The Way Home - Part I: Victoria to Regina

Hi everyone,
we are a little over a week into our drive back home. The first thing we have learned is that this is a big country! And a fascinating and beautiful one (ok, we already knew that).
Here are some pictures of our travels so far...

To get to the mainland from Vancouver Island, we drove up island to Nanaimo, passing the cute seaside town of Chemainus on the way; the town is known these days for its murals depicting the history of the area. Here is one example...

from Nanaimo, we took the ferry to Horseshoe Bay and drove to downtown Vancouver. While in Vancouver, we visiting Granville Island, which has some very interesting markets, galleries, and shops, like this tibetan shop

This is a view of a marina from Granville island

We continued onto the Okanagan region, where we camped on lake Okanagan. Here’s Tony on a dock in Peachland Okanagan

Then we continued onto the mountains. The first range we hit was at Revelstoke National Park. We drove part way up Mt. Revelstoke, until we hit the spot where the road was closed due to snow and ice. Tony thought this was a good time to steal a kiss.

After staying overnight in the town of Revelstoke, we drove on toward the Rockies. First, we went through Roger’s Pass, which had some pretty spectacular mountain vistas

In the Rockies, we visited our three favourite lakes...

Emerald Lake, near Field BC, in Yoho National Park

Lake Louise, of course

And Moraine Lake, north of lake Louise

After seeing all those mountains and mountain lakes, we finally hit the prairies! What a difference. The land of big sky!

Stayed in Medicine Hat overnight, and had some amazing Thai food (who would have thought?) – no pictures

Then stayed in Cypress Hills Provincial Park – the trees, hills, and lake were a nice respite from the endless fields of the prairies. Had a nice hike there,

 

and walked along the lake after dinner

Then we were off to the big city of Regina! More from Regina to wherever later,

We are looking forward to seeing everyone again. Take care and bye for now

Love C & T



More Victoria

Our last day in Victoria was on the 14th of June.  So, before we pass along some info and pics of our road trip across Canada, here are some parting shots and thoughts on Victoria...

Our last Saturday, we spent some time watching the mountain biking stunt show in downtown Victoria.

On the same day in downtown Victoria, there was a nude bicycling event. Victoria clearly has it all (and bares it all)! And contrary to rumours, the riders are not Carolyn and Tony.   

Mark, Carolyn and Tony took in a boat show near Victoria Harbour.  Actually, it was a toy boat show, and all the participants were very proud of the manoeuvers their vessels made in the small pond by harbour.  The participants of the show (all retirees) were very relaxed about when the activities would begin, so here we wait patiently for show to start.    

Here is one proud toy boater successfully maneouvering his vessels to round up toy logs.

One weekend, we took a drive with Mark to the southwest part of the Vancouver Island.  Here we explore one of the beaches there, China beach.

 

Here we show off our cupcakes and then eat them on China Beach.   

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A view from our balcony: an Anglican Cathedral with Mount Baker off in distance  

Another view from our balcony:  the Straight of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountain range in the distance

A shot of the interior of our apartment.

Along Dallas Road near downtown and the harbour, cruise ships dock and let passengers explore downtown Victoria.  The path along Dallas road was also a frequent jogging route for Tony, and he would often meet passengers on their way downtown.  One was a fellow jogger, who needed, he said, exercise given the extensive buffets on the ship. 

Carolyn and Mark on a pier off Dallas road

Near Dallas Road stands a marker signifying the end (or the beginning) of the TransCanada Highway (1).  It is a fitting parting shot to our stay in Victoria, because here begins our journey eastward along that same highway.

We will miss you Victoria.  Hope to see you soon!  The journey across Canada awaits...

Love to all, C &T

Victoria

In our travels northward (starting in San Diego, then Santa Barbara, then Hawaii, then San Francisio), we have followed the sun and warm weather. It has been no different here in Victoria.  It seems we arrived just as the good weather hit (or so the locals tell us). This pleasently warm weather has allowed us to explore Victoria and Vancouver Island (or, for Carolyn, to get re-aquainted with them, as she grew up here)   

We also visited my (Tony's) uncle Richard, Aunt Dini, and their daughter Theresa, who also lives in Victoria

Tony and Uncle Richard (anyone notice a resemblence around the receding hair line?)

