In May 2010, Debra and I went on a 13-day cruise to Alaska and British Columbia. We sailed round trip from Los Angeles on the Celebrity Mercury, with port stops in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria. Click HERE to read a short summary about this cruise.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Victoria.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Victoria.
Victoria, British Columbia (May 14, 2010) As Debra and I neared the end of our 13-day Alaskan cruise, the city of Victoria welcomed us with opened arms – a mostly sunny sky and nearly 60 degrees. The weather was picture-perfect for sightseeing. Besides, soon enough Debra and I would be back in the hot clime of our home state of Arizona.
We arrived in Victoria (pop. 92,000) with great memories of the epic scale of nature we saw in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and the Inside Passage – immense glaciers, steep mountains and cliffs, plunging waterfalls, rugged coastlines, and more. Now, we were ready to experience nature on a much smaller scale. Victoria, you see, embraces delicate displays of flowers and gardens – more than 1,600 flower baskets hanging from lampposts and several renowned gardens. No wonder then, that the capital of British Columbia was dubbed the "City of Gardens".
The Butchart Gardens
We arrived in Victoria (pop. 92,000) with great memories of the epic scale of nature we saw in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and the Inside Passage – immense glaciers, steep mountains and cliffs, plunging waterfalls, rugged coastlines, and more. Now, we were ready to experience nature on a much smaller scale. Victoria, you see, embraces delicate displays of flowers and gardens – more than 1,600 flower baskets hanging from lampposts and several renowned gardens. No wonder then, that the capital of British Columbia was dubbed the "City of Gardens".
The Butchart Gardens
What started as a lime pit (lime was an ingredient for making cement) developed into the most beautiful gardens that Debra and I ever saw. Robert Butchart learned the process for manufacturing cement while on his honeymoon with the former Jennie Foster Kennedy, and in 1904 he and his brother David started a cement plant at Tod Inlet near Victoria. The limestone ran out in 1908, leaving a gigantic pit near the Butchart's home. At first, Jennie had trees planted to hide the pit from view, including white poplars and Persian plums. Then she had a grander idea – create a sunken garden within the pit. She completed this project by the early 1920s; over the years the garden grew and ownership passed from one generation to another.
The terraced gardens, situated on 55 acres, are year-round floral displays, with flowers appropriate for each season. The spring gardens – what we saw on our visit – were in full bloom, representing more than 300,000 bulbs planted last fall. Debra’s favorite flowers, and I’d have to say mine too, were daffodils and tulips, the latter in many colors. Still, we couldn't ignore the beauty of the hyacinth, peony, ornamental cherry, magnolia, and many lesser known varieties.
As we wove our way through the gardens, we came to the lower reservoir, home to the ever-changing Ross Fountain, which was installed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Butchart Gardens.
The slide shows above and below highlight the many gardens of Butchart - Rose, Japanese, Star Pond, Italian, and Mediterranean, in addition to the Sunken Garden and Ross Fountain.
The slide shows above and below highlight the many gardens of Butchart - Rose, Japanese, Star Pond, Italian, and Mediterranean, in addition to the Sunken Garden and Ross Fountain.
Debra and I covered much of Butchart Gardens in a few hours, but could easily have spent the day. The grounds were absolutely breathtaking – the variety of flowers, shrubs, and trees, the amazing colors, and the way that everything was laid out and displayed. Debra and I loved every minute of our visit!
Victoria Butterfly Gardens
Victoria Butterfly Gardens
And then Debra and I saw a decidedly different garden, one with thousands of free flying tropical butterflies. There were upwards of 70 species of butterflies at Victoria Butterfly Gardens, housed in a large, climate-controlled enclosure. We felt as though we were in a lush rain forest. In addition to butterflies, Debra and I saw insects, a tortoise, an iguana, and flamingos as we strolled along the "jungle trail." Our visit lasted an hour, which was ample time to see everything. This was a fun place to see, and an absolute delight to be so close to these beautiful and delicate creatures.
We made a brief stop at the Victoria Harbor before we returned to the Mercury. This area was once a shipbuilding and commercial fishing center; today its a port of entry for cruise ships and tourist who arrived by ferry.
|
|
|
On Board the Mercury
It was formal night on the Mercury, a time for us to wear our "Sunday best." We had a wonderful dinner and a special dessert as we neared the end of our Alaska cruise - Baked Alaska, of course! After dinner we listened to music in the lounge and then saw a show that featured two thrilling acrobats from Romania. It was a fun evening and the end of a great day.
It was formal night on the Mercury, a time for us to wear our "Sunday best." We had a wonderful dinner and a special dessert as we neared the end of our Alaska cruise - Baked Alaska, of course! After dinner we listened to music in the lounge and then saw a show that featured two thrilling acrobats from Romania. It was a fun evening and the end of a great day.
|
|
|
We will be at sea tomorrow - a day to relax - as we make our way back to San Pedro. This bucket list cruise was everything we had hoped it would be. The scenery in Alaska was spectacular. The gardens in Victoria were beautiful. We made new friends who would be our best friends and future cruise buddies. And we had truly memorable experiences: We were whisked away by helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau; took a scenic train ride to the Yukon in Skagway; and soared high on a seaplane to Misty Fjord in Ketchikan. Yes, everything we had hoped for....and more!