Happy New Year!

After a delicious Italian dinner in downtown Victoria, British Columbia, we spent the early part of New Year's Eve walking around the Inner Harbour. Victoria is the largest city on Vancouver Island, in addition to being the provincial capital of British Columbia. In this picture, you can see the Legislative Building outlined with Christmas lights. It was a beautifully impressive sight.
Conde' Naste Traveler Magazine reader's poll rated Victoria one of the top ten cities to visit in the world.After our evening stroll and drinks at a harbour side restaurant, we rang in the New Year at the landmark Strathcon Hotel inside their pub called The Sticky Wicket. There, Ed played several games of pool with guys from Canada and Tibet. The Tibetan guys barely spoke English, but their pool playing skills were mighty fine.

I watched Eddie's pool playing prowess from the bar while entertaining several men who felt the need to chit-chat with me; Art, a handsome older gentleman from Saskatchewan who tried to sway me into thinking that his province was better than mine, until he discovered I was American and the provincial rivalry was lost on me. His friend from England, who verbally gave me the "best recipe you'll ever taste" for Bangers and Mash. Don't think I'll ever be making that. Even if it IS good, the name creeps me out.

Then, the guy from South Africa who strayed over and whose accent was so thick I had to keep saying "Excuse me?" I didn't realized Ed was "naming" the guys I was talking to until he came over saying, "Boy, Earl really likes you." I guess that was the South African guy since the others already had names.

But my personal favorite was a silver haired, 43 year old man named Mark who in addition to testing my French, which basically consists of "Je ne parle pas français", told me before he left the bar that I had "...incredibly beautiful eyes. Just beautiful. Oh, and fantastic boobs." Well duh, I know that, Mark. Seems that the Canadian men aren't much smoother than the American ones and to top it off, I think he copped a feel when he hugged me goodbye and wished me Happy New Year!

It was all a lot of fun. Everyone was so nice, we had a great time and just an fyi - with the exchange rate, the drinks are a lot cheaper in Canada!

That make for a very Happy New Year, eh?