Adventure in Canada!

My passport was expiring soon and I wanted to go, well, somewhere. I’ve had the card 10 years, and used it once to go to London when I was in college, but nowhere really out of country after that. Then I was in Seattle for a conference, and noticed a ferry that went straight into Victoria, Canada. I hadn’t really made weekend plans, so figured, what the hey.

Boy, was it worth it. Victoria may well be among my favorite places on the planet. So much so that I found myself singing many of the descriptions of what I was seeing...


I stayed at Huntington Hotel, just across from where the ferry from Seattle ports, and it was easily the nicest affordable place I’ve ever been in. I actually fell in love with many people who work there, especially the front desk attendant, the breakfast waiter, and the customs guy. Like, actually. If anyone had asked me out I would have said yes right then and researched how to get a work visa in Canada.

But I digress.

I was only there for the weekend, and while I understand that Victoria is very beautiful with many gardens and parks and even a rainforest to explore, I live in the landlocked state of Colorado and therefore spent the entire weekend at the pier. I ventured downtown for a while, but only because it sported a beautiful view of the water.

There was plenty to do at the waterfront. I went to Fisherman’s Wharf, ate salmon tacos from a float house and watched as little kids fed the harbour seals who came up right to the pier. I jogged alongside the inner harbour trail and watched sailboats, kayaks, and seaplanes on the water.

I even had the chance to see artists Delphine Lechifflart and Franck Rabilier as they "circusnavigate" the globe, who were docked in Victoria on their custom-made sailboat and gave nightly acrobatic and entertaining performances. And I met the charismatic Len and Sue aboard the Thane – but more on that later.

I finished the weekend at Irish Times Pub where I had a Guinness and a Chocolate Raspberry Crème Brulee, which I am a bit ashamed to admit was consumed quite graphically. Overall – a fantastic experience I hope to someday duplicate with more time to explore the rest of what Victoria has to offer!