Sunday coffee and ride with Cousin Colin

Selkirk Trestle from the Harbour Ferry dock

Great coffee shop - Bean around the world

Coho Ferry from Port Angeles WA pulling in

The cruise ship season has been very busy

(Colin in foreground on his fixed gear bike -
check his blog in the sidebar link - Nicholas Williams)

"Surly" check the fat tires - in Beacon Hill park

This guy said he had a bomb and so a good section of downtown
was cordoned off with Police tape.

After about 4 hours he surrendered and there was no incendiary device found.

Karma!!

 

This mouse was Karma's latest victim and she also brings in live birds.  

Always an adventure with her.

Spirit of BC - 150 Years - Snowbirds

This is a small part of the huge throng watching the show

The Snowbird simulator

Beacon Hill Park

Fan Tan Alley - Chinatown

Fan Tan Alley

In one of the stores in Fan Tan Alley - a gambling cashier from the 1900's

Scene from 1900's

Tomorrow (Sunday) at 1 pm Chinatown will be holding the Chinese Lion Dance which we hope to watch.

Friday night in Victoria

The Parliament Buildings

Debra and I went to see this exclusive showing for Season Ticket holders at the National Geographic IMAX Theatre in Victoria. There was a special guest appearance by the subject of the movie John Harlin III. If you get a chance to see this movie....take it.

In the lobby of the Royal BC Museum

Built in 1942

"The Spirit of Tomorrow"

After the movie we walked around downtown looking for a nice place for some dessert and coffee. We were going to stop at one of Victoria's newest pubs the Bard and Banker, but it was so busy we could not find a seat. We will return for dinner soon.

Sunny Sunday afternoon

Ross Bay (from Clover Point)

Shoreline off Dallas Road (from Clover Point)

Nice ocean shot

Clover Point - on September 21st, the Snowbirds will be performing
and this will be the place to be to celebrate Spirit BC - 150 Years

The weather this September in Victoria has been nothing short of glorious. Average daily temps are 23 degrees and only dropping to 10 degrees on average over night. The sun is smiling down upon us and we are trying to take it in. Tonight (Monday night) the sky was a fantastic red. (you know the saying)

Home and back to work

Life is back into the normal routine for us now. The summer is fast coming to an end with the weather being cool, rainy and at times windy. You can almost feel Autumn. Next week Clayton goes back to school for his final year at Pacific Christian School. Both Rueben and Trista will be attending Camosun College part time this fall as well as working part time. We will continue to put pictures to posts over the next few days, so check the posts from our Europe trip for the updates. Also, you can click on hyperlinks to read about some of the places mentioned in more detail.
Cheers,
Ray and Debra

Almost home (for those checking daily)

Not quite the same as Club World. Waiting in Vancouver for our 2205 flight to Victoria

Club World is the way to travel! Lie flat beds. Nice!

Along the River Thames in Richmond

Petersham Nurseries - RichmondYes, it was this crowded

We are at the Vancouver airport at 7 PM having missed our 5 PM flight to Victoria due to leaving Heathrow 3 hours late. We are now on the 10:15 to YYJ. What a long day. Yesterday we spent the morning at the Portobello Road Market and then hooked up with our friends Jaime and Maree for a walk along the Thames in Richmond (and in Kingston) before a lovely dinner at their place. Thanks guys!

Cheers,
Ray & Debra

Back at The Lord Nelson, Southwark, London

Woodstock, West Oxfordshire

Kew Palace inside Kew Gardens

Inside the Tropical Garden

Drinks after work. When the space outside the pub fills up, people cross the street to talk and drink. Unique to the UK? Certainly not something done in Canada.

Our neighbourhood pub The Lord NelsonLive entertainment outside the National Theatre in Southbank

Waterloo Station - across from Southbank

After a leisurely breakfast in Woodstock (where Blenheim Palace is), we headed for London. We spent a few hours at Kew Gardens, and wish we would have had more time as the Gardens go on forever and there is so much to see. The indoor tropicals were especially lovely. We dropped the car off on Fulham Palace Road during a very busy Bank Holiday Weekend (British long weekend). We are sitting here having a drink before we meet up with some friends for dinner at Strada in Southbank. Tomorrow morning is Portobello Road.

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, West Oxfordshire

Arlington Row, Bibury, Cotswolds

Bibury, Cotswolds

Winston Churchill's childhood bedroom at Blenheim

Just one of the many gardens

Blenheim Palace

Vickers Hotel and Restaurant

Another highlight of our travels! After driving through little picturesque Cotswolds villages (Bibury was amazing), where every picture could be a postcard, we arrived at Blenheim Palace. Magnificent! It was a gift to the Duke of Marlborough for his victory at the battle of Blenheim. We are now sitting in the Vickers Hotel and Restaurant having dinner. This hotel dates back to the 16th century. It's hard to believe we only have a few days left.