On the Road - Day 23

Shopped at the "Save on Foods" store and was intrigued by their shopping cart procedure. You put 25 cents (Canadian) into a slot to release a key-like device which attaches it to a chain which connects the cart to a row of other carts. Upon returning the cart, and re-inserting the key the cart is reattached to the row again and your quarter is returned to you. Net result: you have returned your cart to the collection of other carts in order to get your quarter back - the store gets most of their carts back, and does not need to have someone constantly gathering carts from the parking lot! At the market there were some labels in French. Container sizes seemed "reasonable" rather than our U.S. penchant for "oversize". I thought their hamburger buns were cute, even saw mini croissants. Purchased "Scotch Bap", a bread I have not tried before.

Off to Butchart Gardens
(www.butchartgardens.com). Easy directions. FABULOUS attraction.







I clicked my camera non-stop wanting to capture every incredible, vibrantly colored design. Battery died, so I will have to rely on Vance's photos.






The flowers, trees and foliage are spectacular. I could not believe that the Sunken Garden had once been a limestone quarry - part of an old cement factory. Immaculate gardens - not a stray pine needle or wilted petal, constant dead-heading. Learned that there are 70 gardeners working on this 55 acre site.


The Sunken Garden has many separate natural shaped beds devoted to one or two varieties of plants in just a couple of colors.



So the effect is an area of intense color. Color combinations were very pleasing, like white and purple or yellow and orange. You will love our photos!

The Ross Fountain, with its constantly changing patterns, gave us a chance to sit and rest for a while.









We also walked through the Rose Garden - loved the arbors and delphinium, and the Japanese Garden - mossy, green, cool, quiet with soothing water features.








Saw the Butchart Cove where Vance once arrived by boat with his Dad, Kim and Joy. It was a lovely scene. I took photos from the dark woods of boats moored in the sunny cove.


We continued through the Italian Garden enjoying in particular it's window boxes, arches, and variety of fushia. What a day, and it isn't over yet.









Drove up Rt. 17 to the end at Swartz Ferry Terminal. Our ferry trip on the huge Spirit of Vancouver was 1 hour and 40 minutes long. We parked on car deck number one - there were four car decks, and 2 passenger decks. We choose to partake of the buffet at the stern of Deck 5. The San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands are lovely, reminding me of the Calendar Islands of Casco Bay in Maine. Could look back and see the range of snow capped mountains of the Olympic Peninsula.








While we ate we also saw snow covered Mt. Baker to the east, and briefly watched a pod of four Orca Whales. Landed in Tsawwassen (no that is not a typographical error) and headed to Tynehead RV Camp in Surrey outside of Vancouver.

Flat land surrounded by sharp mountain peaks, no foothills. Nice suburban area, mixed with fields and large - acres large - greenhouses. Passed through manure fertilized fields (remember Viv, driving to L.A., and wondering about that smell?) Vance signed us in at Tynehead. When he got back into the RV he turned the key, but the battery was dead. Got a boost from the manager's daughter (red to red, black to black - oh, no, black should be grounded ...) Such an adventure! We got to our space, 68, plugged in and turned on the air conditioner. [Perhaps fortunately, it was dark by this time and we were too tired to think of taking more pictures!]

I am getting used to using kilometers: 80 km. = 50 miles, 40 km. = 25 mi. Curious, I went down the LARD aisle at the store - and that is what I found, Crisco! Lard is such a politically incorrect term in the United States. Restrooms here are referred to as "washrooms".

Ended at Tynehead R.V. Camp, Surrey, B.C.
Odometer 60,082.3 (60.6) Total: 1938.0