When we began our vacation, we made a list of things which we felt we must accomplish. Well, suffice to say, it must have been a true holiday as much of the list did not get done with some items never more than vague ideas. However, our plans to golf, entertain family, and make/renew friendships did happen.
On Friday, August 5th, we met with our friends, Diane and Tony, to spend the day together in Sooke. It was a warm morning in Victoria but when we reached Sooke, the fog rolled in and the temperature dropped. I hadn't brought a coat so knew I'd be freezing on the beach.
French Beach was our destination since we missed seeing it with the grandkids. We hoped to see whales but the place was pretty much deserted both on the sand and in the water. There were large kelp beds off-shore but despite our searching, we didn't see any sea otters. The beach did offer some photo-ops and Tony lent me his jacket so I was warm.
At the end of the long beach, was a rock formation with fantastic tidal pools. Large anemones and mussels crowded out huge barnacles. The pattern and textures were amazing and something my camera had trouble capturing. At first, the anemones looked like elastic bands buried in the sand (see picture) so we felt we'd enter some foreign landscape. I've never seen them so big in the wild.
After exploring the pools, we relaxed on a driftwood log and watched a bald eagle dive into the surf to rise with a fish in its talons. It was great seeing such majesty. It reminded us that noon approached so we returned to Sooke and the Stickleback Restaurant. By this time, the sun had burned through the fog so we enjoyed the patio overlooking the calm waters of the cove. I ate 'The Bank' which was pieces of halibut on a homemade burger bun while Glen feasted on their West Coast Club made with fish and seafood.
Later, we chatted to the man who ran the kayak rental store, Rush Adventures, next door and learned all we needed to know about how his kayaking/adventure business works. Tony and Diane are avid canoeists but wanted to do some paddling on the sea. We also thought it would be a fun venture for the next time we're in Victoria.
Packing was next on our agenda after we left Diane and Tony. When you live in a place for longer than a week, you tend to spread out to fill the space. I gathered together all the stuff we wanted to take back to Calgary and packed two boxes and our golf clubs. Saturday, I did a laundry then packed our suitcases. After lunch, we walked to Willows Beach to have one last look at the ocean. On the way home, we stopped at our favourite butcher, Slaters, for some steaks for supper then Glen packed the car.
Sunday morning, we cleaned, laundered sheets and towels, and prepared the condo for our departure. We caught the noon ferry and had a very pleasant crossing. Usually we leave later, staying in Tsawwassen to rise early the next day to make the 10 hour drive home. This time we decided to drive to Salmon Arm, breaking the journey into two.
We stayed at the Best Western Salmon Arm. Little did I know the place was close to the highway and Glen's favourite gas station. It was 7:00 pm when we arrived but we'd made reservations so had no fears of not having a room. The place filled up pretty quickly after that. A nearby pub, the Hideaway, offered 10% off to motel guests so we went there.
Our server, who called himself Uther, was very good and ended up telling us about his young son and his own vacation. He had a new tattoo which we admired. The food was good -- Glen had spaghetti and meatballs and I had jambalaya made with penne pasta and chorizo. The garlic toast was a taste of heaven.
Since the air conditioner in our room was noisy, we didn't hear any traffic noise or the sound of the nearby railway. We rose at 7:00 am and ate our complementary breakfast in a small nook in the lobby. We battled everyone else for food and a table. That's when I realized the last time I had breakfast in a Best Western, it was in Harbin and I ate with chopsticks.
We were in Golden, BC by noon so stopped at our favourite bistro, the Whitetooth. Normally it's winter when we eat here so really enjoyed their outside tables where we could watch the town's comings and goings. We both had the Deli Special which involved lots of veggies, cheese, and turkey on toasted panni. I had an excellent fish soup with mine.
We were home in time for a small supper then the unpacking began.
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