Celebrating 42 Years

Yesterday was our 42nd wedding anniversary.  After discussing several plans for a day of celebration, we decided to share it with friends.  So, we made a plan and it started as

the sun was rising over the water.  We left Chimacum with Jim and Ellie and headed to Port Angeles to meet up with Rod and Deb.  We were to meet them at the docks where we would board

the COHO which is the

ferry to Victoria, BC and our destination for the day.

The ferry ride took about 90 minutes to cross and as

the Victoria Harbor came into view, we saw….

cruise ships…both big and

small.  We saw

these really cute little houses that lined the harbor…and

the House of Parliament that stands grand at the end of the harbor.

While we are taking in all the sites,

the ferry docked…and we are on our way, but first

Mark and Rod stop to get a little local information.  This nice British lady directs us to the

The Empress Hotel.  There we found

the information about the tour to

Butchart Gardens.  We purchased our tickets and it wasn’t long until our bus arrived.  After a short tour through the city we arrived at

the gardens.  These gardens borders on Tod Inlet close to Brentwood Bay which is about 13 miles out of Victoria.  They cover 55 acres.  The Gardens began with an idea by Jennie Butchart to beautify a worked out limestone quarry which had supplied her husband’s nearby Portland Cement plant.  Through the skillful mixture of rare and exotic shrubs, trees, and flowers, often personally collected by the Butcharts during their extensive world travels, the now famous Sunken Garden was created.

Our walked started at

Waterwheel Square.  Before we made it too far into the gardens we decided to have lunch at

The Blue Poppy Restaurant.  Mark, Jim and I had a wonderful seafood chowder while Ellie and Deb choose chicken and Rob had a pulled pork sandwich.  Okay…now we are really to tackle that 55 acres!

Mom…this tour is for you, enjoy!

  

How beautiful all the flowers were and it is September.  I can’t imagine what this place looks like in the Spring and Summer.

When our time was up at the gardens and I couldn’t take one more picture, we boarded our bus back to Victoria.  We did a little shopping in town, enjoyed

the street vendors by the harbor and of course it was time to think about dinner…and this time we chose

this great little place where we had fish and chips.  It was YUMMY!   After a relaxing time here and a great anniversary dinner with friends, it was time to think about making our way back to

the ferry as our boat would be waiting to take us back to Port Angeles.

As we pulled out of the harbor, the

sun was setting and the

moon was taking its place in the night sky while all things

were coming to a close from a busy day in Victoria, BC.

What a fun day and what a great adventure not only today, but for the last 42 years!