The Victoria Trip
Alright, I'm well enough to write about the trip. This darn cough is still lingering, but hopefully I'll either get answers at my doctor's appointment tomorrow, or it will just die.

No problems flying there, but can I say I love the Vancouver airport. All Canadian airports should be this well organized. You can totally tell it's a B.C. airport by the decor. It's peaceful, and very multicultural. And right beside our gate is a Tim Horton's. We have enough time to scarf a doughnut before we have to board. This is all the food we've had since breakfast.

We hop on a 16 minute flight to Victoria, it's up then down. I didn't see much from my seat, but I was feeling a little queasy, even with my Sea-Band on. Geoff said it was beautiful. Victoria's airport is tiny, kinda like the Long Beach airport. We are greeted by Glen & Diane, and we all hop in the van to see the island. We get a quick car tour of a decent portion of Victoria before we head to the condo.

We eat dinner at this great place called Christie's, it's a pub, and the food is excellent. Not just because we were hungry, it's really good there. And it's within eyesight of the condo.

Wednesday, we walk up to a quaint shopping district to get a few things and to see the infamous Penny Farthing Pub, where the family ate back when Meg & Mike were in Victoria. We head to Safeway to get a few things then home for lunch. After eating we walk to Craigdarroch Castle. I thought it would be a fun thing we could do, and it certainly was fun. It was all decorated for Christmas, and it was self guided so we could take as long as we wanted. I think we all got a kick out of it. There were two musicians playing celtic & Christmas music. Let it be said that Feliz Navidad doesn't sound good with a celtic flair. But the musicians were really good.

Leaving the castle, we stopped by Government House, but barely saw a portion of it. Definitely something to see in summer I'm sure. But the grounds look great, and I bet it's popular for wedding photos.

I start too feel my throat closing up that night, and wake the next morning being full on sick. Meg & Mike arrive that morning. Geoff went for a run that afternoon, and planned to meet up with everyone at Ross Bay. He felt like he was just getting warmed up by the time he hit Ross Bay, so he continued. He ends up running all the way to the Legislative Building, and then practically traces his steps back. Everyone is shocked by how far he went when he finally makes it back home. They were starting to worry, but I know my husband. He loves running at sea level, and he talks about how he can run forever. I knew he'd be okay, plus he had his phone if there were any problems.

The Armstrongs have their Christmas Eve Fish Fest, and I eat my scalloped potatoes in a box, since I can only muster to eat soft food. Plus I hate fish.

Christmas Day we all get spoiled, and then take a walk down to Gonzales Bay. This is my first time at the ocean this trip. The day is kinda cloudy, but it's somehow suited to the beach. Christmas dinner is turkey, and I am able to enjoy it. :) I love turkey.

Boxing Day (or the 26th for my Yankee friends), Geoff and I go out for coffee with my Auntie Laurie and her husband Gene. They take us to a great place, Ogden Point Cafe & Dive Shop. The food smells awesome, but I just have a hot chocolate. Geoff and Auntie Laurie enjoy a bumbleberry crisp, and Gene has carrot cake. We sit in a closed in patio overlooking the breakwater. It's so good to see her again, and to spend time with Gene. After coffee, we go downstairs to the dive shop and Geoff is able to talk to them about diving. Getting the scoop on things, he is armed with what he needs to know about diving there. Essentially, you can dive with the wetsuit he owns, but you'd be MUCH more comfortable in a dry suit. We then walk up to the lighthouse at the end of the breakwater to see two divers enter the water. Along the way all I am able to see are starfish, but it's so beautiful out there. We head back, and then go home to the condo. I tell Auntie Laurie I will for sure call her the next time we come up.

That night we have reservations at Butchart Gardens for dinner. Everyone is anxious to relive the holiday display they put on every year. Geoff has never been to Butchart Gardens, and I have never been in the winter. It's quite the display they put on, it's hard to capture in pictures. Once we finish viewing their display of the Twelve Days Of Christmas, we head to the Dining Room for dinner. It's a lovely place, and I wish I had felt better. As it was I just had salad for dinner. Geoff and I enjoyed a huge pot of tea each after dinner. If we'd known how big the tea pots were going to be, we'd have shared a pot. Giant silver tea pots. I really wanted to take the heavy duty tea strainer with me. I think if it were in the gift shop, I may have gotten one. I am so exhausted from our outing. I think it may have too much, but I wanted to go.

Our last day in Victoria, and I'm far to beat to do much. I do take a trip up to Safeway with Geoff just to get some fresh air, and exercise. The rest of the family heads to downtown, but I knew that would be too much for me. Next trip, I'll do downtown. I want to rest up since the family wants to the Penny Farthing for dinner. After eating there (I was able to eat a hamburger), I deem that Christie's is a much better pub. I mean yeah this place had ambiance, but the food was better at Christie's, and I like the atmosphere better over there. But it's always good to break out of your box once in while.

Our journey home begins at the Victoria airport at 11am with a 12pm departure. We get there and most of the flights are delayed or cancelled. Joy! We have a connection in Vancouver at 2pm, and we brace ourselves for the worst. We get out of Victoria on a flight at 12:30ish. So we're only 30 minutes behind our schedule. The problem was bad weather or fog in Vancouver. Once we get to Vancouver we fly through the airport, through security and customs. As we make our way to our gate, we know we're doing alright. We pass a Tim Horton's and once we get to the gate Geoff leaves to get us 2 doughnuts each and some water for the flight. Since we know from the flight there they won't be feeding us. We eat a doughnut and then it's time to board.

We get home safe and sound, and being the planners we are, there is food in the fridge to eat for dinner. There are even gifts under the tree. Turns out the housing office put any packages not picked up by Christmas Eve inside people's front doors, which is where our tree was.

So that was Victoria. I'm hoping to do more next time, and maybe we'll go in the summer next time.

I got a bus load of books for Christmas, and the first one I am reading is Why I Hate Canadians by Will Ferguson. It's hilarious. I also got his book Canadian History For Dummies, because I retained so little knowledge of what I learned in school. And I want to be able to give my boy facts about his parents' home country. I'm going to close with a quote from This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

J.B. Dixon: At this time, we need to look to Canada's poets for inspiration. And when we think Canada, when we think poets, we all think... Trooper!