Royal B.C. Museum and heading home

Day 3 was our lazy day. We didn't have to keep to a schedule, so we took our time getting out of the house. After a leisurely breakfast, we again backed our lunches and headed out to be tourists.

We spent our day at the Royal BC Museum. This natural/human history museum has exhibits on all things pertaining to the settlement and history of British Columbia.

It starts with the Ice Age Mammoth. Emily W. just had to pet it.



Next stop, Climate Change, with its funky aluminum foil-like sun.



On to the forest. Watch out for the deer!



The seashore was rife with sea lions.



After spending time in the Ocean Station with its submarine-like setting, we went outside for a picnic lunch.

Again, Emily B. threatened use of the first aid kit. Get out of that tree, girl!



The Helmcken House was open to visitors, so we took a look. It's the oldest building in BC. We also visited St. Anne's Schoolhouse, built in 1843. Here's proof: you're never to old to play school. Stop talking, Emily W.!



The third floor of the museum proper houses the First People's Exhibit and everyone's favorite, the Modern History Gallery. We watched part of a silent movie, featuring Charlie Chaplin, and wandered around the streets of Old Town...



...Chinatown...



...Cannery Row, and, finally, the docks.



Enough time on our feet! We recuperated on a blanket on the Parliament Legislative Building lawn and admired the green-domed structure that dominates the waterfront.

No trip is complete without an opportunity to shop for souvenirs, and that's just what we did. We found two great shops, and spent our money well before declaring it a day.

Wednesday was anything but leisurely. We arose early, had a quick breakfast, made our lunches, and packed our things. Emily W. and I loaded the car (getting the car top carrier loaded and installed was no small feat!), while the rest of the crew cleaned the Guide House. You know that Girl Scout mantra: "Leave it better than you found it." We got to the ferry exactly at our required 9:00 check-in, and lined up for inspection and the 90-minute wait for the ferry ride. After making friends with the couple in the car next to us, we finally boarded, made the crossing, cleared customs, and had a blessedly uneventful trip home.

Favorite memories? Hearing the girls singing together in the kitchen, the bathroom, and just anywhere around the Guide House - often songs from "Phantom". Oh, and I have a new CD on my "want" list: Celtic Woman.