Victoria – Page 4 – The Hidden Panorama

1st Winery Tour Adventure – Yarra Valley

On my 6th day in Melbourne Australia, I tried my best to plan to see some of Victorian atmosphere. Victoria is just one of the state of Australia where Melbourne can be found. It was Saturday and I am still on doubt what to do in my weekends. I haven’t search on anything yet. But when I’m checking some brochures from the hotel where I am staying, it gives me some idea about a day tour. Since I am in Australia for work and not really for leisure stuff, I have to maximize my weekend. But I was quite busy the whole day of Thursday and Friday. Went home late at Friday and slept late after talking to my family back home.

Enough of my sentiments and justifications. Using the brochures in my hand, I search related and similar offerings. Since I am a budget traveler, I looked for most affordable and yet seemed funny and comedy tour for the day. I found one, I joined the “The Wines Guys Winery Tour”, at first I thought it read as wise guys and then its wines guys. Based on their website, the tourist guides are mixed of wise guys, wine experts and comedian. Because of that description I got curious on the tour aside from the adventure it includes.I booked the tour and joined the next day schedule, meaning I booked Saturday and joined Sunday Tour (yeah that how I planned it).

It was Sunday, I am a bit earlier when I arrived at the meeting place at Federation Square (Flinder St and Russel St) specifically at the front of Ian Potter entrance. Since I arrived early I thought no one aside from me will go to the tour until I was surprised that other people around will go as well. And take note, all the tourist who signed up the tour at that time was all females, no guys except for our guide named Nick.

Let’s talk about Nick, he looks good. He’s nice and funny. He took cares of us during our trip from the city to Yarra Valley while inside the mini van. He made the atmosphere amiable and happy. All of us while traveling seems having a great time.

While on board I tried my best to find out where we are while on our way to our destination. I used my iPhone 3GS to see the current location we are passing by. One thing I remembered that we took Maroondah Highway to go to Yarra Valley.

First stop, Coombe Farm.

Coombe Farm is the first winery I ever visited in my entire life, since I never been really to Winery tour before. Here I experienced to taste Australian made wines fresh from their wineries. Here we tasted 8 kinds of Wines in a row. And even its my first time to drink wine (since I don’t drink), all the wines poured in my cup, I sipped them all. And this one considered another experience on my part. Here are listed that I tasted in Coombe Farm. Sparkling Wines, White Wines (2011 Pinot Gris, 2010 Arneis, 2011 Chardonnay) Rose Wines (2010 Rose), Red Wines (2011 Pinot Noir, 2010 Merlot, 2010 POLO Cabernet Merlot). My personal favorite is White Wine 2011 Pinot Gris which is a good combination for hot and spicy foods). After tasting, we bought our souvenirs then we took pictures.

Wines from Coombe Farm

My Tourist Group

Grapes

Around Coombe Farm

The Tour Guide

Second Stop, St. Hubert

Coombe Farm and St. Huberts distance is insignificant, they are actually neighborhood. Like what we have experience in Coombe Farm there is facilitator from St. Huberts (I forgot her name) who also tackles some basic information of their wines. We tasted like 7 wines in St. Huberts. Here are the list of wines that I got, 2006 Pinot Nor Chardonnay (Sparkling), 2012 Rousanne, 2012 Chardonnay, 2011 The Stag Pinot Noir, 2011 Pinot Noir, 2010 Cabernet Merlot and 2012 Late Harvest Viognier. And my favorite is the last one, 2012 Late Harvest Viognier.

Outside St. Huberts winery

My Tourist Group at St. Huberts

Some wines at St. Huberts

Thirst Stop, Kilara Estates

This winery is far from the two wineries that I mentioned above. We had our group lunch in this winery as well. It was a great one, it has great views of the whole farm and the nearby ranges. Before lunch, we tasted 3 wines but I can’t recall the two. My most favorite of all three wines is the Kilara Sparkling, it’s a sweet wine.

