I love Victoria so much, I used it as the setting for my novel, Boom! Listen to Your Heart.
Victoria is an unusual Canadian city, primarily because of its geographic location. It’s actually located in a sub tropical region. I have palm trees growing in my yard! It’s also one of Canada’s oldest cities, rising to prominence during the Klondike Gold Rush.
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| Lining up for licenses to go to the Klondike |
Miners wanting to go to the Klondike had to obtain a license in Victoria.
Tourism is one of Victoria’s main industries, mainly because of its climate, but also its history. It was at one time reputed to be more English than England. It’s also been called the city of “the newly wed and nearly dead" because of the large number of people who retire there.
The iconic Empress Hotel is a recognized symbol of the city, a national historic site. Click on the link to read more about its history.
Nor did I include the famous Parliament Buildings. And having my hero and heroine take a ride in a horse drawn carriage might have been a good idea!
Well known places I did use include the Lieutenant Governor’s mansion and Craigdarroch Castle, both located in Rockland, a well-to-do neighborhood of Victoria. This is the area where I set the MacLure mansion that is the focal point for the suspense part of my story. Samuel MacLure was an architect and you can read more about the homes he designed here.
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| Government House |
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| Craigdarroch Castle |
Other landmarks I used include Russell’s book store, a well known bookseller on Fort Street, and Simply the Best, a small store on Broad Street where you can buy an amazing array of high quality merchandise, including Mont Blanc pens (my heroine purchases one).
I’ve often enjoyed great pizzas at Romeo’s, a mainstay of Victoria’s Italian eateries. I set one of my pivotal scenes there.
And of course you can’t have a story that moves from Victoria to Vancouver without including BC Ferries.
The main thing I like about my city is its size. It’s the capital city of British Columbia, but because it’s located on an island, it hasn’t fallen victim to urban sprawl. Everything is within easy reach, including the bigger cities of Vancouver and Seattle. Traffic jams are rare and short lived. It has a small town feel with a big city’s opportunities for culture and entertainment.
If you’ve never visited, we’d love to welcome you, and if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of visitors who’ve enjoyed our city, come on back.
My hero and heroine, Michael and Jessie would be proud if you experienced their city through the pages of their love story.
7 comments:
What a beautiful place. I love the rich history! Thanks for sharing! I love my own hometown and feel that the connection I have with it makes my stories so much better!
Victoria and Vancouver have long been on my list of places I want to go. I hope to finally make it in 2014! Thanks for sharing, Roxy. Lovely blog post.
Love Victoria and not just my name is the same. It's a great place to visit. Head tea - watched Orcas - just had a fantastic time there.
Thank you, Melissa, Gemma and Victoria for your comments. Our city loves visitors. Let me know if you ever plan to come. I'll gladly be your guide.
Glad you enjoyed your stay, Victoria.
We took an Alaskan cruise that stopped in Victoria. We were late getting there, and only had a few hours to spend. What we did get to see was beautiful...I wish we had more time there!
We saw the city at night, with an overview of city landscape and lights. I'd love to go back!
Lots of cruise ships do come here, Marianne and often those visitors voice the same thing you have. Not enough time. You'll just have to come back.
Thanks for stopping by, Cris. Glad you enjoyed your stay in Victoria. Hope we'll see you again.
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