Here I am again having a "rest day" for the first time in nearly 2 weeks. I feel I have been on the go non-stop and my head is so full of where I've been and what I've seen it's a wonder I can remember my own name !! Helena has gone wandering around the big shopping center East of where we're staying today, but you know me and shopping, I hate it, and as I don't need anything I am having a break. Will be going to get some grocery shopping with Jackie and Graham when I have brought this blog up to date and that will be my day.Helena and I went to Victoria Island on Tuesday the 19th for an overnight stay. We set off Tuesday morning thinking we would get on the ferry at Tsawwassen at 11am but we were in for a shock when we arrived there at 10.45am and were told that the 11am ferry was full and the next ferry left at 1pm. So we got into line to go on the 1pm ferry. These ferries are h-u-g-e !! All the semi-trailers and buses go on first then the cars go on, rows and rows of them !! Once on the ferry we left the car and went up to the indoor area of the ferry and got ourselves a window seat and admired the view as we made the 2 hour journey over to the Island. For those who are interested in the cost of the return ferry trip,it was $123.20 for 2 people. Not cheap !! Once off the ferry we headed to the Butchart Gardens before we ran out of daylight !! The weather was good the gardens were beautiful and once again, the cost was reasonably high. $23.00 each. But it was worth it. Not a weed in sight and the lawns are beautifully manicured.There must be a high wage bill to keep it that way.It covers 55 acres of land so that gives you some idea of the size of it. By the time we left there it was getting late and we had 1 1/2 hour drive in front of us to get to where we were spending the night with Helena's friends just past Ladysmith.( We always seem to be trying to find our way to places in the dark)Anyway we were made very welcome at Lise and Tony's house and didn't fall into bed until 1.30am !!We left Lise and Tony about 10am and headed back into Victoria City to have a look at the sights along the way. In the rain !!! It rained all day, so we just had to ignore the rain and have a look anyway. Our first stop was a town called Chemainus where there are many murals on the buildings painted by International Artists. It's a very "Arty" town and well worth the look. When we were driving around having a look I heard beautiful pan-pipe music and we found a lone player in the sound-shell playing the most beautiful music. We stood in the rain listening to him and when he stopped we spoke to him and he asked me where I was from. He was from Peru. Anyway, he asked me what type of music I liked and when I told him he played a piece just for me. What a smoothe operator he was, 'cause I naturally bought his CD with that piece of music on it.!! Will continue our Victoria Island adventures tomorrow.Thanks for your comments Judy, and I am surprised to read that I have been to places you haven't been to!!! You will have to catch up when you do your travels next year.