Victoria Day in Victoria

Monday, May 18

Despite a sore throat, I get up early enough to go to the spa before breakfast as I have done for the last few days.

It is a free day, but most of us end up catching the Hop-on Hop-off bus. Victoria Day celebrations are in full swing now with parades, brass bands and lots of people everywhere.

As we're sitting on the top deck of the bus waiting to get started, we hear some beautiful music, and suddenly there are the little ferries doing some synchronized dancing. That is so cute.

We do the full round on the bus, just seeing the sights. It is very crowded everywhere.

Arriving back at the beginning, we are greeted by a 15 shot gun salute that nearly catapults us off the bus.

We traipse along the little souvenir stalls on the wharf on the way to one of the little ferries to go out to the fisherman's wharf for some fish and chip lunch.

It is a T-shirt day all day. Pity my sore throat is getting worse by the minute.

I have to go back to the hotel in the afternoon and have a little rest. Luckily, our tour leader stops by with some medicine and by the time we meet downstairs to go out for some dinner, I'm feeling much better.

To Vancouver Island on the Spirit of Vancouver

Sunday, May 17

We get picked up by a coach to be taken on quite a lengthy drive to the ferry terminal. 
Our ferry is the Spirit of Vancouver. 
The weather is glorious and warm. I spend the best part of the 1 1/2 hour passage outside.

Another 45 minute bus drive gets us to our hotel in Victoria, the Chateau Victoria.

We all have suites with two rooms and balconies.

It is Victoria Day long weekend and there is a lot of partying going on, so sleeping with the window open is not possible.

Tonight, a group of us decide to have dinner in the hotel restaurant on the top floor, overlooking the city and enjoying the sunset.

A day in Vancouver

Saturday, May 16

A few of us traipse down to the water to catch a ferry to Granville Island to have a look around the markets.

These are the sweetest little ferries I have ever seen, really just like nutshells. 

Vancouver is a city of many bridges, lots of water, parks......and of course cute ferries.

The market is mostly a produce and food market. Beautiful and colourful. Just look at all these fruits and berries.

Canadian chocolate bears, not Bernese chocolate bears.

While resting our weary bones we were greatly entertained by this singing, ukulele-playing pom.

Later in the day, a couple of us walked around some of the roads in the vicinity of the hotel. To our horror, we saw lots of beggars starting to line the streets. My friend purchased a little travel case and was wheeling it along. I told her she was not to stop and sit down anywhere with that, lest she be mistaken for another beggar.

Making our way back to the hotel, we suddenly find ourselves mobbed by all the fans coming from the sports stadium. There are absolute hordes of people coming towards us.

Being very tired from having been on my feet for the best part of the day, I have a quick, quiet dinner at the hotel.