getting reacquainted

Years ago, back in the [gasp!] 80s, I started university at UVic. After I completed my degree in '92, I returned to Victoria at least once yearly to visit. Kendall still lived there, as did some other friends from University days, and I liked the city in any case.

Conrad and I had not been there since 2003, I am sorry to say. Two visits that year - a summer visit that took us to Sooke Harbour House for what we still regard as the best meal we've ever had, and a November visit that gave us an opportunity to visit the Venturi-Schulze Winery. And then no visits since.

The marathon was a great excuse to come back to the city, but it was a long overdue chance to get reacquainted with the place and to see Kendall. I've considered him my closest friend for 2 decades now, and while we've sustained that through writing actual letters (on paper!!) and phone calls, visiting in person is so much better.

Kendall came by the hotel on Saturday morning, and after the three of us had poked in some stores, we dropped in to Rebar for breakfast.
One of my favourite restaurants in Victoria, or so it was. I think it didn't really live up to my memories this time, and the breakfasts we ate were too basic, the muffin I ordered too dry.
A nice atmosphere, of course, but maybe not a must-visit place for me next time.

We poked about downtown more, then Kendall headed home. Conrad and I popped over to Chinatown next, meeting two friends from my hometown for coffee. I hadn't seen Murray and Sherry since I left my hometown 9 years ago, and it was terrific to catch up with them. They were in town to run the half-marathon, and they looked terrific.

Sunday did not involve much exploration of the city. I wish we'd had that sunny morning to drive around and take photos. The only views I shot from the hotel lounge were in grey weather, and while you can pick out the copper-domed Parliament Buildings and the Royal BC Museum, the shots toward the Inner Harbour don't look as compelling as they should.


Conrad and I had time yesterday morning to drive around a bit before catching our ferry. We first drove the marathon route, and stopped in Beacon Hill Park to admire the foliage and the inhabitants.

We ended up coming back to the stretch of Oak Bay Avenue where he and Kendall had cheered for me. I'd never known that stretch before, so we parked and strolled the small commercial strip. One treasure - open despite the holiday - was an excellent wine shop at The Penny Farthing pub. A great selection of BC wines including some interesting finds from the growing number of Vancouver Island and Gulf Island wineries. We'd found a terrific selection two days earlier at the wine shop at the Strathcona Hotel downtown and bought some bottles from there, and in each case we encountered a salesperson who could talk enthusiastically - and critically - about the selection. Fun! After that we wandered to Kadalima's Bakery down the road so we could sit and sip coffee, again admiring the fall colours.
Lunch after that, and we opted for a longtime Oak Bay tradition: the Blethering Place.
I am told that it's a better, more authentic afternoon tea than at the Empress. It was cute, I'll give it that. I'll also say that we really felt like we'd been shunted into an out-of-the-way corner and kind of neglected. The food was food, and no, we took no photos of it. I was disappointed that Rebar didn't live up to my memories, but I came out of Blethering Place apologizing to Conrad for foisting it on him.

And now we're in the big city, Vancouver. I miss Victoria, I have to say. I hope it will be far less than 4 years before we get back there again.