Lee Mong Kow Family 1905

A half block east of the Gate of Harmonious Interest (yesterday's post) are a group of murals by local artist Jeff Maltby. He's a remarkable artist and if you ever visit Victoria take the time to seek out his many murals in this city. Pictured above is one mounted on the wall of a parking arcade on Fisgard Street, just opposite the Chinese Public School. The inscription (blocked in this photo by the tree) reads, "Lee Mong Kow Family 1905". It's a wonderful group portrait of a Chinese immigrant family. Click HERE to see more detail and enjoy the distinct expression on every face.

Gate of Harmonious Interest

I thought it would be a nice change from beaches and parks to spend a few days looking around Victoria's Chinatown. Above is its most striking feature, the Gate of Harmonious Interest on Fisgard Street that was built in Victoria's Chinese sister city, Suzhou. The entire district is a National Historic Site of Canada. It's the oldest Chinatown in Canada and in North America only San Francisco's is older.

One more from Saxe Point Park

Here's another from Saxe Point Park, looking southeast towards Macaulay Point with some more of those thunderheads on the horizon.

Saxe Point Park

As well as having some spectacular ocean views Saxe Point Park in Esquimalt is a wonderfully bushy little forest park. By this time of year many of the paths are completely overgrown like green tunnels and I always think it must be very like this in a rabbit warren. The one above, photographed just after our thunderstorm on Sunday had the additional attraction of a steamy mist rising from its floor.

Thunderstorm

Victoria's distinctive weather does not generally include storms with thunder and lightning and most years we will have only one or two. This year's was welcomed yesterday afternoon. First a bit of thunder, a few deep growls, then a real downpour for a couple of hours. We've been having a bit of a drought for the last few months so this was very welcome. The skies blew clear after the storm and I went out to Saxe Point and took this photo of the tail end of the big clouds that brought the storm. I'm very fond of this view because it is for me so completely characteristic of the Pacific Northwest coast. You can see by all the brown and yellow how dry it has been.