Virtuoso Insights - June/July 2008 - (Page 42) All lit up: The parliament Building sparkles at night. Orchids in bloom at Butchart gardens. O After dinner, Laura and I strolled through Chinatown’s Gates of Harmonious Interest and back to the hotel. Crossing Humboldt Street, we gasped in unison at the sight of the Parliament Building; illuminated by some three thousand lights, it seemed to float against the night sky. n our final morning in Victoria, we stopped for coffee and scones at Murchies (1110 Government Street), a Victoria landmark since 1894, before quickly browsing Munro’s Books, housed next door in the magnificent 1909 Royal Bank of Canada building. Checking out of our hotel room, we left our bags in the staff’s capable hands and went to meet the bus for our tour of the world-famous Butchart Gardens. Covering some 55 acres and designated a National Historic Site, the gardens were started in 1904 by Jennie Butchart, who wanted to beautify a limestone quarry that had been worked out by her husband’s cement plant. From this famous “Sunken Illuminated by some three thousand lights, the Parliament building seemed to float against the night sky. Garden,” Mrs. Butchart expanded her vision to include Japanese, Rose, and Italian Gardens — although even her vivid imagination could never have anticipated the more than one million visitors who annually stroll past the countless varieties of plants and flowers. Arriving back in the city that afternoon, Laura and I reboarded Victoria Clipper for our return to Seattle. Our Victoria getaway had certainly succeeded in boosting our spirits and, in honor of Duchess Anna Maria, I raised my cup of tea — pinky finger properly outstretched. How to experience High tea on page 44 P I nSI D ER T I p : A master woodsmith is currently turning the original floorboards from the Empress’ Tea lobby into keepsake tea boxes and trays. These incredible mementos should be available for purchase toward the end of 2008; ask your Virtuoso travel advisor for further details. 42 Virtuoso insights Photo ©laura Totten Photography
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