So, another early morning. But at least this was not for work, cause we were on vacation! The Victoria Clipper, which is a hydrofoil that takes 2.75 hours from Seattle to Victoria leaves at 730am, and we had to be at the dock by 645am. We made it up and out on time, albeit with Ken grumbling about not having his oatmeal. Paige and I assured him he could get it on the ship, which of course was code for "be quiet and we hope they have it on the ship". Of course, there was no oatmeal, but they did have other breakfast appropriate foods, so he was placated.  

The trip was uneventful, with the three of us getting in some reading, sudoko, sleeping and watching the Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca go past. Unfortunately it rained the entire way, so not great for scenic views. After arriving in Victoria, we hopped our bus to Butchart Gardens, about 45 minutes from the dock. Luckily they had umbrellas as we exited the bus, which came in handy with the steady rain. However, even with the rain, the gardens were beautiful. The flowers were in bloom and the rain gave them a misty look. There were debates as to which part of the gardens were our favorite, with the Sunken Garden and the Japanese Garden in a dead heat.  

After the gardens, we took the bus back to the city for our tea time at the Empress Hotel. Tea at the Empress is a classic activity in Victoria, and rated as a "must do". Of course, that means I have never done it, so it was a good time for the experience!  We got seated in a beautiful dining room, next to the fireplace with a portrait of Queen Mary on the mantel. While we had our choice of tea, the rest is a prix-fix menu. All three of us chose the house Empress tea which arrived in silver teapots. Small sandwiches, pastries, and scones arrived in a three tiered platter. Paige was counting on having cucumber sandwiches and thankfully they were included, as well as salmon, pork pate and egg salad. The scones were voted our favorites, and we ended up bringing a bag home withe leftovers.  

After tea, we had a couple hours to wander, so walked around the small downtown. Luckily the rain disappeared, so it was a very pleasant afternoon. The boat left at 645, and it was a very nice ride back to Seattle...with more reading, sleeping and sudoko!

Tomorrow...Olympic National Park.