Youngest Busker

This is the youngest busker I've seen this year but he was providing some interesting cello music last weekend on Wharf Street. He was quite intent on his music. People may wonder if it's safe for a boy as young as this to be out on the street performing. His City of Victoria licence is visible clipped onto his music stand. What people may not know is that to obtain a licence, any street performer under the age of 16 must be accompanied at all times by a parent. And indeed, just off camera to the right both this boy's parents were in watchful mode to ensure his comfort and safety.

Old Town From Songhees Point

I went down to Songhees Point a few days ago to try out a new time-lapse photography capability. This is one of my favorite views of the old town and it is also a very busy part of the harbour. We are looking across the harbour towards Wharf Street. The time lapse worked well but is a little too fast so I need to do it again before I share it with you. In the meantime, here is a still photo I took at the same time.

Wharf Street Scene

Like the daffodils in Beacon Hill Park, I photograph this scene almost every year at this time. I like the way the color of the Old Victoria Custom House seems to complement the blossoms of the flowering tree. Photographed yesterday.

Victoria Harbour Airport

In the background of yesterday's photo of the paper boats you can see the roof of this building, the new Victoria Harbour Airport. It's just for seaplane traffic that comes into the harbour. Victoria's International Airport for large passenger planes is about a half-hour drive outside the city on the Saanich Peninsula. We'll take a look inside the new Harbour Airport tomorrow.

The Line-up Is For....

Red Fish Blue Fish, a very popular wharfside fish and chips place directly below the old customs house. Great food at reasonable prices and a view that can't be beat.

Old Victoria Custom House

Everything looks fresh and new these days and that includes the old Victoria Custom House, built in 1875. At this time of year even its unusual color seems to be complementary to the exploding plum tree overlooking the Inner Harbour.

A Favorite View

Here's a view to which I often return, downtown Victoria as seen from Songhees Point. Here we are looking at the oldest part of Victoria, where the original Fort Victoria was built and where the oldest extant buildings still line Wharf Street. It's a picturesque view that encapsulates much of our history.

Sumtember 2

Here's few more of Bastion Square in our Summer in September series. Heritage buildings, sunshine, sidewalk cafes, sunshine, flower baskets, sunshine, public art and music and sunshine; what more could anyone want?

Customs House

Even on these crisp winter days it's always a pleasure to catch a glimpse of the old Customs House on Wharf Street.

The Hands of Time 8 - Panning for Gold

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille. This one shows two hands panning for gold and is located just below the old Custom House on Wharf Street where gold seekers during the 1858 gold rush had to obtain their mining licenses. Though most of the gold was on the mainland, miners typically traveled up the coast from California and arrived in Victoria where they would obtain the necessary license and supplies before heading to the Fraser River. The modern city of Vancouver did not exist at this point in history and Victoria was the gateway to the gold fields.

Hands of Time 7 - Tying a Rope to a Mooring Ring

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille. This one references Victoria's long relationship with ships and the sea. It shows hands tying a rope to a mooring ring set into the bedrock very near to where ships visiting Victoria used to moor. This sculpture is located below Wharf Street just north of the old Customs House. The fish & chips stand of Red Fish/Blue Fish is visible on the right side in the photo to the left.

The Hands of Time 6 - Holding Binoculars

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille. This one's on the seaward side of the Wharf Street sidewalk directly opposite Bastion Square. "This sculpture looks out to the ocean, referencing the compelling nature of Victoria's geography and the foundation of its tourism and sightseeing industries."

The Hands of Time 2 - Holding a Railway Spike

Here's another of the Hands of Time public art sculpture series, this one showing a hand holding a railway spike. It projects from the bottom of a lamp post on Wharf Street, located near the former downtown terminus of the E & N Railway and reminds us of the history and impact of the railroad on Vancouver Island.

Customs House

Regular visitors here will know that in the summer I spend a lot of time down on the Inner harbour Causeway and the nearby streets. I've been neglecting the downtown lately because it has been so cold and wet so for the next few days we'll take look at some of my favourites as they look on a SUNNY winter day (yesterday). Here's the old Custom House looking pretty good in the winter light. On the left you can see what it looked like from the same vantage point in April 2009.

Homecoming

While unpacking and digging about in the archives for something to post while I get myself sorted out after moving I came across some photos of this sculpture by Nathan Scott. It's called "Homecoming" and depicts that emotion-packed moment when a member of the armed forces returns to his native shore and family. It is located on Wharf Street overlooking the Inner Harbour. The sculptor, Nathan Scott, lives here and is also responsible for the statue of Terry Fox that stands at Mile Zero of the Trans Canada Highway in Beacon Hill Park.

Pinks

A return today to cool, gray weather and while I was on a short trip downtown I stopped to enjoy these three shades of pink. The building is the old Custom House (1875) on Wharf Street just above Ship Point. It's also visible at the top of the page on the right side of the header photo. The parking lot serves the seaplane terminals off-camera to the left.

Wharf Street

This is my favorite Victoria skyline because it has such an interesting variety of architectural styles and its colors make it look warm even now, in March. In this photo Wharf Street runs from left to right above the Inner Harbor near Ship Point. The street we can look up is Fort Street, so named because it marked the original location of Fort Victoria. The photo was taken from the Songhees side of the Inner Harbour with a 200 mm telephoto lens.