How To Cut Costs On Your Trip To Tahiti and French Polynesia

How to travel to Tahiti and French Polynesia without having to sell a kidney to afford it: Ways to cut costs and maximize your travel budget.

French Polynesia is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. You have probably seen photos of the infamous overwater bungalows of Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahaa, along with crystal clear electric blue hued lagoons. It’s a popular spot for honeymooners, divers, and and adventure-seekers.

Unfortunately, it is also one of the most expensive places in the world. In a way, this is a good thing because it keeps tourism down to a minimum, preventing the islands and culture from being overrun by the obnoxious and polluting “Disneyland” that has overtaken places like Hawaii. Sadly, this means that only a handful of people without well-padded bank accounts get to visit.

If you enjoy a “Robinson Crusoe”, culture-rich tropical vacation, there is a way. It will still be expensive, but it’s do-able. We went for our honeymoon and went into quite a bit of debt, which we were able to pay off eventually. I wouldn’t recommend this, but we were determined and diligent about paying it off, and don’t regret it. We learned a lot of ways to save money on the trip, which helped us tremendously. We also know a bit more now about how to do an even less-expensive and more culturally focused French Polynesia vacation for the future. Our 10 year wedding anniversary, perhaps?

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti
Mountain view in Tahiti’s island interior

Here are our tips for saving money:

1. Go with a Tahiti specializing travel agency.

Travel agencies specializing in Tahiti and French Polynesia book trips in bulk and get bigger discounts for you than if you were to book on your own. We worked with Tahiti Legends, an agency based out of California. All my correspondence was done online via email with an agent. I had already picked out where we wanted to stay from extensive research on Tripadvisor and some guidebooks, so I told her what dates we could go, where we wanted to stay, and she quoted us an itinerary that included everything but airfare including all transportation and tours. I have also read good things about EasyTahiti.com, a Tahiti-based travel agent. Costco Travel also has good deals sometimes.

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti

2. Bring EVERYTHING with you.

Not to be redundant, but Tahiti is ridiculously expensive. A bottle of sunscreen costs $30.00 and a six pack of local Hinano tall beers at the store costs $18.00. Bring all sunscreen you think you may need (don’t be a dumbass, pack a lot and use it), bug spray, toiletries– everything. Don’t plan on buying anything other than meals and souvenirs. If you drink alcohol, you will be shocked and appalled at the $20 cocktail prices at the resorts. Liquor is really expensive in Tahiti and all has to be imported. The saving grace here though is that you can bring your own. Tahitian customs will allow up to two liters of booze (wine or hard liquor) per person. We packed a fifth of tequila, a fifth of vodka, and boxed wine. We actually packed a little more wine than was allowed….they didn’t seem too interested in checking at customs. It was all box wine too, which may show up looking like something else in the airport scanners. Or not. I don’t know. We got away with it.

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti
$8.00 Hinano and a $15.00 rum cocktail at the swim up bar at The Intercontinental Tahiti

 

3. Bring food

Bring crackers, cans of tuna, jerky, nuts, any sealed non-perishable snacks that you could make a picnic with for lunches. Since this is French Polynesia, baguettes and cheese, pates, deli meats and fruit are all available and not too expensive in local grocery stores (still more expensive than the US) and can be added to what you brought for a nice beach picnic lunch. See if you can get your travel agent to work free breakfast into all your lodging, or at least add it in at a discount. The breakfast buffet price posted at the resort in Bora Bora was $40.00 a person–I kid you not. I think our agent worked it in for free because we stayed over 4 nights. That way, you just have to worry about dropping the dough on dinners.

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti
Local convenience store/market on Bora Bora where we bought inexpensive baguettes, French wine, cheese, pate, and fruit

 

4. Find out where the locals eat

Locals often frequent small burger joints and cafes called “snacks” or food trucks called “roulottes.”  We ate at a couple of these close to our resort on Bora Bora, and at the roulottes in Papeete (kind of like a food truck round-up) Have dinner there a couple nights. The food is good and the price is going to be a lot cheaper than the resort and tourist restaurants. Also, try to avoid eating dinner at your resort. Their prices are atrocious and you will get a more cultured experience (and most likely better food) by venturing out into the island.

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti and French Polynesia
Roulottes (food trucks) in Papeete at night
How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti and French Polynesia
Delicious “poisson cru” in downtown Papeete. So much better than the resort versions.

5. Go in the off season

We went in summer, which is winter in the southern hemisphere and the dry season for French Polynesia. The weather is better then and not as hot. However, if you don’t mind heat and some rain, the prices are much better in the northern winter time.

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti and French Polynesia
A little rain ain’t so bad…in the tropics it often rains only for a couple hours at a time.

 

6. Skip the mega resorts

Because it was our honeymoon and I was determined to stay in an overwater bungalow at least a few nights, we didn’t do this. There are small family-run pensions and hotels that cost much less than the resorts. Speaking French helps with the small family pensions though, as many of them don’t speak English. I would love to visit Tahiti again in the future, but have more of a small pension cultural experience next time. We’ve done the overwater bungalow, it was amazing, but we probably won’t drop that kind of money on it again. This was also the trip that we realized that we just really aren’t resort people.

