The west coast of Canada and Alaska have long been popular destinations for Australians. Our friends all chorus “just like New Zealand, but on steroids”. For me, that had to be a come on, but Sweetiepie had visited Vancouver 50 years ago, and she had stories to tell. We began in the relatively little city of Victoria on Vancouver Island, with its colourful shops and quaint cafes. Oddly enough, Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. Brits on the west and French on the east before the railway joined them. Ignoring the jetlag, we made for the harbour, “Where are you going?” said the driver of the cute little yellow water taxi. “May we go for a ride?” All smiles. “Twenty bucks for half an hour OK?” And we were away, on an impromptu journey through the maritime action of flying boats and visiting yachts lining up for the 79th running of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race. (We were asleep, but it happened on Saturday and Sunday), past the clever tilting bridge that allows access for the tall ships that provide hands-on experience for adventurous teenagers. Skirting around the watery runway for the flying boats. To the docking area for cruise ships, as many as four at a time, simultaneously allowing ashore up to ten thousand people.
Happened on the famous Fiamo Italian Kitchen just on meal time. Dark and mysterious, but really humming. The pasta, a gourmet treat. When it came time for coffee, caffeine tragic that I am, I couldn’t help but ask the waitress. “As you have so many Australian visitors, do you make Magic?” The Barista, Evelyn, hadn’t heard of the quirky Australian brew, but she was eager to have a go. The result was so good that I promised to spread the word of her considerable skill on this little blog. So Hello again Evelyn and thank you so much. Long live the Fiamo!
.
On Mermaid Wharf just down the way from Fiamo, there is a multimedia sculpture called Four Winds. Commissioned by Amadon Group, it was a year in the making for artist IceBear.
The four winds are messengers, they bring predictions of spring, with the scent of new flowers, but also carry warnings, not just fires and toxic spills, but environmental change. Even with their backs to the winds here, each of those winds is telling us that change is coming , sooner than we think.
Winds with backs to the wind?? But you get the idea.
Current controversy in Canada over ribbon skirts for the Mounties. Not to be overshadowed by images associated with “I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK”, women have served in the Mounties for over a hundred years. Ribbon skirts are worn by first nations women on ceremonious occasions. The Mounties recently gave permission for ribbon skirts to be worn as part of Mounties ceremonial uniform. Some see this as a mark of reconciliation, while others claim it shows insensitivity to the sometimes brutal part that the Mounties played in the early days of colonisation. On going expressions of intolerance of the “Other” around the world.
The Butchart Gardens
Early last century Robert Butchart had a successful Portland Cement works near Victoria B.C. using limestone from a nearby quarry. When the exhausted quarry was a vast, ugly, empty hole in the ground, Robert’s wife Jennie had the imagination, energy and resources to turn the hole into a magnificent garden. In the early days, Jennie swung from a bosun’s chair to plant ivy in the crevices of the stark quarry walls. A hundred and twenty years on, the work continues with a regular work force of seventy gardeners. The gardens include Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Italian Garden, Piazza, and Mediterranean Garden. But the most impressive is the non-traditional Japanese Garden which began in 1906 with the expert assistance of Japanese landscaper Isaburo Kishida. For breakfast at the gardens we were surrounded by exotic orchids growing in quietly unassuming Japanese pots. Justifiably high on the bucket list for anyone who has seen everything else.
scatterbrook 
Great to hear from you movers and groovers!! Good to see you still living life to the max! Canada is definitely on our list but we’re off to Sth Africa again to give Valanga a hand on some maintenance jobs on their rondavels!
Look forward to next instalment 🙂
Great to receive another first edition first instalment blog. Great pics, everything looks enticing, including your jacket Rob. Where’s it from?
Enjoy. Best to La Belle Hellene.
Ric
What an amazing treat to receive your blog today…we opened up our memory book of the trip we had in 1992 – that seems so long ago however we have vivid memories of being there & Victoria was one of the places we visited. The Butchart Gardens were a particular treat. If you travel back to Seattle, try to visit Paradise an easy drive and so interesting because of the Mt St Helen’s volcano & the story of what happened when it erupted!
At Paradise the whole countryside was covered in Lupins (we were there about this time of year)
wonderful to hear from you, hope you are both exceedingly well (you look it)
funny you should mention a magic coffee, we were out with friends about a week ago and my friend asked for a magic & l had never heard if it! So Bob you really are up with the influencers.
Love your stories. Stay well and travel safe. Enjoyed croquet today, was lots of fun. Wilma
Thanks Robert. As always an interesting blog. It’s great to see that you’re on the other side of the world again. Enjoy every minute of this next adventure.
xx Heather & Nick
I enjoyed reading about your trip so far. We too visited Victoria and the Butchart Garden last year
Great to hear from you Rob, safe travels and we will try not to do too much pottery while you’re away.
Good on you Rob ……….back at it …….cheers……enjoy your travelling and stay healthy the both of you.
Walter & Dianne
thanks for the memories. Loved the very pretty Vancouver Island and Victoria when we visited. The gardens are truly spectacular. We went in summer and the rose garden was stupendous.
great stuff Rob. Very interesting and quirky. You are both clearly making the most of your experience as usual. Keep enjoying. Jenny and Steve