Victoria Offers Opportunity for New Adventures in Watercolor

Day 2, 2024 Majestic Japan

Monday, Sept. 1, 2024; Victoria, BC, Canada

What a rare treat – a full day in Victoria on a cruise! Typically, ships call here for just a couple of hours in order to satisfy the peculiarities of U.S. maritime law. We docked at 7 a.m. and stayed till 9 p.m. Shame on me for not taking full advantage of this extended port call. I’m blaming it on a lack of better planning (and perhaps the fact that I have been here before and visited popular spots like Butchart Gardens).

I did have a most-enjoyable few hours ashore. Instead of walking the mile and half to the inner harbor, I bought a US$15 (CAN$20) all-day ticket on the shuttle bus that dropped us in front of the famous Empress Hotel. Soon after arriving I shed my jacket. The mostly sunny day with temperatures in the 60s was too warm for it.

People were everywhere at the waterfront – shopping for local goods at booths, eating at food carts and on restaurant patios and generally enjoying the day.

My main goal was to return to the ship with a completed watercolor. I’m trying a new painting practice on this cruise. In the past, I’ve carried my sketchbook, pencil and ink pen, sometimes returning with a rough sketch to later finish on board the ship. There’s never enough time, so on my most recent cruises, I’ve come home with sketchbooks half finished.

On this cruise I’m “channeling” Steve Broin, whom I met on the world cruise earlier this year. He is an accomplished artist who painted a watercolor en plein air in most ports. I admire not only his port objectives (“find a place to sit, ideally in the shade, where someone might bring you a drink and with a restroom nearby”), but also his ability to capture the essence of a scene without simply recreating it.

Today I found a good vantage point that didn’t meet all of Steve’s criteria but worked for me. Skipping the ink pen, I jumped right into the paint and made a rough representation of The Empress hotel.

I was a bit disappointed that the iconic structure has lost its characteristic ivy.

Of course I am critical of my finished painting, but remind myself that it’s just a beginning and by the end of this cruise I hope to see some improvement.

I couldn’t find the Maritime Museum (inaccurate map and sign), so returned back to the ship for lunch. Of course, on the shuttle ride back we passed right by the museum, but as it closed at 4:30 p.m., I didn’t have time to return. Next trip.

It’s wonderful to be back on a ship, especially a familiar Holland America Vista class ship. I left the Westerdam just eight weeks ago and so know many of the crew from that voyage. I think the appeal of long-term cruising is as much for the family of crew and passengers as for the diverse ports. This cruise seems to be very popular among Holland America’s world voyage and longer cruise passengers, so I socialized instead of unpacking yesterday. One friend pulled me into a fun group of eight for dinner last night.

All four (!) of my suitcases showed up. I shipped one large bag, which Luggage Forward will deliver to each of my subsequent cruises so I won’t have to schlep it through airports. Two of the bags are carry-on size, so perhaps my packing wasn’t as extreme as I thought. It’s nice to travel light, but once I realized they don’t give awards for that, I pretty much gave up and think I’ve found a happy medium. Clothes seem the be the least of the matter – it’s the art supplies, the electronics and camera, the organizational items such as a shoe bag for toiletries on the bathroom door, first-aid bag of over-the-counter remedies and bulky costume jewelry.

For my convenience I bring my own blow dryer and lighted makeup mirror. Holland America supplies those, and were I on a shorter cruise they would suffice, but I do like mine. The one indulgence that got a shocked expression from a friend is my coat hangers. The ship has nice wooden hangers – too bulky and cumbersome for me. I packed most of my hanging clothes right on my flocked hangers.