July 5, 2008 - Victoria, BC



High above Victoria is Craigdarroch Castle. Built in 1890, it has 39 rooms and is over 20,000 sqft.


If it looks familiar, shame on you.
It was in such terrible movies as Cats and Dogs and 1994's Little Women.
Picturesque, though.
Victorian construction is third only to Gothic and Boroque to me. (OK, shame on me now...)


The woodwork is amazing.


As are the tanlines on Kyle's arms.
(Longer sleeves next time, dude. That Canadian shirt you gave me does the same thing to my arms, so I only wear it to Midtown and such where I blend in more...)


Lots of the rooms have been redone to show how it would have looked in the 1890's, when it was one of the first civilized residences on Victoria Island.



Reminds me of some evil person's house from a Disney cartoon. Maybe Cruelle DeVille...(?)


Much less freaky than the dinner table in Williamsburg with the goat head on it!


We say goodbye to Kyle and head back to Sidney...


...to catch our ferry back to Washington.


Outside, cool views.


Inside, Charlie makes friends.
I'd taught him something. When I said "What's your sign?" he had been successfull answering "Libra!"
Alas, now that it was time to shine, nerves got the better of him.
So glad his dad eventually outgrew that awkwardness. If Charlie takes after his dad, he'll get better with girls around age 33.


Approaching Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island, one of the outliers between Washington's mainland and Victoria island.



Cool harbor.




We watch as people head off the ferry.


Then the airhorn sounds and scares the absolute friggin bejeezuz out of us! Holy crap!



More cool sights.



A lone stick braves the Pacific Northwest seas.


Meanwhile, Charlie gets a driving lesson from dad.
"I wanna go fast!"


A couple of last glimpses of sunset and we head back towards the homestead.


It is beautiful out here!!