One of the nice neighbourhoods (and is there an un-nice neighbourhood in Victoria?) is Oak Bay, which we visited with Carolyn's brother Mark along with a couple of his chums.  

Oak Bay harbour

Elk lake and smaller Beaver lake near Victoria were frequent spots in which the Hafers swam.  One Hafer couldn't resist taking a dip down in memory lane (er, I mean, lake).

  

Tony joins in.

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We (Carolyn, Mark, and Tony) visited Salt Spring Island, but were a touch saddened by missing the 11AM ferry, so we had to wait for the next one.  Alas, such is Ferry life on Vancouver island.  

Salt Spring Island is one of the Gulf Islands, which are near Vancouver Island.  Once there, it was a great trip, with beautiful scenary. 

Three hikers pausing to soak up the sun and some scenary on Salt Spring Island.

Back in Victoria, we visited Fisherman's Wharf.  There is a variety of sights, foods and services to tempt the tourists.  Like much of Victoria itself, Fisherman's Wharf is a bit of fantasy land. So, you can indulge a fantasy of living on the sea as charming houseboats dot the wharf.

 Or, you can pretend to be eating a burger with the castaways of that famous three-hour tour...  

Or perhaps, take a harbour cruise with some pirates....

More on Victoria soon!

C & T

Family reunion in Victoria, BC

Warning: this blog plosting has a ton of pictures that may put some non-Hafer's to sleep.

- so, with that out in the open, here are pictures from the recent Hafer trip down memory-lane in Victoria., where Tony and I are residing until mid-June...

- our opening dinner; at what used to be Canton Chinese Food; now a good Sezchaun restaurant

Ross Bay Cemetery; the family plot

At the Oak Bay marina, where we had a coffee break

Gyro park at Cadboro Bay; Debi and Care after all these years, finally get up on the sea serpent without help; Mark and Stephen clearly don't think they can make it

the girls triumph again! Boys act too cool, but possibly have just not gotten over old fear of the big blue fish

At Lochside Park in Cordova Bay; the "kids" (?) relive their childhood, yet again

the "adults" (?) also get into the act

At Elk Lake School (our primary school): Care practices her old routine


the playing field

the woods

the family home on Santa Clara ave.

Brian praying at the holy shrine of Billy Bunter, in Sidney

scenes from Butchart Gardens:
-the sunken garden

-even the trash cans have lovely flowers!

-the fountain that Grandpa Hafer helped to build

making merry at Mark's place: Debi throws her all into telling a good story

view from Tony and Carolyn's temporary Victoria apartment

at Goldstream Provincial Park

 still at Goldstream; hey, there's a dip in the middle!

a view of Finlayson arm from the Malahat

Debi and Totem pole at Malahat lookout

Dinner with Joyce (Aunt) and Sharon (cousin); Cowichan Bay

sibling rivalries never change....

the pier at Cowichan Bay

and some pictures from downtown Victoria:
-the pioneer town in the Royal BC Museum.... first, the silent movie theatre

the saloon...

the shipyard...

the fish processing house...

the inner harbour in downtown victoria

 the seaplane terminal in the inner harbour

the Empress Hotel

Hafer machine shop (see the name? behind the bushes? in the washed out white lettering?)

 fat phege's fudge factory in Market Square

Fan Tan alley in Chinatown

proof that Debi bought Stephen ice-cream at Beacon Hill Drive-in, May 25, 2011

actually, she bought us all ice cream!

at Beaver Lake, one of our local swimming holes

What used to be Grandma and Grandpa Hafer's house

Island View Beach, where we used to spend a lot of time beachcombing

a trip to Sea Cider Ciderhouse, complete with cider tasting
- the before picture of Deb and Care's cidertasting "flight"

during... now we are getting to be serious tasters

and after.. did it! (truth be told, Mom helped; she is always so generous)

now for some fresh air...

At Ardmore (Cole's Bay), another local (ocean) swimming hole of ours

and that is it!!

coming soon... Carolyn and Tony's pre- and post-family reunion Victoria adventures !

love, C & T