs, and researched restaurants for dinner. We found a great neighborhood pizza joint far from the touristy area and pretended we were locals. The food was delicious, and it was nice to be in an area with a more relaxed, everyday vibe. Since it was a pretty late dinner, we just headed back and called it a night.
Up next: another ferry ride and Vancouver!
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