Another very good night’s kip in a very comfortable bed (although the aircon is noisy). First world problem, I know….
Tried breakfast in the hotel. Expensive again, but I can feel myself getting inured to these prices. It was at least large, but not outstanding.
Booked a restaurant for tonight’s dinner via the hotel concierge and gained info about a hop-on-hop-off bus service around Victoria which we are planning to undertake, as is our wont in an unknown city.
Some arty-farty stuff in the hotel :
Have to say, it’s all rather pretentious. I know we’re privileged to be able to stay at places like this, but it is pretty up itself.
Anyway, we got booked onto a bus tour around Victoria, which was very interesting, but once again, there were four women chatting away in Spanish in front of us who never stopped to draw breath, making it hard to hear the commentary over the bus PA system. We were delighted when they got off.
Some pics from the bus tour, most of them hastily taken:
We finished the trip in blazing heat. Lovely for me, not so much for Jean.
A couple more views of the front of our hotel:
Jean needed a nail bar (?), so we found somewhere that appeared to fit the bill. 10 minute wait. Time to find my kind of bar, then:
Jean departed for her nail mission, and I stayed in the bar in lovely sunshine. Fantastic.
Jean returned, well satisfied with her result but considerably poorer.
We then decided to take a walk to Fisherman’s Wharf, an area that had captured my imagination on the bus tour. 20 minute stroll in very warm conditions, but worth it. Well, I thought so anyway. Very picturesque, if rather twee.
Back to our air-conditioned hotel room to relax ahead of dinner.
Which was thoroughly enjoyed at a local bistro. Thank God we’d booked it, as there was a constant stream of people trying to get a table. Very popular and very busy.
Jean had a pork chop for her main. Like no pork chop I have ever seen. More like a steak, but it was delicious, apparently. Me, I had halibut and chips. You won’t find that in many fish and chip shops in the U.K. Absolutely fab. Oh, and a decent bottle of Sauvignon Blanc…..
Back once again to our hotel room to finish packing. Well, sort of.
Early night beckons, as tomorrow I have to pick up a hire car early doors, drive it back to the hotel on the wrong side of the road (gulp), collect Jean and our vast luggage, then set off for Butchardt Gardens, 11 miles north of Victoria (highly recommended by many people). After that, a 2 hour drive to Parksville, further up the east coast of Vancouver Island.
That’s the plan, anyway. I’ll keep you posted.
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