https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craigdarroch_Castle
We get up and realize we have most of the day at sea, but we have lunch at Murano and then the castle excursion in Victoria to look forward to. We spend the day packing all our things, from clothes to souvenirs. We also spend the day with our friends in the deck 12 lounge. Everyone is sentimental and sad about leaving and Erin says it feels just like leaving camp at the end of the summer.
We finally dress for lunch at Murano and head to Deck 5. Oleg greets us and seats us at our usual table. He brings me hot tea in a teapot and brings Robert ice water. We order an appetizer, lobster tail, and desert.
Oleg tells us there are certain couples or groups, out of the hundreds he meets, that leave a lasting impression. He says we are that couple, for him. He says he has to go, and insists we will be well cared for, but he says he has things for us.
He gives us the parchment menus, both the 6 course meal version and the a la carte version, as well as recipes in an envelope. He tells us to have fun together, attempting these recipes. I take pictures of Robert with Oleg and get a little misty. I've felt like a princess for the whole cruise, and Oleg was a big part of that.
We have a very good waiter for the rest of our meal.
Once were done, we go back to our cabin and change into walking shoes and comfy clothes. We gather our passports and credit cards, and head to the bowels of the ship on deck 3 to disembark for Victoria.
Unfortunately, the line to get out is long and we are delayed for an unknown reason. We wait in line past the time we're supposed to be at the pier. When the line finally starts moving, it moves pretty quickly. We get off the ship and find our tour bus to Castle Craigdarroch. It's a big bus.
The bus driver takes us on a driving tour of Victoria, explaining the crappy houses there sell for $800,000 and the nice ones sell for $9,000,000. That's million, with an M. A two bedroom apartment rents for $2,600 a month.
When we finally get to the castle, it is an incredible sight. It's a real, stone castle with turrets and 4 floors and antique furnishings in every room. It's gorgeous.
We leave the castle and the bus driver takes us through downtown Victoria. Its exactly as I remember it from 30 years ago, with the Empress hotel, the parliament building, and the incredibly clean streets.
We pick up souvenirs on the way back to the ship and, once there, we hit the sack. We have to get up early to disembark for home.
2 comments:
Great day. You didnt go to Butchart? That castle was gorgeous.
No, we didn't see Butchart Gardens. It was a super short stay in port, like 4 or 5 hours!!
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