Victoria to USA

First, thank you to everyone who has checked in with me to see why I have not been writing. I really appreciate hearing from you. Sometimes this sock monkey thinks he might be boring you. WiFi, etc has been horrible, sometimes non existent. Pictures especially take forever, so I am just writing this blog for now, so everyone will know what we have been doing and maybe when we get to Seattle, I may be able to send pictures. I think I left off at the castle. Our amp was called " The All fun R Park. It had a large miniaturre golf course, Motor Crross track, Race track, Go Cart track and more. They had driving, motorcycle lessons, but Donna went all Mom on me and wouldn't let me try. We took busees to Downtown Victoria. Second bus ws a double decker, or as Drew calls them in Disneyland, An Up Bus. When we got there, we got on Vintage British Double Decker Tour bus. Hop on Hop off buses. 90 minute tour unless you wanted to hop off. Saw Victoria Empress Hotel, PParlament, Chinatown, and lots of different areas of city. Some quite elegant. Went along harbor, beaches and parks. Went back t beginning of tour and did our own. Weent thru Empress hotel. Decided againstt High Tea. My people were too frugal to pay $90.00 each and I didn't ask what a banana would cost.  Tour of Government building. One of the guides dressed and acted as Mary Ellen Smith, first woman in Parliment and firstt female speaker of th house. Went tto the Royal B.C. Museum. Love the totem poles that are all over this area. I would like to climb up them, but Donna won't lett me. We had lunch in an area behind the museum where they had food trucks. The people had Grilled salmon sandwiches. Wentt to a little
log sch;ool  house run by Nuns. Very chatty docent. She lett me write my name on a slate. We took the bus back to Chinatown and walked around. We squeezsed into Tin Fan Alley. Narrowest alley there. Four feet wide at each end. I sat on one of the lion stattuees under the beautiful red and gold gate.  We went to the public market and bought a cherry tart for our park hosttess because she was so nice to us. Whe we transferd buss, we bought a pizza to take back to camp. People on the bus were wtching and sniffing at our box. Good thing it was a shortt ride. Stayed one more night at same camp. In the morning we watched all the race cars being towed in for the speedway races later that day.

Sat. Headed to Nnaimo to catch ferry tto horseshoe bay in Vancouver. Stopped at an overlook and talked to a couple on a Harley. They taught us about Km and Litrs. Also 3 people from Kansas asked about Cmor and wanted to take my picture. Of course I said yes. I am rally getting used to being hounded by the paparazzi. (or howeve you spell it). Tried to visit a fish hatchery in Duncan but it was closed. Finally saw a world's biggest something. The hockey stick and puck. Reeminded me of when Debbie has a major crush on Wayne Gretsky. Got on the ferry pretty fast. No real waiting this time. Tht ferry was huge. It was like a cruise ship. Beautiful wood inside, play area with movies for kids and monkeys, large restaurant and shops. And even an arcade area with games. there were 6 leevels. Drove to another fish hatchery and I enjoyeed watching the salmon jump up the ladders.
Then the fun really started. We went to th Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Wow, it was like Heaven for this monkey. The worlds longest suspension bridge is 450 feet across and 20 feet up from the Capilano Canyon. I raced across, but of course my people were much slower.  Then we climbed up into the tops of the Douglas Firs on 7 suspension bridges. Back across the big bridge and the the cliff walk. Suspended walkways along sheer granate cliff faces. Don really did well . On the waay across the suspension bridge a young lady crried all the way across and waked sidewys with both hands on the same raailing. her frieends were close on both sides of her. Afterwards, Donna told her she was very brave. No campgraounds in area so at first we considered WalMart. Talked to people in neighborhood and in store and they said it was a very safe area. My people decided they had a better idea. They spent the night at St. Francis of Assisi Church. The Italian Priest was very nice. We went to Mass at 9:00 on Sunday. All in Italian. Donna told Don he looked like he was related to half the people in Church. We were invited to the church picnic where we were told, we would havve wonderful Italian Food. All we could eat. Unfortunately it isn't until August 23rd. The yound prist told us how much he enjoyed San Francisco.

Next we went tto Burrnaby Village and Museum. in Hastings. Whole village of replica and real buildings, most circa 1920's. Beautiful old hand carved carousel. Afterwards, saw some of Vancouver and were headed to Queen Elizabbeth Gardens when Donna said, my legs are tired and the US is calling. So we crossed the border at the Peace Gate and headed to Whidbey Island. We camped at Fort Casey State Park, right next to the Port Townsend Ferry. It ws beautiful seeing tthe Ferry boats all lit up att night. Pretty cold until we closed Cmor up for th nigh.

Woke up and wore long pants for thee firstt time. Went to the