Our long awaited trip to Victoria, British Columbia (COVID delay) began in Port Angeles, Washington where early in the morning we waited for the Ferry to take us to Canada.  The Coho is a Black Ball Ferry and the trip is about an hour crossing the Straits of Juan De Fuca to Vancouver Island.  It is a very pleasant crossing on this beautiful summer day.  

The Coho is what mariners call a roll-on-roll-off car ferry.  It looks something like an old fashioned cruise ship.  The cars enter through the aft (rear) end and exit the Starboard side (right side).  

One of our stops was at an interesting business which has a tropical rainforest area which has hundeeds, maybe thousands of butterflies.  A jungle setting and very interesting. 

Another point of interest is the Craigdarroch Castle. Lots of Mahogany. 

The waterfront in Victoria, British Columbia offers a variety of interesting features.  Beginning with the Empress Hotel which is one of the beauties of the Fairmont Chain.  

The harbor offers many shops and restaurants along with a wide variety of ships and boats.

The Downtown offers many varied interests for visitors.  China Town is near by as are other interesting cultural locations. 

Close to the hotel is an Indiginous park with a building and many totems.

 

Butchart Gardens - Victoria, British Columbia

This post will be a little different.  This exquisite park was imagined and brought into being by a lady who's family owned a rock quarry and cement business.  It was all rock and she imagined this wonderful garden.  She imported the earth and all the plants.  Took a few years, but millions of tourists get to see the result of her idea and hard work.  I'm going to let you just spend time with these beautiful plants and flowers.  Enjoy!.. 

 

Cancun

Two years ago, my wife and I went to Cancun for a week.  It was an interesting week and we were able to enjoy a vacation (I was attending a conference for part of the time).  We went on a trip for a day to Chichin Iza which was an interesting side trip.  One of my friends at the conference who came from South Africa also went on the trip.  We spent a great deal of time reading on the beach, hiking, eating at the several great 

This is the beach in front of our hotel.  Always many people (except at o dark hundred in the morning).  One of the evenings I was there we were able to help put baby turtles into the Caribbean.

One of the things that was interesting was this big sign.  

Our day trip was to Chichin Iza which is a Mayan ruin about half a day from Cancun.  This pyramid was interesting.  If you stood where the people are gathered at the bottom of the stairs and clapped you got a really nice sound out of the top of the pyramid.  If you moved to each side of the stairs, you didn't get the sound.  Apparently the Mayans were great at acoustics.  This was one of many buildings to see at the site and there were hundreds of vendors there as well. Interestingly enough, there was also one building that was built by Incas.  

Iguanas were everywhere.  I saw them by the hotel, but this one was a Chichim Iza.

Once again on the cloud beach early in the morning = we saw a continuing cloud bank that was there every day.  This was looking towards Cuba.

These flowers were at the hotel and I thought they were interesting - so I had to photograph one.  We also saw huge grasshoppers - often adhered to the side of the guilding (some 4 - 5 inches long.  

Always have to have a sunrise or sunset photo.  The palm trees were great and the pools were beautiful as well.  

A photo view of the exotic Caribbean would not be complete without an ocean photo.  I did read Caribbean by James A Michener after I came home (wish I'd read it before I went.  Great trip - highly recommend it.  

 

San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safarri Park, and Sea World.

On my wife's 65 birthday we rented a beach house in Oceanside California and headed to see the sights.  For me the major sights included animals.  Sea World has always attracted me since I've been a diver over my life (alas not an active one now), but I've always held a fascination for the sea.  In addition wild animals have always been interesting and since I began taking photographs a favorite subject.  In Montana I've been pleased to see the variety of wildlife I can focus my lens on, but animals from far away lands are also beautiful and graceful.

1. San Diego Zoo - we were greeted at the entrance by this very beautiful peacock.  We also  discovered that they were to be found in many places on the property.

2.  At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park we found this interesting long haired monkey.  The Safari Park has better access to the animals, with clearer views for the camera - i.e. no bars to get in the way much of the time.

3.  Again in the Safari Park, we see this Bengal Tiger scoping us out from it's position near the rear of it's enclosure.

4.  San Diego Zoo - other animals are also seen underwater through glass windows in their enclosures.  This hippo is a great example of how much of a close up view one can get from these hure animals.

5.  San Diego Zoo Safari Park - this Koala gives an Australian feel for it's enclosure.

6.  San Diego Zoo Safari Park - once again with this lioness one can see the open viewing one can find with this type of enclosure.  The story behind this and the next photo is they were both lying down (yes what an unexciting shot) when this one decided to get up an head out, leaving the king of the jungle lying alone on the ground.

7.  Safari Park - Companion to 6, this guy was just lying there and when his mate exited stage left he came up and posed for the camera.

8.  Safari Park - This pelican got all excited and decided to pose for the camera.

9.  Safari Park - This Cheetah was very much in the open.  The story behind this one was that the Cheetahs were moved in after the Gazelles which occupy an enclosure across an asphalt rode from here.  The park employee says to their amazement, when the Cheetahs moved in the Gazelles moved closer to them.  He said, the rule keep your friends close and your enemies closer applies since the Gazelle can run all day at about 55 mph and the Cheetah can run for short distances at 75 mph - if the Gazelle sees the Cheetah take off they can stay ahead and of course not be killed.

10.  Safari Park - This is a set up photo.  I knew the Cheetah was going to chase a cloth rabbit on a determined course.  So next to the 4 foot fence that abutted the course, I set up my camera on a tripod and followed the progress (he was going full speed in this photo - about 75 mph).  I was amazed at how fast it happened and that I was able to get most of the Cheetah in the frame.

11.  Safari Park - These Giraffes were feeding on this tree and I thought it made an interesting gathering photo.

12.  San Diego Zoo - What lawn picture isn't complete without a pink flamingo.  (Yuk).  These guys were actually at both of the parks.  By the way the Safari Park was opened to act as a clinic for zoo animals that were not well.  After a while they decided that it was an attraction of it's own.