Feeling At Home in BC

Case Note No. 17; Mon Sept. 20, 2021
    Hello again, it's me, Ms. AAngyl. Since Sept. 11, Margaret and I have been spending a wonderful time in the province of British Columbia (BC), on the west coast of Canada. We have been staying with Margaret's family in Victoria, and visiting a friend with horses in Kelowna, BC. We have been tourists in the area, which is new to us. First we were treated to a tour of the grand city of Victoria. We enjoyed seeing the fine old buildings such as the Empress Hotel, where one can still enjoy an elegant high tea, and we admired the fancy shops and art galleries.

   Margaret's son took us on a day trip up the island that included a stop in funky Cowichan Bay, a lively town with a small harbour, colourful shops and a museum filled with historical information and examples of boats made and used by local fishermen. There we stopped at a bakery that posts sage advice on a sidewalk blackboard: "Life is what you bake it." Right on, we agreed. We ordered delicious pastries and coffee to go, and enjoyed an al fresco feast in the warm sunshine. 

     One of the first things one learns when in BC is that the city of Victoria is on Vancouver Island, whereas the city of Vancouver and most of the rest of the province is on the mainland. In order to get on or off Vancouver Island, one must either fly or take a ferry. We have done both. Margaret has a friend she met years ago who was visiting in Cape Breton. This lady lives in Kelowna, BC, where she runs a large equestrian centre, and invited us to visit her while we were in the province. So we rented a car in Victoria and took the ferry (from Swartz Bay) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen), before driving to Kelowna.
     The BC Ferry rides, which we took both ways, were fun. The ferry boats have gift shops with nice clothing and souvenirs, and restaurants that are convenient for having a meal during the sailing. Margaret noted with amusement that some of the fashions featured in the store on the Spirit of British Columbia seemed to be in a time warp. She was tempted by a denim jumpsuit that reminded her of one she had made for herself from a Vogue Pattern from about 1972! She was also pleased to learn that by wearing a hoodie with a prominent Cape Breton logo, it was easy to attract fellow Maritimers who are now living in BC, and have lots of tips to share!
   The drive from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal to Kelowna takes about four and a half hours, and covers some high, mountainous terrain. It was raining on both trips, so that kept her on her toes. On the way over to Kelowna, we stopped in a place called Hope, BC, and learned a bit about the history of the Hudson's Bay Company.

    Our time in Kelowna was delightful. Margaret's friend is a true lover of animals, and takes excellent care of many boarded horses, as well as three dogs, two cats, and many chickens that lay delicious eggs each day for her breakfast. She has a beautiful gray Dutch warmblood as her personal therapy horse. They enjoy their time together riding in a large covered arena on her farm, called Serendipity Farm, which is situated outside the city amidst acres of beautiful land crossed with trails. We were treated like family, and look forward to spending happy times together in the future. 

    After returning from Kelowna, we spent a few more days in Victoria. On our last night we all went out for dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant in an old part of town that years ago used to be swampy. On the way there, we walked along a street which appears to be cobbled, but is actually made of square wooden poles that are stacked vertically.  Ingenious!
      So now it is time to say goodbye to our loved ones in BC and take a plane to Ontario, this time to the city of London. It has been a wonderful visit, and we look forward to seeing everyone soon in Cape Breton!