On To Canada!

Finally a picture filled post! If you having been missing coverage of the kids then you are in for a treat. The writing will be brief because if I wrote everything then I would fill pages and pages and bore you all. We went to Victoria, British Colombia, Canada for July 4. If you do not like fireworks or have children who are deathly afraid of them then I highly recommend going for the 4th---- the loudest noise we heard all weekend was balloons popping in our own hotel room and cheering for street performers. We left Seattle by boat Friday morning to cross over. It was a bit foggy and damp but the water was fairly calm. Everything cleared when we got into Victoria.

Checked into hotel and went exploring. Quick tour of the tourist trap district during lunch then we hit the bug zoo which had highly interested the kids online. E was scared of the insects and just drew some pictures, M was interested in watching, and G was right in there with D and I holding some bugs-- he even kissed a Madagascar hissing roach! I had the tarantula, D held the scorpion, and pic of G holding a large walking stick.

We then walked the waterfront over to the Parliment building and went on a selfguided tour. It is really beautiful. Thunderbird Park was next with its totem poles and Indian long house building (OK-- I know I should not call them Indians; for America the PC name is First Americans and for Canada it is people of the First Nation. I will use Indians because it is less confusing to me. Sorry to all First Americans and people of the First Nation.) M and E had a good time playing chase around the totem poles (sorry, I refuse to call these history logs--- get over it.)

We ended our first day in Victoria with dinner and a walk along the waterfront watching street performers. The musicians were terrific, but for Friday our favortie street performer was the guy who juggled fire and knives, breathed fire and ate fire. E thought he was the best ever. He was entranced.

Saturday dawned with my back aching. For those of you who don't think you have ever benefited from the Americans with Disabilities Act think back to a time when you walked a ramp in a public place or used those ramps for your stroller: you have benefited. We had a lot of wrestling with M on the boat trip followed by several bouts of carrying the stroller up and down steps together so I was not feeling my best. We started out slow and went to the Royal British Colombia Museum after breakfast. The exhibits were wonderful. The kids loved all the Indian parts and panning for gold in the Gold Rush town. pic of us in the gift shop with a bear.

We then decidedto take a water taxi tour of the harbor. Good timing because M needed a nap and wiped out during this. E and G loved this part of the day the best. We rode the boat and got off at the Wharf area of fishing boats and floating houses (yes, it is what it sound like. You can have a house built on a floating dock and then you can lease space at a floating house dock.) At the wharf we saw and fed the harbor seals. Guess who had his little hands right into the fish for feeding seals. Guess who wouldn't get near this activity. Guess who was a bit groggy from the nap and couldn't figure out why this was so exciting. Pic of E and G in the water taxi, M napping

and G feeding the seals.

Adding a pic of E and G watching the seals after lunch.

On the way back downtown M enjoyed the water taxi ride. We walked the waterfront and watched more street performers. M walked up and gave this "statue" lady some change and we had our picture taken with her. E loved her because when she wasn't still she moved like a robot.

After a hunt for dinner we headed back to the hotel. G said that "The queen's house is all shiny at night" about the way the Parliment building is decorated at night. Double click this pic to see it up close. The view from our room was beautiful.

The next day M was still pretty tired on the boat home he slept almost the whole time. It was a great trip that we are already trying to decide when we might go again. Any one who would like to go with us please contact us and let us know what dates you are available.

Love and hugs and it is good to explore

B