chuckography

Hey...a captive audience!

So, I'm relaxing in my seat on the airplane.

It's been an interesting - but tiring - trip across most of Canada on a fantastic railroad adventure and I'm reflecting on the sights I've seen.

I noticed the young girl in the aisle talking to passengers.

Then I saw the flash of a colorful catalog sheet when she held it up. It was for Girl Scout Cookies!

Her clipboard was clutched in her right hand and she was taking orders. At 36,000 feet.

The day before, I had flown down to Seattle from Victoria, B.C. on a float plane. A seaplane.

The pilot told me later he was cruising only at 500-1,500 feet during the 30- minute flight back into the US.

As we passed by the Space Needle I saw a small lake near downtown and realized that was our landing site.

I had seen many sightseeing float planes taking off and landing while I was in Vancouver for two days.

I looked forward to when our "floating aircraft" would lift off the water.

It was smooth as was the landing.

The landing and takeoff zone in Vancouver had been in front of Canada Place.

This is the iconic city convention centre sitting on the harbor.

In Victoria, I had enjoyed views of the famed Butchart Garden but bumped into a bus situation that could have been ugly.

We timed our leisure walk to end just before the 4:10 bus would leave for the 40-minute drive down from north Victoria Island to the capital.

So did about 60 others who were already standing in line.

The city bus filled and pulled out.

15 of us had the option of walking nearly half of a mile to a bus stop outside the garden for the next transport at 5:04. Or, take a cab.

The park closes at 5pm so no more buses could enter. Yikes.

And, yes, it WAS uphill.

Probably both ways.

We were back in the capital in plenty of time for a drink at the Empress Hotel and dinner nearby. The British Columbia Parliament building is outlined in small white lights and was a spectacular sight as the evening darkened.

Yes, there are pictures taken during the Whale Watching boat cruise but let's hold off on that for now.

(Click on the photos for more detail.)

Please come back and continue my Canadian adventure.

If you're thinking about a train trip, look into this one!

(Please click http://photo.meetup.com/687.)

Labels: Alki Park Beach, B.C. Parliament House, Butchart Garden, convention centre, Empress Hotel Canada Place, Girl Scout cookies, Orca Killer whales, Seattle, Space Needle, Victoria Island, whale watching cruise

posted by chuckography @ 7:04 PM