Saturday, July 17, 2010

Buchart Gardens and Victoria






We got up early again. Early seems to be our pattern, we are typically awake and dressed by 6:00 a.m. We headed out to find the ferry at Twassessen British Columbia. We took a couple of wrong turns (thanks to Jayna’s map reading skills) and just about missed the ferry to take us across the bay to Victoria on Vancouver Island. I think we were just about the last car that was allowed on the ferry we cut it that close. Anyway, once we arrived at Vancouver Island we headed to Buchart Gardens. We had heard that we needed to see the Gardens, but had no idea of the grandeur and splendid array of gardens from Japanese, to Italian, to Rose Gardens, to Sunken Gardens, to shade gardens. There were trees that were not green – no these trees were red or perhaps chartreuse green, no, some trees were purple, and some trees had rainbow colored bark, some with white bark. You never saw so many varieties of plants in your life. I would love to know how many different plants were in that place. I would love to know how many different varieties of just “ferns” there were (or begonias…or dahlias….or roses…there were more varieties of roses than I have ever seen).
We got a free wheelchair to take mom around in to save her legs for the mountain hiking that we are going to do in the next week! So, Steve and Dad pushed Mom around while Jayna kept straying from the group lost in the wonder and beauty of it all. While we were in the Rose garden, Stephen actually got lost in the wonder – he was gone for at least 20 minutes. Dad and Mom were just as bad in the Rose Garden. Mom actually got out of the wheelchair and posed for Dad in front of some spectacular flower scape at least 30 times!



After we left the gardens, we headed south to Victoria to find a place to eat fresh fish and see the sights there. We easily found a parking place and began walking down Government Street to see the Parliament bulding and the Fairmount Empress Inn. The Inn was the first thing we came upon. Mom and Dad were arguing as to whether they had been here before. Mom distinctly remembered that they took a cruise ship through here on their way to Alaksa. Dad said absolutely “no” they had never been to Vancouver Island before. Mom kept showing Dad all the things they had seen before and Dad said he didn’t remember anything. Then all of a sudden something struck a cord and he remembered it all.
We took pictures of the Parliament building and the lovely wharf. It was a delight to see so many sea planes come in on the bay waters while we stood on the boardwalk bridge overlooking the bay.
Mom and Dad Beutler found some lady that lived in Vancouver and asked her to give us some recommendation as to where we can get a good fresh fish meal. She mentioned Pasquales, so off we headed to eat the first fresh fish meal we have had opportunity to indulge in so far. We orderd this King crab appetizer that was absolutely beautiful. Every bite that anyone took you heard “Ummm”…. So we knew that this culinary experience was going to be a delight. Steve and Dad ordered fresh Dunguinese Crab, Mom ordered crab cakes and Jayna ordered Halibut. What was the best meal? Well mom would say the crab cakes, Steve and Dad would say the crab and Jayna votes for the Halibut! So, we must have made great choices!
We took off for China town to see the great chineese gate to the entrance of this part of town. Also today was the first day of their Deuce Festival. There were little deuce coupes everywhere you looked. Of course the guys were more interested in the cars than the girls. We teased them that the girls would see the flowers today and the guys would see the cars. I think all four of us enjoyed both the cars and the flowers. It was a lovely day. However, I would say it was an expensive day. We spent $200.00 for the ferry trip. $140 for the meal; $125 for the Garden Tickets… ouch. Oh well, tomorrow will be a driving day, not much money can be spent driving other than gas – they sell gas by the litre here – however, we estimate that gas is between $3.60-$4.00 a gallon. We would have to look up online to see how many litre to a gallon.


Tell Kinsen that Grandma and Grandpa saw a lovely mermaid that would sing and play her accordian if you would put some money in her fin...

1 comment:

Kendra said...

So fun to hear what you are doing! Sounds like a great trip so far! :)