 How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti and French Polynesia
Our overwater bungalow was amazing, but this little beach bungalow at a small pension was one of the highlights of our trip

 

7. If you do stay at resorts, see about discounts for booking with the same resort brand for each island.

Our travel agent got us a bigger discount for staying at Intercontinental resorts on both Tahiti and Bora Bora. On Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora, (the three most popular islands), big name resort companies like Sofitel, Intercontinental, Hilton, St. Regis, etc. have multiple locations. If you book with more than one of their resorts, they will often give you a better rate. Ask your travel agent to see what he or she can do for you.

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti and French Polynesia
Intercontinental Bora Bora
How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti and French Polynesia
Intercontinental Tahiti

 

8. Visit only 2-3 islands, and islands in the same archipelago.

The more islands you visit, the more inter-island airfare tickets you will need to buy. The flights are short, but they aren’t cheap. The three archipelagos of French Polynesia are the Tahitian Archipelago (Society Islands), the Tuamotus, and the Marquesas. If you stay within one of them to island hop, it will be more cost effective than trying to fly between two or three. To visit any of them, you’ll need to fly to Tahiti first, regardless.

The Marquesas are the most remote and have the most well-preserved Polynesian culture, with beautiful mountains but few beaches, the Society Islands include the most popular destinations such as Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahaa, and Tahiti, and the biggest resorts. The Tuamotus are smaller and more remote and include world-class diving locations such as Rangiroa’s Blue Lagoon. Do some research and figure out what is most important to you to see and narrow it down from there. Tahiti and Moorea together would be an inexpensive option as they are so close. Moorea even has a ferry from Papeete. You can find many package deals for Tahiti and Moorea together.

How to cut costs on your trip to Tahiti and French Polynesia
Map of French Polynesia

 

9. You don’t have to tip

What…..? I know. It’s weird. And it feels so wrong. But French Polynesia is a province of France, and tipping isn’t part of the culture. Tax is also included in the prices most of the time. This makes the restaurant and bar prices a little less painful. $8.00 for a beer at the resort bar? Think of it as a $7.00 beer back home with the $1.00 tip. Still expensive, but it makes it a bit more bearable. Restaurant menu prices are what you see is what you get, so you don’t have to worry about all the tax and tip costs at the end.

 

On our next trip to French Polynesia, we’d like to get a bit further away from the resorts and mass tourism and see more of the culture. Rangiroa, Huahine, and the Marquesas are all at the top of our list. We’d also like to spend some more time on Tahiti and in Papeete. For details on our trip, check out our post on our Honeymoon in French Polynesia.

 

 

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Victoria BC, Canada 2014

Our weekend in Victoria BC, Canada: Amazing food, the Butchart Gardens, funky little shops and adorable British charm

I’ve been to Victoria BC a few times in my life. I got my first tattoo in Victoria BC when I was 18, spent a debaucherous night out drinking with a group of friends when I was 19, and a few years later Paddy and I celebrated our one year dating anniversary in Victoria BC back in the summer of 2003.

Eleven years later, we were overdue for another visit. Previously we had traveled to Victoria BC via Washington State Ferry from Friday Harbor, San Juan Island (you can also depart from Anacortes, WA) to Sidney BC, and then took a bus into the city from there.

This time we booked a package deal of hotel and round trip ferry fare on the Victoria Clipper, which departs from Pier 69 in downtown Seattle and arrives in downtown Victoria BC. The price of $500 total was a little expensive for two nights plus ferry fare for two, but the convenience factor couldn’t be beat. We went during Labor Day weekend, which was a busy time. The fares do go down a bit during the winter.

Day 1:

Our ferry to Victoria BC departed at 7:30 AM, and we were told to get there an hour early for check in and boarding. We arrived at 6:30 and got some coffee and breakfast burritos from the Clipper Cafe at the terminal, then checked in.

**Note: To travel to Canada, you need to have a passport or “enhanced drivers license.”

Getting a good seat aboard the Clipper depends on how early you made your reservation, and how early you arrive for boarding. Fortunately, we had booked a couple months ago so we were in the first boarding group. We made it through the check in line to the boarding area as they were boarding the first group, and were able to walk past everyone else, get on board and choose our seats.

Victoria Clipper Ferry downstairs seating
Victoria Clipper Ferry downstairs seating
Victoria Clipper Ferry downstairs seating
Victoria Clipper Ferry downstairs seating

The Clipper ferry isn’t like the Washington State Ferries. It is passenger only, and much more like a large airplane  than a ferry. There isn’t much space to move around out of your seat, and there isn’t a sit-down galley. Some seats have tables, however which are in groups of 4-6 seats. Seats without tables have a seat-back tray table like airplane seats.

