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!
