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Travel

Recent Discoveries

In which there are warbirds, mysterious sculptures, ocean vistas, and Edwardian castles–but not all at once.

Blue water laps the pebble beach littered with driftwood.

Note: “recent” being the last two days; “discoveries” being things that only recently entered my awareness. Read about other such “discoveries” from my trip to British Columbia thus far.

I did not think anything would match the aviation excitement of driving into Victoria while the Snowbirds were buzzing around over the city. I was happy to be wrong.

Tim and I traversed an open and nearly empty parking lot along the harbor to get to the Red Fish Blue Fish for lunch. It must have been the low thrum of big radial engines that prompted me to scan the sky.

I was so stunned to see the CAF’s B-17 flying right up the harbor toward us that I mistook her for a Super Fort (pretty dumb of me–STUNNED, I was). By the time I had stopped gawping and fumbled for my phone thinking, ‘I have to text Dad!’ she had already banked northward toward Victoria International Airport. So on we pressed on towards the dock, where lunch awaited.

Or to be accurate, we awaited lunch. However, it was here that I learned that fish and chips, made fresh out of an upcycled storage container, can be AMAZING. This is also where I discovered the best tasting cane sugar ginger ale I’ve ever had. Sadly, Phillips does not ship to the US. *has sad*

Bottle label reads: Phillips Sparkmouth Ginger Ale

This bronze sculpture was somewhat unsettling to happen upon. After some searching, I found that this sculpture was one of a dozen sculptures meant to represent Victoria’s past. The public art walking tour is called The Hands of Time by artist Crystal Przybille. Context makes for not-creepy hands!

Bronze sculpture of hands tying a rope to a mooring ring by artist Crystal Przybille

I learned that Hatley Castle served as a filming location for several movies, including those in the X-Men franchise. It has beautiful English gardens. Lots of weddings happen here.

Front entrance of Hatley Castle. Inside of the circle drive is a garden.
Front entrance of Hatley Castle

I discovered too many things to write while walking the Dallas Road Waterfront Trail. I’ve most enjoyed watching the water and sky change with the weather.

Wild flowers cling to the steep cliffside at the lookout point along Dallas Road Waterfront Trail.
Did someone plant these wildflowers that are clinging to the rocks?

I found that I need to read more about Emily Carr upon visiting her childhood residence–a fascinating person. In the meantime, I have this to read, from a local bookshop on Cook Street: We All Wore Blue by Muriel Gane Pushman, who wrote about her experiences in the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during WWII.