Carriage Trade

Despite sporadic protests from animal rights activists these horse and carriage tours of the city remain popular with tourists. Certainly one good effect they have is traffic-calming since they move at quite a leisurely pace. Their home base here is right beside the Legislative Assembly Buildings and they add a pleasantly pastoral air to the area while they wait for clients.

Carriage Ride?

Most of the tourist oriented activities have closed down for the year now but I was happy recently to see this horse and carriage still operating on the rain-washed pavement of Government Street.

Tourist Town

What's happening in the parks and rural suburbs of Victoria at this time of year is so engrossing that I tend to ignore signs of spring in the urban areas. Since Victoria is very much a tourist town spring is marked by the reappearance of sights like this horse and carriage tour of the downtown. There are many of these horse and carriages - they are the bane of motorists in a hurry but are popular with visitors. This one (above) is moving down Wharf Street in the oldest part of the city. Visitor Matthew Feehan sent along this great photo of modern Victoria's original horse and carriage in 1979 (on the right). In the driver's seat is the originator of the idea locally, his brother, Dan Feehan. The horse's name was Danny Boy. While today's carriages can accommodate more passengers I prefer the look of the original, pictured here on Menzies Street. Many thanks, Matthew, for this photo and bit of local history.

Horse and Carriage

There are quite a few interesting ways to get around in Victoria and see the sights in comfort. These carriages make for slow traffic downtown but nobody seems to mind much in Victoria.