

On Friday, Sweetheart G and I started our annual pilgrimage to Victoria BC. We take the train from Portland to Seattle, and then we take a passenger ferry from Seattle to Victoria. This trip has been a great annual, one on one, mother/ daughter adventure. So Friday found us at the train station bright and early, and we boarded armed with coffee, snacks, and great enthusiasm. These provisions proved essential when the train's engine broke a mile and half south of Vader, WA. (Never heard of Vader? Well, neither had we.) It took almost 4 hours for our Amtrak train to find a passing freight train willing to give us one of their engines. (Never knew trains could "borrow" engines? Neither did we.) The trip was educational, but long. Very long. And by the time the train limped into Seattle, our ferry was long gone. So, Sweet G and I rose to the challenge. By 6 o'clock we had secured: a place to sleep, a new ferry reservation for the next morning, Top Pot donuts (essential in case we were trapped on the ferry the next morning), and a lovely sushi dinner. That girl and I rough it very well. I did have a strong temptation to try and track down Chrysanthemum, but we were so tired that I am not sure we'd have been fit company. (Oh, and then there is that "company dropping out of the blue" thing that I didn't really want to tackle....)

I have to say we had a great time in Seattle. It was a gorgeous evening, and we had a great walk. Plus, there were donuts. 'Nuf said.
So Saturday morning, at 6:15 am, we left our hotel in a cab to catch the ferry. Gah! But, thanks to a wonderful young man at the ticketing counter the night before, we already had boarding passes, and were able to curb check our bags. So we had plenty of time to find Caffeine for me. Donuts, good coffee, kind people... it was a good start to another long day. By 11 am, we were checked into our B&B and ready for all Victoria had to offer.


With our time in Victoria cut a day short, we tromped all over the downtown area until our feet were sore, and then we rested and did it some more. We did the museum, an IMAX movie about ancient Egypt (which was very good!), bought lots of tea, ate, ate, and ate some more, visited Chinatown, wished BC a happy 150th birthday, met Emily Carr.... I was very proud to tell my Sweet Girl, that there was no one else I would have rather had this adventure with. She was a star through all of the ups and downs.

Sunday morning was spent eating breakfast and lounging until Nay-Nay and Grandma B came to get us. Then it was off to Mineral world! Someone did their marketing research on this place. The deal? You buy a little baggie, give it to a child, and then set them free to dig through mountains of pretty rocks to fill said bag. Brilliant, really. Then they have a little station with boxes and glue guns where you get to make things with your pretty rocks. What could possibly top this off? Ice Cream of course! After a dish of cold, creamy goodness at an ice cream parlor a block away, we headed to Grandma B's house for dinner and some quiet time.


And then, the next morning we headed home. Sweetheart G, Nay-Nay, and I were nestled into our comfy seats on the ferry, when the captain came on to say "Well, we're having to shut off our engines because a stick has become lodged in the starboard engine." I successfully fought down the panic. (Really, I didn't even whimper!) And about 15 minutes later a wet gentleman in captain's garb walked past us with a broken tree branch the size of a baseball bat. And after that, the trip home went like clockwork.
So, I'll end this sum-up of our weekend adventure (and my longest post ever) with a self portrait of me on the back of the ferry. I look shiny, huh?

Edited to add: I've added a link to Mineral World, just in case anyone wants to stop on by.