Saturday, May 3, 2014

Gone Overseas, But Not Overboard

 
I travelled to Victoria and stayed a few days with some family. The next few posts will show random photos of my adventures as a tourist. Above is a photo taken with permission in one of the many decadent chocolate shops in downtown Victoria, of course, within walking distance of the cruise ship terminal.

 
Most of the old downtown area is old and built of brick or stone.

 
The day we walked the streets of Victoria the sun was warm and the sky blue.

 
At Fisherman's Wharf where one could purchase Mexican Seafood.

 
This prim and innocent looking young lady was selling chocolate Moose and Elk droppings.

 
The flower beds were magnificent, but it was a bit disappointing that the iconic hanging flower baskets were not yet in place.

 
Tourists expect Totem Poles when they come to Canada, so here we find one of many.

 
This is one of the finest Visitor Centers you will find anywhere, right in front of the Inner Harbour, the Empress Hotel, and the Provincial Legislature. This is one of the most famous spots in all of Canada, and certainly in BC.

6 comments:

Chris said...

'Tourists expect totem poles when they come to Canada, so…' implies that the totem poles are there because tourists expect them. But the fact is that the carvers were here before us and the totem is a symbol of that. As well, they each tell a story that our caucasian eyes can't read. I know that you know that but it sounded like you didn't. So I was just saying…. Your Victoria photos are beautiful! Thanks for posting them.

Terry said...

That particular Totem Pole is there because of the tourists. I did not check but is there an interpretation on it, under it, beside it?

Chris said...

Of course they put a totem pole there for aesthetics but be assured that a native person carved it and that it does say something. Just the form of your previous sentence implies that all totem poles are there because tourists expect them to be. Totem carving is an expression of culture through art. As long as the Haida and other native groups inhabit the coast there will be totems being carved, but not because tourists expect it. It is just an outcome that is lucrative. :-)

Terry said...

Ah, you have made my point. Lucrative as a draw for tourism, and lucrative for Native artists. Although it is a rich tradition and full of subtle meaning, we now have the written word used in communicating. Totems are expected so they are there. It is win-win.

Chris said...

Ha ha brother, you still don't get my point… So, if people came to Mennoniteville to see the wereniki, yes it would be expected by tourists to see the wereniki when they go there. But if the tourists did not go there would Mennoniteville still have wereniki? Yes! They would. So the wereniki are not there because they are expected. They are there because it is a way of life and people want to see it and buy them and the Mennonites decided to create some income from a thing they do anyways. If the tourists stopped coming, there would still be wereniki in Mennoniteville. So Wereniki and Totem Poles are comparable. :-)

Terry said...

So, you are saying that the totem poles would be made even if they did not attract tourists and there was money to be made as them being saleable art items. Perhaps by a few dedicated traditionalists. I mean, how many Menno mamas make wereniki these days?