Journey to the (Canadian) West…Victoria 1

The 2018 summer trip was meant to explore the western part of Canada. Sophia had a conference planned in Victoria and I had business meetings in Vancouver, so it seemed like an opportune time to make a 2 week vacation out of it!

If you’ve never been to the west coast, then you’re missing out. Both of us being from the mid-east coast part of Canada, we found the west so much more peaceful, with the gorgeous mountains, hiking trails, and never-ending array of natural beauty. To find out more and view pictures throughout our trip, don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog posts from Victoria to Vancouver to Whistler and all across Alberta. 

So, it was finally time to board our flight from Toronto to Victoria airport late on Thursday night to stay with a couple of friends. Sophia’s sister also accompanied us on the trip which made it even better!

Friday morning was spent hiking the Goldstream National Park, where we did a 1.5 hour hike that was rewarded with waterfall view at the ‘little’ Niagara Falls and a lookout on top of an old train track bridge near the apex of the mountain.

As you can see, the views were gorgeous, the bridge treacherous, but the time spent with friends was unforgettable!

After our hike, we worked up an appetite and went to the very popular Red Fish Blue Fish restaurant on Wharf Street.

Sophia had always wanted to go back to Victoria (since 2014) and actually last in the lineup. So, we took a chance and after a 20-minute lineup (definitely worth the wait!), we were rewarded with some fantastic fish and chips, deep fried pickles, tacones, and ginger beer. While more expensive than expected, it was worth every penny!

After our hearty meal we walked around Victoria taking in the beautiful sights in the more touristy areas.

We ended our night back at our friends’ house where we ate a nice home cooked meal and treated to a wide selection of scotch.

A great end to a first day!

[06-22-2018]