Victoria, British Columbia
September/October 2002
Queen Elizabeth II is coming to Victoria as part of the Golden Jubilee year celebrations. The Queen and Prince Philip arrive at Victoria’s airport on Friday, Oct. 4 and will be whisked down the Pat Bay highway to the city and onward to Government House (home to the Queen’s official representative for British Columbia) where the royal party will stay during their visit. The Queen has no official engagements on Saturday the 5th so the chances of spotting her are almost nil. However, on Sunday October 6, she will be attending services at Christ Church Cathedral (open only to church members) and quite possibly you can see her arriving and departing. The church service is followed by a lunch at the Empress Hotel, open only to government officials, not those of us who pay their wages. But it’s another royal spotting chance. The best bet for seeing the Queen and Prince Philip will be following the luncheon where she hosts a Golden Jubilee celebration on the lawns of the legislature before departing the city.
Lake Country
Visitors to Victoria often stay within the bounds of the downtown area or hop on a bus that runs between town to Butchart Gardens. In a 2 or 3 day stay they don’t usually rent a car to explore some of the lower island’s lesser known secrets – secrets not to the inhabitants but the tourists. Besides the many trails and public parks in the Greater Victoria area, lakes abound on lower Vancouver Island. Beaver, Elk, Durrance, Prospect, Fairy, Lizard, and Matheson are just a few. Many have beaches; some are crowded, like Elk and Beaver; others are a world away. Matheson, like some of the others, combines hiking, swimming and fishing and is a true wilderness lake. Lovers of secluded beaches will find one at the end of a 15 minute walk in Devonian Regional Park. Stop at Munroe’s, a local bookstore, where you will find a great selection of guidebooks for the Greater Victoria area and the island.
Events
Royal Victoria Marathon
Victoria
Contact: (250) 382-0042
- Marathon starts at 8:00am, Sunday.
- Race length is 42.195 kilometres.
- Race starts on Government Street between the legislative buildings and the Royal British Columbia Museum.
- The out and back trek follows the outside perimeter of James Bay neighbourhood (past Fisherman’s Wharf, the Canadian Coast Guard base, the Ogden Point “Love Boat” docks, and the breakwater) onto Dallas Road, past Beacon Hill Park, Clover Point, the Ross Bay Cemetery and around the desirable Hollywood Crescent area.
Salmon Run
Goldstream Provincial Park
2930 Trans Canada Highway
Contact: (250) 391-2300
- In Goldstream, salmon appear about mid-October, and are on view for about nine weeks, the dates varying from year to year.
- Of the five kinds of North American Pacific salmon it is the Chum salmon that is most abundant in this river, though you may also see some Coho and Chinook salmon, as well as the Steelhead and the Cutthroat trout.
- The Freeman King Visitor Centre is open daily during the peak of the salmon run. Naturalists are there to answer your questions and there are displays to tell more about the salmon. Access to the Centre is by a 10 minute walk downstream from the picnic ground.
- Admission is free.
- Last week of October
Ghost Bus Tours
Haunted spots throughout Victoria
Contact (250) 598-8870
The Old Cemeteries Society will take participants on a spooky tour of Victoria’s favourite haunts.Hotel Grand Pacific Hosts Weekend Photography Workshops
Explore the world famous scenery of southern Vancouver Island and learn the secrets of great composition, depth of field, lighting and exposure. The Hotel Grand Pacific and master photographer Quinton Gordon are offering a Shutterbug Getaway package in Victoria – one of the Pacific Northwest’s most photogenic cities.The Hotel Grand Pacific’s first Shutterbug Getaway runs from October 25 through 27, 2002, and includes a Welcome Reception, two nights’ accommodation, breakfast each morning, a full day of field instruction with master photographer, Quinton Gordon, and Wrap-Up Dinner with photo showcase and critique. The same package will be offered January 24-26 and March 21-23 of 2003.
The Shutterbug Getaway package costs $480.00 per person, or $722 for two participants sharing a room. Taxes not included.
Over the past ten years Quinton Gordon has travelled the globe to photograph for editorial, corporate and government clients. His award winning images have appeared in international publications including Outside, Action Asia and the New York Times, and in-flight magazines for Air New Zealand and Air Canada. Quinton’s contemporary work is focused on photographing the natural and cultural landscape, with an emphasis on the relationship between humanity and the environment. Explored and illustrated through his emotive landscapes and sensitive documentary images, Quinton’s self-directed work has been widely exhibited and his fine silver and platinum prints are held in both private and corporate collections.
To reserve a Shutterbug Getaway in Victoria, call 1-800-663-7550. For more information about the Hotel Grand Pacific, visit www.hotelgrandpacific.com.
©2002 by Barbara Ballard. Reproduction of this work in whole or in part and reproduction in electronic media, without documented permission from the author is prohibited.
——–
![7 Romantic Places to Embrace the Cold (and a Loved One) This Winter [Sponsored Post]](http://bna-art.s3.amazonaws.com/www.bootsnall.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/thumbs/45336-1-Quebec-City.jpg)
