Seattle, Vancouver Island, Willamette Valley, Portland the long way round

[quokka77]

I can also recommend the San Juan Islands as a great place to spend a few days in summer in Washington State, if you have the time. Casa Rosario and the observation tower nearby were a highlight.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Picked up car at Avis in Victoria - got upgrade to a Jetta, nice car. Long drive to Tofino of just under 5 hrs (some 320km). Boring first half through older industrial towns etc. Stopped off in Chemainus for 'restroom' break, used to be a timber town but when sawmill closed in '82 they painted the town walls with impressive murals to attract tourists. Worked for us. Rest of drive through Douglas Fir country with alpine scenery, lakes and snow fed streams. Lots of roadworks. (Canada has two seasons - winter and construction.)




Tofino nice beachside coastal town with Pacific Rim national park. Wickaninnish Inn (R&C resort) very nice on isolated end of coast.

 

[Cossie]

SWMBO and sister were in Tofino last week, now they are on Salt Spring Island, wish I was there as well, sigh. Very much enjoying your photos.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Today we had a late breakfast, went for beach walk then went into Tofino - a dynamic and bustling fishing port Most exciting was the NEW four way stop signs on the intersections on the main street ( of about 5). Highlight of the drive when one reached one of them. One could stop for something to do. After three circuits, we stopped at the Tofino pharmac_ and general merchandise store so we could get out of car. Fascinating. Returned to Wickaninnish Inn for afternoon nap and glass of wine watching the beach view.


Healthy breakfast at Wickaninnish Inn

Wickaninnish Inn from Chesterman's Beach

Chesterman's Beach and tsunami warning sirens


Chesterman's Beach

 

[TheRealTMA]

Tofino harbour

Delicacy

Wickaninnish Driftwood Cafe squid. Excellent.

Three types of locally cured and smoked Salmon. Excellent.

Small panna cotta to finish

 

[Cossie]

If you have time, on your way back try to get to Ucluelet, another nice little coastal town with a silly name!

Oh and don't forget to have a Nanaimo bar in Nanaimo! I'm not a great desert/sweet eater, but these are seriously good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaimo_bar

 

[TheRealTMA]

Interesting blues creatures a little like bluebottle jellyfish on Chesterman's Beach but dried out now so we didn't quite whether they were fauna or flora, could have been a type of sea lilly. Turned out to be these..

Pictures: Billions of Blue Jellyfish Wash Up on American Beaches

 

[TheRealTMA]

If you have time, on your way back try to get to Ucluelet, another nice little coastal town with a silly name!

Oh yes. After our exciting time in Tofino, tomorrow we are looking forward to Ukee! Couple of apparently nice restaurants for lunch there. Only issue is the 10k of roadworks between here and there.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Did some exploring of fiats and national park and Ucluelet and Tofino. Went to a Wolf in the Fog in Tofino fir dinner. Busy place, nice food. They had celebrity chef from Vancouver but went for traditional menu.


Wolf in the Fog

Loverly charred Humbolt squid

Baked Halibut

 

[TheRealTMA]

Area between Tofino and Ucluelet is largely Pacific Rim National Park with low temperature rainforest and quite nice beaches.

Nice trail walk along coastal rainforest







Single orchid on edge of rainforest

 

[TheRealTMA]

As you enter Ucluelet, there's an upmarket food truck which specialises in OYSTERS!

Called the RavenLady. The day we were there it was staffed by Michael from Geelong. And a good set of tastes he produced indeed.




But what to choose?!

First a set on delicious raw with vinaigrette.

Then the enormous oysters in Panko crumbs. (There's only two oysters in this photo.)

Then some with smoked tomato jelly and pickled watermelon.

All were delicious. Wanted to try the smoked and the 'mains' but there's only so much one can eat at a session.

 

[TheRealTMA]

More Pacific Rim National Park and beaches.



BlackBay resort. View from restaurant.

Ah Canada (everywhere but Quebec, of course) all signs in two languages.

Lest we forget.

Vast amounts of driftwood on shoreline, as on most of Canada and USA NW coasts.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Last day at the Wickaninnish Inn Resort. Great place, great views, excellent accomodation, great staff.


View from kitchen window in our room.

Last supper amusé.

Sous vide egg, mushrooms and brodo.

Prawn Escabesche.

The Pointe restaurant view.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Wickaninnish continues


Cornish Hen.

Scallops. The Pointe restaurant and the Driftwood cafe provided consistently above average and excellent food.

Restaurant views.

Building view.

It has been quite a relaxing time on this part of Victoria Island. Excellent Wickaninnish inn. Now the long drive back to Victoria tomorrow and the clipper back to Seattle, providing weather in the Straits us good.

 

[Cossie]

Don't want to highjack your thread, but next time SWMBO (originally from Vancouver) goes back to visit I'm definitely going with her. Really enjoying your photos, those oysters look devine and the baked halibut, what can I say!

 

[TheRealTMA]

Don't want to highjack your thread, but next time SWMBO (originally from Vancouver) goes back to visit I'm definitely going with her. Really enjoying you photos, those oysters look devive and the baked halibut, what can I say!

Gotta go to visit the RavenLady!

 

[TheRealTMA]

Was a nice easy drive of just over 4.5 hrs back from Tofino to Victoria. Easy driving on Canadian roads. Drivers in Canada (except for tourists in hire cars) tend to drive 10-25 km over the posted limit and are normally courteous and do thong the outside line as we do in Oz ( and they don't drive the the outside lane at 1 km over the limit bocking everyone else!). Quite a lot of RVs but not many snails since these are taken by the Winnebago type who keep pace.Actualy I enjoyed the drive back more than going g over, maybe because the first parts are through alpine forest and upland scenery with lakes etc. We stopped about half way at Goats on the Roof a Coombes. Interesting Coombes Country Market. Lots of salmon things.And old favourites!Lunch on the Veranda at the Fairmont waiting for clipper to Seattle.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Somewhat long drive from Seattle to the Allison Resort in the Willamette Valley. Traffic on Saturday not the best with some delays around Portland. US drivers less polite and left lane joggers at 4mph above speed limit leads to some crazy passing in the right slow lanes. Black Audi A8 hooning in left Kane almost wiped us out when I moved to the right approaching an exit and he wanted to change to left lane. They have an annoying habit of sitting in your blind spot.

Stopped off at the Mt St Helens Visitor Center (sic) which was quite interesting. Almost 40 years to the day (May 18th 1980). Would have liked to go further I landed to the volcano observatory itself but a little too off our track, plus weather was often cloudy with some rain so poor visibility.



Allison resort where we are based for four days is very nice, and 'moderately' priced. Nice rooms and excellent restaurant and lounge bar in country surroundings.


Room view

Lounge bar

Restaurant


Wine flights were attractive after long drive. (For wine pics see Wine Forum.)

 

[TheRealTMA]

Restaurant


'Beets'.

English Pea Soup.

Duck special.

Chocolate Fondant thing.

Chocolate Fondant after MrsTMA.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Restaurant

View attachment 49121
Chocolate Fondant after MrsTMA.

Of course you didn't partake at all .. all green leaf salad for you