Ahhh...VICTORIA = "City of the Newly Weds and Nearly Deads" (that's it's rep ) Victoria is actually quite beautiful. I hope the sun is shining for your visit. I lived there from age 12 thru 19. First in town... then about 8 miles out of town. Gorgeous Arbutus trees along the Malahat Drive. Salamanders in summer. I used to catch them, and I was nice. I didn't hurt them, I let them go. (I actually feel bad about ever killing a mosquitos and spiders, I hate them, but avoid hurting them) Soooo...you and everyone else have nothing to fear from me (except when I'm in the throes of chocolate deprivation -grin)

KOOTENAYS is an area... not a place. It's closer to the Alberta and USA borders. Every direction I look is a mountain in my face. Boring, monotonously the same, mountains. Clones of each other. Bumps with trees :-)BC is still Beautiful tho. Driving is really scenic tho. Very. AND...We have bats!!!! Squeaky little black fur balls in the night that dive-bomb from out of nowhere. They're the mose amazing things really.

The Japanese were interned around this area when Pearl Harbor happened. (I still can't believe Canada did that! Canada???? Huh? Oiy) This area also has a lot of old Dukhobor areas. Lots of Russian people... I love the melodic sounds of their accents.

And here's something you-all (everyone) will like hearing ....I heard that lots of old draft dodgers live in an area about an hours drive from here. I can't verify that...but there are many Hippy-ish souls who enjoy their beer and wacky tabacky in that area. Dodging and avoiding are the same pattern. Mood alter that old guilt? I dunno.

I better knock this long-winded thing off and try sleep again.

Nite. C