Victoria, Vancouver Island

The resort we stayed at was about 90 miles north of Victoria. We spent two separate days visiting Victoria and the surrounding area at the south end of Vancouver Island.

VICTORIA BUTTERFLY GARDENS

An indoor tropical jungle, home to thousands of butterflies.

White Tree Nymph from the Philippines on a Hibiscus

Brown Clipper from South East Asia

"Little E"

BUTCHART GARDENS

No trip to Vancouver Island would be complete without a stop at the spectacular Butchart Gardens. This 130 acre botanical gardens and estate attract close to a million people annually. The Butchart Gardens, in bloom for over 100 years, was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Butchart is made up of six separate gardens: Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Sunken Garden, Italian Garden, Piazza and the Mediterranean Garden.

The Butchart Estate Home is now
an award winning Restaurant

Sunken Garden

Originally a quarry, the Sunken Garden was
transformed by the Butcharts.

Star Pond

Dinner at the Blue Poppy Restauant

THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

We always enjoy visiting U.S. state capitals. Canada is no exception. Victoria on Vancouver Island is the capital of British Columbia. This building was completed in 1897 at a cost of just over $2 million. After clearing security, we took a self guided tour of this beautiful building and grounds.

Memorial Rotunda surrounded by four paintings that
depict the primary economic industries of the province:
forestry, fishing, agriculture and mining.

Legislative Chamber
They only have one house, unlike states which have
both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Stain Glass Windows displaying quotations from
17th and 18th Century English writers and thinkers,
here to inspire legislators
and spectators as they enter the Chambers.

THE EMPRESS HOTEL AND MINATURE WORLD

Empress Hotel built in 1904
is home to Miniature World

Miniature World has 80 highly detailed miniature scenes.

This circus scene even had moving rides.

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL

One of Canada's Largest Cathedrals





CRAIGDARROCH CASTLE

This sandstone mansion was built in the late 1880s for Robert Dunsmuir, a self-made Canadian millionaire. He died before the mansion was finished. His wife, Joan, and three of their ten children occupied the house until 1908. Craigdarroch means "rocky, oak place" in Gaelic.

Third Floor Landing

Fourth Floor Tower with 360 degree view.

Craigdarroch Castle, Christ Church and the Parliament
Building contain some of the finest examples of
stained glass in western Canada.