# Victoria BC



## easyrider (Aug 15, 2012)

We really like Victoria, even better than Seattle or SanFrancisco. This visit is perfect weather.


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## easyrider (Aug 15, 2012)




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## easyrider (Aug 15, 2012)




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## easyrider (Aug 15, 2012)

In a moment of thought I took a picture of the angel. I was surprised to see it when the pictures loaded onto the laptop.  

Bill


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## spirits (Aug 15, 2012)

*Very nice*

Just came back from Victoria ourselves. Yes, it is a great city. Loved your pictures but where is the waterfall?  Did you stay at the Worldmark?


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## Passepartout (Aug 15, 2012)

A great city. We love it there! I sure wish they would like to have a couple of nice independent retirees.

Jim


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## Karen G (Aug 15, 2012)

Nice pictures. Did you get out to Butchart Gardens?


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## easyrider (Aug 16, 2012)

Yup, Butchart Gardens. Beyond the sunken garden is the water fountain that is a small version of the one at the Vegas Strip Belagio.


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## easyrider (Aug 16, 2012)




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## easyrider (Aug 16, 2012)

Im not really a flower, garden and museum guy but Butchart Gardens is an exception.

Bill


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## easyrider (Aug 16, 2012)

Yes, we are at the Worldmark in the harbor. We like this resort although the rooms are Canadian style.

Bill


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## tashamen (Aug 16, 2012)

easyrider said:


> Yes, we are at the Worldmark in the harbor. We like this resort although the rooms are Canadian style.



What are "Canadian style" rooms?  Just curious - we go to Canada all the time, and I've never heard this expression.

Great pictures!


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## BevL (Aug 16, 2012)

tashamen said:


> What are "Canadian style" rooms?  Just curious - we go to Canada all the time, and I've never heard this expression.
> 
> Great pictures!



I live here and have never heard this expression.  Oh, wait, maybe I live in Canadian style rooms - LOL.

Just pulling your leg but am curious as well.  Do you mean the decor?  I can't imagine the layout is much different than any other Worldmark but I could be wrong.


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## spencersmama (Aug 16, 2012)

Gorgeous pictures!  Did you rent a car?  How easy is it to drive in the city and find parking?  I'm doing an Alaskan cruise next summer and really want to visit Victoria for a few days afterward this time.


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## presley (Aug 16, 2012)

I spent a few hours in Victoria in June.  It was gorgeous, but very windy and cold.  I do plan on going there for a longer stay in the future.  Maybe August 2014.  There seems like there is so much to do up there and the WM is in such a great location.


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## BevL (Aug 16, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> Gorgeous pictures!  Did you rent a car?  How easy is it to drive in the city and find parking?  I'm doing an Alaskan cruise next summer and really want to visit Victoria for a few days afterward this time.



Our daughter lives in Victoria so I can weigh in on this one.  Parking and traffic down by the inner harbour can be a bit of a bear on weekends or in the summer.  Other than that, it's not a large city and not that hard to find your way around in.

That being said, I'm not sure I would rent a car unless I was planning on driving up the Island to do sightseeing.  If you're going to stay pretty well in the inner harbour, downtown area and maybe do a trip out to Butchart Gardens, I personally wouldn't bother.



presley said:


> I spent a few hours in Victoria in June.  It was gorgeous, but very windy and cold.  I do plan on going there for a longer stay in the future.  Maybe August 2014.  There seems like there is so much to do up there and the WM is in such a great location.



Everywhere was windy and cold this June - it really didn't smarten up until well into July.  Usually it's much nicer here that time of year.


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## Luanne (Aug 16, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> Gorgeous pictures!  Did you rent a car?  How easy is it to drive in the city and find parking?  I'm doing an Alaskan cruise next summer and really want to visit Victoria for a few days afterward this time.



We had a car, but that was because we drove from Seattle to Port Townsend, stayed there for a week, then took the ferry to Victoria.  While we were in Victoria the only time we used the car was to drive out to Buchart Gardens.  I think there was parking available where we were staying (not a timeshare) so we didn't run into the parking issue.  We were staying just about right on the Inner Harbor and it was easy walking to where we wanted to go.  We then took the car to Nanaimo for the night, then took the ferry to Vancouver.


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## Luanne (Aug 16, 2012)

BevL said:


> I live here and have never heard this expression.  Oh, wait, maybe I live in Canadian style rooms - LOL.
> 
> Just pulling your leg but am curious as well.  Do you mean the decor?  I can't imagine the layout is much different than any other Worldmark but I could be wrong.



Bev. I haven't stayed at the Worldmark, but the only thing I noticed that was different, and I don't know if it's "Canadian" was that there were no screens on the windows.


