The side plan was also try to use as many vouchers from my Attractions Victoria 'playbook' as possible in two days. Because it always has to be a challenge and a project.
Walking down from the JBI (voucher 1 used), I noticed on the corner of Superior and Government how many different styles of architecture I could see. The 'free classical' of the legislature building, the art deco bulk of the rear side of the BC museum, the wooden west coast detached buildings next door to a very modern, angular wood and concrete house. Many parts of Victoria seem to have a melange of styles and ages, and there's very little identi-kit housing in the central area. If you want that, head to Bear Mountain....
I walked into Tourism Victoria to use Voucher 2, a half-priced transit pass. Not that I used it today, but it's a scratch off, so we can save them up for the future. A quick trip downstairs, and I pick up some postcards from Oceanside Gifts, and a Canadian Flag patch. Getting 15% of with Voucher 3. I've been sending cards home to the family in the UK on semi-regular basis recently, so stocking up seemed like a good plan.
Next up, Starbucks in the Steamship terminal. A space that once had the stalwart of hometown tourism... the Waxworks. Now home to the Robert Bateman Gallery... who I always refer to as 'Lord Bateman' after the British folk song. Voucher 4 got me half-price entry. I was prepared to be cynical and snarky. I left being much less cynical and appreciative of the massive output of his. While I still think his natural art is wonderfully detailed yet lacking in life, giving a mawkish and distance feel, I found his other works much more engaging. He did a series of more impressionistic pieces in the 60's, and one of a short path in Toronto called the 'Belt Line' really grabbed my attention. Enough to see if I can find a print.
They also have a display of parts of a forty year collection of letters between Robert and his wife Birgit. These are lovely objects, collages of art and ideas and objects from places they've stayed, visited and memories they've made together and apart. They set themselves the challenge to create a letter to each other every three months, and kept it going this long. It reminded me of the Griffin and Sabine books and images from Nick Bantock.
Still, onwards to the Legislature to use Voucher 5 - a free tour and Voucher 6 - 10% of in the gift shop. Voucher 5 is not worth the paper it's printed on, as all tours are free here, all the time. Thanks, Attractions Victoria for the padding. That said, the tour itself was a good use of forty five minutes. It combined information about the building with history of the province. The building is officially called the BC Parliament Buildings, as that was the act that paid for it in the 1890's. The architect, Francis Mawston Rattenbury, looks like Matt Damon with a big moustache. He was twenty five when he designed it, on the strength of a forged resume. There are some rather nice stained glass windows, especially the one of the twelve areas of study. That, and the four traditional jobs of BC, have sparked off a couple of ideas. We also got a background on how the legislative assembly works, both the ceremony and the business.
Next, I walked over to Miniature World, just as I learned the news about Leonard Nimoy's passing. So it seemed appropriate to have a minute of silence in the space section. Which is a delightfully camp corridor with strange models of space stations and asteroids, with a voice over talking about warp tunnels and holidays in space. Voucher 7 got me free entrance. The best part of this museum is the large display showing the Trans-Canadian railway from coast to coast, with the sound track telling you all about how it got built. The rest of the displays are an assortment of items, which if you like miniatures of stuff is interesting but otherwise not so much.
Most curious is the new section, with a series of models telling the tales of Camelot, King Arthur and the Round Table. With a very annoyingly loud soundtrack. I have no idea why this is here. The models aren't that exciting, the buttons to animate things are laughable and the 'history' lesson is based on multiple, bastardized version of the Arthurian legends. Still, I am sure kids love it, so that might explain exactly why it's there...
Voucher 8 was lunch at Dog-Gone-It which serves the finest in gourmet hot dogs. I think that is the claim. My voucher got me a free bag of chips. I ordered the Labrador Dog. Hot dog, maple bacon, grated cheese and crispy onions with hot sauce. Something smelled weird about my food. Or the place. The staff were busy and friendly in that rushed sort of way. The eating area felt like a airport lounge, designed to serve people's needs but not their wants. My hot dog was loaded with the extras, with a soft white bun and a huge strip of bacon, piled with cheese.
I unhinged my jaw, and took a bite. It was sustenance, but still with this odd, cake-like smell. I realized suddenly... it was the bacon. It smelled sweet from the maple syrup. Sickly sweet. Poor bacon, it died in vain. Otherwise, the hot dog was fresh and juicy... but Mr Tube Steak will do you better from a street car. But for $5, I didn't go too wrong.
And that was my morning... I have more from the afternoon to report, but will leave it for another day.
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