We booked the first ferry to Victoria island; by air & water are the only means to reach there. It was a one & half hour cruise from Tsawwassen port to Victoria. We had packed our breakfast; after we parked our car in the ferry's basement (it's a 5 decks ferry, with facility to park around 150+ vehicles including trucks & personal boats), had breakfast in the ferry lounge & were set to enjoy the morning sunshine in the cruise.
1. Butchart Gardens: The first time we went there was with sis & family in April. Then we made it just in time before the last entry allowed. We had to run through the gardens in an hour's time. Still, we didn't miss a part of it, enjoyed every theme. So, this time we wanted to ensure we spent some good time in the garden, main reasons being its mom's grand interest.
The garden is maintained by 40+ gardeners & has lot more than our eyes, minds & cameras can capture. They change the flora every season & we witnessed 2 different sets in 2 seasons (April & September 2009). The gardens are in themes of Roses, Italian, Hanging, Japanese & Sunken Garden.
2. Butterfly Garden: I wondered if it were just collection of butterflies on display boards & was skeptical to go. Its a home for 3000+ butterflies. I was more than glad to have not chickened-out on the place; you feel as if you are in one of those fairy tale stories, with colorful butterflies flying all around you! We were awed looking at the varieties, colors and how undisturbed'ly they flew around us.
3. Undersea garden: A ship sunk & made into aquarium! The place isn't as exciting as it sounds; has only very few varieties of species, like a lengthy, huge aquarium in a big hall. Vancouver Aquarium is more scintillating than this one.
4. Royal London Wax Museum: Collection of most of the wax idols (not all) from that of Madam Tussauds museum, its a nice visit. The idols of prison captures & their tortures was much horrifying & disturbing. We forgot to collect one of the rare pics that could have been in the collection; that of our heads cut & placed in a plate! May be we should be glad we didn't get one :)
5. Parliament house: On occasions visitors are allowed inside the parliament, which that day was not. So, we spent ample amount of time in the open grounds of the parliament house. Could see horse carriages taking tourists around the place; and the horses' tail plaits were worth pictured.
6. Craigdarroch Castle: The Castle of the Dunsmuir's from the 1800s, a wealthiest man of a time. The Castle has all the arrangements as left by the Dunsmuirs, their family history, the rooms & dressing rooms arranged as per their times with beautiful furnishings & glass works.
7. A Street show: After all the roaming around we still had some time to watch the street show that happens around the harbor area. After all, the true way of visiting a place is to know & familiarize such displays on streets and watch all the hustle-bustle that happens down town. The showman entertained his audience very well, the knives act, uni-cycle tricks & the engagements with the audience. "This is my only profession & this is what pays for all my bills. I request you all to donate not less than $5, but anything more is always welcome & I would be grateful for". That surely fetches his more than $250 a show!
Victoria is a beautiful city, with the English touch & heritage still around. The miss in the September trip was the Royal BC Museum & Miniature World. To compensate that, we did visit
8. Elk & Beaver Lake: on our way back to the Victoria port to take our ferry back home. We stopped by to enjoy the sunset at this beach-like lake. A walk in the water, with the view of sun setting for the day & watching a few kayaking and photographing birds.
Our cruise back home was a quiet one; all of us not so much interested in getting out of the car in the ferry parking, reclined back through the cruise after an eventful & lengthier than expected day.
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