Day 1 -    We set out early Sunday morning to catch the 8:20 ferry from Anacortes to Sidney, B.C. We landed in Sidney about two hours later and proceeded to drive to Victoria, which took about 35 minutes. The weather was perfect---sunny and warm, without a cloud in the sky. We arrived at our hotel around noon, anxious to do a little sightseeing and freshen up before our 3:30 appointment for high tea in the hotel's lobby. After putting our bags away, we walked out  the front of the hotel, and headed down to the waterfront area. Harbor taxis were waiting to take passengers to different ports along the harbor. We paid about $3 Canadian a person to take a five-minute cruise to Fisherman's Wharf where we had some fish and chips. We took another water taxi back and walked around a bit before returning to the hotel.

After freshening up in our rooms, we headed down to the lobby for afternoon tea, a very British tradition in which tea and small sandwiches are served to hold over the appetite until supper. We were seated near a fireplace, and were soon served our first course, berries with cream. A piano player could be heard softly in the background. Then came the Empress Blend tea, which is produced by a local company called Murchie's (est.1894). Our server poured cream in our tea cups first before pouring the tea. The tea was delicious. All in all I had about six cups! Then came a three-tiered tray of pastries and scones, and a plate of finger sandwiches, including cucumber, smoked salmon, and egg salad. The china we used was first introduced to the Empress hotel when Queen Elizabeth visited in the 1980s.

Later we visited the Royal London wax museum, and in the evening, visited a few pubs and walked around downtown.

Day 2 -  Today we did some shopping, ate lunch at a Greek/Italian restaurant called La Tervana, and then did all the touristy things possible in one day. We visited Miniature World, Crystal Gardens, Undersea Gardens, and saw the IMAX movie "Extreme" at the Royal BC Museum. In the evening we stopped at several pubs, including the Sticky Wicket, and a martini bar called The Tapas. I got the chance to talk to several Canadian locals and found myself using their expression "Eh" freely by the end of the night. Pretty Canadian of me, eh?

Day 3 -  This morning we checked out of our hotel and then headed to Butchart Gardens, about 15 miles north of Victoria. It was another perfect day, and warmer than usual for this area according to some locals. We walked around the gardens and observed various types of flowers and trees as well as a beautiful fountain. The paths around the gardens were narrow, and sometimes it was hard to maneuver around the hundreds of tourists. While walking out of the gift shop, I was nearly run down by a woman pushing a man in a wheelchair. The wheel went over my toes and I nearly fell in the guy's lap. Despite the crowds, however, Butchart Gardens was worth the visit.

Since we had some time before catching the ferry, we did a little shopping to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate. At 6:00 pm, we boarded the Sidney-Anacortes ferry back to the States. This time, the ferry stopped at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island so the ride took three hours instead of two. By the time we got back to Anacortes, the sun was setting. I've seen many sunsets from Anacortes, but now when I look towards the San Juans, I will remember how close I am to the "London of Canada"---Victoria.