Victoria, Canada

It was raining in the morning in Seattle. Bad day for going on a trip, but anyway I took a ferry heading for Victoria, Canada. Victoria is located in southern part of Vancouver island. It is a very beautiful, pretty city with lots of flowers and old well-preserved buildings. Though it takes only 3 hours by ferry, the atmosphere is totally different from that in Seattle, where is pretty modern.

Formally called Port of Camosack, Victoria was first chosen as a trading post and fort and then later named Fort Victoria. It became the outfitting center of miners and adventurers. In 1868, Queen Victoria named it the Capital city of the Crown colony of British Columbia. Victoria has emerged from its frontier roots and royal heritage, to a city with rich architecture, lush gardens and West coast Hospitality.

The area where the vessel arrived is called Inner Harbour. I saw many shops with the flags of all nations, the Empress Hotel, and British Columbia Parliament Buildings. The Empress Hotel was huge, very old, and dignified. It is flanked by a rose garden and has inviting expanse of lawn in front. The various colors of national flags and flowers make the city vibrant.

I went to Starbucks in downtown out of curiosity and had a wrap of tuna salad. Starbucks was almost the same to those in Seattle or Japan, but they had less kind of food. Things in Victoria were not as expensive as Seattle, but still not that cheap. What is interesting is that everything is written in both English and French. In Inner Harbour, was a music festival. A lot of people were sitting on benches or lawn and listening to it. It was cloudy and sometimes sunny, when it became warm.

The craigdarroch Castle was a little bit from the city center, about 30 minute-walking, but it was worth visiting. It was completed in 1890 for Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune from Vancouver island coal. Unfortunately he passed away just before construction of the Castle was completed, so his widow lived there for approximately 20 years. Inside of the castle was so gorgeous and luxury with a billiard room, dance hall (orchestras were hired!), library, number of bedrooms... Even the residents might have got lost in their own "house".

There was an art gallery near the castle, and I had a look at it. They had exhibitions of Asian arts, photographs of Rockey Mountains, which was very beautiful, drawings of Emily Carr, one of Canada's greatest and most loved artists.

I was surprised the hotel I stayed at is 3rd oldest in Victoria! It was 3 blocks away from downtown, neat and tidy, and welcoming. The room was very clean with large bathrooms and a queen-sized bed. I like the hotel very much.