August 2014 - Exhibition and Fairs are signalling Fall

Days are becoming shorter. Wildfires in the centre of British Columbia fill the atmosphere with smoke particles and sunsets turn into spectacular displays...

First signs of Autumn: country fairs! Cobble Hill Fair on the 23 Aug war bigger than ever. However, there are less farm animals participating in the exhibitions, except for youth riding programs and 4H live stock competitions, where animals play a major starring role.

The winning face...

4H sheep competition...it is lovely to see the close connection between the young people and their animals.

Young cowboy with his miniature horse. Horse-whisperer in training!

Young Boy and his Duck.

Art Exhibition of works by 'younger' masters. It looks like a portrait of my garden population.

Eager sheepdog keeping his charges under control.

How to commute to a Country Fair.

Country Fair Visitor, not too impressed with the entertainment.

Blacksmith advertising his craft on the front of his T-Shirt.

Triple Splash Victoria: Symphony, Tango, Ocean Beach

Victoria! What better place to be to celebrate the August Long Weekend. Weather: perfect! 40,000 people descend upon downtown to attend the 25th anniversary of 'Symphony Splash', a waterborne performance by the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. The city is alive with various side festivals, such as Victoria Tango Festival, Victoria Latin Music Festival, in addition to general merry making of old and young around the closed off streets and parks of Victoria Harbour.

Sunday starts out with the 'world famous' water ballet of Victoria Harbour Mini Ferries and Water Taxis.

No tips yet inside the violin case, but the day is young, so is the bass player of this family busker band.

Starting at the crack of dawn, spectators wishing to enjoy prime spots to listen and watch the Symphony Splash with a Grand Finale of Fireworks, stake out their territories along the waterfront, amongst flower beds, on the lawns of the Parliament Building and the gardens of the Empress Hotel. Three rows deep, please...thousands of collapsible lawn chairs fill every bit of vacant space. Nobody would be as impolite as to steal a chair, or even move a chair from a claimed location.

Some 'balcony seats' are individualized with umbrellas, blankets and flags. One notes, that the chairs are empty, as chair-holders are off enjoying numerous other diversions around town.

The Stage - a large barge is anchored between the public marina in front of the Empress Hotel and a small dock. On deck is a complete concert set up under a canvas cover (in case of rain).

Cheerful and relaxed, the 'grand stands' are slowly being constructed by an ever growing audience

Apart from serving as a public picnic ground, the lawns and gardens of the Empress Hotel serve as open air galleries for local artists as well as kid's activity centre with clowns, games and hands-on instrument playing....symphony musicians give children a little practice run.

The drums were a favourite of the younger crowd, however, trumpets and violins were not far behind.

Everybody is on the move....

Statue of young Queen Victoria reigns above the holiday crowd seated on the lawns of BC's Parliament Building.

One's gotta eat! Plenty of mobile kitchens filled blocked-off streets, to feed the multitudes with international and local fare

The floating contingent of the audience is starting to claim a few square feet of water; once the concert starts, one can walk across water, as there will be hundreds of boats, gunnel to gunnel, filling the 'designated parking lot for boats and other floating objects'

In Alix Goolden Hall, a converted church now serving the Victoria Conservatory of Music as a concert venue, the Tango Festival stages one of it's many weekend events. Here are Gabriel (Montreal) and Hinda (Morocco) performing a tango to the sounds of Trio Garufa

Trio Garufa and Joe Powers (harmonica) play tango favourites

Bandoneon Player hailing from Switzerland

Guitar Player hailing from Argentina

Tango orchestra is joined by Emily Carr Strings to play famous tango, milonga and valse melodies.

Milongas (dance venues) happen both indoors and out...

Lost in Tango...

By nightfall, the Main Event starts: Symphony afloat! Well known pieces such as Capriccio Espagnol, William Tell Overture, Radetsky March, Swan Lake and Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' fill the evening air above the harbour. By now, every lawn chair and blanket is filled with appreciative listeners. The Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Vox Humana Choir and the Canadian Scottish Regiment Pipe and Drum Band join to play extraordinary music in a most extraordinary setting.

The noisy bit: Tschaikovsky's 1812 Overture, the one with drum rolls, cannon shots and fireworks! The Crowd went wild!

And now, thousands of people fold their lawn chairs, roll up their blankets and - yes - put their trash into garbage bins to start the exodus back home - after reaching their cars (if out-of-towners) which may have had to be parked miles away from the centre of action.

For a respite after a couple of days of crowds, festivities and almost non stop dancing, one heads out of town to Juan de Fuca Strait and tall West Coast forests.

Beaches are quiet, fanned by cool breezes, pristine under cloudless skies.

In Port Renfrew, a pleasant shore-side drive away from Victoria, sea fog invades the bay.

The view from the patio of Port Renfrew Hotel makes for a perfect luncheon spot.

After city strolls and tango dancing, a sea side seat on a drift wood log offers a perfect spot of R&R

And not a soul in sight...

Vancouver Island's Summer

One resides here, but it feels like being on vacation. Warm, bug free summer days, cooling sea breezes make for pleasant nights, almost non stop festivals, local farmer's market offering REAL food, paradisic gardens in full bloom...and all that in an incomparably stunning setting!
Tango dancing indoors and outdoors, what else could one wish for?

Garden Ornament...three of these have taken up more or less permanent residence in my backyard

Island Mutt with Patriotic Attitude

Traffic Hazards....there are several 'single mothers' taking their off-springs around the neighbourhood, some of them actually take a nap in the middle of busy highways.

Roadside stands - flowers, eggs, vegetables - all are sold under the 'honour system'

Too much dancing and no inclination to capture it on camera. There are several 'milongas' tango dances every week within a 50 mile radius. A couple of them are held in band-shells beach side, or gazebos in a harbour side park, or inside a rowing club with a shore side lawn and view of Saltspring Island. A little bit of Buenos Aires visits Vancouver Island when Argentine teachers hold workshops. One leaves a Milonga in Victoria to watch spectacular fireworks, or takes a ferry to Saltspring Island to dance in a church basement.

On the way to a Milonga....

Tango by the Bay...most popular Milonga on Vancouver Island

Getting into the Mood...

Duncan Saturday Farmer's Market is a foodie's delight. Strict BC liquor laws are slowly giving way to common sense. A few of the many local wineries are now allowed to sell their product on this market, offering if not a glass of wine, but a tiny taste of their nectar.

Mexican Tacos - all home made, all fresh - sold out before Midday!

Local Winery offering tastings - classy, only in real glasses, no plastic shot glasses!

Local carrots and exotic foods

Prepared with a smile like that, it tastes even better!

Meat from Happy Cows - except for their last day of course.

Family run Stone Soup Inn, famous for delicious meals in their river side restaurant, have opened a stand at Duncan Farmer's Market. Their soups are scrumptious, with a freshly baked slice of bread on the side - all prepared with fresh ingredients from their farm and the Island.

Let's not forget our four-legged friends!

Business is brisk!

Hand crafted jewellery...

Even flowers sell out!

Hilary in person, selling his cheeses made from goat and cow milk - all the animals graze on his extensive fields

Duncan - the little town of totems, closes it's streets and opens it's arms to market visitors.

Craig Street Mini Brewery opens up inside a wall of hay bales...

Music is not lacking either...

Shasta Daisies by the hundred in my garden

Blooms galore making bees and hummingbirds happy campers

Deer temptations...

Vacations - one day after another on Vancouver Island