Canada Trip Day 2: Downtown Victoria, BC

After several hours of feasting our eyes on flowers and trees, it was high time we gave the same treatment to our stomachs, cooked of course. My uncle drove us to Chinatown, evident from the Chinese style gate tower, red shop signs and their Chinese characters.

Lunch was enjoyable though the dishes were, personally, found oily. My uncle was practically on the roll, keeping us time-checked with the itinerary of the day. Our next destination was downtown where we saw the Parliament Buildings and walked along the park area of Inner Harbour (in front of Victoria Harbour Ferry).

On first sight of the Parliament Buildings, I was immediately reminded of Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral). The architectural style is similar though the Parliament Buildings more expansive.

It was nice to have a stroll after lunch, watching the boats parked at the marina and the natives - people call them First Nations - sell handmade ornaments, dream catchers and paintings.

Horse carriage rides seem to be popular as we saw several on the road as we were heading to Chinatown. They charge CAN$80 for half an hour or an hour, I cannot remember now.

The Fairmont Empress Hotel is an interesting-looking building with an elegance to match its ideal location of being in front of the scenic harbour. Some of its front walls are covered completely with ivy though the windows were left alone.

Gate tower of Chinatown - I noticed several Chinatowns have this


Chinese restaurant in Victoria BC where we had lunch, Ocean Garden Restaurant


Pretty plaits of the horse's tail


Parking ticket machine - I realise little public machines like this are some of the physical proofs that separate developing countries from developed countries. There are also solar-powered ones.


Parking spot number


Parliament Buildings in Victoria BC, which looks like a broader version of Berliner Dom


Inner Harbour with Fairmont Empress Hotel facing it. The natives are lying on the grass selling their artistic wares while tourists stroll along the sidewalk.


A boy with a mohawk, the only one I saw in my entire trip


The partially ivy-covered Fairmont Empress Hotel. It seems that all if not most of the Fairmont hotel buildings in Canada carry this fairytale-ish architecture.


Boats docked at Inner Harbour


A lemon stall, literally


Confederation Garden where the coat of arms of Canada and each of her provinces are displayed


Royal Coat of Arms of Canada (Arms of Canada)


The British Columbia Time Capsule which contain records of the centennial years 1966 and 1967. Placed in Confederation Garden, New Year's Eve 1967. To be opened January 1, 2067.


Back in the ferry to Tsawwassen Terminal when I was watching the children play in the little playground