The End of the Story

We spent the night at the Tsawwassen ferry parking lot. There were no camping facilities for miles and since we were assigned a parking space at the ferry terminal, we figured we might as well stay there. All went well, save the hourly loudspeaker announcements to passengers boarding and exiting the ships.

The ship traffic is tremendous, with four ferry ships constantly traveling between Tsawwassen and Vancouver Island. Each ferry can handle 1,500 to 2,000 passengers and 400-500 vehicles.

Our plan was to catch the 8 AM ferry and enjoy the day in Victoria. The town of Victoria, which is the provincial capital of British Columbia is indeed on an island. It can be accessed by ferry service from Vancouver BC, or Bellingham, Seattle and Port Angeles Washington. Once you arrive on the island from Vancouver, you must travel 17 miles to the actual city. The ferry company has packages for passengers without a car. They load you onto an enormous bus and shuttle you into town. Their efficiency is remarkable. Gives the old school principal in me great pleasure to see such a well run organization.

We were dropped off in downtown Victoria around 10:15 AM. With a
blue sky and puffy clouds, we high tailed it to the legislative assembly buildings to capture some great photos. The weather can be rapidly changing and we didn't want to chance the skies going awry. Out of all the provincial capitals we have photographed on this trip, Victoria is certainly the most stately and beautiful. While the provinces only have unicameral legislatures (not a House and Senate) and they only meet twice a year, their edifices are nonetheless imposing.

The Queen of England still has a foothold in Canada. Most of us view Canada as an independent country, and they are, but they still consider themselves a part of the British Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth visited Victoria in 2002, but interestingly, Queen Victoria (for whom the town was named) never visited.

We had an opportunity to tour the interior of the legislative building and listen to a young woman in period costume portray Queen Victoria. She also willingly posed for tourists outside of the building.

Next, we headed down to the inner harbor area. This is the spot where cruise ships dock, as well as local whale watch boats and other excursions. The walkway surrounding the dock area is painted with local artisans, anxious to sell their work. Restaurants and other vendors dot the area.

One of the vendors was a rickshaw type company. Amid the horsedrawn

carriages, GrayLine tours, double decker buses and the like, a small group of fellows with powerful legs pedal tourists around town in a casual fashion. Knowledgeable about the history, architecture and attractions in Victoria, they provide a great narrative. We engaged one of them and enjoyed a two hour ride about town. I can't say we didn't feel guilty as he powered us up hills, but we felt less guilty as he coasted down again. We were able to stop when we wanted to snap a shot or two.

Victoria was a big stopping place during the Gold Rush. It also has deep connections with the Chinese who populated the area early in its history. The city of Vancouver currently has a 27% Chinese population so it is clear that they have played a big role in Vancouver's development. Many years ago however, the Chinese were the downtrodden and suffered significant discrimination. In fact, the children had to attend their own Chinese public school, segregated from the other children of Victoria. Still standing in Victoria's Chinatown today, the school is now used by local Chinese to teach their children the Chinese language on Saturdays.

Another area of note in the city is an area known as Bastion Square. An infamous judge named Judge Begbi gave a twisted meaning to the term, "hung jury". He was reputed to have hanged jury members that did not come to a verdict with which he could agree. Fortunately, his tenure as a judge was not sustained, but the area where he hung jurors is now a trendy area where locals and visitors enjoy an outdoor lunch and some shopping.

Tourism is obviously important to Victoria and it is apparent that they cater to visitors.

What a wonderful way to spend the last day of our Alaskan trip. Upon our return to Tsawwassen at 6:00, we drove the last 20 miles south and entered the United States at Blaine Washington. This entry is called the Peace Arch border. A large, white arch is prominently placed at the border with the phrase, "Brethren, dwelling together in unity."

We can unequivocally state that there truly is unity between Canada and the United States when it comes to the appreciation of the beauty and nature that abounds in Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. It is clear the the people living in these regions value the environment in which they live and are happy to share it with visitors like you and me.

While we dealt with some tough roads, long days, and limited services, we wouldn't take away a day we spent. Our 35 day trek through Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Manitoba, Saskachewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory and beautiful Alaska will always be a part of us. We would encourage anyone who has dreamt of, thought about or possibly considered a trip to Alaska to go! The scenery, wildlife and people are incomparable.

While it will take our little motor home a bit to recover from the bumps, holes, mud, dirt and bugs, the couple stone chips will be a reminder of this wonderful trip.

North to Alaska ends for us, but we hope all of you will plan a trip of your own. It should be high on your list of "things to do before you die."

We will take the next few days to head towards our home, stopping at state capitals along I-80.

Thanks for sharing this trip with us.

Dennis and Ilene MacDonald