Canadiana

I'm in Victoria!

My trip was long. It was a 15 hour plane ride all together, with two stopovers. The guy sitting next to me on my flight from Amsterdam to Calgary was hot, and I found it really distracting. At moments, I found myself talking way too much, which is what I tend to do when I'm really nervous. It was also really unfortunate to be sitting next to a hot guy on a plane, because I always feel really gross when I fly. Something about the recycled air for several hours. In Calgary I thought they lost my luggage and almost missed my next plane as I tried to find it. Turns out they put it in oversized luggage, but never told me. Luckily the long security line moved quickly, because I -just- caught the plane to Vancouver. I was really tired by the time I got to Vancouver, and I fell asleep waiting for the ferry to Victoria. I also slept through half the ferry ride, which is too bad because that route is really beautiful. I caught some of it though! The girls were waiting for me at the terminal in Victoria, but I was pretty beat by then!

The biggest thing that hit me right away about Canada is how incredibly friendly people are! Everyone says how nice Canadians are and it's really true. I didn't notice it when I lived here, but after living in Berlin, which has that big city brutality (like most other big cities), it's really obvious and welcome. A guy offered to help me with my bags when I was getting off the bus, and when you bump into people, they apologize, even if it's totally your fault. On the downside, Victoria is INCREDIBLY expensive. Like one of the most expensive places I've ever been actually.

I've had a great time so far though! Saturday I shopped a bit with Jen, then she made this awesome basalmic barbeque chicken, and we went to the Mint for drinks. Sunday I was pretty dead, but we went to see Jen dance and I met Matt for dinner. I passed out at 8 pm though. I woke up this morning just before 7 am, and went for a walk around James Bay, then met Corrine at Ogden's Point, which I haven't really been to since I was a kid, and it was really cool (but INSANELY windy...I felt like I was going to blow away!) The cafe there was nice too...it overlooks the water.

Pics to follow!