THE ROAD

Buster and I have always wanted to visit Canada. So, while we were in the Pacific Northwest, we traveled to Port Angeles, Washington, which is on the Olympic Peninsula. Olympic National Park is on the peninsula. We attempted to travel to Hurrican Ridge, but the road was closed due to snow. So, we hiked an area close to Lake Crescent and enjoyed Merrymere Falls. The forests, lakes, and clear rivers are so beautiful.

Anyway, we took the Black Ball Ferry from Port Angeles through the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, British Columbia. What was I thinking, a cat on a boat…on the water … not a great idea. Notwithstanding, I held it together and managed to keep all the hairballs down.

Once we arrived in Victoria, I quickly recovered and Buster and I walked to our hotel, the beautiful Fairmont Empress which overlooks the inner harbor. We set out to explore the city and our first stop was the Legislative Building, which sits diagonally across from the Fairmont Empress Hotel. A statue of Queen Victoria stands on the front lawn. The interior is adorned with beautiful stained-glass windows, including the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee window, which was created to commemorate the 60th anniversary of her reign. We also were able to catch a glimpse of the legislative chamber where the members of the provincial legislature sit facing one another, unlike the U.S. House and Senate chambers which are arranged in a semi-circle. Very interesting.

We walked on Fisherman’s Wharf, which is a really nice area for cooling your tonsils in the summer. A lot of people live in houseboats at the pier - pretty cool. Another fascinating stop was at the Craigdarroch Castle which was built by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir during the reign of Queen Victoria. Robert died before construction was completed and his two sons were tasked with overseeing the completion of the mansion. The home has been dubbed a “castle” because it has an imposing exterior and luxurious interior. While the structure is beautiful, the family history is filled with scandal, betrayal and tragedy. But, that’s a story for another time or you can google-ize the story.

We toured Chinatown, which is one of the largest on the west coast. It is a beautiful area with very little kitsch for tourists. The beauty and sophistication is the draw. We walked all over downtown. It is incredibly well-preserved - many of the handsome buildings are from the 1880s on. We took in the Anglicans’ Christ Church Cathedral, the Catholics’ St. Andrews Cathedral, and had lunch at Irish Times Pub. Frances Rattenbury designed the building for the Bank of Montreal. He also designed the Empress Hotel and the Legislative Building.

During our stay we enjoyed a stroll through beautiful Beacon Hill Park which is inhabited by more than its share of ducks, geese, black squirrels, and peacocks. Of course, we worked up a thirst so we made a stop at the Bard & Banker pub for a refreshment. Victoria is a lovely city.

Emmylou Harris is one of our favorites. Her voice seems to reflect the reality of life, sometimes incredibly sad, other times light, fun, interesting. She didn’t write a lot of songs, but the songs she wrote are full of feeling. Of The Road, which she wrote after Gram Parsons died, she said, “Life goes on and unfolds before you, but those people and those events that change you forever are always with you.” Buster and I are trying to live in the moment and appreciate people and events we experience.

Later,

Betty and Buster

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