Aug. 9th
– Sept. 3rd: Arrived in Spokane, Washington without
incident.
This was a private time for me to visit with my sister, Donna,
and her son, Rob. I did not write during
this time because I wanted devote myself to visiting and at the same time respect their right to privacy. As many of you know, Donna is battling 4th
stage breast cancer and lives with her son who moved back to Spokane about five years ago
because of a failing liver. He is
currently waiting for a new liver. Both
are in stable condition and hope to join me for a piece of my trip as long as they
feel good.
“Where there is great love there are always
miracles.” ~ Willa Cather
Tammy and her son Dylan flew out to Spokane to visit while I was
there. It was a brief visit and I showed
Tammy and Dylan a bit of Spokane, especially River Front Park (pictured below). We were all into an excellent evening at the
Melting Pot Restaurant in Spokane and the five of us spent three hours fonduing and
fondling our dinner.
British Columbia, Canada
In the middle of my stay in Spokane (Aug. 19th - 27th),
Donna, Rob and I drove to Victoria on Victoria Island, British Columbia,
Canada. After negotiating traffic in
Vancouver, which was no small feat, we drove to the city of Whistler, north of Vancouver. The drive reminded me of pictures taken of
the fjords in Norway with sharp pointy mountains among waterways and islands. We spent the night in Whistler and left the
next day for the Vancouver ferry to Victoria.
The ferry sailed through the “fjords” of the Straits of San Juan Defuca (Puget Sound) surrounded
by unparalleled scenery. There was a
special dining area where we could hang out and eat breakfast for the 3 hour
trip. Victoria is unusual with its
moderate year-round climate, unmatched beauty, and spotlessly clean everything
including the trash cans with potted flowers on top. As you might expect, Victoria is very
expensive – after all it is the capital of British Columbia with a rich history. Two coffees, two soups and bread was $27. We also had to turn our phones off because out-of-the-country roaming charges were so insanely expensive – I did not plan on
that one!
It is difficult to choose what I enjoyed more, exploring Butchart
Gardens, a botanical smorgasbord of flora and fauna, “high tea” at the famed
Empress Hotel, riding the water taxi, touring the parliament building, walking
the river path to downtown, dinner at Harbor House or sneaking down to the
wharf for Barb’s fish and chips and ice cream.
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| Back side of the Wharf |
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| River Walk to Downtown Area |
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| Water Taxi |
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| My Nephew Rob |
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| My Sister Donna |
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| Famous Empress Hotel |
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| High Tea at the Empress |
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| Donna showing the Parliament Room |
And then there was Butchart Gardens …
The gardens are a living testament to one family’s dream and
determination over several generations to provide one of the most exquisite
botanical gardens in the world. In 2005
the Canadian government designated Butchart Gardens a National Historic
Site. The gardens cover 55 acres tended
by 50 gardeners. Each garden covers
several acres each flowing seamlessly into another: the sunken garden, the Italian garden, the
star pond, the Japanese garden, the rose garden, the family private garden, and
the begonia bower (a pleasant shady place).
We headed back to Spokane the way we came – on the
ferry. After a week of filling my senses
to the maximum, I was eager to see Molly.
I stayed with the greatest couple EVER while the others went to
Victoria. Mark and Tracy catered to my every
need, walks every day and sometimes twice a day (do you know she took treats
for other dogs we met on our walks), a doggie door for going outside to a
fenced yard whenever I wanted, did whatever I wanted, slept where and with whom I wanted, access
to an endless supply of the all important treats. Did I just die and go to heaven? She even played ball. I discovered a new fabulous game called "rolling
in mud puddles" followed by a refreshing bath and towel off.
It was a splendid week for all!
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