Renting bikes on Robson Street — Wendy had her usual smokin’ deal coupon (We can always count on her!) — is one of those things that must be done when in Vancouver. From the bike shop it is a short ride over to Stanley Park. From there it is about six miles around the perimeter of the park with either the Burrard Inlet or English Bay in sight. There are paths up through the park that lead to places like Beaver Lake, but the ride around the water is just too beautiful to pass up.
Stanley Park Bike Ride
The consensus of opinion was Stanley Park would be too crowded on Sunday. Monday would be a much better day for the bike ride. If the number of people riding in the park on a Monday is any clue, we made the right choice. There are still a lot of folks out here for a work day.
Stanley Park Bike Ride
I chose not to bring the big camera today. Ed took these two pictures with his phone camera. For more pictures of Stanley Park, see The Canadian Adventure 2009.
Butchart Gardens
Not to let the grass grow under our feet, on Tuesday the four of us are off to Vancouver Island. This time Wendy and George take the Skytrain to our station on Scott Road where we pick them up in the Jeep to head for the Tsawwassen Ferry. The hour and a half ferry ride to Swartz Bay places us in good proximity to Butchart Gardens.
Wendy and George at Butchart Gardens
According to the Butchart Gardens web site, it is “fifty-five acres of stunning floral show gardens and a National Historic Site of Canada.” The place is a fantasyland of gardens.
Buschart Gardens
Everywhere one looks is an abundance of brilliant color. Never a leaf out of place and never a dead plant in sight. These gardens have to have a lot of people tending to business.
We found out that in a week or so the staff will be planting a quarter of a million bulbs. That’s 250,000 bulbs!! Whoa, that is a lot of flowers!
Butchart Gardens
Butchart Gardens
The diversity of spaces throughout the gardens present interesting places to contemplate one’s navel.
Butchart Gardens
Fuchsia
The fuchsia plants are stunning. The juxtaposition of the purple and red draws one in. The fairylike quality of the bloom captures the imagination. I love these flowers.
Sunken Garden
The Sunken Garden has been created from an old limestone quarry. It is difficult to imagine this beautiful space was once the barren dirt pictured below.
What Used To Be
The history as taken from the Butchart Garden web site: “As Mr. Butchart exhausted the limestone in the quarry near their house, his enterprising wife, Jennie, conceived an unprecedented plan for refurbishing the bleak pit. From farmland nearby she requisitioned tons of top soil, had it brought to Tod Inlet by horse and cart, and used it to line the floor of the abandoned quarry. Little by little, under Jennie Butchart’s supervision, the abandoned quarry blossomed into the spectacular Sunken Garden.”
Buschart Gardens
This lookout point gives a birds-eye view of the Sunken Garden while being a place of beauty in itself.
Wendy and George
Wendy and George are all smiles by the Sunken Garden Lake. The fountain behind is a constantly changing dance of water.
Sunken Garden Lake and Fountain
There are benches along this area where one can simply sit and watch the water dance. Hypnotic is one word that works to describe the experience.
Never Too Old!
I refuse to grow up. Besides, I have the hat!
Dahlia
This is apparently the premier season for dahlias. They were all magnificent in a stunning array of colors as depicted in the following pictures.
Dahlias
Dahlia
Dahlia
Dahlia
Dahlias
Dahlia
Dahlia
Dahlias
It is time to move on down the island to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. This beautiful city is located closer to the state of Washington than to Vancouver.
Victoria's Empress Hotel
The Empress Hotel is one of the sights that identifies Victoria. It is instantly recognizable and once you have been here, just seeing it puts you right back into that space and time. When we were here two years ago, I knew it would be fun to come and spend two or three days poking around this beautiful city. I haven’t changed my mind, but unfortunately it will not be this trip.
Capitol Building
Looking across the marina to the capitol is also one of the iconic pictures of Victoria. The Empress Hotel is off to the left of this picture. The marina looks out onto James Bay. Just sitting along the far side of the marina looking out over the water would require an hour or so to do it properly!
Favorite Pub
Ed and I discovered a pub when we were in Victoria two years ago. We sort of remembered where it was, but not quite. With a little wandering up and down the streets between Wharf Street and Government Street, we finally recognize it on the left side of Yates Street. In we go for dinner and a brew. I think we may have just stumbled upon the place we must always come back to when in Victoria. The special tonight is tacos. Cheap enough. Good enough. This place is a winner. The brew is cold and delish!
Time to head for the ferry to return to Vancouver. It leaves at 7:00. We should have just enough time to get in line before it sails. Life is good.