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## LynnW (Aug 16, 2012)

Luanne said:


> Bev. I haven't stayed at the Worldmark, but the only thing I noticed that was different, and I don't know if it's "Canadian" was that there were no screens on the windows.



Well I have never stayed in a timeshare in Canada that doesn't have screens on the windows but have in Australia. I also don't know anyone who doesn't have screens on their windows at home so it's not "Canadian". I have no idea what it could be.  

Lynn


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## spirits (Aug 16, 2012)

*I'll ask*

Hi.  The reference to the Canadian rooms has me puzzled also.  I'll ask him what he meant


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 16, 2012)

Just last week I walked from the Harbor area past the Worldmark back to the NCL Pearl (cruise ship). Took a taxi from the port into the city.


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## spencersmama (Aug 16, 2012)

BevL said:


> If you're going to stay pretty well in the inner harbour, downtown area and maybe do a trip out to Butchart Gardens, I personally wouldn't bother.



Is there public transport to the gardens?  Or do you take a taxi?  We'll have 5 people, so I thought it might be easier to get a car for all of us, but I haven't looked into details yet.


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## Hornet441 (Aug 17, 2012)

Curious to hear what the OP means by "although the rooms are Canadian style". Sounds kind of negative. No screens is really quite "un-Canadian" so I can't imagine that's it.


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## BevL (Aug 17, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> Is there public transport to the gardens?  Or do you take a taxi?  We'll have 5 people, so I thought it might be easier to get a car for all of us, but I haven't looked into details yet.



It's quite a ways, but I'm sure there's a fairly easy way to bus there.  My daughter used to work out there and bussed back and forth without much hassle.  The bus system in and around Greater Victoria is pretty decent.


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## Passepartout (Aug 17, 2012)

It looks like CVS Tours runs a 'Butchart Gardens Shuttle' service, and the Hop-on-Hop-off bus stops at Butchart Gardens as well. Even taking a taxi- especially with 5 people would make it pretty reasonable, and well worth the price. Incidentally, last time we were there admission was for 24 hours, so one could go more than once. We went there in late afternoon and had a lovely dinner, and enjoyed the evenings' activities, then returned the next morning at no additional cost to see the parts we missed. Highly recommended.

Looking forward to the Canadian type room info. 

Jim


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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)

The WM in Victoria is built with space saving angles and has a look of the old native styles mixed with contemorary styles. When looking down at the office from a higher floor, the office has the look of a native dug out with a camping area to the inside. Nothing negative meant. Many of the resorts and motels along the harbor incorporate nature or cultural themes. The older buildings look very European while the newer buildings are very contempoary.

The building is also shaped in an A which is what many Canadians say at the end of a sentence, A. lol  

These space saving designs include a low ceiling in the parking garage. My suv had only 1 inch of clearance in some areas. 

The 2 bedroom unit in Victoria was very small compared to other Worldmark two bedroom units in the USA. 

One of the main reasons we like Victoria is the lack of panhandlers and graffitti. Victoria is very clean and seemed very safe, even at night. 

But, when walking about and asking a Canadian directions it seems that you can get anywhere by walking two blocks or so then turning right and continuing for another two blocks and that should do the trick. Get there and ask another Canadian for directions and the directions are the same and you end up where you started. :hysterical: Good thing we started up at Irish Times.

Had poutine. yum

Bill


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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)

*Shaped like an A*


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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)




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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)




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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)




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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)




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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)

Butchart Gardens is a must see, imo. Its an easy drive from Victoria.


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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)

Passepartout said:


> A great city. We love it there! I sure wish they would like to have a couple of nice independent retirees.
> 
> Jim



We were thinking the same. Then we thought about why its so beautiful in BC and decided it might be a bit wet most of the year for us. I could do August and September but would want to head elsewhere after that.

Bill


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## Luanne (Aug 17, 2012)

LynnW said:


> Well I have never stayed in a timeshare in Canada that doesn't have screens on the windows but have in Australia. I also don't know anyone who doesn't have screens on their windows at home so it's not "Canadian". I have no idea what it could be.
> 
> Lynn



We were staying on campus at UBC.  The unit we stayed in at the conference center didn't have screens, and my dd's dorm room didn't have screens.  I asked a friend who lives just outside Vancouver and she said she doesn't have screens in her home.


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## herindoors911 (Aug 17, 2012)

Canadian style rooms....  thought for a minute, you got greeted with a cold beer!

:rofl: 

Don't forget property prices in Vancouver and Victoria are way above NA averages.   And, we are concerned about our ecological footprint.  The resort was custom built by Trendwest, now known as Wyndham VO.   The Canadian downtown is also on the small side, but very nicely situated.

