July 15, 2009 Victoria, B.C.

Located off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, is a wonderful place called Victoria. We drove approximately forty-five minutes south of Sooke Island to experience this beautiful place.

The first location to visit is The Empress Hotel. Located at the intersection of the harbour and The Parliament Building, one quickly realizes this old, historic hotel could tell some great stories if it could talk.

Kept in pristine condition this hotel exemplifies the 1800's culture, but feels like home. Undoubtedly expensive per night's lodging, but worth the cost if it weren't for the length of time we were on this trip.

The food is what you would expect in a multi-cultural city. One lunch meal was seafood at the harbour with an evening meal of Italian cuisine.

One excursion we decided to take at the last minute was a city tour of Victoria. The bus driver was extremely knowledgeable about the history and buildings, both commercial

and residential. There were several stops where you could exit the bus, visit the immediate area and then board a later bus to continue the "circle" of the city.

One such stop was at Craigdarroch Castle. Completed in 1890, the fortune amassed by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir is reflected int he Castle's four floors of exquisite stained glass, intricate woodwork and lavish Victorian-era furnishings. The original estate extended over 28 acres overlooking the city. Following our self-guided tour within the castle itself, it was time to re board our tour bus to return to The Empress Hotel, our starting point.

Following our dinner meal, the sun was setting in its usual western direction on the horizon. A beautiful ending to a beautiful, clear sky and moderate temperatures. The adjacent picture at the harbour portrays that relaxed atmosphere.

The evening in Victoria concluded with watching the Christmas type lights that outlined the Parliament Building being turned on. Victoria is a part of British Columbia in Canada and is the "county seat" of this area.

It was now time to travel back to Sooke Island and our last night at Ocean Wilderness B & B.