Summer Hols West - Craigdarroch

Welcome to Craigdarroch Castle.



Now what, pray tell, do you think that someone would need a castle in the middle of the city of Victoria?

Well, if you believe the web site and the tour guides and the plethora of information throughout the castle, it was built by the coal baron, Robert Dunsmuir, as a show of wealth.

The reality is somewhat stranger...



You see, in the late 19th Century, the evil scientist Vladimir Von Craigdarroch moved to Victoria to carry out his nefarious schemes of steam powered robotics and heat rays.

Here's one of his early prototypes.



And its head.



Luckily, agents of the British Columbia Government were soon onto his plans.

A frontal assault of the castle was not practical - it was a castle after all.

However, at nearby Government House, there was an experimental cow flinger - a kind of catapult for large animals - perfect for taking on a castle of Craigdarroch's size.

Von Craigdarroch heard of these plans and had his artisans construct programming templates for his steam robots to identify flying animals.



However, the robots were not quick enough to defend against all the incoming projectiles.
Some found their mark, embedding in the walls of the castle.







Von Craigdarroch's telescope for spotting the incoming animals.



This one missed the wall completely, sailing through an open window and splatting on the floor.



The view from the heat ray tower.



I don't think any nefarious plans can be carried out without a Tarago.



Here we have Government House.



Actually, it's the fourth building on this site.
The previous three burnt down...

Summer Hols West - Victoria at night

After Sidney we headed south to Victoria
(Only 20km in this case :-)
where we discovered dudes in dresses strangling cats.





Down to Victoria Harbour where the Symphony Orchestra was getting ready to play.



Crowds were forming in front of the Empress Hotel.



And those that wanted front row seats jumped into their kayaks.
(Gives a whole new meaning to the concept of crowd-surfing :-)



I think that the idea of the "Symphony Splash" had something to do with a potentially dissatisfied crowd's ability to capsise the barge holding the orchestra...



Nearby, an alien family takes in the music.



Dark. Pretty.



Finale of the 1812 Overture - flashy boomy stuff.

Summer Hols West - Sidney

Welcome to Sidney.



Sidney Harbour.
(And the restaurant at the end of the pier where we had lunch - yummy)



"Thar she blows!"



The Sidney Harbour Bridge.



The Sidney Aquarium.



The Sidney Opera House.



Sidney Town Hall.




(well you get the idea...)

Summer Hols West - Butchart Gardens

The Butchart Gardens

Mrs Butchart got sick of the dirty great big hole in the ground that her hubby had dug to mine limestone or something, so she turned it into a garden.



Here we have the mega mossy mushies.



This is the aforementioned hole in the ground.



Delle doing the "Stay off the grass" limbo.



"Oh how I wish I had some clothes on..."



Fountain!



This is what happens if you hibernate out in the open - moss and stuff grows all over you.



The serenity of the Japanese gardens thoroughly disturbed by the Fowler kids.



Look who we ran into - Rosario from Addie's class in Edmonton.



Beaver takes flying lessons from eagle.



Scotch Thistle. I was almost about to rip it out - it is a weed after all - but then I realised that it was supposed to be there.
Something about the Butcharts coming from Scotland - bah!



Rowses and rowses of roses.



Back in the carpark - beware of rhinos crossing...

Summer Hols West - Hidden Garden

Check out where we were staying in Victoria.

A Hidden Garden Bed & Breakfast.



The garden, suitably hidden.



Jacki was impressed.



Some of the beds.



And the breakfast.



But the best bit was the Cobs Bakery down the road.
Aussies, if you look closely, it may seem somewhat familiar.
Cobs is Canadian Bakers Delight.
They even have Vegemite scrolls!!!!
(Note the giant tubs of Vegemite in the background :-)

Summer Hols West - Ferry

Heading onto the ferry to Vancouver Island and Victoria



Waiting in line...
(and waiting and waiting...)



It was about an hour and a half before we could board the ferry, so we went exploring the stuff they had set up around the dock.

Cayde needed to Wii, so he went into the building that had appropriate facilities.



While we were there, Addie had a Wii too.



Delle shooting for the 5-hole.



Addie snowboarding the tile floor.



At last we boarded the ferry.



And set sail for Vancouver island.