At home at Waters Edge….

At home at Waters Edge….

We were extremely fortunate to spend our time near Victoria with relatives. Brian, a cousin of Glenda’s and his wife Meta, were the most hospitable hosts one could imagine. We had an absolute ball, playing games every evening, being shown around the island and meeting some very interesting people.

One night we attended a concert at a nearby church, featuring local artists and a well-known Canadian singer songwriter. We even attended an afternoon tea where we were treated to a rendition of Waltzing Matilda by a ukulele group living in the condos where we were staying – Waters Edge.

The view from our bedroom window was stunning, looking over the expanse of water out to the US Gulf Islands and Seattle beyond. On numerous occasions we watched river otters, seals and an increasing number of Canadian geese nearby. We were privileged to sight a nest of bald eagles from the balcony – seeing the chicks grow on a daily basis and watching the parent pick up a rabbit that Brian had picked up on his morning ride.

Brian’s morning ride is definitely something worth a mention. As he was in training for a 3-4 weeks cycle tour from Port St John in northern British Columbia (BC) back home, he was up and out by 530am every morning to climb a hill somewhere and be back in time to make porridge for a 7am breakfast. This meant we tended to get up around the same time and go for a run – which was lovely along the water into Sidney by the Sea, about 6km away. (yes Sidney is spelt correctly in this case)

In addition to his cycling prowess, Brian is a very talented woodturner, making very unique bowls that he sells to raise money for the MS Society.

Our visit was bookended with dinner at the Waddling Dog, a local restaurant with great food. Sadly, we had to say goodbye, although will see Meta in Truro, Nova Scotia later in our trip as she will be there visiting her son Gary and his family