After the Goldrush

We flew into Sacramento on Air Alaska and took a van downtown to the Best Western Sutter House. After Victoria, Sacramento was looking distinctly sorry for itself. Nearby Stockton has declared bankruptcy and there was evidence that the Golden State has been living beyond its means. But who could resist the old town, by the Sacramento River, with its glittering railroad heritage waiting to be explored. Our first evening we strolled to McCormick & Schmick's for supper in the bar at the Elk Building. The downtown looks quite sorry for itself with its share of boarded up shops and the usual racetrack one-way streets. Sacrificed to the motor car the place is largely deserted at night. The light rail cars connect to the suburbs.

Next morning we sample a Jim Denny's breakfast in an old diner adjacent to our hotel. This is the authentic experience. A mountain of home fries keeps us going all day. Other customers are faced with gigantic pancakes. We walk a few blocks to the old town and the California State Railroad Museum. We split our visit in two in order to take the short excursion train ride. Coffee at Steamer's Coffee & Tea Exchange prior to departure. The museum tells the tale of the Central Pacific which built east from here to join up with Union Pacific in Utah, the first transcontinental railroad - a trip we will be taking shortly. I buy a copy of the book "Stealing the General" by Russell S. Bonds, which tells the story of railroad shenanigans during the American Civil War. We also visit the Huntington & Hopkins Hardware store, reconstructed on a new site, brick by brick, and the Wells Fargo Museum. Supper at the Capitol Garage, 1500 K Street. "You were hungry" says the waiter. Breakfast at the Ambrosia Cafe, 1030 K Street, sunday morning and walk to the Capitol Building, with its marvelous arboretum. 
We walk on to the California Automobile Museum where we are shown round by docent Jim Whent. A Rambler convertible in the parking lot catches my eye. A special exhibition featuring vehicles from 1968 is well done with familiar auto magazine covers round the walls and an Austin America front and centre. We walk back to the Crocker Museum of art, an air-conditioned legacy of California railroad riches. Supper at Bangkok at 12, a Thai restaurant at 900, 12th Street, curry special.

By bicycle to Blighty-on-sea

After breakfast at the Bearpaw Bakery, "Get your Buns Down Here!, we take a final stroll around Jasper, including the railyards and the industrial estate, where we spot a red Rambler 2-door in need of TLC. One more coffee and it is time to board the train for the 14:30 VIA departure to Vancouver. We pass Mount Rogers in clear weather, an unusual occurrence, and Pyramid Falls, before bunking down for the night. Next morning we are at Chilliwack and up for 06:30 breakfast. We arrive in Vancouver at 08:45, ahead of schedule, and queue for the 09:45 Pacific Coach to Tsawwassen. All we see of Vancouver is the view from the bus.
A calm crossing on the "Spirit of British Columbia" ferry in blazing sunshine leads us to Swartz Bay, and another coach hop to Victoria bus station. The city creates a great first impression with a pleasant lack of graffiti. We take tea at Starbucks on Blanshard Street. We breakfast at Caffé Teatro, on Blanshard. The owner says tourism is 50% down, the increased currency allowance for visiting the U.S. has meant tourists going south for cheap gas and milk. We walk out to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria where we score half price entry - the Emily Carr exhibits are what we have come to see and they are still on show. We walk through Beacon Hill Park, taking lunch at the Beacon Hill Drive-In, and continue on to the Emily Carr house where we take tea. Reb and Billy meet us at our hotel and we walk out to the lighthouse at Ogden Point breakwater. I need a beer after that.
On the Wednesday we rent some bikes and cycle out to Oak Bay, by reputation the most English settlement on the Island. We shop at a bookstore and stop for coffee on the way at the Moka House on Cook Street. Victoria has many splendid bookshops. A stop at the Emily Carr grave and we push on to the marina in Oak Bay for lunch. We hand the bikes back mid-afternoon for time out. We head for the Spaghetti House for supper, an uninspired choice as they are wait-listing customers while they have many empty tables, an obvious sign of incompetence. We bolt for it and find the Sticky Wicket pub more to our liking, where sixties covers band "Younger than Yesterday" are entertaining the punters.

Thursday we make a quick visit to the BC Archives, then walk out to Fishermen's Wharf, where we sample the fish and chips at Barb's Place. A $5 water taxi across the harbour gives us a close-up of the float plane passenger service. We stop at The Bay and I manage to buy a leather belt "Made in Canada." Early evening we grab a cab to the Pancake Manor Studios for a tour. After a delightful dinner in the garden we are shown backstage at the Manor - the charming secrets of the cartoon puppets Zach and Reggie. 
We are up early for 08:00 departure to Victoria Airport (YYJ) and flight to Sacramento (SMF). The light bus goes past the old railway bridge and we see where a revived railroad may run in the near future and the site of the 'new' terminus. A great visit to Victoria, B.C.