Victoria to Sooke, BC

Recently I added a segment called "Livin' in the 'Loops" to this blog. I think it's important to feature your hometown and the areas you live in. Since I live in Beautiful British Columbia, I will sometimes share something about living in BC for those of you that want to visit or are just curious about the North. This is the second piece for that segment. Enjoy. 

While it's true that I live in the 'Loops (Kamloops, BC), my husband and I met in Victoria and as such Vancouver Island has always held special meaning for us, plus it is one of the loveliest places in BC. There is always a bit of a breeze off the ocean and the heady smell of fresh clean ocean air. Victoria, the capital of BC, has an English influence with a bustling Inner Harbour graced by the Grand ol' Empress Hotel. The James Bay area borders the Inner Harbour on one side and the ocean on the other, which is where we go hunting for sea glass. We often 'stay' near the Inner Harbour and walk around enjoying the bustlers, artists, sellers and open air theatre that is a part of the harbour throughout the warm summer months.

SOOKE

Our last trip to Vancouver Island brought us to Sooke which is a small town bordering a bay near the southern tip of the Island. There's an interesting little story we heard from the locals about a Pirate ship that pulled into the bay many years ago and hid there from those pursuing them. The bay does seem like a perfect hiding spot for a fairly large ship and its entrance could easily be missed from the ocean. Sooke is surrounded by lush greenery and many beaches. You may have heard of the Sooke Potholes as well.

The Best Western Prestige is one of our favorite places to stay when we're there. We recently went to execute a will and unfortunately, to bury a family member. In the mornings we'd go to the restaurant at the hotel and enjoy our breakfast on the balcony overlooking the bay. It is a happy, relaxing way to start a busy day. The seals hang out under the sun on a pile of logs near the fish cleaning station by the docks. You could see various sealife when walking the pier. The sound of seagulls and the odd bark of a seal amidst breaths of fresh ocean air makes you ponder the possibility of staying forever. 

The courtyard

From the Pier looking back

Seals sunning on the logs near the cleaning station

The Marina

Another view of the Courtyard

Early morning fog hugging the waters

Due to the fact that this was such a busy trip, we took an hour out of one day to drive out to Shirley. It's about 20 minutes down a country road with not much traffic. It seems there's nothing much out there, but when you get to Shirley there is a little coffee shop on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere that is always busy. This time we were treated by a girl taking our order who seemed to be auditioning for a part in a play. She was entertaining, fun and quirky. Right up my alley! We enjoyed our food in a garden on one side of the building. It was a nice break.

We're back in the 'Loops now and resting up from our unexpected week long trip. In spite of the nature of it, we love the Island and often go and visit. If you're thinking of coming to Canada for a visit, don't miss Vancouver Island. It's totally worth the trip. If you're lucky, you may even see a pod of killer wales, some dolphins, or if you make it up to Coombs, some goats on a roof.

Thanks for stopping by and have a good week,

Blessings