Hooray for Vacay!

Vacation! Vacation! On Friday early, we took the interstate to the ferry and the ferry to Vancouver Island, home of Butchart Gardens and lovely Victoria. Because we are sentimental and predictable, we booked a room at the same hotel we stayed in last time, which was as delightfully shabby and relaxing as ever (though they no longer offered room service at breakfast- BOO!).

Here's what I liked about the vacation: Being away from work, computer, television, and home, in a lovely city, with breathtakingly beautiful weather, and frequent consumption of ice cream.

Here's what the kids liked about vacation: Being in the hotel, and running around on grass. I don't know how long this period is going to last, anybody else know? But in the meantime, I can plan all our future trips around having a hotel room and being within walking distance of a big grass field.

The first field was at Butchart Gardens, a place bursting with plants and flowers and tourists. The Victoria Symphony was rehearsing at a little bandshell near the carousel, and the lawn in front of the bandshell was lush and irresistible. Cue somersaulters! At the first field, we talked about cartwheels, and, after a super masterful demonstration by yours truly (ahem), Naomi took it upon herself to acquire and practice this most vital skill. So upon arriving in Victoria, and strolling postprandially down to the second field, in front of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Naomi's vacation destiny was sealed. We spent most of Saturday fielding demands to return to the cartwheel place. Also known as the somersault place. Also known as a perfectly grand place to lie in lush grass and be appreciative of beautiful surroundings, Canada in general, fantastic, amazing weather, and loopy, carefree children.

For the record, we also went to Miniature World, which I thought the kids would be more into- I think they are too miniature yet to fully appreciate the miniature splendor of the place. We wandered the streets of Victoria. We stumbled into a kids' concert put on by four members of the aforementioned Victoria Symphony, which involved Aesop's fables acted out and set to music. When they called for the kids to come up to the front, Naomi hung back, and Muriel jumped right up and found a seat with the crowd. We had some dim sum at a restaurant in Chinatown where all the cart pushers felt compelled to compliment Jim on his beautiful girls and then tell him their own life stories. All in Chinese, of course. Oh, and every time one would come by and chuck Muriel on the cheek, she would say, loudly, "Oh, she is such a nice lady!" Hee.

The Natural History Museum was great, once again. They have a new room called the Ocean Station, which features a fantastically realized steam-punk decor theme that would shame the set designers from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The woolly mammoth was impressive (though less scary since they discontinued the thunder and lightning effects). The First Nation exhibits were beautiful. The old-timey townscape was the most fun for the girls, I think. As with Miniature World, I think the museum is still just a bit over their heads. I am going to keep bringing them back, though, because when they do finally arrive the right age for this museum, it is going to be crazy museum bliss. And with a big green field right across the street!

And now, the photographic evidence...


Don't worry, everyone got their cone back. Sitting in the shade on the edge of the Italian Garden and eating the most indescribably delicious gelato brought me instantly and magically in touch with the feeling that I was really, truly on vacation. Ahhhh.

Check out the size of Naomi's mango sorbetto. We gave her a little help with that, loving parents that we are.



By far my favorite busker, and the source for Naomi's quote of the trip. She asked if it was the real Darth Vader, and of course because we are those irritating parents, we asked her if she thought it was. She said, "No. Darth Vader is the worst bad guy in Star Wars. If he was the real Darth Vader, he would have been a lot more bad to us." Fair enough.

These two got along pretty well on this trip:







To be fair, I must also include Muriel's quote of the trip, uttered upon smelling a flower at the elaborate gardens: "Oh, it smells just like ketchup! My very favorite thing!" Hmmm.

Vacation! I miss you already!