Day 3: Beach Combing
Today we travelled around the coast a bit. We found a look-out point with a path down to the water. Before descending I found a cluster of crows in the parking area. (Little known fact: A group of crows is called a "murder." How creepy is that?) I whipped out the camera and began snapping pictures. A woman sitting in a parked car gave me an odd look, no doubt trying to figure out where this tourist was from that crows would produce such a response. Don't mind me. New found personal obsession.
We followed a path (lined with California poppies, ironically enough) down to a little rocky beach. There was a small beach house down near the water, in that sort of grayish brown color that anything left by the ocean for too long becomes. It was a tiny thing really. Probably mostly used for storing lawn chairs. There was a small path behind it that ran up the hill to the house on the street above. Standing there looking at the little lost beach house under gray skies amid the rocks and driftwood, it seemed to me like a scene right out of the movie Rebecca. (Note: If you have not seen Rebecca, rent it. Killer story.)
We poked around in tide pools looking at crabs and anemones. All tolled we saw a bald eagle, a sea lion, and a sweet little springer spaniel that licked my hand and let me pet her brown, plump tummy.
It sprinkled on and off today. We wandered through beaches and beach towns. We bought two pieces of chocolate from a tea and chocolate shop in a little town called Oak Bay, not because we were hungry but because the shop keeper was so nice.
Tea culture is a big thing around here. It's the only real difference I've noticed. Many friends, upon hearing that Shawn and I were going to Victoria, told us that we must go to the Empress Hotel for afternoon tea. We looked into it. In fact, several of the nicer hotels serve an afternoon tea. . . for $25-30 per person! Now, don't get me wrong. I'm very fond of tea, but it's not exactly tricky to make and if I feel the craving coming on for little cucumber sandwiches served on dollies, I think I can handle that on my own too. Perhaps this is a little Californian of us, but Shawn and I looked at each other and said, "For $25/person we could go out to sushi," and we shelved the idea of high tea.
The sushi was great though.