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Victoria, BC, Canada
Victoria is often said to be more British than Britain. That's not surprising, considering this edge-of-the-empire garrison town was settled by Brits and Scots over 150 years ago. Victoria is the seat of government for the Province of British Columbia, and is home to around 400,000 residents (including outlying areas). Until recent decades, Victoria was known as a quiet, laid-back retirement town. In recent years, with the advent of 'adventure tourism', Victoria now relies heavily on revenue from travelers. The scenery is incredible, the natural environment is well-preserved. Whale-watching, winter skiing, sport-fishing, diving, kayaking, hiking and camping - all are within easy travel from Victoria. For Canada, the weather is very mild - many winters pass without a single flake of snow. Vancouver Island, where Victoria is located, was claimed as part of the British Empire by Captain James Cook in 1778 (a year before he was unceremoniously eaten by Hawaiians). There is historical evidence that Spaniards, Russians, and even Japanese explored the region in previous centuries, but none had left behind settlements. There is even some recent (and controversial) archeological evidence that Sir Francis Drake explored the Island in the late 1500's, under orders of Queen Elizabeth to investigate Spanish expansion in the area. Now here's a fact that requires some clarification: The city of Victoria lies on Vancouver Island, but the city of Vancouver lies on the continental mainland, not on Vancouver Island. Confused? In the early-to-mid 1800's, Victoria was simply a distant British Empire fort, protecting little more than some obscure trade routes and some farms which supplied the Hudson's Bay Company. With the discovery of gold in the BC Interior, and later in the Yukon, Victoria went through rapid growth as a stop-off point for prospectors destined for the distant gold fields. For a time, Victoria was a rough-and-tumble town full of gun-toting Americans and fortune-seekers - the Mounties (RCMP) had quite a time keeping the peace! Of course, brothels and opium/gambling dens are still a rather understated part of Victoria's history. In fact, old 19th-Century smuggling tunnels were unearthed during construction in the 1980's, still containing gambling chips and opium jars! Ghost tours are offered year-round... The construction of the Trans-Canada railway in the 1860-1870's also played a significant part in Victoria's evolution. Being a port city, many Chinese labourers, who came to Canada as 'cheap labour', entered through Victoria. As a result, Victoria has Canada's oldest and most established Chinatown. (Unfortunately, Canada's treatment of these Chinese immigrants during and after their arrival remains a black mark on our national history.) Victoria hosts the naval base for Canada's Pacific Fleet; a strong maritime tradition exists on the Island. Any true Islander can relate some tale of fishing, salvage, ship-wrecks, rescue, and smuggling. During the US prohibition era, smuggling whiskey sustained many Victoria families! (American territory lies less than 12 kilometers away!) Monuments and cairns dedicated to lost crews mark the coast - many thousands lost their lives attempting to arrive at the Port of Victoria. Today, Victoria is a vibrant, cultural city. The night-life is thriving, and the food is outstanding - especially the seafood! The Inner Harbour hosts a plethora of summer-time performers, and the Royal Museum rivals any other in the Western world (the museum often hosts major international exhibits that only visit 3 or 4 North American destinations). Butchart Garden's has attracted millions of visitors from across the world (and maintains the gardens year-round - Christmas is beautiful there), and the performing arts are varied, frequent, and professional. Again, the food is outstanding! I could ramble on and on, but if you want any more information, please feel free to contact me.
Maps from http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/provincesterritories/british_columbia/referencemap_image_view and http://www.bbvancouverisland-bc.com/VI_map.html |
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