For our anniversary, we drove to the Olympic Peninsula, that northwestern corner of Washington state and thus the whole United States. The Olympic Peninsula deserves its own blog; it has rain forests and hot springs and gorgeous mountain peaks and ocean beaches and oyster beds and the wonderful Hood Canal that is such a joy to drive through.
At Port Angeles, we parked the car and walked onto the ferry saving fifty dollars by leaving the car behind. We knew that our lodging was very near the ferry dock at the Victoria end and an easy walk with our cooler and one suitcase. Such fun to feel footloose!
This is the Empress Hotel at the head of the harbor. The Royal Family stays here when they are visiting.
Houseboats from the ferry:
We took a Grayline bus tour to get a bigger view of the city than our feet could carry us. It was a red double decker bus with an open top where we sat so as to get the best view and pictures, of course. These photos are the result; pardon if some are a bit blurry or have a bus railing in the foreground.
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In a beautification project years ago, the city put up old fashioned street lamps and hangs 1500 flower baskets every year.
Chinatown:
The Chinese public school ^
^This Visitor Centre is on the site of a former Esson gas station which fashioned this monument after the Empire State Bldg. in New York City, the headquarters of Esson at the time.
The Bay Mall (Hudson Bay):
The next morning after our bus tour I got these houseboat pictures from our resort at 6:30 AM—a different kind of architecture, but one that appeals.
We already have our Victoria reservations in for next year!
5 comments:
We visited Victoria in 2002 shortly before we moved to SoCal. I remember walking past the Chinese School and the cathedral! One of my highlights was having tea at Murchies!
Thanks for the wonderful memories.
I see my friend Willow has commented already. Loved seeing all these great architectural photos of Victoria. I want to go back when the sun is shining. My last visit it rained the whole weekend. Love the houseboats!
We have had a wonderful time there; your photos are superb. You did a lot of walking to get these, plus you had a beautiful day - at least it looks that way.
That looks such an interesting place - if not downright fantastic! The houseboats were so colourful, though I always think any houseboat, or house on the water looks a bit damp!! And that shopping mall! You could spend days in there, if you had enough money!!
You put together such interesting and beautiful photo sets, and great commentary!
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