May 6, 2026

First, British Columbia, as many believe, is not its own country it is a providence of Canada. British Columbia borders the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Today we visited Victoria which is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. You can actually take a speed boat from Seattle, Washington to Victoria. Victoria has a very interesting history.

The oldest city in western Canada, Victoria began in 1843 as a Hudson Bay Company trading post, named in honor of Queen
Victoria. In 1850, the company hired an enterprising man by the name of Robert Dunsmuir who had traveled from Scotland to seek his fortune in the coal mines. Employed for a measly five dollars a week, Dunsmuir was eventually granted the right to mine independently and in 1869 discovered the richest seam of coal on Vancouver Island. Considered Canada’s most “British” city, Victoria still showcases elegant Victorian and Edwardian impressive architectural landmarks defining its British style started by Robert Dunsmuir. It’s no wonder that Conde Nast Traveler magazine, voted Victoria to be one of the most beautiful cities in
the world.

Unfortunately, ships usually call here for just a couple of hours in order to satisfy the peculiarities of U.S. maritime law. The Jones Act requires that cruise ships cannot transport passengers directly between two U.S. ports without stopping in a foreign country. That’s why cruise ships coming from Alaska heading toward the United States always include a stop in Victoria even if it’s only for a few hours. Since Seattle and Alaska are both U.S. ports, the ship must make a foreign stop. So, cruise lines add Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) to comply with the law.

With just a short stay, Chongae and I decided to take a bus to the Inner Harbor of Victoria. After a few days of rain in Alaska, today was a mostly sunny day with temperatures in the 60s. People were everywhere at the waterfront – shopping for local goods at booths, eating at food carts and on restaurant patios and generally enjoying the day.

The British Columbia Parliament Building is the seat of the provincial legislature in Victoria. Its grand architecture and waterfront setting make it one of Victoria’s defining landmarks.

As impressive as this building is, it is even more impressive at night. At night, the Parliament Buildings become the visual centerpiece of Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Thousands of outline lights trace the domes, arches, and rooflines, creating one of the city’s most iconic views. The nighttime illumination turns the building into a kind of civic monument -not just a government office.

As we had to embark before night fall we did not get to see the grandeur shown above.

Maybe next time.

Thanks for traveling with us.