Victoria's secret
Outside the iconic Fairmont Empress hotel in Victoria, people gather every evening at seven. Curious, I join them one evening when someone hands me a pamphlet. It says 'come with us to Victoria's spookiest places and find out why it is the most haunted city in British Columbia'. I may not be the right candidate for ghost walks, thanks to my jittery nerves; but I decide to go for it nevertheless. After all, how scary can a storytelling session be? Well, enough to give you sleepless nights for a while.
As my guide and historian John Adams leads me through the courts of Bastion Square, along the infamous Helmcken Alley and into the old burial ground at Pioneer Square, his knowledge of Victoria's past and flair for storytelling (with somber voice modulations) takes me back to the Victoria of yesteryears. I'm almost half expecting the supernatural to jump out from the colonial buildings. Just when I thought that I had enough of horror stories to not venture out alone anymore, John enlightened me about a ghost which haunts the hotel where I am staying. So convincing are his tales of horror that you can almost feel a spooky presence by your side.
The European influence was established in1843 when James Douglas chose Victoria (then known as Camosack), as a Hudson Bay Company trading post. The post was eventually renamed Fort Victoria, in honour of Queen Victoria which later on evolved as a city of government, retirement and tourism.
A great two-wheel deal
It is difficult to cover Victoria in one day, as there are too many sight-seeing options to choose from. Rated as the cycling capital of Canada, the best way to cover the city is by foot or by renting a cycle and like most cyclists, I choose the Lochside trail. Originally a railway track, it skirts through the ocean edge, leading to a view of the spectacular snowcapped Olympic Mountains. Traffic here is almost non-existent and nature abounds with occasional deer sightings. Rebuilt bridges pass panorami! cally ov er lakes, which cut through yellow fields as ripe pumpkins wait patiently to be plucked.
As the day progresses, the weather becomes warm and toasty. Owing to its affinity to the sea, the temperature never drops much, thereby making it the most preferred holiday destination in British Columbia. The warm weather also makes it apt for whale sighting. Having watched the biggest mammal only on television, the idea is thrilling. I dress up in a waterproof body suit (temperature would drop remarkably once we are in the middle of the ocean). Soon the boat gains speed, leaving the town behind, and I feel the icy cold, biting wind on my face and silence all around. Evoking the gods can help because this sighting is totally dependent on your luck. I was quite lucky because what follows for the next few hours is a mix of nail-biting wait to sight a whale and exhilarating joy on spotting one. I happily click away, only to discover later that I have been a couple of mini seconds late and have only captured a part of the tail or head. After three hours, I come back to the shore, happy with the feat of spotting six whales, including two killer whales.
Past perfect
Being out in the open sea for three hours can be quite exhausting, so I stopped at the 110-year-old Fairmont Empress for a quick cup of tea before heading out again. The Canadians love their tea as much as they love their coffee and afternoon tea is nothing less than a social custom, handed down by the Britishers who migrated in the 18th century. Overlooking Victoria's spectacular Inner Harbour, this elegant ivy-covered hotel has been pleasing Victoria visitors with its afternoon tea service for more than 100 years. As the pianist fills the 18th century Edwardian room with soft harmony, I choose from four elegant and diverse teas, English scones, tea sandwiches, fruit, and delicious pastries. On my way out, I lose my way and am quite surprised to find myself in a hall named the Bengal Lounge. Drawing inspiration from Queen's role ! as the E mpress of India, this has a vast selection of interesting signature drinks with names such as the Bengal Tiger, Hemingway Special, Ivory Hunter and the Tigertini.
I head out to explore Inner Harbour area and the Government Street. When Captain James Cook landed on the west coast of Vancouver Island, First Nations people were already living in the rugged yet pristine wilderness of the island. The influences are still visible in the form of totem poles, which stand by dozens across the island. Trying to figure out a totem is no less than rocket science. From what I understood, every animal carved on the pole represents a mythical creature associated with family history. Each different totem belongs to the particular family or person carving it.
The Government Street at the south end is the melting pot of activities and it takes approximately an hour to cover the area, if you are not distracted by the local stores like the Rogers Chocolates or the pubs with unique names like the Bard and Banker pub, which got its name from one of its employees when it was the Bank of British Columbia.
Fact file
- Victoria can visited any time of the year.
