Victoria BC

After a busy day at sea - towel folding, ice craving, shows,packing etc - we arrived in Victoria at 7pm. A beautiful city and the weather was just right for being a tourist.

Most of us joined a real tour and went to the Buchart Gardens. If you have seen these world famous gardens you will know what a sensory adventure they are. As we arrived just before the sun started to set the lights were really coming into their own. Wow! We had a good 3 hours there and then back to the Zaandam, up to the Crows Nest for another lethal cocktail and off we went.

By the time we woke at 7am on Friday we were in Seattle. A great city.

The bustle of getting off the ship, claiming bags and getting on the bus (small this time) meant that we were all a bit weary and didn't really appreciate the 4 hours around town tour we were given. Our first stop was Nancy's Sewing Basket. What a delightful store. Everything from the finest silks to wools and even a few bolts of cotton. BUT, there were buttons and trims and laces 'to die for'.

One button was for sale for $90.00. A fun stop. The rest of the tour was tainted by the tour guide expressing her political opinions for three of the four hours. Still, By lunchtime we were at the hotel and ready to fill any last remaining corners of our stomachs that were available.

Lunch at the Marriott Downtown serves the most enormous Turkey Club. Then we headed up to Pike Market and more shopping. Near dinner time - no one had any room at all - we took the Monorail to the Space Needle. Five brave soles rode up the darned thing. Not me!!! The reward for watching them dangle in a little box up that high was a trip to the ice cream shop on the way back to the hotel.

More shortly............................