Victoria Clipper Ferry
Victoria Clipper Ferry –upstairs seating

There are 8 rows with two seats each towards the front of the vessel on the main cabin level, which is what we went for. Getting a window seat and a seat facing forward was imperative for me with my motion sickness. I took a Dramamine and fortunately the sea was smooth that morning, so I was fine. The Clipper has motion sickness medication for sale for $0.25 each if you need it, but it must be taken before you get going. An hour before boarding is recommended for motion sickness pills to be effective.

The boat was sold out and many people who boarded last got split up from each other in random single seats. To get a good seat, book as far in advance as you can, show up an hour before and get checked in ASAP.

Shortly after the boat set off from Seattle, the ferry attendants went up and down the isles taking food and beverage orders. They have a full bar, and Paddy and I ordered a bloody mary and a screwdriver. This made several people turn around and stare at us. What? We’re on vacation. So what if it’s 8:00 AM.

Victoria Clipper Ferry

**Note: The Clipper Ferry is cashless, and only credit cards and debit cards are accepted as payment.

Hoping to get a good view from the upper outdoor deck, I went up with my camera. Space was very limited and the crates of checked luggage were stacked against the sides, making very little viewing area other than from the rear view of the deck. No great photo opportunities. I think I did see a porpoise from my window seat, however.

Victoria Clipper Ferry

After a 2 hour and 45 minute journey, we arrived at Victoria Harbor and went through customs. We were also first off the boat because we had no checked luggage. People with checked luggage have to wait and exit second.

Customs was pretty easy, and we were able to walk to our hotel from the harbor. We were booked at the Best Western Carlton Plaza, which was inexpensive and in a great location near Chinatown and main shopping areas. The room was small (the bathroom door almost hit the toilet whenever it was opened) but it was clean and had everything we needed.

Victoria BC Best Western Carlton Plaza
Best Western Carlton Plaza
Victoria BC Best Western Carlton Plaza
View from our small window in our room

We unpacked and then headed out to explore and find some lunch. If you’re into comic books, games, collector toys, and other nerdy (albeit awesome) stuff like that, the Best Western Carlton Plaza is right next to two comic book shops, a game shop, a video shop, and a collector toy shop. We poked into Cherry Bomb Toys around the corner on Broad Street. They had a lot of vintage toys, and their selection is always changing with what people bring in to sell.

Cherry Bomb Toys Victoria BC
Cherry Bomb Toys

Some things are worth standing in line for. For lunch we went to Red Fish Blue Fish, a fish taco/fish and chips stand made out of an up-cycled shipping container down by the harbor. When we arrived there was a long line, and we ended up waiting half an hour. The line only kept growing as we stood there and well after we got our food. It was worth it.

Red Fish Blue Fish Victoria BC
Red Fish Blue Fish
Red Fish Blue Fish Victoria BC
Red Fish Blue Fish

The menu was overwhelming–everything looked amazing. We finally decided on sharing two oyster tacones (cone rolled tacos), one spicy jerk fish tacone, one smoked albacore tuna tacone, and a small cup of the chipotle coconut corn fish chowder. They also served great sodas–Paddy got the ginger ale and it was very high quality. Great natural ginger flavor.

The chowder came up right away. It had a subtle coconut flavor from the coconut milk, but didn’t taste like Thai curry on account of the chipotle. There were large chunks of fish, along with corn and other vegetables and spices. It was unique and delicious.

There was a covered area with bar/stool seating in the corner of the dock, and more seats along the edge of the dock. No indoor seating, so bundle up in colder weather.

Coconut chipotle fish chowder Red Fish Blue Fish Victoria BC
Coconut chipotle fish chowder and ginger ale
Red Fish Blue Fish Victoria BC
Oyster, jerk fish, and smoked albacore tacones

The tacones were out of this world. If we were in Victoria BC for a whole week, we would come back here and try something new every day for lunch. It was that good.

Apparently everyone else thinks so too–the line wasn’t getting any shorter when we left.

 

Red Fish Blue Fish Victoria BC
Red Fish Blue Fish line

After lunch we walked back towards Chinatown. One of the best things about Victoria BC is the walkability. You can walk to everything in the downtown area, and there is a lot to see and do (and tons of great restaurants and bars).

Victoria BC has the second oldest Chinatown in North America, dating back to the mid 1800’s (the oldest one is in San Francisco). The main part of Chinatown is on Fisgard Street, as well as the famous and extremely narrow Fan Tan Alley. It is a very small area, but full of funky little shops to poke around in.

Fan Tan Alley Victoria BC
Fan Tan Alley
Fan Tan Alley Victoria BC
Fan Tan Alley
Fan Tan Alley Victoria BC
Fan Tan Alley

My favorite shop in Fan Tan Alley is Heart’s Content–a British punk rock shop that has been there since 1989. A number-one source for Doc Martens of all styles and sizes, as well as other clothing and punk rock accessories and a few random curiosities. I remember shopping here when I was 18. I bought a scarf with moose all over it and a new nose ring. Paddy was eyeing some skull rings, but talked himself out of it due to the high price.