Designated person explains their wines (forgot his name)

Kilara Winery

Some cars found outside Kilara Estates (not sure what brand these cars is)

Lunch at Kilara Estates

Wine Glass (I fell in love with the glass, I think most of them are all nice and beautiful)

Around Kilara Estates

Fourth and last Stop, Seville Hill.

Here at the winery, I also found their wine barrels. Like what I had seen in the movies. We tasted a lot of wines in Seville Hill. Here are the list: 2008 Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, 2012 Rose, 2012 Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Reserve Chardonnay, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Pinot Noir, 2008 Reserve Shiraz, 2005 Vintage Port and 2010 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. And the winner for my taste, is the last one as well. The location of Seville Hill is really great. And here we passed a lot of wineries. There is a picnic place beside the wineries, and during our visit, there was a wedding happened a day before.

Wine Barrels

Some wines from Seville Hill

Seville Hill

While on our way to the City, our guide named Nick (I found out that his profession aside from tour guiding, he was doing acting as well). He prepared a test for all of us (is it not nice taking quizzes after a the tour?) Well that was fact, we took short test about the wines, and I answered them all as guesses. Well we had a great time in this tour, I found some beauty in Yarra Valley, I like farms and they call it wineries. I learned stuff from the tour like, every wine has a complementary food along with it. You will not just buy for the sake of buying it, but choose well according to the food you are preparing or you are eating.

Well this was just the beginning of my Down Under Adventure. Until then.

British Columbia It Is Your Turn

The chance that I got to be able to visit some parts of British Columbia was not an ordinary chance. When I got a single entry visa to Canada, I knew that it was a one-time chance to see this huge country at North America. After grabbing all my opportunity to see Alberta, the province of Edmonton where I was assigned for few weeks of work and training, I tried my best to get the opportunity to see British Columbia as well.

I remembered that it was less than two weeks before I left Canada to go back to my country, I requested my boss if I can fly earlier to Vancouver since it was the same route when I fly back on the actual date of my return in Philippines. I told my boss, that my route will be Edmonton to Vancouver and then Vancouver to Manila. At first he never agreed because he thought at first that my route was Edmonton to Toronto and Toronto to Manila. After correcting his thoughts about my flight, he told me that he will think about it.

After few hours passed, my boss called me back and told me that he was going to make my travel a business official, because the team that I worked with has collaboration with the team in Vancouver, my visit becomes semi-business trip, because there were few days left and the only thing that I can do in Vancouver was to meet the team.

My last day in Edmonton was Thursday (June 12, 2008) and that was the same day my colleague celebrated the 10^th year anniversary in the company and somewhat my farewell to the team as well.

When I came to Vancouver, I tried to plan ahead the five days that I spent in British Columbia.

The following places that I had been with were:

Royal British Columbia Museum

While thinking of similarities of the place that I found in Alberta and British Columbia province in Canada, I realized that Victoria is the capital city of BC. In Edmonton there is Provincial Legislature Building and Victoria has it as well, Edmonton has Royal Museum and Victoria has it as well. Edmonton is capital city of Alberta and that’s what Victoria is in BC.

As part of my tour, after whale watching activity, we visited BC Royal Museum.

Here are some of photos I captured during my visit in the museum and some learned information during the tour.

Museum Entrance

1. Natural History Galleries (2nd Floor)

Within the Living Land Living Sea section of the museum displays the diverse geography of the province from prehistoric to present day.

Woolly Mammoth – popular in the museum which depicts the last line of mammoth species.

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Other living things displayed in the gallery

2. First People’s Galleries

(3rd Floor)

Pit House or The Kekuli – used as winter homes of the Aboriginal people of BC

Totem Gallery – shows the art style of the Coastal First Nations of BC.

