Okay, here’s the truth. I will not lie. I used to think nothing of Victoria, the English influenced capital city of British Columbia. I’ve always bypassed the “giant retirement home” in search of wild west coast beaches, pristine mountains, tranquil lakes and rolling farmland abundant with vineyards and organic produce.
Thanks to my friend CW however, that has all changed. Over the weekend, E and I rode our bikes on the Galloping Goose trail from Swartz Bay to Victoria, enroute the scenic seaside towns of Cadboro Bay and Oak Bay. We’ve been riding the Goose for many years, but always past Victoria to lovely Sooke, where the living is easy and the B&B’s stunning.
Our intention this time was to relax and escape our recent intense life in Vancouver. CW provided many ideas for how to spend time in Victoria and we essentially followed her guided “tour”. All the tips she provided were bang on, starting with Pure Vanilla, this lovely bakery in Cadboro Bay. Mmmmm yummmm.
We stayed at Magnolia Hotel, which is a very affordable boutique hotel located right near the best of things. Full hot breakfast to boot, for the price, unbeatable. They gave us a corner room with a big bright view even though we paid the cheapest price for an inner room. Melt-in-your-mouth toffees on arrival, dark chocolate wafers on your pillow at night. Wow.
We decided to splurge and enjoyed a wine-paired prix-fixe dinner at Cafe Brio. Not big on presentation, but the food and service were amazing. I love their no-fuss style and honest celebration of food. Being lightweights when it comes to wine, let’s just say we got pretty darn happy after that first glass! Yum.
Happy weekend.
