Northwest Travels (Second Leg... Victoria!)

So... from Seattle we took the Victoria Clipper to Victoria, British Columbia; Canada.

Fine trip! A beautiful day for a two and a half hour high speed "sail." But we didn't just use the Victoria Clipper for transportation, we used the parent company, Clipper Vacations, to book not only our round-trip travel, but also our lodgings while in Victoria. And where did we stay...?

Com'on! You guys know me! At the Empress of course!

Funny thing; when I first tried to book at the Fairmont Empress for the three nights we'd be in town I couldn't. Not directly. Even as a Fairmont President's Club member, both the Fairmont website and their live (via phone) central "member's reservations" department showed no availability. In the end I actually had to book my Fairmont Empress room through a Clipper Vacation's package deal; apparently they pre-hold blocks of rooms at the Empress for their customers. Well... annoying... a bit off putting... but in the end the package I got through Clipper Vacations for both round-trip travel and three night's lodging ended up being a less expensive proposition than it would have been if I'd booked separately. So in effect... Fairmont's "false" no availability listing ended up costing them money while saving me money!

(And yes... as a Fairmont President's Club member I still received all my usual perks - including complimentary room upgrade - as I normally do. Psych!) (*WINK*)

So... for those not familiar with Victoria... the Fairmont Empress is right square in the middle of the city, directly overlooking the base of Victoria Harbour, diagonally across from British Columbia's House of Parliament. Mary and I had a fourth floor corner room overlooking Victoria Harbour, Parliament, and the Royal British Columbia Museum. With three functioning windows we had access not only to one hell of a spectacular view, but also exposure (at will) to the sounds and smells of salt sea air and garden blossoms.

Our first evening in Victoria, we dined at the romantic Cafe Brio. What a meal, my friends... what a meal! Suffice it to say... "It's good to be Bill on vacation."

The next day... seeing the sites! First up... the Dutch Bakery for breakfast!

(Hey... for me any place I eat or drink counts as a "sight." After all, only the best of the best for your humble diarest Bill!) (*GRIN*)

No... seriously... this bakery serves kick ass pastries, cakes, chocolates, and light meals. Mary and I had breakfast there on both Friday and Saturday and for less than $10 cd were able to enjoy some of the yummiest sausage rolls, beef and turkey pies, and pastries I've ever eaten - and folks... those who know me know that I know "yummy!"

(BTW... two doors down the street there's a "rival" German bakery... the Rheinland Bakery. They specialize in breads and scones and based on the cheese scone I had there... uhmmm! Another winner!)

Continuing our first full day in Victoria we took public transportation (yep... I'm a bus guy - besides being inexpensive, riding the bus is a great way to see stuff you otherwise wouldn't and chat with folks willing and eager to share their "no axe to grind" advice and local recommendations) to outer Victoria's Butterfly Gardens. Hey... you've been to one butterfly garden you've pretty much been to all of 'em, but Mary loves butterfly gardens and to be honest... I find 'em relaxing myself!

Next to the Butterfly Gardens there's the Church and State Winery. (And yes... of COURSE we went in and did some wine tasting!) (*GRIN*) Some nice wines! And like most wineries... just a beautiful setting to wander and enjoy.

Next... the biggie! Back to the bus stop - next stop... the world famous Butchart Gardens.

God... (*SIGH*)... I just love formal gardens and parks. And yes... Butchart Gardens is everything it's cracked up to be.

Returning from our day long outing, it was back to the hotel for a swim and relaxing soak in the hotel spa's hot tub. Next... time for a pub crawl!

Yep. After the day's sightseeing and a cool down in the pool it was time to head to Spinnakers, Victoria's oldest brewpub. Getting there was in itself fun! From the Empress we literally crossed the street, walked down the port steps to sea level and hoped on the water taxi, which drops you off a few hundred yards from the pub. As for the setting of the pub... it's nice... it's sit on the outside deck with a beer in one hand and a piece of fresh seafood in the other overlooking the harbour where the float planes are landing. Great beer... excellent food... and what a setting!

After Spinnakers we took a scenic walk following the shoreline and over the bridge back into Victoria proper and hit Canoe, another brewpub. Again... nice. We watched the sun set from Canoe's patio right on the water.

Next... (hey, I'm a thirsty guy!)... Swan's. Not bad. Not bad at all! More of a traditional "English pub" than the others. Which pub was the best? They were all wonderful! No "winner," certainly no "loser." If and when you're in Victoria make sure you hit all three!

Well... after all the walking we'd done that day and evening and after hitting three pubs one after the other we decided to skip a large meal that night in favor of heading back to the hotel for a late night dip in the pool - open daily from 5:00 am to 1:00 am. And believe it or not, we weren't the only ones with the same plan at 11:00 pm on a Friday night. (*WINK*)

Next morning... Saturday... whale watching! Yep... first a quick swim... then a quick morning run to the Dutch Bakery for breakfast... then a pick up at the hotel by the fine folks of Eagle Wing Whale Watch who took a small group (14 of us I believe) out on Goldwing for a three and a half hour voyage where we saw eagles and seals and sea lions and... oh, yeah... killer whales! A mom and her "pup" to be precise!

I went alone (without Mary). It's just not her thing. While I was out on the whale watch, Mary toured the magnificent Parliament building. (I wish I could have fit that in myself!)

Back from whale watching, I had myself a quick lunch at Barb's Place, "the" premier Fish and Chips purveyer of Victoria. Pretty damn good, but then again... I didn't have one piece of fish in either Victoria or Seattle that wasn't delicious and hadn't sold fresh at market the very day I ate it. If you like seafood, both Victoria and Seattle are cities for you!

After meeting back up with Mary, we decided to once again go exploring via public transit and so off we went to explore the little town (right outside Victoria proper) of Oak Bay. Nice. Quaint. Best of all... one of the finest pubs I came across on our travels sits right on the main drag - The Penny Farthing Pub!

After enjoying a few perfectly poured pints in Oak Bay Village it was time to head back into town, hit the hotel for a quick swim and a change of clothing, and off to dinner at one of Victoria's finest restaurants, Brasserie L'ecole. What can I tell you... check out the menu... check out the wine list and house drink list... (*SIGH*) What a meal! What service! Great atmosphere!

Well... Saturday was our last night. I had fantasized about making it a late one, but after a full day and evening of activities - ending with a two hour plus diner - our souls were willing but alas... our 40-something bodies weren't. (*SMILE*) So... after dessert... back to the hotel... one last late evening swim... and up the next morning - Sunday - in time for breakfast before our required 10:30 am check-in for the Clipper back to Seattle.

* To be continued...

(Next installment... our last night in Seattle.)