Dateline: Victoria – what’s going on across the water?

Among tens of thousands of other folks, we caught Miss Canada (Melanie Williamson) in the Victoria Day Parade….she was waving to me, I think, and Josie, and a hundred people on the sidewalk with us…

It’s been a while since you & I checked in.

I’m happy to report that Victoria remains THE tourist destination for you, this summer. Only $6.90 to walk on the WSF ferry, and $2.50 to ride the bus from Sidney to Victoria, which leaves plenty of money for ice cream.

Tens of thousands turned out for last week’s Victoria Day Parade through town, and a mob was here last weekend for the Swiftsure boat races….make your plans, and come over….you’ll be glad you did.

In other news:

The provincial elections were last week, with the Liberals (who are the more conservative lot) beating the New Democrats (the NDP, who are pretty liberal) in an upset, as the NDP were expected to bump the Libs out of control of the legislature. The Green Party surprised people by winning their first seat ever, and the Conservatives (more conservative than the Liberals, hence the name) surprised folks by getting nearly 5% of the vote; less of a surprise, they won no seats, just like last election..

The Royal Scot is an awesome place to stay, if you’re looking for a place, and their bear will rub your head if you ask…..

There’s a new frozen yogurt place in Cook Street Village that I’ll take you to, if you come to visit.

It’s fun to bump into Friday Harbor folks on the streets… the island’s Road Scholar program (with trips to Victoria) begins next week, and we see San Juan Island’s George Smith around the neighbourhood, too.

The next great party here is Canada Day (July 1st), with music all day & night, and fireworks over the harbour, and people in the street all day….awesome. Make plans!

Currency: The US dollar is near par with the Canadian dollar (it was $1US = .97CAD earlier today), so it’s easy to budget for the visit.

Here are a few pictures I took for you, to show you a bit of what’s up here.

Yep, that’s Darth Vadar playing the violin for tips, downtown on a sunny weekend day….

The birds & flowers & kids are all running around Beacon Hill Park this spring (those are Canada geese, not Portuguese….)

Caught this last week – someone put this blownup elephant on this tough guy’s motorcycle while he was getting a cuppa at Starbuck’s….fun to watch everyone in the place watch him go back to his bike….

Travel correspondent Ian Byington’s special reports to the Update are posted whenever the prose is clear, the photos crisp, and the weather nice enough to go out & play in. He & Josie currently live in Victoria, BC after nearly two decades on San Juan Island.

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