Beautiful flowers CAN cure a hangover. . .

The view from our rooms at the Worldmark timeshare; the Empress hotel is a bit to the right.

Fireworks after the party

Well, we partied last night at the Inn at Laurel Point where Fred and Ann had the first of the two parties they have organized. Last night was just because Canada was going to put on a fireworks display and it is close to Ann’s birthday. So lots of friends and their children were there, eating, drinking, and generally making merry! With Fred supplying jeroboam of a very nice wine, who could NOT drink! Well, Fred called it a Jeroboam but it was much, MUCH larger than the definitions of Jeroboam that I could find. It stood (at least it was still standing when we left) about two to maybe two and a half feet high and was quite rotund. And it was only about half empty at the end of the evening. So I think that is quite a bit more than the “equivalent of four to six” bottles! There were about 40 people at the party and they would have demolished “four to six bottles” in nothing flat. I’m guessing about 20 to 30 bottles.

So we survived the evening and got up this morning to go to Butchart Gardens north of Victoria. Another gorgeous day, about 70°F (19°C) and not a cloud! If you’ve never heard of Butchart Gardens go to http://www.butchartgardens.com/. We have been there before, in May that time. Just as gorgeous in July, just no tulips. But lots of roses and virtually every other flower that will grow in Victoria.

The Sunken Garden, which was once a limestone quarry

Jennie Butchart’s husband ran a limestone quarry for his cement business. When the quarry ran out, Jennie started building the gardens. Before that, she had commissioned a Japanese architect to design a garden and later replaced their tennis courts with an Italian garden. Eventually it all became what is now known worldwide as the Butchart Gardens, still owned by the family.

The pictures can’t possibly do justice to the sheer beauty of the place, it just takes your breath away, especially, for me, the sunken garden (that used to be the quarry) and the fountains.

Tonight, another party with Fred and Ann, tennis with Fred tomorrow, possibly a tour of Victoria on the Hippo, then off to Banff via the Okanogan Valley and its wines and cheeses.

Oh, yes, I found the guy who makes the most wonderful visors all painted by hand with cats and frogs and orcas and flowers (not altogether, mind you!).

Let me know if anyone wants a visor!

 And, last, what exactly does this sign mean? No one legged women allowed?