Chinatown Victoria BC
Chinatown
Chinatown Victoria BC
Chinatown

There was a new narrow alley on the map called Dragon Alley, but it was mostly a condo complex with not much going on.

"Dragon Alley" Victoria BC
“Dragon Alley”

After Chinatown, we walked around Johnson Street, another great street for funky little shops.

Victoria BC

Victoria BC

Victoria BC vintage clothing stores

Vintage Funk store Victoria BC
Vintage Funk shop on Johnson Street–lots of curiosities and funky clothing

 

Later that evening, we went for a stroll down to the harbor, trying to figure out where to go for dinner. We had planned on going to Brasserie L ‘Ecole, a little French place in Chinatown that we read about and is extremely popular. They don’t take reservations, and I read that you need to prepare for a long wait. Unfortunately, they were closed for Labor Day weekend. I suppose if you’re that popular, you can afford to go on vacation during one of the busiest holiday weekends of the summer.

It was just as well, as we weren’t really in the mood for waiting in another long line. We walked down Government Street, and Paddy treated himself to a Cuban cigar (since we can’t get those in USA).

Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street Victoria BC
Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street
Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street Victoria BC
Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street
Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street Victoria BC
Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street
Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street Victoria BC
Sidewalk chalk art on Government Street
Cigar store on Government Street Victoria BC
Cigar store on Government Street

The Harbor was busy with tourists and a blues festival that was going on.

Victoria Harbor Victoria BC
Victoria Harbor
The Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria BC
The Fairmont Empress Hotel

Victoria BC

Victoria BC 2014 166

Victoria BC 2014 167
Paddy made a new friend.

While walking back up Government Street, we stumbled upon The Tapa Bar in Trounce Alley between View St and Yates St. We’re big fans of Spanish Tapas so we decided to check it out. It was super busy, which is always a good sign. The only seats available were at the bar or at a little window archway in the bar area. We took the window archway and it was actually pretty cozy.

The Tapa Bar Victoria BC
The Tapa Bar
The Tapa Bar Victoria BC
The Tapa Bar

We ordered a pitcher of white sangria, which was refreshing. We wanted to try everything on the menu, it was too hard to decide.  Fortunately they had a tapa sampler platter for two for $47.50. It included marinated artichokes, four bean salad with salted cod, escabeche (Spanish pickles), smoked chicken breast, chorizo sausage slices, garlic chicken wings, “mussels de cha cha cha”, grilled eggplant with goat cheese, tortellini con salsa rose & a chile relleno.

Victoria BC Victoria BC
White sangria

Victoria BC Victoria BC

White sangria Tapas Bar Victoria BC
White sangria
Tapas Bar Victoria BC
Tapa platter for two

Everything was excellent. The “mussels de cha cha cha” and the smoked chicken were our favorites, along with the chicken wings and the bean salad with salted cod. The only boring item was the tortellini, which we saved for last and didn’t finish because we were too full. It also came with really tasty bread which helped mop up the spicy broth from the mussels.

For dessert we couldn’t pass on the creme brulee trio: coconut, chocolate, and vanilla. It was fantastic and just the right portion for two. The burnt sugar was nice and crisp and the creme was decadently creamy on all three.

Trio of creme brulee Tapas Bar Victoria BC
Trio of creme brulee

Tapas Bar Victoria BC

After dinner we walked down by the water to walk off dinner a bit and so that Paddy could smoke his fancy Cuban cigar.

Victoria BC

We wanted to have some drinks, and ended up at a bar/restaurant called The Mint on Douglas Street for a nightcap. We had intended to stay out late, but the early morning trip and a long (yet fun) day of walking around the city had us pretty beat.

The Mint Victoria BC
The Mint
The Mint Victoria BC
The Mint

The Mint had nice atmosphere, and the friendly bartender told us it was a popular bar with people in the restaurant industry. They serve Mediterranean food, along with local beer, wine, and interesting cocktails. Paddy sampled the local beer and I tried a cardamom mojito. I’m not usually a rum person, so I think I could only drink one of those in a sitting, but it was good.

Cardamom Mojito at The Mint Victoria BC
Cardamom Mojito at The Mint
The Mint Victoria BC
The Mint

When we were leaving a DJ was setting up–his DJ station made out of ovens was the coolest we’d ever seen.

DJ at The Mint Victoria BC
DJ at The Mint

 

Day 2:

On Sunday we got up a bit early to make breakfast at The Jam Cafe before our bus left for The Butchart Gardens. The Jam Cafe is a popular local spot on Herald Street near Chinatown that serves creative and delicious food. Sure enough, there was a line at the door when we got there. We didn’t wait too long though before a spot at the bar opened up, and we took it.

The Jam Cafe Victoria BC
The Jam Cafe
The Jam Cafe Victoria BC
The Jam Cafe
What happened to Ernie? The Jam Cafe Victoria BC
What happened to Ernie?

