Last days of Cruise

After leaving Skagway, we had a day at sea before docking in Victoria, Canada.We started the day with a leisurely breakfast and then quiet hot chocolate in the Passport Bar, and spent the day looking at the shops and just enjoying the view.

 

 That evening we watch an acrobatic 'circus' type show.

 The next morning after breakfast we packed our bags 

and enjoyed the view until we reached Vancouver.

Today's breakfast was smoked salmon eggs benedict

with a hash brown and crispy bacon.

I love the crispy bacon here.

 Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and we could have easily spent more time here. We disembarked the ship at Ogden Point just after 6pm, and had planned on walking about 10 minutes down Dallas Road to Fisherman's Wharf. However, it was raining so we decided to catch the shuttle bus to the city. I would have liked to have seen the float homes at Fisherman's Wharf, and had some chips from the famous Barb's fish and chips - but maybe next time.

Ogden Point was named after an official of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1843. In 1916, a 500 foot granite breakwater with a lighthouse was completed and two years later two piers and some warehouses were established.

The shuttle bus was $10 return and it took us to 1000 block of Government Street.

Again, we saw many totem poles, a few without the story they tell.

The Empress Dock is outside the Fairmont Empress, and opened January 20, 1908. It has had many Hollywood stars stay there, and is a beautiful, elegant building. It was almost demolished in the mid 1960’s. However, after much debate from the public, it was decided to refurbish it instead. It is suppose to have resident ghosts, a little girl and a 1920’s chamber maid.   

Across the road is a statue of Captain Cook.

Apparently Captain Cook discovered the harbour in 1778 

- 8 years after discovering Australia.

 

 We then walked along Belleville St to the British Columbia Legislature.In the grounds of the parliament buildings stands a Knowledge Totem Pole. 

I was told that all totem poles are different and tell a story. 

This one was erected to welcome visitors to the 1994 Commonwealth Games and refers to the oral traditions of the Canadian Aboriginal peoples of the north-west. 

From the top, the totem pole represents the loon (teacher and interpreter); 

fishermen (traditional way of life); 

bone player (game played by people who do not speak the same language) 

and the frog (from an old mountain story). 

The totem represents lessons learnt from the past and the hope for the future.  

 

  There are free tours of this magnificent building, which is built of raw materials from all over British Columbia. However, as our ship didn’t arrive until after 6pm, the building was closed. We did have a look around the grounds. The green roof is made of 33 copper domes of different sizes and on top of the central dome stands a gold –plated statue of Captain George Vancouver. Each night the building is lit by more than 3500 light bulbs.

We walked down the Menzies St side of the Legislature building, 

 

past the Speakers chair,

and Fallen Fireman’s monument.

We then walked back up past the Empress Dock and along shops back to the bus. 

The city has many beautiful gardens.

We were back on the ship in time for dinner and the last show of the cruise.

 

A ship in a harbour is safe, 
but that is not what ship's are built for. 
John A. Shedd