Pioneer Square Christmas Tree

This giant Sequoia grows in Pioneer Square right next to Victoria City Hall. You can't see it in the daylight but it is festooned with Christmas Lights at this time of year and the square is the scene of other seasonal activities. There is even a Ferris Wheel. That white stuff on the ground is snow, real snow.

Victoria Day Parade

Not surprisingly, Queen Victoria's birthday has a special significance here in her namesake city. Consequently I have been a bit disappointed in the last few years' parades. It seemed to me that participation was down and the enthusiasm was lacking. This year, however, I thought the parade was much improved, a little more of everything. Victoria Day is the kick-off day for the summer season and from now until October nearly every weekend will see some special event or festival taking place. Next weekend is the Swiftsure Yacht Race. Above is one of the many marching bands that participated in the parade, as they marched past Victoria's City Hall. This is the Klamath Union High School band from Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA.

Against the Wall

A set-up that professional photographers often use is to show passersby against a wall and I began to see the value of this setting on Sunday when I was downtown for No-Car day (see yesterday's post). Fifty feet away in any direction were crowded streets or packed public spaces so the city hall wall pictured here seemed a haven of peace and tranquility.

Above: When did the two fingers behind the head (rabbit ears?) of the person next to you in the group photo become a thing? I don't remember doing this when I was a small boy. It would be interesting to find the earliest example of this in old photos.

Below: Here is one of those photos that I like though I don't know why.

Green Dream

This is Victoria's main thoroughfare, Douglas Street, as it was last Sunday. Note the City Hall on the left. The street itself was paved over with real grass and closed to vehicle traffic through most of the downtown. There were lots of food vendors, boutique booths and music, music, music.

Victoria After Dark - City Hall

When I posted a series of night photos a few weeks ago I had intended to include a photo of Victoria's City Hall. Rainy nights however prevented me from taking the photo until a few nights ago. City Hall was built in 1890 and as well as being a locally designated heritage building, it is also a National Historic Site of Canada.

The Hands of Time 5 - Carrying Books

In the upper right hand corner of the above photo you will see another of the small sculptures from the series, "The Hands of Time", this one entitled "Carrying Books". It is located just outside the side entrance to the Victoria City Hall. "The sculptural books symbolize education and governance in the Capital City of British Columbia." The sculpture series is the work of sculptor Crystal Przybille.

Victoria Day Parade

The Victoria Day Parade took place on Monday the 20th of May although Queen Victoria's actual birthdate is today, May 24th. Her birthday and that of the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth, are now celebrated annually on the last Monday before May 25th. Queen Elizabeth's actual birthday is April 21. She was born in 1926 and so celebrated her 87th birthday this year. She has been on the throne for 61 years, a reign for a British monarch only exceeded in duration by Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years.

As usual there was a large variety of parade participants - community groups, floats and local and visiting marching bands and many of the pipe bands who came for the Highland Games also marched in the parade. The red building in the background for most of these photos is Victoria's City Hall, a Canadian National Historic Site, built in 1890.