# Having a great time on Vancouver Island



## Greg G (Jun 13, 2011)

We're into our second week on Vancouver Island.   Stayed in Parksville the first week.  Great weather.  Neat area.  You can almost walk across Craig Bay at low tide.  Saw the same bald eagle most of the days we were there.  It would perch in the tree next to the ocean front villas waiting for low tide.  Great scenic drive on highway 4 across the island to Ucluelet (thanks to all who suggested this drive) although a very winding road.  Drive to Campbell River along the coast nice as well.   Went through Chemainus to see the murals (impressive), and Duncan to see the totem poles (meet a woman in downtown Duncan who said she was a great grand daughter of Simon Charlie, the master totem pole carver, and remembers him carving two of the totem poles that are in the downtown area when she was around 9 or 10).

In Victoria for the second week.  Staying at the WorldMark Victoria. Went on the Gorge harbour tour and our ferry boat overheated as we were coming back.  Had to be rescued by another harbour ferry.  Great tour otherwise,  captain was pretty humorous.  He told us that whenever you throw the anchor out be sure the other end is attached to something and then said  "yep,  one of my anchors is still somewhere out there in the Gorge".  When chatting with him he said the US econonmy has really hurt tourism in Victoria.  He said previously his tours normally had about a third of the people from the US, but now they average maybe a tenth of his tour passengers.  This tour there were people from Australia, France, the US. Went on the parliment building tour  (neat architecture).  On that tour there were people from Israel, Iceland, the US, and a few others I can't remember.  Went on a Walk About tour of the Empress hotel which was very interesting.  You get to see things you normally don't unless you're a guest at the hotel and the dressed in period clothes tour lady was very good  (she's british and fit the part perfectly)

Got dinner from Barb's last night. Great seafood chowder,  halibut dinner, and fried shrimp.  The mussels were so so though.  The seals were out at Fishermans Wharf and looked pretty well feed.  The kids there were having a great time feeding them.

Had the curry buffet lunch at the Bengal lounge in the Empress today.  Expensive but excellent.  I would have gone back for a third plate if I hadn't been so full.  Weather also great in Victoria but everyone has mentioned it's been slightly cooler than normal (about a month behind on the temperatures).  Went to Beacon Hill Park.  That is a really beautifull park.  Flowers in full bloom,  herons, ducks, black and grey squirrels, peacocks.

Hope to go to Fort Rod Hill tomorrow, maybe Witty's lagoon and the Sooke potholes.   Craigdarroch castle another day, and Chinatown.  


Greg


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## shagnut (Jun 13, 2011)

Sounds like a wonderful trip. I'd like to go there one day. shaggy


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## sue1947 (Jun 14, 2011)

Over by Fort Rodd, also plan on a walk along the Esquimalt Lagoon.  You keep straight on the road you turn off of to get into the Fort.  Cross a bridge and park anywhere.  This is a spit with a walk along calm water one direction and the Strait the other.  You'll see different things on each side so it's a nice walk. 

Sue


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## puppymommo (Jun 14, 2011)

So glad to hear you are having a wonderful time! I have a friend I haven't seen in years who lives in Nanaimo.  I've been there a couple of times to visit her.  What I have seen of the island is lovely.


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## eal (Jun 14, 2011)

Greg, glad to hear you are enjoying Vancouver Island. I enjoy it here every day!  We own two weeks at Pacific Shores and we decided to retire where we love vacationing the most - Nanoose Bay.

Shaggy, come visit us and explore our island in the Pacific!

Ann


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## PClapham (Jun 14, 2011)

Hi Ann-we'll be there Aug. 19 next year.... looking forward to seeing you again.

Anita


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## LisaH (Jun 14, 2011)

eal said:


> Greg, glad to hear you are enjoying Vancouver Island. I enjoy it here every day!  We own two weeks at Pacific Shores and we decided to retire where we love vacationing the most - Nanoose Bay.
> 
> Shaggy, come visit us and explore our island in the Pacific!
> 
> Ann



You are so lucky! We stayed at Pacific Shores 6 years ago. Still have great memories! I know someone who also retired to Parksville and they love it there.


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## Greg G (Jun 14, 2011)

Ann,  yep that is a nice area.  The only complaint I have is that the food prices seem to be about 50% higher than US prices (groceries and restaurants), at least for the places we went.  
Went to the Rocking Horse Pub in Nanoose Bay and had a nice lunch outside.

Sue, thanks for the suggestion.  Will try to hit that before we leave as my wife was a bit tired out today after visiting Fort Rod Hill.

