Victoria was beautiful. We didn't make it to Butchart Gardens - the sea was rough and tides were high, making it difficult to dock. We had to wait an extra two hours to dock and almost another hour before we could disembark - Victoria almost couldn't handle our ship, it was so big. So when we finally did get off, we just took the river walk into down town as it was almost 4pm by that point.

What a beautiful city! So clean. By not taking the bus to the gardens we saw more of the city than we otherwise would have.

We walked until almost eight, got back just in time for dinner on the ship. No place really called to us in port so we didn't eat in Victoria.


***

We docked in Vancouver at 7am, and we were out and walking around by 7:30. Sunny and warmish at 53 degrees. In our wanderings of the Gas Works district, we stepped into East Hastings - the one and only bad section of town where the bums and the prostitutes are. Every other corner has a women's shelter or homeless living facility on it. Kind of interesting - we definitely didn't belong there.

Chinatown was a blur as it had some of the more eccentric denizens of East Hastings on it. Finally we got back to the Gas Works, saw the steam clock (cute!), and found an Old Spaghetti Factory. OMG!

It's my favorite place to eat, one of the first that hubby and I ever went to in San Diego. Apparently the one in Vancouver is the first one. We had lunch there - fabulous - and then walked it off by walking to Stanley park, and going to the Aquarium there. It was nice, and we got to see the Beluga whales (Grandma, Mom, baby plus Grandma is pregnant again) and some birds of prey.

The walk back was excruciating we were so tired. We got back to the ship by five - the ship was due to sail at 6. We found deck chairs and collapsed so we could watch the ship leave port. Lots of other people did, too - it's an effing big ship!

Now we're at sea and it's a bit choppy, a bit chilly, but nice. Almost breakfast time.