Off-season Victoria, BC - part two

Even boring old Toronto has its pleasurable quirks, its oddities, its differences, if you know where to look. 

And so does definitely-not-boring-Victoria.

Cautiously stepping into Waddington Alley I am on Victoria’s last remaining street made of Douglas fir wooden blocks.

And nearby on a Douglas Street sidewalk I stand on a feature largely ignored by the hundreds, if not thousands, of people, locals and visitors, who walk on them every day.

These are 19th Century prisms, glass blocks allowing for limited light to filter into workrooms below. 

In Chinatown, Canada’s oldest, there are pagoda-ish (modern) street light standards and (1910) recessed balconies, protection from heat, an idea early immigrants brought from Guangdong. Mind you, I don’t think Victoria’s as hot and humid in summer as southern China.

A ‘Chinese’ telephone booth.

And, at the top of steep flight of stairs, a wonderful early 20th Century temple … 

… dedicated to Tam Kung especially venerated by mariners. 

There’s a relaxed West Coast feel to Victoria. The owner of Sophie, who I meet at a coffee shop, always brings Sophie’s personal mat. No dirty surfaces for Sophie. 

And even these less privileged dogs and their owner seem to be having fun.

Not so the Canada Geese waiting in vain for Mexican food at a truck closed for the season.

While preparing for the trip, I came across something I’d never seen before. Look closely at the Google map. You may have to click.

As ‘Taco the friendly cat’ is more or less in my route, I pass by a couple of times, but no Taco. However, I do find a couple of Taco’s neighbours. Perhaps Taco is taking a break from tourists. 

Hidden in Beacon Hill Park grove is the ‘Moss Lady’, who, according to a sign, was ’inspired by the ‘Mud Maiden’ found in the Lost Gardens of Helicon in England. The Moss Lady is 11 metres long and covered with Club and Cat-tail moss. The sculpture was constructed in 2015 by City staff.’ 

For reasons unknown, not much moss, perhaps time of year. But makes for a picture and I return a second time for better light with which to show her shoulder and hip.

Here’s the view that makes using public washrooms, just off the waterside hugging Dallas Road, a pleasure.

The only thing is that the washrooms are at the edge of Ross Bay Cemetery …

… and I feel sorry for Margaret Smith (you can see her grave on the right in the photo above) who has endured nearly a hundred years of men, particularly elderly men, hurrying for relief.

And finally in this post, one of my favourite Victoria photos.