House of/Big House – Jonathan Hunt House (Chief Kwakwabalasami of Fort Rupert)

Snow Shoe

4th Floor

Haida Canoe – was once used by Coast Salish people in Victoria’s Inner Harbour

3. Modern History Galleries

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(3rd Floor)

At Century Hall, some photos capture are the following:

Hats Through The Decades

1900s Cabinet – Typewriter

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1900s Cabinet Collection

1912 Model T Ford – An automobile during 1900

Livery – Where the blacksmith uses metal to bend, shape and cut. Based from information in the museum, the blacksmith main job are shoeing horses, making repairs for carriages and hiring horses and buggies

Port Moody – Train Station

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Century Hall – Old Town Vicinity

(5th Floor)

Old Town Vicinity Area

Kitchen

Hotel

Office

Victoria – Lovely Capital City of British Columbia

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After more than half an hour of flight we arrived at Victoria harbour. Before going to whale watching adventure I did a quick walk in the area to see the beautiful place that I was at the moment. The inner harbour of Victoria City in Vancouver Island was lovely for me, though I saw a lot of boats, yachts ferries and docking stations, I still saw the beauty of its place. This was the first harbour that I saw that feels good. It seems there was a balance in the place.

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Victoria Inner Harbour Snapshots During My Walk

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Victoria Inner Harbour Snapshots while at Stellar boat on our way to Whale Watching Adventure

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Snapshots after returning to Victoria from Whale Watching Adventure

After coming back from Whale Watching Adventure, we arrived again at the inner harbour. I walk again in the area before we visited BC Royal Museum. As I saw the surroundings of the place, I felt I like it more and more, I was amazed with the settings and design of the harbour and thought that Vitoria City is the kind of place that I dreamed to live someday. During my walk at the harbour I did not miss to see Empress Hotel and BC Provincial Legislature Building.

After visiting the museum we went straight to The Butchart Gardens, and along the way I had a chance to capture some snapshots while we were driving at Beach Drive.

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Snapshots at Beach Drive in Victoria On Our Way To The Butchart Gardens

The Butchart Gardens – A Magical and Refreshing Garden

When I did Victoria and The Butchart Gardens tour, the last stop in our itinerary was The Butchart Gardens. After coming from Royal Museum in Victoria, we went straight to the garden. At first, I don’t really know what to expect in the garden which of course plants and flowers, but I had this high expectations because the garden is part of a tourist itinerary tour.

We arrived at the garden, I walked from the entrance, along the way I saw the gift store and I decided to look inside. While checking out things, I ended up shopping some souvenir stuff. When I got out the store I looked around, I immediately like the ambiance of the place then I passed the cafe and visitor centre. Next, I saw the big name of The Butchart Garden but I bypassed it as lot of people stopped in the area to take photos and I knew I it will take sometime before it cleared out with people, that’s why I decided to take photos once I’m done with the garden which I did before leaving the garden.

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I followed the track from the start point of the garden which starts from the big name “The Butchart Gardens”. Along the way, I saw Snail Fountain, Roses and Orchids until I saw the sign the direction of the Sunken Garden. The first part of the garden that I visited was the beautiful and amazing Sunken Garden. The view from the top was lovely. It’s like a magical garden place, it’s really a refreshing scenery.

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Sunken Garden

I went down as I was excited for what I saw, then I walked along some tracks in the Sunken Garden. I saw shrubs, towering trees and Quarry Lake where I got scenic photos of it. After reaching the corner side of the garden, I found the Ross Fountain. I spent few minutes in taking photos of Ross fountain and then continued strolling the garden until I saw a statue of woman.

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Ross Fountain

After enjoying my eyes in Sunken Garden, I moved to Rose Garden where I found a lot of beautiful and colorful flowers. I did a lot of up close and personal photos of some flowers that I found in the garden. There is a nearby fountain as well that I saw in Rose Garden and it’s called Sturgeon Fountain.

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At Rose Garden

Sturgeon Fountain

After enjoying the fountain view I continued my wandering in The Butchart Gardens until I entered in another type of garden called Japanese Garden. Here the design of the plants, trees , flowers and overall atmosphere in area was oriental and I amazed on the picturesque of the garden.

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At Japanese Garden

I kept my pace and move along until I saw the Star Pond which surrounded by flowers in its edges. Then, I walked again up to the Italian Garden.

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I was fascinated with my walk in the garden, beautiful and colorful flowers with green grass, plants and trees compliments each other made the garden even better. While inside I felt I were in a magical place and I felt I was a princess which lives in a wonderland, well that’s just for a moment.