Slices of America: Pacific Northwest Summer Vacation

Victoria, Vancouver Island Seattle Vancouver Stanley Park Lynn Canyon Victoria Kalaloch Ozette Hoh Hurricane Ridge Seattle click image to enlarge In place of the mundane interstate drive back down the coast, we instead chose to take a series of ferries back to the US, taking us through Victoria (the capitol city of British Columbia) on Vancouver Island. The image on the left shows the ferry's path (north to south) from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (in light blue) and then the car ride down to Victoria. The yellow line designates the US/Canada border. The ferry shoved off into the Strait of Georgia, where we cruised at high speed for a while. The ship then slowed as we zig-zagged through the smaller islands and bays of Vancouver Island: first into Miners Bay, through Galiano and Mayne Islands, then across Village Bay, past Portlock Point and Pender Island, past Saltspring Island, Morsby and Portland Islands, and then finally Swartz Bay to dock. From there, we drove an hour south to Victoria and killed some time before boarding the Victoria/Port Angeles Ferry to Olympic National Park. Waiting in line to board the Tsawwassen/Swartz Bay Ferry This is where the ferry slowed a bit and navigated through the coastal islands. We spotted an eagle somewhere between Galiano and Swartz Bay! Another BC Ferry navigating the bays What an amazing summer home in the islands! Deckhand washing down the deck. Victoria, British Columbia Christ Church Cathedral. This photo appears courtesy of Ryan Bushby via Wikipedia and the Creative Coomons Lisence. Victoria was an excellent place to kill time while waiting for the afternoon ferry to Olympic National Park. The team split up for lunch, and when we convened at our agreed meeting spot, Dane shared with us two particularly fantastic photos. Matching uniforms AND bags! A very kind employee at this store went the extra mile to help me figure out what brand of campstove fuel I could substitute for my typical cannister . I have a Jetboil stove, and the cannisters are outlawed in Canada (something about the diameter or the apeture being too large). The employee went online, called the Jetboil offices, and double checked again online. Nice people. Regardless of its crude, lackadaisical signage practices, Angela and I had a fantastic lunch at the Thai Bistro, formerly Rosie's Diner. As you can see in the photo, they are both "open" and "lisenced". Bastian Square click image to enlarge Mural Map of Vancouver Island St. Andrews Cathedral As you will see in the following photos, the church's altar consists of unique native markings. The church's official website explains these distinctive markings: The new altar was used for the first time on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Bishop Remi J. De Roo's Episcopal ordination. It was carved by Mr. Charles Elliott, a distinguished artist and the first Native Indian to graduate from St. Louis College. The use of Christian biblical and liturgical themes expressed through Native symbol and design brings to visibility the process of inculturation which has been going on since the first missionaries came to Vancouver Island. We do well to recall here the words of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, who said, "Thus not only is Christianity relevant to the Indian peoples, but Christ, in the members of His body is himself Indian." (Address at Shrine Field, Huronia, Ontario, September 15, 1984) The base of the altar consists of two bentwood-like boxes. These were the traditional means used for carrying and storing food and belongings as well as the burial boxes of the dead. Each of these boxes is designed to rotate so that four different designs may be employed for liturgical seasons and feasts. The top of the altar or mensa is of yellow cedar and weighs approximately four hundred pounds. Abalone shells and Indian designs adorn the frontispiece of the altar. As stated before, Victoria is the capitol of British Columbia, and these are the British Columbia Parliament Buildings. The structure was first opened in 1898. It is adorned with a gilded bronze statue of Captain George Vancouver. Victoria Inner Harbor - where ferries, sailboats, seaplanes, and the like assemble to transport people and goods in and out of the port. Docks at the Inner Harbor A seaplane rounds the harbor to clear for take-off. From here, we boarded the Victoria/Port Angeles Ferry for the Olympic Peninsula, Washingston State. Seattle Vancouver Stanley Park Lynn Canyon Victoria Kalaloch Ozette Hoh Hurricane Ridge Seattle