-Vacation 2007-
Off to the islands went we. For our vacation this year, we abandoned plans for our super-fabulous dream trip of bicycle-camping in the Queen Charlottes (deferred another year), to keep Dallas under our watchful eyes. So this is really the story of Dallas’ Summer Vacation, and she certainly enjoyed herself.
We camped first on Pender Island, but after 3 days, we were convinced we’d seen everything worth seeing, and I had developed a loathing for their little mid-island strip mall. Off we went to Vancouver Island and Victoria, which neither of us had ever visited (we think). It was my doing to get a hotel for a couple of nights, since my back was not loving the thermarest. Here we bumbled around, just getting a feel for the city. It’s another place that doesn’t reach out and embrace you- it’s a little stand-offish, and I think, like Ottawa, it invites you into inner circles when it’s a little more sure of your intentions to stay a while. We definitely prefer Vancouver (!).
After the Royal BC Museum and some little adventuring, mainly down at the ocean’s edge, we took off for the Juan de Fuca Straight. Tsunami warning signs were everywhere. Clearly a politician somewhere was thinking something. With this system in place, one is warned that a tsunami could happen, and is vaguely advised to head upland over curving roads that dip and rise for miles. We didn’t observe a single warning tower or system that would actually alert you in the event- but presumably if your transistor radio was tuned to the right place, you’d be equipped to spend some time anxiously winding up and down in the right direction sort of.
We settled at China Beach campground, about halfway between Sooke and Botanical Beach; the end of the road system up the Straight. We had a quiet, private nook, and we couldn’t quite tear ourselves away, despite a meandering bear- “don’t worry- we haven’t seen bears in this park for the three years I’ve been here… oh, look- there’s one now!” Unfazed, we made day trips to the beach, and went back and forth to Botanical Beach, where we oohed and ahhed over the sub-tidal zone’s creatures, and generally walked about as if time had no meaning. On our beach days, Dallas did her endless Dallas thing, retrieving balls one billion times a day until our arms were wrenched from their sockets with throwing.
Other scintillating details include restaurant visits, good coffee, a whole week of crazy eight’s, the trouble finding gas stations, and the surprising planning and effort required to dislodge Kate from sleep so we could get about our beach-combing. Even the dog regarded me resentfully when I pulled the second 6am wake-up call.
When we’d finally had enough, we revisited Victoria for a couple of days, and we were able to leave Dallas in the hotel room- we all needed the break. I think the Botanical Beach trips, over such tight, winding up-and-down roads made Dallas develop car sickness and huge anxiety to even be in the car. So we ditched her, and visited the provincial legislature (an architectural coma), the UnderSea Gardens (sea life tragically trapped and prodded around flooded chambers of the boat exterior), the Victoria Art Gallery (better than most provincial art galleries, and an Emily Carr exhibit which I liked), and Josephine Tussaud’s Wax Museum, complete with the-kid-in-you-pleasing Chamber of Horrors. This last was wonderfully horrible, and we learned surprising and graphic things about torture methods, which was … hmm. And then we emerged to daylight, buskers, and the harbourfront by night. Just lovely.
Pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=50057&id=675615098
On returning home, Annette and Sarah had already arrived, and we got to spend a couple more days toodling around with friends from Guelph-days. It struck a home-sickness chord deep in me to have to say goodbye. Thankfully that same weekend, we attended a home-coming of some actual Vancouver-friends here- Claire and Nat’s, where we felt embraced, so don’t drag out those miniature violins just yet.
Now work-life has reasserted itself, and with the new season is the confrontation with last year’s clothes. *sigh* We did a huge shop down in Seattle last weekend, and despite being completely honest about how much we brought back, the customs agent just winked and waved us through.
