After 4 days of touring around in almost non-stop rain in
Vancouver, it was time to ferry over to Vancouver Island to our
home exchange in Metchosin, a small rural community about 30
minutes outside British Columbia's capital city of Victoria.
Needless to say, we were more than ready for a change of scene
(or at least weather!). We took a pleasant (and dry!)
ferry ride through the gorgeous Gulf Islands and Scott even saw
a bald eagle and some harbor seals during the excellent
naturalist talk out on deck. (Exhausted, Caroline was
taking a load off inside at the time and missed out on the
wildlife action).
Upon our arrival in Metchosin, our delightful and hospitable
home exchange hosts, Donna and Wally, welcomed us to their
comfortable, tranquil home with a refreshing blackberry welcome
cocktail while we sat on the covered patio in the light rain and
got acquainted. We passed an enjoyable afternoon and
evening sharing traveling tales and getting to know one another,
and we discovered that we have much in common with our Canadian
hosts. That evening, they cooked us a delicious shrimp
pasta dinner and gave us the run-down on things here in the
house and the general area before they left on their own 2-week
adventure in the morning.
Caroline enjoys taking in a bicycle race in Gastown...in the
rain
Enjoying the solitude of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese
Garden in Vnacouver...in the rain
Donna and Wally's Metchosin, Vancouver Island home
Our home exchange on Vancouver Island |
Scott consults his soggy guidebook in Vancouver...in the rain
Racing cyclists in Vancouver fly around slick cobblestone
corners...and many wipe out
Taking a break from the rain in Vancouver with an artful
cappuccino
Our home exchange hosts, Wally and Donna, on Vancouver Island
The famed Empress Hotel in Victoria, Vancouver Island |