The menu made for a tough choice, but we decided on the pulled pork pancakes and the fried chicken eggs benedict, and we’d share. A couple of local guys next to us were drinking some damn fine looking caesars, and we decided to go for bloody marys. The bloody marys came with a seasoned salt rim, pickled asparagus, and a strip of candied bacon.

Bacon bloody mary The Jam Cafe Victoria BC

We struck up a conversation with the local guys drinking caesars, talking about their favorite local restaurants and local drinks. They told us that we had to try “The Shaft,” a popular local drink consisting of Bailey’s Irish Cream, vodka, and an espresso shot over ice, meant to be consumed as a shot all at once. They ordered three (I decided a bloody mary was enough alcohol for my morning) and Paddy took the plunge. He said it was delicious.

The Shaft Jam Cafe Victoria BC

Our food arrived. I can honestly say that this restaurant has to be one of the top breakfast spots I’ve ever eaten at in my life. The pulled pork pancakes were unreal. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to us, they could also feed a family of four. We each ate half the benedict (which was outstanding), and barely made it through a third of the pancakes. We hate wasting food, but we didn’t have a fridge in our room to take it to go.

Pulled pork pancakes The Jam Cafe Victoria BC
Pulled pork pancakes with pickled cabbage, jalepeno sour cream, and maple BBQ syrup
Fried chicken eggs benedict The Jam Cafe Victoria BC
Fried chicken eggs benedict with roasted corn salsa

After our giant breakfast we waddled down to the Empress Hotel at the harbor to meet our 11:20 AM tour bus to The Butchart Gardens. We booked a round trip “tour” with CVS Tours which included round trip shuttle bus and entrance to the gardens for $58.00 per person. A little steep, but the options were that or take the city bus, which I read takes an hour or so. The gardens admission is $30.80 per person, and the shuttles leave every hour or so and take 30 minutes to get to the gardens. The ticket is open-ended, so you can take whatever shuttle you want back when you are done with your visit.

CVS Tours kiosk bus stop in front of the Fairmont Empress
CVS Tours kiosk bus stop in front of the Fairmont Empress

I’d visited The Butchart Gardens once when I was 12, but hadn’t been back since. It is the quintessential tourist attraction in Victoria in the summer. If you like gardens, it’s a must-see attraction. Summer is the best time (and the busiest) for obvious reasons, but spring and fall can be nice too. They also do a Christmas light display in December at night.

The Butchart Gardens started out as a limestone quarry back in 1904, owned by Robert and Jennie Butchart. Jennie Butchart began planting flowers and landscaping the quarry to make something beautiful out of the rock pit, and the gardens grew from there.

The Butchart Gardens Victoria BC

Angels Trumpets The Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Row of Angel’s Trumpets at the entrance of The Butchart Gardens
Angels Trumpets The Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Angel’s Trumpets at the entrance of The Butchart Gardens
Angels Trumpets The Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Angel’s Trumpets at the entrance of The Butchart Gardens

Our first stop was the Sunken Garden, which is the garden you will see on all the brochure photos. It is the first garden built by Jennie Butchart out of the rock quarry pit. A descent down some stairs leads you to beautifully landscaped pathways and colorful flower beds. A raised lookout in the middle offers more views, but the best view is from the stairs at the entrance.

The Sunken Garden The Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
The Sunken Garden

Click on any image below to view larger

Ross Fountain Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Ross Fountain

Next we walked by the Bog Garden on our descent up a gradual pathway out of the Sunken Garden. Low and shady, with a fern grotto and cedar bog, and statues covered in moss.

Bog Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Bog Garden

Bog Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC

Bog Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Bog Garden
Bog Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Bog Garden

There were many other stunning flower beds along the paths between the larger gardens, including some enormous dahlias.

Butchart Gardens Victoria BC

Butchart Gardens Victoria BC

Butchart Gardens Victoria BC

Butchart Gardens Victoria BC

Butchart Gardens Victoria BC

We made our way to the Rose Garden, but it was overcrowded with little old ladies completely freaking out over the roses. I like roses, but this was probably my least favorite garden. We squeezed our way around the other tourists and moved on quickly.

Rose Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Rose Garden
Rose Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Rose Garden

My favorite garden was the Japanese Garden. It was the second garden built by Jennie Butchart and has many peaceful little nooks and crannies with ponds, bridges, stone temples, and immaculate plants and shrubs.

The Japanese Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
The Japanese Garden
Japenese Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Japenese Garden
Japanese Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Japanese Garden
Japanese Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Japanese Garden

 

Last, we visited the Star Pond and the Italian Garden.

Star Pond Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Star Pond
Star Pond Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Star Pond
Italian Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Italian Garden
Italian Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Italian Garden
Italian Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Italian Garden
Italian Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Italian Garden
Italian Garden Butchart Gardens Victoria BC
Italian Garden

CVS Tours has buses back to the city about every hour, so we could choose when we wanted to return. Back in the city, we took a rest at the hotel and then went out and did some quick obligatory souvenir shopping for maple products.

