UMTravels

After two years of not being able to visit friends in CanadaLand, I seem to be trying to make up for lost time:

Yes, I over packed, but with the chance of snow, better to take the big car rather than the hockey puck.

With the Coho Ferry out of Port Angeles down for winter maintenance, and The Victoria Clipper still out of service until the spring, it means crossing the border and taking the Tsawwassen Ferry to Swartz Bay, north of Victoria.

Very odd to find NO other cars at the border crossing (and nobody at Duty Free other than the clerk). Had enough time to get food at the ferry terminal:

Probably one of the worst Rueben I’ve ever had. Looked NOTHING like the photo on the menu board.

Yellow mustard? Cheddar cheese? Really? Should have stuck with my usual bratwurst!

On board….

Other than the bathroom, just hung out in the car and fiddled with the phone and napped.

About 35 minutes after getting off on the other side – I’m at the condo, early, but the room is ready.

Here are some shots of the views from two-bedroom condo – the handicap unit on the 6th floor.

And from the hot tub on the first night when I don’t have company:

One of my favorite pics from recent times!

Will and Solus showed up on day two…along with the snow….

Fortunately, we had done the shopping before the bad weather hit.

We did NOT pick up this…..

Not sure how long that would take on the BBQ – great price, but you have to buy the whole thing! And I can’t take it back over the border.

Nice to have dinner with family!

The final breakfast for the three of us, was leftovers – bread and eggs turned into French Toast and the remaining eggs and pork griddled up.

Friday, I headed back to the city to work the weekend – in a perfect world I would have stayed over, but Jim is out of town, so someone has to open the shop.

Got to the ferry line to get some bad news – several of the morning sailing were cancelled due to high winds. Meaning long lines…

Nice to have an inverter in the Escape so I can get some work done:

And an even WORSE ferry line meal:

That was one SAD dog.

Finally made the 3PM ferry (after showing up at little before 11am).

It was after dark by the time I got home – in no mood to figure out dinner other than going to Loretta’s far a Double Tavern Burger:

Worked the weekend, getting tested on Saturday morning for COVID so I could get back into Canada, and headed back for the border:

And, of course, the bridge decides to go up. Sigh.

But before I knew it, I was back in the ferry terminal line, with a Bratwurst in hand!

Messy but good – had to go back in the terminal to wash my hands.

A little closer to the front of the boat – car 31 both on and off the ferry.

I arrived around 3pm, the boys closer to 5pm. And kitchen prep was underway!

It is a stunning seafood casserole with crab and shrimp from the local seafood wholesaler. VERY RICH.

Wish I’d gotten the rest of the Rabbit Pie recipe – not that it’s easy to find rabbit these days.

Sadly, Will and Solus left a day earlier than planned, Solus hadn’t been sleeping well, combined with the rich food took its toll, and he needed his own bed.

Those boys DO NOT travel light – but they had been on the road for a week (they stayed up island over the weekend):

I spent the read of my days cooking for myself…

Leftover duck sausage and eggs:

Making a grilled sandwich out of the leftover seafood casserole:

And some fresh food, a capicola cut piece of organic BC pork, some of the leftover peppers on a skewer, a Greek Salad, that was WAY too large:

Breakfast of smoked white salmon, cream cheese, on a bagel:

And there is wildlife going after a crab…

And sunsets…

My last full day I went over to the seafood place for my afternoon snack – thinking fish and chips. I ended up with this:

And the final dinner…

And before I knew it, I was on the ferry again!

Lots of driving over the last two weeks.

But well worth it.

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