victoria

First thing Sunday morning, Daniel and I caught the Victoria Clipper and made our way to Vancouver Island. 

I was doped- dramamine for my delicate tummy- so I slept for most of the  2 hour and 45 minute journey, but I perked up sufficiently to take in some of the lovely views around the harbor. We admired the lovely government buildings and the Empress Hotel and then inhaled an unmemorable lunch at an Irish pub on Government Street because we were tired and ravenous. and then scurried back to our hotel, whereupon I fell into bed and slept until dinnertime. 

The next morning, feeling pleasantly refreshed, we grabbed coffee, collected our rental car, and headed for the Butchart Gardens.

The gardens were beautiful in their early spring bloom. Daffodils and tulips were just starting to push themselves out of the soil and trees were covered with small, tightly wrapped buds. There weren't the full, heavy blooms you expect to see in late spring or summer (the rose garden was barren, of course) but there was a different charm to be found in the freshness of the gardens in March. 

Also, we had the place almost to ourselves.

They had taken the building that usually functions as a dining room and turned it into a hot house. The floral smell inside was incredible- like spring condensed- and I ran around pointing at the various blooms and making high pitched squeaks of excitement.

It was the last day of winter, but spring was everywhere. A beautiful day.