Time Keeps on Slipping

Last Monday I was fortunate enough to meet Blogger Stacey in person. She was on a break from the cruise ship and was in Victoria, so we were able to meet up to enjoy the city. I just realized it's been nearly a week and time just keeps slipping by. It seems like just yesterday I was reading a post about the travels of Stacey in the Norwegian Fjords.

We decided to take a quick visit to Craigdarroch Castle since it's nearly down the street from where I live and never even knew it existed! I figured this out the other week while a lost tourist couple was looking for the castle. I led them in the direction and then had to come home to see what the castle was really about. I have to laugh that after being here 5 months of all of the famous places I still don't have a clue about in my own city. I can even be a tourist in my own home town!

Um - yeah I cannot take a photo!

Here's a short summary of the large Chateau looking Castle.

Rising 87 stairs up through the 4 1/2 stories, there are 39 rooms, most of which are furnished lavishly in the 1890s–1900s period. With over 20,000 square feet of space, the house and gardens are being restored exactly as they were originally built, and you will find artisans working on restorations most days. Step back in time and experience the life and times of the very rich and famous.

Views of the Grounds and the beauty of the Castle from far away.

Just down the street was an area I had passed but had no idea that it was called Government House. This is where some notable people stay such as the Lieutenant Governor Of British Columbia. The gardens are supposed to be beautiful when the flowers finally come out. They were still in their dormant stage but the grounds were absolutely beautiful during this time of year.

The Front of the House busy with activity.

You can see views of the Olympic Mountains as well.

The Rear of the House

The Government House grounds embrace 14.6 hectares (36 acres), including 8.9 hectares (22 acres) of a rare Garry Oak ecosystem, and 5.7 hectares (14 acres) of formal gardens.

I believe this is the Garry Oak tree.

The site is a popular attraction for Victoria residents, visitors, and tourists alike. Thanks to the time and expertise of dedicated volunteers, The Friends of Government House Gardens Society, the grounds are a well-utilized, much-treasured greenbelt for the community. With occasional exceptions, the grounds are open daily to the public from dawn to dusk, free of charge.

The Government House is definitely worth a visit for a beautiful view on a sunny day!

We then visited the Fernwood area that I had never been past that is fairly famous in Victoria. Here are a few photos from the visit.

The Local Hotel - I just love the colors!

Local Businesses - I love the old buildings.

The famous Theater The Belfry

And then as the rain started we finished with a nice coffee. I still can't get my mind around how much Stacey travels with life on a cruise ship. She's off to another travel around the world. But I made sure to let her know that she better say hello to Europe, once she gets around there once again. All in all, it was a pleasure to finally meet another blogger in person and of course time did slip by once again....