My first day on Vancouver Island and it poured with rain. Couldn’t stop me from exploring, as I only have 3 days here…drove from Victoria, through the Cowichan Valley, and back to my accommodation for the night on the outskirts of Victoria. Very moody hillsides, with swirling white and grey clouds and the occasional deciduous tree adding a burst of colour.  Passed through Duncan – known as the “City of Totems”, with one of the world’s largest, outdoor collection of publicly displayed totem poles – designed to attract visitors. The totem pole collection is located on the traditional lands of the Quw’utsun’ (Cowichan) people. Cowichan Tribes has the largest First Nations population in British Columbia. And some beautiful totems they were! 

Dahlias are out in many gardens and I stopped to take some pics of these beauties on the roadside.

My next port of call was Nanaimo – a vibrant ferry port on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Shops and cafes fill the Old City Quarter. Offshore, on Newcastle Island, trails lead to beaches and First Nations sites. I drove around to find some locations for photo taking tomorrow (when the weather is supposed to clear)…and on the way, found this delightful gate entrance with a Japanese vibe and colourful house on the edge of a rail track.  

Woo hoo! Lovely day today – off to shoot a waterfall – Elk Falls on the east coast, just outside Campbell River.  And then tonight, revisited the beautiful Houses of Parliament and the Fairmount Empress on Victoria’s waterfront.