We woke late this morning and really enjoyed lying in bed and experiencing the sights and smells of the rain forest. There was a steady patter of soft rain all night that turned to a light mist. This campground is exceptionally beautiful and when I saw the park staff raking the sites that sure explained a lot. Only one small catch, Ned managed to get a hot shower, but I could only get cold water. Needless to say it was a very quick shower this morning. By the time we got to downtown Victoria it was noon, but the skies were definitely clearing up and we decided to take a walking tour of the city. After a quick bite to eat we visited The Empress Hotel and enjoyed seeing people at high tea, the art galleries and gardens. We walked along the harbor to the Market Square and Old Town, thru Chinatown and other parts of the city. We thought we’d check on tickets for tomorrows ferry and found out it was already sold out. Yikes! A quick change of plans was in order. Instead of staying another night at Goldstream Provincial Park we decided to catch the 7:30 ferry, landing in Port Angeles at 9:00 pm. Since we had some more time to kill before boarding the ferry we decided to view the stately homes in Rockland. This area reminded us a lot of Piedmont in the Oakland hills. We came upon the Governor’s Mansion and spent a good hour or so walking the grounds. There were several acres of gardens that were just marvelous. They varied from wild gardens, to tree shaded rhododendron groves, rose gardens that smelled divine, Asian and Japanese gardens, and beautiful water features. We had the entire place to ourselves as we meandered thru all the paths. Sweet! After driving a little more thru the residential areas of the city, we decided to park in the ferry lot and hoof it to the other side of the harbor for dinner. Fish and Chips with beer for Ned and a salmon wrap for me. The sun finally broke out and we were treated to crystal clear skies with sunrays beaming down on the water and boats. Once we got thru the grind of customs it was fun riding the ferry at sunset. The view from the boat pulling away from the waterfront was magical. You could see the hotels and government buildings lit up and their reflection in the water. (See today’s pic). As we pulled into Port Angeles after 9 pm, the crescent shaped moon looked gorgeous over the sparkly city lights. This was the first ferry ride we’ve done at night and it was quite fun. Ned and I passed the time by playing Skip-bo on the boat. (Ned figured I wouldn’t whine quite as much in public). Once we reached Port Angeles we drove around in the dark looking for a place to camp. After a couple of failed attempts (either too pathetic or the gates were closed) we found a private RV park. Good news – we have wifi. Bad news it’s a private RV park and we’re camped under a glaring security light. Tomorrow off to explore Olympic National Park and the weather forecast calls for sunshine!
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