Aylmer Express "MoHo" Extravaganza 2006

The entire family has known for some time that we will be spending a day at Butchart Gardens when we get to Victoria. Chantal has been looking forward to visiting there ever since the trip started. She has actually been there before back when she was 18 years old … 5 years or so ago? Anyway, Morgan, André-Paul and I were all mentally prepared for this day so there was no resistance. We had a lazy start to the day, and I was able to negotiate some blogging before we left, so we didn’t actually get going until noon-ish. Also, we promised A-P that we would pop by a piano store to let him tickle the ivories a little. Additionally (like that John?), Chantal had decided that we would not head to Butchart Gardens until later in the afternoon since once a week on Saturday nights they have a supposedly impressive fireworks display. So we ended up having some time to hang in downtown Victoria again. We had a very late lunch at the only licensed floating restaurant in Victoria. Then we did the piano thing at a most interesting store that specializes in piano restoration. A-P ended up playing a Yamaha grand piano which was previously used in a recording studio on the island. He loved it! He said that not only did it feel good and play just the way he wanted it to, but it sounded fabulous too. He was so excited after playing it that I told him “Now I know what to get you for your birthday.” He paused, and then replied, “No, I think I’d still rather have a go-cart.” Ok …
Anyway, then it was off to Butchart Garden where we were also going to meet our friends, Laura and David. After the initial shock of having to pay $51 for the family to look at some plants, things got better. I am not a plant aficionado but I have to admit, I was duly impressed. They have managed to create an stunning display of flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, grass, lillys … you name it and they have managed to cultivate it and blend it into a verdant wonderland. Even A-P said, upon looking out over one particularly grandiose valley of horticulture, “it looks like something out of a movie that was computer generated.” I think that is the equivalent of high praise from a 12-year-old. We linked up with Laura and David part way through just as the crowds we starting their crescendo. Unfortunately with a very active 3-year-old in tow, the fireworks were not an option for our friends so we cruised the Rose Gardens, the Japanese Gardens and the Italian Gardens with them before parting once more with a plan to meet up again in Ucluelet on Tuesday. We then swung down to the preferred area to watch the fireworks. We were able to do this because we had set out our blankets a few hours earlier to save our spots and … amazingly enough, the blankets were still there waiting for us, albeit surrounded by people at this point. I guess the kinds of people who pay fifty bucks to look at plants tend to be a little more respectful than those you find at a rock concert. A nice change of pace. After a short wait we were treated to one of the most impressive fireworks displays I have ever seen. Honestly. It was a 25-minute long combination of traditional, “shoot-em-in-the-air” style fireworks, along with many ground-based pre-configured and moving pyrotechnics. And the whole thing was choreographed to music which filled the viewing area. It was quite a show which far exceed my expectations. You’ve got to love that. And it was enough to elicit a thumbs-up response from the kids when we ask, “How did you like Butchart Gardens?”

Today’s word:

verdant \VUR-dnt\, adjective:
1.Covered with growing plants or grass; green with vegetation.
2. Green.
3. Unripe in knowledge, judgment, or experience; unsophisticated; green.