Day 12 - Victoria Vancouver Island

We finally arrived in Victoria about 3 hours after we got off the barge which was annoying because we were losing our blue sky to clouds yet again.  Salena took us on an orientation drive around Victoria and we saw Beacon Hill Park which was really pretty which from memory was the end or beginning of the trans-Canada highway.

The Empress Hotel courtyard  - Fairmont Hotel Group
with Dandelion and Vintage Eye Candy 

We also went past the oldest Chinatown in North America and it had the narrowest alley in the world the Vict Fan Tan alley.  Apparently really good food there but not a place one walks alone of a night.

The Empress Hotel - Fairmont Hotel Group - with Film Days Eye Candy

When we got to the hotel it was like they weren’t ready for us.  Took forever to get out room keys and I just wanted to get Tania into bed.  Finally got them after much annoyance and also got the wireless code.  The girl at the front was a little useless when I asked if they were aware of the disinfectant required for our room. 

The Empress Hotel - Fairmont Hotel Group

Finally got up there but the rooms were really warm with no air con and it was actually a 2 bed room apt with a kitchen which was pretty cool.  Tania went straight to bed and hopped straight back out again to go to the toilet. It was not looking good for her.  I wanted to leave her be so she could rest and feel better.  So met Pete in the lobby and we went out and took photos. It was such a nice town to wander around in.  

Parliament Building

Signs of the British colony were more prevalent here than anywhere we had been. As Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia they have a strong English focus with a very beautiful capital building. 

Parliament Building

Also with the Empress hotel overlooking the harbour it was really beautiful and fairly typical of the Fairmont hotels. The town had a really nice feel to it.  Pete realised that he needed his other battery which was back at the hotel so he left me be and be a photo tart. Haha got lots of photos and luckily I had another camera card on me because I filled my 3^rd one up.  I was really going to have to buy one when I got to the USA. 

the goof ball with pig tails 

While I waited for Pete I ran into Brian who was just wandering and looking for a place for dinner also taking photos.  He cracks me up because he is so English and proper he has all these single gals on the bus and not a single flirt or move. While I think he leads a very routined life he travels every single year mainly to the USA and Alaska so he gets out meets new people every year.  Although he could be batting for the other team and then Pete would be in trouble … LMFAO.

A Victoria one 

Then some dodgy Indian men started to talk to me as I was doing my fire hydrant photo luckily Pete walked up because I always seem to attract those guys.  Why are they always so sleazy it creeps me out.

Entrance to Bastion Square with Vintage EC

We walked up to Bastion square, which was such a quaint little shopping area with ole fashioned soda Shoppe on the corner. We found some places in town to shop at but a lot of the shops were closing early so that was disappointing. I did found Rogers Chocolate at least and stocked up and also made a stop at the convenience store to get some fluids into Tania. I decided to head back to get these drinks to Tania and got some more photos and ran into Dean and Angela who were photographing the ducks, and also Salena who was off to Chinatown for dinner with friends. 

Soda Shoppe in Bastion Square with Zap and Vintage EC  

I got back to the room and ran into the girls who were right next door.  Tania hadn’t really improved I tried to get hold of frank and some disinfectant.  When I needed to go to the toilet I went to the lobby and had a chat with the concierge about trying to get hold of frank, the disinfectant and it appeared that he was staying at his place that night.  I was really beginning to worry about her and she was worrying about ruining my holiday.  She was not well the poor thing…  That was my biggest fear that I would get sick like that on holidays.  I stayed in the room for a while doing some emails and internet banking so I would have some money for the USA and Canada when I returned.  Also made sure Tania wasn’t getting any worse and finished the claims form.

Bastion Square 

Still hadn’t heard from Frank and needed a toilet run again so I got the hotel manager this time so he was much more helpful. He faxed my claim form for free. He gave me franks mobile so I rang and left him a message saying that we probably needed to move one of us given how sick poor Tania was. 

Parliament Building

He should have just swapped rooms as soon as we arrived but then again he hasn’t proven to be the most proactive person so far.  Also the porter took like 3 hours to get the bags to the rooms because they had only just arrived as I got with the drinks. He was not the most proactive either with a bad attitude.  I heard the way he spoke to some of the people who were checking when they could expect their bags he said just take them now save me a job.  I was shaking my head at that one. 

Parliament Building 

I didn’t hear back from Frank so I headed back out to take some night time shots … Which turned out really well and ran into some of the group members while I was doing it.  It was nice to get out with tripod and do some fun shots of a night time without worrying about safety or traffic. 

The Empress Hotel of a Night 

I headed back to the hotel about 10ish my feet were starting to feel it so decided it was probably best to head back and the fact it was starting to rain. Surprise surprise on that one. The manager Michael grabbed me as I walked in and gave me the keys to my new room.  So I moved rooms at about 10.30pm trying not to wake Tania but I think she remembered me coming in. So I got assigned to a massive suite it was bigger than my place at home so it was nice to have the room to myself. Fell asleep finally about 11.30 by the time I got settled in.