Honeymoon: Day 4

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

We woke up and got ready for what was supposed to be breakfast but was more like brunch or just plain lunch. We decided to drive into downtown Victoria for breakfast at a place recommended by the tour book we had. Driving was a mistake. We should have just walked. By the time we got there it was more brunch time than breakfast and the slow service definitely made it more like Lunch. But then the food arrived and I knew it was totally worth it. It was delicious.

After eating way more than could have been good for me, we walked back to the car and decided we we drop the car back at the hotel and walk around downtown Victoria because we had already seen so many cute shops and things we needed to explore.

Our first stop were the totem poles right near our hotel. Our hotel was pretty near downtown and close to the museum in Victoria. Canada had a ton of totem poles. They really were everywhere.


We then stopped by the lovely Parliament building right on the wharf. After a short look around inside we made our way to the Empress hotel. It is a beautiful building with some very strange bushes out front. Not sure what they are supposed to be but definitely worth taking a few photos of.



This was in a nice trellis area on the grounds of the hotel and the next photo was taken inside the conference room of the hotel. Notice again the totem pole.


From there we walked downtown which is mostly made of tourist shops mixed with other more unique and fun stores. Jacob especially loved the alley that used to be famous as the main location for "ladies of the night" seeking business. I really enjoyed the Chinatown section of the city as well as Market Square where we purchased a nice kite that hopefully we will be able to test out sometime soon.

China Town

Market Square

Jacob in the alley.

I was pretty tired at this point but a little ice cream cheered me right up...that and a little time resting at the hotel before heading to a grocery store (our favorite was the Savon Foods) and then to Buchart Gardens. I have a ton of photos from the gardens. I'll try to limit the ones I share to the really fantastic shots. But it was amazing. And we were there at the perfect time of day because we got to see the gardens by day light and also lit up by the lights in dusk. Jacob and I highly recommend seeing the gardens at night. Awesome!

These yellow flowers were huge! I think they called them trumpet horns or something.

Entering the gardens.

The sunken garden was my favorite. It was amazing, especially at night.


They even had flowers on top of the garbage cans.


The fountain in the sunken garden. It reminded me of the Fountains of Bellagio without the music or the cool lady saying "the next showing of the fountains of Bellagio will be at the quarter to the hour."


Jacob and I in the rose garden.


This particular rose was the "Sexy Rexy" from New Zealand. They know how to name a flower!


Near the entrance to the Japanese Garden.


I just like this one of my feet and the rock path.


Jacob felt a little bit zen while in the gardens.

This last photo is from the green house. Gorgeous!

That about rounded out the night for us.