I’m a sucker for theme bars, so after shopping we stopped into Big Bad John’s Hillbilly Bar for a beer and free peanuts. The surly old bartender with overalls plunked a plastic bucket of peanuts down and took our drink order. Shells can be thrown on the floor. Burlap sacks on the seats, dim lighting, Christmas lights, graffiti on the walls, and bras hanging from the ceiling. It’s all part of the ambiance. They take cards, but the bartender grunted that he preferred cash. There was an ATM right outside the door in the Strathcona Hotel, so it wasn’t a problem.

Big Bad John's Strathcona Hotel Victoria BC

Big Bad John's Hillbilly Bar Strathcona Hotel Victoria BC
Big Bad John’s Hillbilly Bar
Big Bad John's Hillbilly Bar Strathcona Hotel Victoria BC
Big Bad John’s Hillbilly Bar

For dinner that evening we decided to try out the Japanese Izakaya style restaurant next to the Tapas Bar in Trounce Alley, called SO-YA. Izakaya style is kind of like Japanese tapas–small plates.

So-Ya Izakaya Victoria BC

So-Ya Izakaya Victoria BC

We started with some Sapporo beers, and the seared salmon. The seared salmon was the highlight of the whole meal, with a miso sauce and sauteed onions. It was delicious. Next we tried some of the fried and grilled skewers: grilled prawn, deep fried brie cheese, fried oyster, asparagus, yam, and grilled pork and chicken. They were served with worcesterchire sauce, home made tartar sauce, and a spicy seasoning powder to dip in. They were all excellent. I would never have thought that deep fried brie dipped in worcestershire sauce would be good, but it was. The oyster I had was fried perfectly–very crisp and not too greasy.

Seared salmon So-Ya Izakaya Victoria BC
Seared salmon
Pork, shrimp, and prawn skewers So-Ya Izakaya Victoria BC
Pork, shrimp, and prawn skewers
Asparagus, yam, brie, and oyster skewers So-Ya Izakaya Victoria BC
Asparagus, yam, brie, and oyster skewers

The food we ordered started off fantastic but ended up mediocre by the end. We ordered some kimchi, a spicy tuna roll, salted cucumber, and some pork gyoza. The kimchi was pretty good, the salted cucumber was a little bland and a little salty at the same time. The gyoza were hard and not very flavorful, and the tuna roll was very heavy on the rice and not so heavy on the tuna. Overall, a good meal but I wish we’d ordered more of the delicious seared salmon instead of the tuna roll and gyoza. They did have some tasty-looking ramen soup dishes on the menu as well. I’d go back again to try the ramen and eat more seared salmon and deep fried brie.

They did have one of the coolest bathrooms I’ve ever seen, so extra bonus points for that. Red neon moving bubble wall and a beautiful red bowl sink with cherry blossoms and a bamboo fountain style faucet. Very nice. Paddy said the men’s room wasn’t as exciting, so I guess they just want to impress the ladies.

Spicy tuna roll, salted cucumber, and kimchi So-Ya Izakaya Victoria BC
Spicy tuna roll, salted cucumber, and kimchi
SO-YA bathroom--the coolest bathroom ever Victoria BC
SO-YA bathroom–the coolest bathroom ever

We considered catching a local rock show at The Copper Owl, but decided that we were too tired to commit to an entire four band show with a cover. Next time.

We walked down by the harbor to see the Parliament building all lit up–definitely a must see after dark. It wasn’t quite dark yet, but it was a really nice evening.

Victoria BC

Victoria BC Parliament Building lit up at night

Victoria BC 2014 319

Victoria BC 2014 320

Victoria BC Harbor

Victoria BC The Empress Hotel
The Empress Hotel

Victoria BC Parliament Building

Parliament building Victoria BC
Parliament building
Captain Cook statue Victoria BC
Captain Cook statue

We meandered uptown to Chinatown, wondering if we might find a little hole in the wall bar to duck into. We didn’t find much. Chinatown was pretty at night with all the lit up lanterns on Fisgard Street, but there wasn’t much going on.

Chinatown Victoria BC

Chinatown at night Victoria BC

Chinatown at night Victoria BC

Chinatown at night Victoria BC

Chinatown at night Victoria BC

Chinatown at night Victoria BC

We walked around for awhile, and ended up back at The Mint for a few drinks before calling it a night.

Day 3:

The next morning we packed our backpacks and checked out, and then made our way over to The Blue Fox Cafe for breakfast. Paddy was debating if we should try somewhere new or go back to The Jam Cafe, but we were both glad we tried The Blue Fox.

Blue Fox Cafe Victoria BC

There was a line at the door, but the host was doing a very good job of getting everyone in as fast as possible, all while wearing an adorable bow tie. We waited about 20 minutes, and were finally seated. The atmosphere was cozy, with funky art on the walls and reggae music playing.

The boozy breakfast drink menu was fairly extensive, along with full espresso menu, chai teas and lattes, juices, etc. Paddy got the Irish Angel, which was coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream topped with whipped cream, and I ordered a cappuccino.

