For The Love of Travel

Jack and Jacqui have the ‘day off’ today :).

I hired a car so I could travel south to the capital Victoria. Along this pathway, the Skywalk is an uplifting coastal forest-to-sky experience, a place to wander at your own pace….and it’s accessible to all. 360 degree views from the top of the Mt Baker, Finlayson Arm, the Saanich Peninsula and islands stretching into USA as well as Canada. And there’s a 20m spiral slide (‘the sizzler!)….you hear periodic screams from those unprepared for the fun and fast ride….. :), and that’s a bit unnerving.

Artist Tanya Bub glues together thousands of driftwood pieces to create her striking sculptures – cougars, bears, an owl and bald eagle – all native to Vancouver Island and part of Tanya’s Wild Art collection – they are nestled throughout the Malahat SkyWalk experience.

I chose to see the Abkhazi garden this visit, as I saw the incredible Butchart gardens last time. Amazing history too – in 1920’s Paris, Marjorie (Peggy) Pemberton-Carter meets the exiled Georigian prince, Nicholas Abkhazi and they form a firm friendship. Both were separately interned in prisoner-of-war camps during WW2. Peggy made her way to Victoria post war and bought the large treed and rocky lot that would become Abkhazi garden. In Jan 1946 she received a letter from Nicholas…they reunited and soon got engaged and married in Nov 1946. They worked together on the garden for over 40 years…they called it ‘their child’. I particularly loved the Rhododendron Woodland section and water lily ponds.

Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, is a colourful floating village just a short walk from the Inner Harbour. Each painted in bright hues and boasting quirky designs, each house is unique in its own way, and as you walk up and down the marina, you wonder about the local lifestyle and what it would be like living in the interesting tiny homes. Then, there’s the marine life. I kept my eyes peeled for harbour seals but didn’t see any playfully bobbing in the water…a common sight apparently, but not for me today.

Took a drive down Belleville St to see the Houses of Parliament and Fairmont’s Empress Hotel – wow, they are both as I still remembered – so impressive in their architectural impact.

Really enjoyed the day, and keeping the steps up…7,101 today.

It was a fab 9 hour flight from London to Vancouver by British Airways. My AirB&B accom was finally okay, but had to negotiate a different room from the initial assigned, with resident onsite manager.

Caught the Hullo ferry to Nanaimo the next morning. Jacqui and Jack are my hosts for the next few days and they spoiled me with a lovely lunch (see below) and then a ‘smoking’ dinner. 🙂 Jack cooked smoked ribs, Jacqui the salad and potato salad, Yummy, yum, yum!

We headed for Comox the next day, a one and a half hour drive north. Jacqui and Jack wanted me to see the Filberg heritage park. In the 1930’s, Comox timber baron, Robert Filberg built Filberg Heritage Lodge (now Grancuna Lodge), as a summer home for his wife and 2 children. Spectacular view of the Goose Spit, the Strait of Georgia and the magestic Beaufort mountains (still with some snow on the peaks). Its a real gem – nine acres of breathtakingly landscaped waterfront gardens. The park features 130 varieties of trees, seasonal gardens, and hundreds of rhododendrons. It’s become a popular venue for picnics, weddings, art shows and special events including the popular Filberg Festival held in August.

Wow, an absolutely beauty of a day, and park. Blue skies, green grass and trees, flowering bushes and more peonies (I think I’m getting obsessed)…water views galore.

Jacqui, a very bad influence :), introduced me to yummy ‘Empress 1908 gin’. Love the purple colour. And Comox marina.

View from the Oceanside route on the way back to Nanimo…

Deep Bay….

Enjoying a lunch @ the Bluefin pub in Comox (tide out) and then in late afternoon…back at Nanaimo, the Irish pub, ‘Carlos O’Bryan’s’.