Let's go for a walk: Victoria Part One

After we picked Rob up, we drove to our hotel and literally threw our cases in the room, then headed outside for a walk. Almost immediately outside our hotel (across the road) was St. Ann's Academy. It's a beautiful building with gorgeous grounds. I'd love to be able to spend my lunch hours wandering them or sitting on a bench under one of the many, many oak trees there. I really love oak trees.

Spectacular. As a side note, the weather was supposed to be miserable this weekend. Look at how beautiful it was. We were blessed!



Here's a little history of this building, if you don't feel like going to the link I put in above.


Lovely.



We decided that we needed to explore as much of downtown Victoria as possible before it got dark so I gave the kids a bagel to munch on and we got walking.

There's a lot of ivy in Victoria. And this time of year it starts turning a gorgeous shade of red.

We walked past the Miniature Museum. I still have never been there. One day...it looks amazing!




The Soda Shoppe. A vintage candy and soda shoppe. There really were not enough hours for all the delicious food in Victoria. Thank goodness we did so much walking!





My brother works just up the road from here. I can't imagine living and working in such a beautiful spot. Everything is within walking distance. Just lovely.

The bastion from Bastion Square.


The Maritime Museum. Yet another place I still haven't visited. The building is nice though, isn't it?


Even the garbage cans in downtown are pretty. Well, interesting anyway.




I can't remember what street we were on here, but I was standing at the entrance to Market Square and this is the view up the street. SO colourful. Normally, I would want a little more harmony amongst the colours, but it was really pretty.



Mom? Dad? Do you remember going to this waffle place on one of our trips to Victoria? I've had a place like this in my memory for years, and I'm sure I remember both of you being there too. Did I make it up? Was there a similar place on Saltspring Island?



This is a hidden little gem! Such cute little shops hidden away behind an old warehouse looking building. It was very pretty, but not as peaceful/quaint as it should have been. We were wandering down an alley when a very hostile homeless person accosted us with the most foul language. Cursing the day we were born and wished we'd all just vanish from his universe. It disturbed the kids, but luckily only for a few minutes and then we were all okay again.



On the other side of Market Square (the ocean side) we examined some history.


And stopped for a chat (and a drink!)


I peered over a low wall as we walked along the street and saw this:

It looks like it's straight out of a Dickens novel to me!


I love their slogan:

And we kept walking. Everything was just too interesting.


James Cook:

The Legislative Buildings:


Emily Carr and her pet monkey:

We finally stopped for dinner at Vista 18. Andrew wanted a picture of his dinner. It was pretty fancy looking!



Then we walked Rob home and finally went home to bed.