Blue Fox Cafe Victoria BC

Blue Fox Cafe Victoria BC

It was hard to decide what to get, but Paddy decided on the Eggs in Hell, and I got the Moroccan Chicken Benedict. Both were outstanding and we were glad we came.

Eggs in Hell Blue Fox Cafe Victoria BC
Eggs in Hell
Moroccan Chicken Benedict Blue Fox Cafe Victoria BC
Moroccan Chicken Benedict

After breakfast we headed back to the harbor and got in line for the Clipper Ferry. Our boat left at 11:20 AM and we were told to get there an hour early. There was already a long line forming when we arrived, and it kept growing and stretching around the parking lot while we waited. We were glad we got there early.

We were in the first boarding group again, and after a long wait going through customs, we were able to board. We chose our same seats. We were so glad we booked early, it was really nice to get priority boarding and our choice of seating. We were also happy that we packed light, as it meant we got to be in the first group off the boat as well.

Victoria Clipper

Victoria Clipper

Victoria BC is one of our favorite cities to visit. We were surprised to find that the food and restaurant culture had really expanded and flourished since we were there last. It feels urban, but is small enough to walk everywhere, and there is much to do and see. My only disappointment was that The Royal London Wax Museum had closed–I loved that place! Maybe it will re-open, word has it that they couldn’t afford their harbor front location anymore and that the wax statues are stored in an “undisclosed refrigerated location.” Someday we’d like to explore more of Vancouver Island as well. There is a lot of beautiful coastline and Northwest wilderness that we have yet to see. Either way, we’ll definitely be going back to Victoria BC.

 

Culinary Adventures: Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes

Culinary Adventures: Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes, a great recipe for our outdoor movie party.

 

We were planning a summer outdoor movie party in our backyard, and I wanted to come up with some appropriate snacks. Food Network Magazine had a pretty genius recipe for “Golden Butter Popcorn Cupcakes in their September 2013 issue, so I thought it would be perfect for the party.

The genius part (in my opinion), was that they simply took a golden butter cake mix, and subbed out the water required for canned corn juice. Easy-peasy and it creates a great buttered corn flavor in a cupcake. I know that sounds weird, but it was really good.

Buttered popcorn cupcakes (2)

The frosting part of the recipe was where I deviated a bit. They called for frosting made from two cups of heavy whipping cream with 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar, beaten into whip cream. I wasn’t so into that, so I made up my own:

7 tbsp butter

2.5 to 3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

Dash of salt

I did follow Food Network’s directions for the popcorn with the frosting, however. I used Pop Secret Home Style popcorn, and mixed it in a bowl with about 4-6 ounces of melted Ghiradelli white chocolate chips.

Buttered popcorn cupcakes (3)

I took a handful of the white chocolate popcorn and crushed it up a bit (make sure you don’t put any un-popped kernals in the frosting), then added it to the frosting mixture

Buttered popcorn cupcakes (4)

I frosted the cupcakes and added the rest of the white chocolate popcorn to the top of each cupcake.

**Note: always make sure that cupcakes are cool before frosting

Buttered popcorn cupcakes (5)

Buttered popcorn cupcakes (6)
Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes

 

I’ve seen some “popcorn cupcakes” on Pinterest where a regular cake mix was used and the popcorn was mini marshmallows painted lightly with yellow food coloring around the edges. While those cupcakes look cute, these are the real deal and the sweet buttery popcorn flavor will trump any mini marshmallows. (Side note: I also think that painting food coloring on mini marshmallows sounds like a lot more work.)

 

Buttered popcorn cupcakes (8)
Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes
Buttered popcorn cupcakes (9)
Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes

So there you have it–super easy and tasty Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes, guaranteed to be a hit at your next movie party. Our party guests kept making a point to come up to me during the party and tell me how good they were. There weren’t any leftover.

 

 

Avoiding Traveler’s Diarrhea

Tips for avoiding traveler’s diarrhea while traveling in foreign countries: What to eat, what to avoid, what to watch out for

It seems that at least once a year I talk to someone who is about to go to Mexico for the first time and is worried about getting “Montezuma’s Revenge.” Getting sick on your vacation is a real bummer, but the good news is that most cases are pretty mild and can be avoided if you take the right precautions.


Traveler’s diarrhea happens to every adventurous traveler at some point. Traveling to foreign countries exposes people to bacteria that they are not used to, which can cause a mild case of the runs to full blown food poisoning. With a little common sense and a few precautions, you can most likely avoid anything really unpleasant. Here are a few tips on how to avoid it as best you can, and what to do if you get it:

1. Stick to bottled water

Only drink the tap water in a country if a reliable source (a very recently published guidebook for example) has explicitly stated that the water is safe to drink. If you’re not sure, don’t drink it.

If you have been told that the water is NOT safe for human consumption, this means don’t even brush your teeth with it. Don’t open your mouth in the shower, don’t allow it into your mouth at all. Keep a bottle of purified water in the bathroom for teeth brushing and bring bottled water with you on excursions.

