Sendero Group Travel Blog

The day started to a much faster pace than the first day in Victoria. Based on yesterday's adventures, the WayFun participants were equipped with a clearer sense of what they wanted to accomplish in the remaining time we had available to us in this beautiful cityscape. Groups formed quickly and one even started earlier than the appointed 8:30 a.m. meeting time in hopes to see one of Victoria's popular destinations; Birchman castle.
The group I participated in wanted to take a slower pace and ride the "Big Bus" to the local beach side shore and walk through a local 1800's cemetery. The group consisted of Sheila Small, Ginger and Jim Kutcsh, Theresa Davenport, Jamie, Barb, Ilona, and Denna Lambert.
We started down the ever popular Douglas Avenue to the bus stop for the "Big Bus" tour lines, but we ran into the little problem of not knowing the exact location of the bus stop. Never fear, with GPS in hand and a group of resourceful individuals, we quickly found the location that was only a two block walk from where we were located on Johnson and Douglas street Once we were on the bus, we could listen to the pre-recorded descriptions of popular points of interests in Victoria. But honestly, I think we each enjoyed the fellowship with others on a very beautiful day. We all shared notes on what we did the previous day and took in the sights and sounds of the city.
Jim and Ginger left the group to search for polish bread and the remaining members continued on the bus to a sandy beach. The bus made its way through city blocks and residential areas lining the Victorian coastline and allowed passengers to come and go as the bus moved toward our own destination; sandy beach.

After departing the bus, we made our way down the stairs to the small beach where we took pictures of ourselves as individuals and even in a teepee shape structure made out of logs swept in from the water. I am confident that we all were able to take in the areas beauty and serenity of the waves repetitive crests and breaks.


We walked up the hill from the beach and entered the residential community and were awed at the variety and quality of emaculate flowers, stone wall designs, and manicured lawns each of the houses proudly showcased. We all noted that Victoria's temperate climates is ideal for many of the flowers seen on our walk that are most likely unknown to common lawns and garden beds in the United States.

On our way to the cemetery, we introduced ourselves to neighbors who were talking on the street, but didn't get too much a response from them. Tourists are probably a common occurence in this neighborhood. Or, they probably thought we were Jehovah's Witnesses ready to share with them. Nonetheless, we made our way to the cemetery and found a massive amount of history in the names and dates of the individuals burried in the area. For instance, we can safely assume that there was a fairly large Asian community living in the Victoria area in the late 1800's and early 1900's based on the artistic Japanese or Chinese symbols dawning the tombstones.


We also noticed children, husbands and wives who were burried within months of each other; probably indictitive of the grief each felt from their loved one's death. As we walked through the cemetery we didn't experience an overwelming sense of sadness, but an understanding of individuals and families of this area we called a destination of our WayFun 2007 adventure.
Before we knew it, our time of adventure was waning and needed to find sustenance before meeting the bus at the Traveler's Hotel. I am quite sure that like us, many of the groups probably have walked approximately three to four miles. But those three, four, or how ever many miles traveled marked memories of adventure, growth, and freedom experience through great fellowship with others, a sense of confidence in which ever mobility tool of choice, and a technology that provides the most essiential items of information that completes a circle of independence.