Victoria, Canada

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The Empress Hotel in the centre of town

Victoria is voted by “Conde Nast“ Traveler magazine, a very influential tome for the well heeled, as one of the best cities in the world and it will get another vote from me. It is a stunning must see, and linger longer, seaport. Every building, flowerpot and garden was in blossom in a spray of colours that warmed the soul in the chilly air.

Victoria, the oldest city and seaport in western Canada, started life as Fort Victoria in 1843 working as a Hudson Bay Trading Post. 360,000 people live here. This beautiful little city oozes British influence in its grand architecture and village feel. The Parliament buildings were built in 1893 to honour Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.   In the 1900’s this was the busiest seaport north of San Francisco. Today, the port is home to the Canada Naval Pacific Fleet. You can see both ships bobbing in the harbour as you take high tea at the famous Fairmont Empress Hotel.

This is a side street, you should see the main street!

After the austere and cold cityscape of Vancouver, Victoria was contrastingly welcoming and relaxing. There is quite a lot to see and do with a broad spectrum of shopping including the best Christmas Tree decoration shop I have seen outside of Germany. There are examples of Christmas accessories from all over the world. You could lose an hour just browsing this store. Also, the obligatory tourist focused shops are tastefully mixed in with the general and boutique stores of the local community.

Visiting the Castle in period style :)

There are several English style pubs that boast some excellent ales scattered down the High Street. Soon after landing I had James bring round the Daimler for a quick tour of the town. A quick stop for some cold champagne and we headed to Craigdarroch Castle which was the home of the richest man in British Columbia, Robert Dunsmuir. The castle was simultaneously breathtaking in its artisan work and saddening in its back-story. The Scotsman, Robert, came to Victoria to find his fortune and began working for $5 a week in the loal coal mines. Roberts’ determination eventually led to him being granted rights to independently mine and he soon found the richest vein of coal on Vancouver Island.

The Castle

Robert built the castle on hundreds of acres and lived a luxurious life with his family. After his death, one of his sons who had a bad run with alcohol began to sell off assets and invest heavily in the stockmarket, unsuccessfully. The land around the castle was slowly sold to satisfy debt and now a new estate of project homes sits all around the castle right at its front door. The interior though has been retained and is the grandest collection of Victorian period antiques, glass and woodwork in North America.

If flowers are your thing then the Butchart Gardens are a National Historic Site and when you stand at the railing and look into the Sunken Garden, imagine Jennie Butchart standing there in the early 1900s looking out into a wasteland. She wondered what she could do to turn an old limestone quarry into something nicer to look at. With determination she and following generations have built a privately owned floral show garden now visited by close to a million people each year.

The privately family owned gardens are open year round.

 Most things in Victoria are walking distance and University students operate pushbike taxi's and tours to subsidise their living costs. 

One of the cycle taxi students told me a joke: 

What is the difference between Australians and canoes?

Answer: Canoes tip! ( I think there was a hint in the joke but I didn't get it, deliberately)

Victoria is worth finding your way to……..