In some countries, not all bottled water is safe. Be sure that there is an unbroken seal on the bottle of any bottled drink.

avoiding traveler's diarrhea

 

2. Eat only foods that are hot

Anything freshly cooked and served at a hot temperature is going to have less of a chance of having harmful bacteria in it. Hot food cooked to order is always your best bet.

avoiding traveler's diarrhea
We did eat some of these squids, reheated on a charcoal grill, and  they were really good. We rolled the dice on this one– food already cooked and sitting out is not a good idea. We didn’t get sick though.

3. Avoid raw fruits and vegetables unless they have a peel.

In a hot climate, nothing sounds better than a nice cold fresh salad. Unfortunately, many vegetables are washed in tap water that may be contaminated or full of bacteria that you aren’t used to. Hot veggies are the way to go. If you have a kitchen facility where you are staying, you can get around this by washing the vegetables and fruits in iodine or bleach treated water, and then rinsing in purified water. You can use bottled water or boiled water.

avoiding traveler's diarrhea
Market in Thailand

As for fresh fruits–if you can’t peel it, don’t eat it unless you know it’s been properly washed. Bananas for example, are usually a safe bet.

If you are staying at a resort or in a touristy area, the salads are often okay. Resorts and touristy areas don’t want their guests getting sick, so they usually take precautions and disinfect the vegetables properly. We’ve had some salads while traveling in Asia and Central America and they were okay. We knew we were rolling the dice a little though. If you’re really concerned, skip the raw veggies.

avoiding traveler's diarrhea

4. Follow the crowds.

Eat where the locals eat, and eat at places that are busy. Busy vendors go through food fast so their food has a better chance of being freshly cooked. Also, trust the locals. They go to the good places, and you’ll get more of an authentic experience.

Night market in Papeete, Tahiti
Night market in Papeete, Tahiti

5. Street vendors aren’t all bad, just use common sense.

Many guidebooks and websites tell you to avoid street vendors completely. While this may be prudent advice, we don’t think that this is necessarily true. Look at a street vendor’s set up: Do they seem popular? Do they have coolers and food on ice? Is there raw meat sitting out in the sun or is it kept cold before cooking? Are there flies around? Are they cooking food to order? Is already cooked food (such as soup) kept piping hot?

If a street vendor is busy with customers, and is cooking food to order, (and doesn’t have meat sitting out at room temperature), you’re probably going to be okay. A lot of flies are also a bad sign, as flies are attracted to decay. Chef and travel show host Anthony Bourdain has said that he gets sick more often eating hotel food than from eating street food when he travels. When we were in Thailand, it was a burger at an Irish pub that gave Paddy a bad case of the runs, not the street food we tried.

Avoiding street vendors altogether will have you missing out on some of the best local food. Just use common sense and observe how they operate, and (*hopefully*) everything will be fine.

night market chicken satay in Thailand
Paddy eating a chicken satay in Thailand

6. Ice is iffy.

In any country where the water is questionable, so is the ice. Avoid ice in drinks from street vendors, and any crushed ice. Some say to avoid ice altogether, but many countries use purified ice cubes in drinks. The purified ice cubes from the factory are often the tube kind (rounded cubes with a hole in the middle). Touristy areas usually have safe ice in drinks, but it is always good to ask. Learn how to say “purified ice” in the language of the country you are in and ask.

Enjoying a tasty margarita in Mexico
Enjoying a tasty margarita in Mexico

avoiding traveler's diarrhea

7. Avoid ice cream and milk

Milk in many countries is unpasteurized, so avoiding milk and ice cream is advised in the non-western world. That ice cream cone on a hot day in Mexico sounds amazing, but is probably not a good idea.

avoiding traveler's diarrhea

8. Buffets can be a bacterial circus.

Buffets can be iffy. Going right when the buffet opens or when it’s busiest is best to ensure that the food is freshest. Check to make sure that hot dishes are kept hot and cold dishes are on ice. Avoid hollandaise sauce and potato salad.

dessert buffet bora bora

Traveler’s Diarrhea is usually mild. If it’s not that bad and you will be near bathrooms for the day,  try to avoid using Immodium or other anti-diarrheal medicine as your body needs to clear the bad stuff out of your system. Use it if you are going to be traveling or on a tour where a bathroom stop is not always an option.

The most important thing to do if you get traveler’s diarrhea is to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of purified/bottled water and an electrolyte-replenishing drink such as Gatorade.  If the diarrhea lasts longer than 72 hours and is accompanied by vomiting, or symptoms include bloody stool, chills, or acute abdominal pain, see a doctor ASAP.

Visiting your doctor before you travel is always a good idea as well. He or she can make sure you are up to date on any vaccinations you may need, as well as prescribe an antibiotic for treating severe traveler’s diarrhea to have on hand, such as ciprofloxacin.

 

Paddy’s advice: An extra tequila shot with your meal can’t hurt.

avoiding traveler's diarrhea