Here are the photos I've uploaded so far
https://picasaweb.google.com/ghgemmer/VancouverIslandJune2011#

Seventh and final game of the Stanley Cup tomorrow.  Snapped this photo of Canuck fever in Victoria (Capt James Cook statue in front of the Empress)

Greg

[IMGL]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XVl-d4_Lc2M/TfeE5EOuoPI/AAAAAAAAFtM/JeYkyJ9bnVw/s800/DSCF0830.JPG" height="800" width="600"[/IMGL]


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## Greg G (Jun 16, 2011)

Went to Glendale Gardens and Woodland yesterday.  Very nice gardens and a really diverse set of flowers and plants.
Uploaded photos of this to the end of the ones at
https://picasaweb.google.com/ghgemmer/VancouverIslandJune2011#

Greg

A few of the several I took:

[IMGL]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4jkeRoE9pyg/Tfl_89otMqI/AAAAAAAAF04/_a6EKYH8RQQ/s800/DSCF1384.JPG" height="600" width="800"[/IMGL]

[IMGL]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YuONy9Renwk/TfmD9YkNDxI/AAAAAAAAF2Q/A6m2uM0bfRk/s800/DSCF1539.JPG" height="600" width="800"[/IMGL]

[IMGL]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H-H3j0OEpDo/TfmAAEurbnI/AAAAAAAAF08/fpssiuzIvkM/s800/DSCF1403.JPG" height="600" width="800"[/IMGL]


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## shagnut (Jun 17, 2011)

eal said:


> Greg, glad to hear you are enjoying Vancouver Island. I enjoy it here every day!  We own two weeks at Pacific Shores and we decided to retire where we love vacationing the most - Nanoose Bay.
> 
> Shaggy, come visit us and explore our island in the Pacific!
> 
> Ann



What a beautiful area. I'd love to come. Kelli loved the Rockies so much that she said she wanted to see ALL of Canada.  I'd love to see you & Wayne again.  

Hugs, Shaggy


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## shagnut (Jun 19, 2011)

eal said:


> Greg, glad to hear you are enjoying Vancouver Island. I enjoy it here every day!  We own two weeks at Pacific Shores and we decided to retire where we love vacationing the most - Nanoose Bay.
> 
> Shaggy, come visit us and explore our island in the Pacific!
> 
> Ann



Ann, did you sell the house in Calgary? Have you moved to paradise?  shaggy


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## eal (Jun 20, 2011)

Shaggy, I'll send you an email tomorrow with the whole story - you should plan a visit soon!


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## asp (Jun 25, 2011)

REgarding GREg's comment:  _"The only complaint I have is that the food prices seem to be about 50% higher than US prices (groceries and restaurants), at least for the places we went. " _


Based on my experiences in the California and Hawaii, food and restaurant prices are more expensive at home (BC), but mostly in a couple of areas.  All alcohol is heavily taxed (as are cigarettes) - this is a social issue, and part of the tax goes to healthcare.    

Milk products including cheese are price supported, instead of supported as in the US through subsidies for farmers.  Fresh vegetables are transported from California, Mexico, and South America - and with the high price of oil, that means they are more expensive than in the south.  

Restarant meals are more expensive for a couple of reasons - the minimum wage is $9, and tips are not considered as wages. The other is that the high liquor store price of alcohol means that wines and beverages cannot be marked up as much to cover the overhead of the restaurant.  We notice that a markup of 3 or more times the cost of wine is not uncommon in the US - where 2 times is the most common in BC.

Other than those products, prices are not really that much more.  Of course, when we are tourists, we aren't as inclined to shop carefully, as we do at home!!


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## Greg G (Jun 27, 2011)

asp

Thanks for the info, that helps explain things.  Yes,  we probably didn't shop as carefully as we do at home.  What hit me was when we got a large thin crust pizza (half pepperoni half beef) and cheesy bread at Boston Pizza in Parksville the first night and it was 38$ CAN where at home we get the same thing (at Tomoasos which is a nice pizza place) for $23.50 US, and the exchange rate that day was $0.977 CAN to $1 US.  Same type of thing when we went to Dairy Queen.  

Greg


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## shagnut (Jun 27, 2011)

I know I would love it!!  shaggy


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## pianodinosaur (Jun 29, 2011)

We just love Victoria. This photo was taken in August 2008.


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## madra dubh (Jul 3, 2011)

*BC Harmonized Sales Tax*

I understand how the transportation and minimum wage issues can inflate prices, but what about the 12% harmonized sales tax applied on just about everything in British Columbia?
I spent some time in Kelowna, BC this spring and was astounded at the high prices I encountered. As a resident of the NYC metro area, I don't usually flinch at high prices, but I thought twice about making many purchases on this trip. I even bought my souvenirs at the Dollar Store!
However, it is beautiful in BC!


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## Tacoma (Jul 3, 2011)

As Albertan's who vacation in BC every year we affectionately call the province Bring Cash (BC).  However even a mere 3 hours from home the scenery is spectacular and the weather is warmer so we just keep coming. 

Joan


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