ferry in anacortes that will bring us to victoria
Every time the ferry approaches Victoria, I feel this vibration between me and the Island. There is something about this place that wraps me up in all sorts of feelings of hOMe. My husband feels the same and Cedar, well…as long as he is on a ferry, he is so open to where it takes him. Ferries and the journeys they take, oh how they hold his heart.
When Cedar is excited, he talks a lot. Like for hours. ; ) Deep conversation on the ferry.
We decided to spend Thanksgiving there. Sort of a way to get away from the whirl that a holiday can bring, since its not Thanksgiving in Canada during ours. The last few months have been full of visitors and visiting and as wonderful as it was to be with family, we were needing some time just us, where we could go along with our own rhythm in a place that feels so deeply familiar.
Carsten and I spent our honeymoon in Victoria, so it holds so much meaning for us and we have been every year since. We talked about it being a tradition and we also talked about what it would be like to retire there, on a house boat…one of the ones that looks like a charming old house floating on the water. They call it The Float Home Village (see link in last image below).
Its true when people say Vancouver Island feels like a bubble. It does. For us, it feels safe and cozy and away from negativity. Even the news is positive. Even the teenagers are polite. The parks are full of families of all cultures.
And the food. Oh the food. Finally a vacation place that caters to three people with various sensitivities and we can actually eat at one place. Victoria is a mix of urban and sea and forest and country all within a short drive and the ferry ride there is so breathtaking.
I wanted to take you along with me, so here are some sweet moments from our trip...
the first yummy i always get is a triple-triple at Timmy's. such a treat!
Waking up slowly our first morning (well, every morning, really).
One of our favorite places to get coffee, hot chocolate and a yerba mate latte is Solstice Cafe. Their live music on the weekends is always pretty rad.
Beacon Hill Park is gorgeous with friendly squirrels and lovely peacocks roaming free...a Children's Farm (only open during warm weather months) and a sweet playground.
One of my favorite places is Avalon at the Market Place...a gorgeous metaphysical shop.
Rebar has a delicious healthy menu and in beautiful Bastion Square downtown.
Loving this street in Bastion Square
The cool Fan Tan Alley that leads to funky shops downtown.
Cafe Bliss has delicious raw food and the best raw milkshakes. Mmmmm. Affirmations all along each seat and on the walls. Such a mindful place to be.
We took Cedar to the Martime Museum of BC downtown. He has a fascination with the Titanic and one day I will write about his connection to it here. But he was utterly stoked their was a picture of it here, as well as many models that looked similar.
Needing to rest from a long walk around the city
We took a horse drawn trolley around downtown. It felt so deeply old fashioned and romantic.
We watched the lighting of the Parliament Building as both children and adult choirs sang Christmas music. Cedar danced on the grass with a few little girls. It was dreamy.
There is something about the Parliament building that always makes us want to kiss. ; )
A trip to the Royal BC Museum is always full of so much delight. There was a "best wildlife photography" gallery that was stunning.
A surreal and lovely place to see is the Float Home Village at Fisherman's Wharf in Victoria. Carsten and I talk about retiring in one of these homes one day.
I forgot to get a picture of another favorite place to eat: Ayo Eat Indonesian food. Its in a sweet little corner of the Market Place. The chef is a beautiful man with dreadlocks and a kind smile. Reggae music plays as he whips up the BEST green curry on the planet. So good that he once cooked for the Dalai Lama. My husband and I groan with every bite.