DIY Victoria, British Columbia
After a morning tour at Butchart Gardens, we spent the rest of our time in Victoria wandering the city on our own and then dining with friends.
Victoria is home to many outdoor sculptures, and we drove past several as we returned to the city center from Butchart Gardens. The Commerce Canoe is a public sculpture by Victoria artist Illarion Gallant, located on the edge of Chinatown, close to the Johnson Street Bridge. It symbolizes the canoe as the vessel of commerce for Indigenous people before Europeans came to the region.
Following our morning tour, we were dropped off in front of the Steamship Grill located in the historic Steamship Terminal building, directly across the street from the Legislature building and a block from The Empress Hotel and the Royal BC Museum. Since we’d planned on walking to the museum and Empress Hotel, this was super convenient. We decided to stop at Steamship for lunch and Sherpa’s beer before touring on our own. He ordered a hazy IPA to go with his Chicken Wasabi Bowl with edamame, rice, noodles in a spicy sauce. I ordered a cup of Seafood Chowder. We sat on the outdoor patio facing Victoria’s inner harbour and enjoyed the sunshine, the view, and our food.
Tropical Storm Hazy IPA is brewed by Lighthouse Brewing in Victoria, British Columbia. 6.5% ABV. 38 IBUs. Sherpa’s Take: “I liked the beer. A deep amber color, slightly cloudy. Light citrus-y hop notes. Initial taste is punchy and bright with moderate carbonation. The aftertaste grows more intense. I ate spicy food while drinking this beer which provided a nice balance. 6.5/10.”
On our way to the Royal BC Museum, we walked past the Parliament Buildings. The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and the seat of the provincial government. Built in 1893, they present a formidable presence across from the harbor.
We visited the Royal BC Museum, a place we had toured a decade ago. John Lennon’s 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine was on display in the lobby of the Royal BC Museum. It was a delight to see, peering through the windows and imagining John waving from inside the car’s dark interior.
“Originally painted Valentine Black, the car was later transformed with bold psychedelic patterns and Romany-inspired designs, capturing the creative energy of the late 1960s. The custom paint job was completed just before the release— “Sgt’ Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.” — from the museum website.
Global Threads: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz, an exhibit at the Royal BC Museum, features 80 objects spanning 10 centuries and four continents. It showcases India’s painted and printed cottons, revealing their enduring impact on art, science, and fashion while uncovering their complicated history of labour and consumption. — from the museum website.
Maiwa and block-printing families have created new products, including Maiwa's signature natural-dye fashion line printed on linen, featuring this textile pattern developed in 1996.
Our Living Languages shares the history of disrupted languages in BC and their complexity. Salish Loom, a woven textile by Debra Sparrow, features letters from one of the region’s disappearing languages.
After our museum visit, we walked through Thunderbird Park. It houses a magnificent collection of totem poles by several master carvers.
Known as Mungo Martin House, Wawadit’la, a Kwakwaka’wakw structure located in the heart of Thunderbird Park, was created by Martin, a Kwakwaka‘wakw teacher and master carver.
We returned to the ship around 5 PM, ready to collapse from our all-day walking extravaganza. Walking more than 5 miles every day takes some energy, and I was planning our room service dinner when the phone rang. Friends were calling to confirm the time to meet before dinner. I’d neglected to add W and R’s names to our dinner calendar when we made plans days earlier! We really enjoy their company, so we readily agreed to meet in an hour, just enough time for a quick rest and revival!
So glad we made that extra effort. We had a lovely dinner and then went to the Horizon Lounge, where they treated us to the last of their cognac. What could be better? Conversation, good food, and cognac with our new Canadian friends. Cheers!
Tomorrow, We dock in Seattle for an overnight stay.
Seems surreal that your world cruise is almost finished. So glad you had this beautiful day And a fun evening with friends!