canada (part deux)

overlooking the harbor

out on the coast
ains and gpa in downtown victoria
ice skating at butchart gardens
slow going on the rink

thursday morning we decided to check out downtown victoria and the mansions on the coast. the homes were beautiful, built in every style and size. most of them sat perched on beautifully manicured green lawns and looked out over the water. if it were not for the fact that it rains constantly and the sun only makes occasional appearances, it would be the perfect place to reside. what i find so fascinating about the island is that people willingly live in a place surrounded completely by water, accessible only by ferry. what if you really needed to go to target? you would have to plan a whole day around target. from where we live in indy there are 3 super targets within 20 minutes. not that indy has the scenery or the great smells of victoria, but it's still something to consider. we took a few pictures along the coast and drove back towards town to see the craigdarroch castle. i was expecting something out of the sound of music, a huge, stone fortress surrounded by fields of green and beautiful trees to climb. we turned up a road near the middle of town and there it was. sitting on 1 acre of grass was a very dark, imposing castle. the ambiance was not great. so we drove on. we ate at a place called vic's fish and chips and it was great. i was wimpy. i had the chicken. but it was great chicken. the kids liked it too, which is always a bonus. the ceilings in the bathroom were low, like, hobbit low, but that was the only thing i can complain about. we looked at a few of the shops downtown and decided to return to the gardens to ice skate.

as the sun sets at 4pm, it is imperative to get wherever you need to be by at least two. this gives you ample time to do things in the light of day. so when we got to the gardens the crew headed out to see the japanese garden, which was closed the night before. becks and i grabbed some hot chocolate and wandered around. apparently we missed out. gary and ellie and matt and the kids climbed up on a huge rock in the middle of the sunken garden and were able to get a great look across the grounds. we caught up to them and picked up our skates and helmets for the kids. i am pleased to announce that after a ten year break, my skating skills came back to me quickly. i should have known that matt would be okay. his athleticism transcends sport. coop really tried, but ains was consumed by the cold.

totally exhausted and thoroughly content, we boarded the ferry bound for the mainland. the air was wonderfully cool and crisp on the deck and we spent a few moments enjoying the christmas lights on the passing homes. i couldn't shake my paranoia, honestly inherited from my mother, and the headline "insanely smart and beautiful woman thrown overboard: her body never found," kept running through my mind. the kids were out by the time the car rolled off the ferry, and after an encounter with a smarthy gentleman at the american border, we coasted slowly into lynden, wa. home sweet home. for the next 9 days anyway.