Victoria - Day 4

Our last day in Victoria lets us hit the town on foot. The main reason for this being that we want to get the car checked into the ferry terminal early so that we don't have to worry about doing that. Also, it's fun.

First off we head toward the famous and beautiful Empress Hotel. We walk around the garden and even go inside for a little bit. It really is beautiful but not stroller friendly. So out the back we head and down the street in search of Roger's Chocolates. With our sweet confections safely tucked into the basket of the stroller off we go again. This time in search of lunch. We really would like some fish and chips so we just wander about thinking we'll find some. Nope. Whatever part of town we were in had a fish and chips shop shortage so we find a map instead and look up Old Vic Fish and Chips. We had been told this was a good place to get nosh and discover via that map that it isn't far. On the way we spy Munro's Books and remember that a friend recommended that we stop there. In we go just for a look (because if allowed to spend anymore time than that I may not come out for a looooong looooong time). It is really gorgeous in there though and I don't want to leave. My tummy on the other hand is still wanting satisfaction and we head out. I don't recall who suggested we stop at Old Vic but they deserve a Klondike Bar - it's fantastic! And fast with good service and a neat atmosphere. Sadly, our time for walkabout is over and we need to head back in the direction of the ferry. We risk a few minutes to get some mocha cookie gelato at O Gelato and get it to go, the ferry is not too far. As we beat it to the boat we pass by a violin playing Darth Vadar. Don't see that every day. Might not even see that every other day.














We have another wait at the ferry terminal of an hour plus (we eat our gelato!) before boarding for the MV Coho take two. What do we do this time to busy ourselves? Gabe duels it out with Rob on the Nintendo DSes. He has become positively Mario obsessed. Rob and I take turns entertaining Gideon.














At one point Gabe and Zion enjoy their chocolate lollipops from Roger's Chocolates. Gabe chose blue which turned out to be dark chocolate (Rob's favorite) and Zion had red which was milk (my favorite). Zion also "reads" Find The Puppy (an Usborne book) and cuddles her dog.








Back on the US side we begin the long drive back to the house. After a busy vacation and half a day walking around Victoria and more time shut in the ferry the kids really have no interest in being strapped into their car seats. There's a bit of grumpin' going on in the car and when the restaurant that we stop at proves to be excruciatingly slow (I won't name it because it's a favorite of ours and it's not normally like that) Rob and I aren't too far off from being big grumps ourselves.


Eventually we make it and just in time to join our neighbors for fireworks because, if you recall, our little getaway started on Canada Day and ended on Independence Day (yes, I'm SO delinquent in finishing my story of our vacation). Zion is too tired to handle the lights and sounds and begs to go to bed. Who am I to argue with a 20 month old that actually requests bedtime. Gabe on the other hand really enjoyed hanging out with us and even invited himself to one of the neighbors lawn chairs.

The next day and once we're settled back in at home, all Gabe wants to do is play with the new clock tower that he got for his GeoTrax set. Remember the Canadian money that a friend gave him? From the second we told him what the colorful paper was all he talked about was getting the clock tower. So thank you A.M. for your generous gift! And thank you for sticking with it and reading about our fun vacation!