:whoopie:


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## Greg G (Aug 17, 2012)

Yes, Butchart gardens can be very pretty in the early morning

[IMGR]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--81cMp-5pJ8/UC6TnNdehTI/AAAAAAAAGf4/K0gnSOjIpoQ/s800/DSCF0047-1.jpg[/IMGR]


  Hatley Castle and gardens is another must see in my opinion.


[IMGR]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t9HHGP5wVT8/SSix1pXoXSI/AAAAAAAABHU/dqnH2yziATA/s800/DSCF0213.JPG[/IMGR]

Greg


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## BevL (Aug 17, 2012)

Luanne said:


> We were staying on campus at UBC.  The unit we stayed in at the conference center didn't have screens, and my dd's dorm room didn't have screens.  I asked a friend who lives just outside Vancouver and she said she doesn't have screens in her home.



That's too funny.  I can assure you it's really not a Canadian thing.  We have screens and even installed one of those fancy retractable type screens for our patio door.  Not a big bug lover but to each their own, I guess.

Real estate in Victoria and Metro Vancouver is very expensive so I'm not horribly surprised the units were a bit smaller.

Beautiful pictures.  We don't do the tourist thing as much as we should over there - always family time for us.


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## eal (Aug 17, 2012)

When my daughter-in-law was studying at UBC and they lived in Kitsilano (just south of downtown Vancouver) they had no screens on any of their apartment windows, and complained bitterly!  They came from Alberta and figured that it was a "BC thing".  Believe me, I live on Vancouver Island and have screens on everything, including the front door (retractable screen).


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## easyrider (Aug 17, 2012)

herindoors911 said:


> Canadian style rooms....  thought for a minute, you got greeted with a cold beer!
> 
> :rofl:
> 
> ...



I like how you think. I would of went for a Blue or Moosehead but all we got was a list.  

Bill


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## shagnut (Aug 18, 2012)

Beautiful pics!!! shaggy


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## spencersmama (Aug 18, 2012)

shagnut said:


> Beautiful pics!!! shaggy



easyrider - They really are!  They are getting me excited to visit!


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## easyrider (Aug 20, 2012)

Thanks. 

We like Irish Pubs and found a few. The one we liked the best was called Irish Times on Government Way because of the happy hour 2-4-1 fish & chips and the live music after 9.

The Days Inn next to the Parliment Building was the place to go for classic rock. They have an outdoor seating area overlooking the marina. 

We felt very safe in the evening but did head back to the resort by 11:30 pm. China Town is very small and not what we expected.

Bill


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## Greg G (Aug 20, 2012)

easyrider said:


>



easyrider

What was this place you took a picture of?  Looks neat

Greg


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## ricoba (Aug 20, 2012)

Greg G said:


> easyrider
> 
> What was this place you took a picture of?  Looks neat
> 
> Greg



I am not Bill, but it's Craigdarroch Castle.

As I remember from when we toured there, it was built by one of the early coal barons of the day. 

Here is the link.


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## eal (Aug 20, 2012)

We toured this castle recently and allowed ourselves two hours, thinking that would be plenty of time (my daughter and I had pedicure appointments).  We could have stayed a whole lot longer - we left the guys to continue touring and they stayed another hour, they even shopped in the gift shop! It was a fascinating place.


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## Greg G (Aug 20, 2012)

ricoba, eal

Thx for the info.  We've been to Victoria twice now and still have never gotten around to seeing that castle.  I guess we always thought since it was in the city we could get around to doing that last but always seemed to run out of time.

Greg


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## easyrider (Aug 20, 2012)

This is less than a mile from downtown.


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## easyrider (Aug 20, 2012)

Our favorite pub is Irish Times but we liked a few others too. Happy hour is 2-4-1 fish & chips.


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## easyrider (Aug 20, 2012)

*The museum is worth a look, imo.*


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## easyrider (Aug 20, 2012)

*museum*


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## easyrider (Aug 20, 2012)




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## ricoba (Aug 20, 2012)

I agree Bill the Royal British Columbia Museum is well worth a visit.

Here is the link:

http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/MainSite/default.aspx


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## ChrisandBeth (Aug 31, 2012)

I am very privileged to live just an hour 1.5 hours north of Victoria in Nanaimo. Yes the WorldMark in Victoria is "smaller", than resort style WorldMarks or timeshares in general  but compared to other WorldMarks or any timeshare in *urban *areas, it is actually a good size with full kitchen and BBQ. The location is amazing and as a WorldMark owner I have had may opportunities to stay here. As for screens, because it is right on the ocean there are very few mosquitoes. You are actually more likely to have a seagull land in your room than a bug!:rofl: 

Chris


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