- Take a sea plane or ferry from Vancouver. It takes approximately three hours by ferry and 35 minutes by the sea plane.
- If you have time, visit the Butchart garden, which was originally a limestone quarry.
Sayoni Sinha leisure.mirror@indiatimes.com
As my guide and historian John Adams leads me through the courts of Bastion Square, along the infamous Helmcken Alley and into the old burial ground at Pioneer Square, his knowledge of Victoria's past and flair for storytelling (with somber voice modulations) takes me back to the Victoria of yesteryears. I'm almost half expecting the supernatural to jump out from the colonial buildings. Just when I thought that I had enough of horror stories to not venture out alone anymore, John enlightened me about a ghost which haunts the hotel where I am staying. So convincing are his tales of horror that you can almost feel a spooky presence by your side.
The European influence was established in1843 when James Douglas chose Victoria (then known as Camosack), as a Hudson Bay Company trading post. The post was eventually renamed Fort Victoria, in honour of Queen Victoria which later on evolved as a city of government, retirement and tourism.
A great two-wheel deal
It is difficult to cover Victoria in one day, as there are too many sight-seeing options to choose from. Rated as the cycling capital of Canada, the best way to cover the city is by foot or by renting a cycle and like most cyclists, I choose the Lochside trail. Originally a railway track, it skirts through the ocean edge, leading to a view of the spectacular snowcapped Olympic Mountains. Traffic here is almost non-existent and nature abounds with occasional deer sightings. Rebuilt bridges pass panorami! cally ov er lakes, which cut through yellow fields as ripe pumpkins wait patiently to be plucked.
As the day progresses, the weather becomes warm and toasty. Owing to its affinity to the sea, the temperature never drops much, thereby making it the most preferred holiday destination in British Columbia. The warm weather also makes it apt for whale sighting. Having watched the biggest mammal only on television, the idea is thrilling. I dress up in a waterproof body suit (temperature would drop remarkably once we are in the middle of the ocean). Soon the boat gains speed, leaving the town behind, and I feel the icy cold, biting wind on my face and silence all around. Evoking the gods can help because this sighting is totally dependent on your luck. I was quite lucky because what follows for the next few hours is a mix of nail-biting wait to sight a whale and exhilarating joy on spotting one. I happily click away, only to discover later that I have been a couple of mini seconds late and have only captured a part of the tail or head. After three hours, I come back to the shore, happy with the feat of spotting six whales, including two killer whales.
Past perfect
Being out in the open sea for three hours can be quite exhausting, so I stopped at the 110-year-old Fairmont Empress for a quick cup of tea before heading out again. The Canadians love their tea as much as they love their coffee and afternoon tea is nothing less than a social custom, handed down by the Britishers who migrated in the 18th century. Overlooking Victoria's spectacular Inner Harbour, this elegant ivy-covered hotel has been pleasing Victoria visitors with its afternoon tea service for more than 100 years. As the pianist fills the 18th century Edwardian room with soft harmony, I choose from four elegant and diverse teas, English scones, tea sandwiches, fruit, and delicious pastries. On my way out, I lose my way and am quite surprised to find myself in a hall named the Bengal Lounge. Drawing inspiration from Queen's role ! as the E mpress of India, this has a vast selection of interesting signature drinks with names such as the Bengal Tiger, Hemingway Special, Ivory Hunter and the Tigertini.
I head out to explore Inner Harbour area and the Government Street. When Captain James Cook landed on the west coast of Vancouver Island, First Nations people were already living in the rugged yet pristine wilderness of the island. The influences are still visible in the form of totem poles, which stand by dozens across the island. Trying to figure out a totem is no less than rocket science. From what I understood, every animal carved on the pole represents a mythical creature associated with family history. Each different totem belongs to the particular family or person carving it.
The Government Street at the south end is the melting pot of activities and it takes approximately an hour to cover the area, if you are not distracted by the local stores like the Rogers Chocolates or the pubs with unique names like the Bard and Banker pub, which got its name from one of its employees when it was the Bank of British Columbia.
Fact file
- Victoria can visited any time of the year.
- Take a sea plane or ferry from Vancouver. It takes approximately three hours by ferry and 35 minutes by the sea plane.
- If you have time, visit the Butchart garden, which was originally a limestone quarry.
Sayoni Sinha leisure.mirror@indiatimes.com
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