Victoria, Canada
12 July 2017 | Boat position at SNSYC: 48 40.44'N; 123 25.02'W
Pam Lau and Ted Berry
Picture: A large pictorial wall panel in the BC Parliament building - women members of the British Colombia legislature.
Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club (SNSYC) was incredibly convenience and comfortable. Like Butchart Garden, the city of Victoria was also reachable by bus, so once again, we took one of the luxurious double decker buses to do our sightseeing instead of moving "Shuang Yu" to the expensive marina in downtown Victoria. The bus stopped a short distance from Parliament House and we headed directly there.
Ted and I have been to Victoria a few times but Parliament House was never open to the public. To our delight, it was open to tourists this day! Quickly we stood in line for a short wait and then found ourselves inside of the Parliament buildings. Like other state and federal capitals that we have visited, the tall, dome shaped ceiling, the marble floors, stairs, walls and columns create a grandiose atmosphere. One almost feels regal standing amongst the rich décor. Historical pictures of the building lined the walls as well as pictures of past and present statesmen and women. One impressive wall panel was specifically dedicated to honoring women in government. Evidently British Columbia has more than the United Nations' minimum recommendation of 30 percent female members. Women here have a meaningful influence in the legislature. It also surpasses the British Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's threshold of 33 percent female Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs). The province has 36 female members including a number of minority women.
After the parliament tour, which was the highlight for the day, we joined tourists from all over the world, wandering around the popular downtown tourism area. None of us are interested in curio shops but we enjoyed absorbing the excitement of other tourists. It was like being in a shopping mall full of enthusiastic shoppers. Downtown Victoria is a truly beautiful setting with the marina full of boats, luxury hotels and gorgeous flowers growing in unique arrangements. It is no wonder it draws visitors from all corners of the world.