Esquimalt Celebration of Lights Parade

I always think of parades as events that happen in the spring or summer but I've just become aware that Victoria has as many parades in winter as at other times of the year. There's the Santa Claus parade just a few days ago, the Lighted Trucks parade on Saturday and pictured above and below are some of the sights from the Esquimalt Celebration of Lights parade. It also had lots of lighted trucks and young spectators were treated to lots of free candy and even free pizza. Though it was dark and cold I think it is safe to say that a great time was had by all.

Fan Tan Alley

One of Victoria's landmarks, this narrow alley runs between Fisgard Street (Chinatown) and Pandora Street and is full of interesting shops. It got it's name from a popular chinese gambling game called Fan Tan Guan when gambling and opium dens where around in the 1940's. It's always been one of my favorite spots in the city. - Fern

Rock Bay Mural Project

Over the last year or so a small bay off the Gorge called Rock Bay and the nearby shoreline area has been cleaned up. The area is now fenced and the fence diplays a large number of mural paintings from local First Nations artists and their youthful assistants. Above and below are a couple of samples from this attractive project. The project is called the Rock Bay Mural Project and you can find out more about it by clicking HERE. The work above, entitled "Horsetail Herb" is by Darlene Galt. Below is a design by Butch Dick called "Grandfather Sun".

Ho Ho Ho

Goodness! It's here again already! Here's how old I am: I remember going out to the bush with my father to cut down our Christmas tree. I was wearing felt boots, breeches and a parka and the bush, somewhere outside Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, had about two feet of snow on the ground. Nowadays all Christmas trees are designer trees from farms. Trees like those pictured above are a little too perfect. I kind of miss the skinny, stunted Christmas trees of yore that always had lots of space between the branches. (Or maybe it's the felt boots, breeches and my own little hatchet that I miss....)

Daniel Kingsbury

Here is a new mural I only noticed recently. It is a memorial for a young musician and environmental activist named Daniel Kingsbury, who died last year, aged 28. He founded and was the director of The Jellyfish Project, an organization that uses music to help educate schoolchildren about the environment. The mural is located on the wall of the Ageless Living store on Johnson Street downtown. You can find out more about Daniel Kingsbury HERE and HERE. The mural was painted by artist Ian George.