Back to Saltspring

Our cabana and the paddleboat that M likes so much.

I don't think I'll ever tire of going to Saltspring Island, which is why I wanted to finish our vacation here. It's such a lovely place! The Saturday Market, the local farms, the sheep, the spinners, the small town hospitality, St. Mary's Lake, Ruckle, the "hippy" shop I like so much near the Fulford Ferry Terminal, and all those apple trees, are all what makes this place so special. One more thing to add to this list, now that we've experienced it, is the Fall Fair, Saltspring's biggest community event of the year.

The last two nights of our vacation on Saltspring were spent at Lakeside Gardens. We stayed in one of their two cottages last year and loved it. Unfortunately, the cottages were booked by the time I phoned this year to reserve, so we booked a cabana instead. Cabanas, all wired with electrical outlets and equipped with coffeemaker, tea kettle, mini fridge, lighting, fan, and heater, resembled a doll house with a loft bed (complete with bedding) and small, comfortable sitting area that could be converted into sleeping quarters for two. Each cabana was also equipped for cooking and dishwashing on its deck overlooking St. Mary's Lake.

At Fall Fair for some old-fashioned fun--so unlike the PNE!

The highlight of our stay at Saltspring has got to be the Fall Fair. We didn't plan our trip to coincide with the fair, but lucky for us, we had the opportunity to attend THE annual community event, and eat the best pie, talk to spinners while they were spinning, see blue-ribbon squash, watch old farm machines work, and best of all, see D and R have a fun time. D actually forgot about his hand injury while playing with clay, watching the zucchini races (zucchinis "souped up" as racing vehicles), bouncing in the "bouncy castle", participating in a candy toss (hunting for candy tossed into a pile of hay), climbing onto some old tractors, and admiring the prize-winning, super sugar-laden cakes decorated by the preschooler to K group entries.

The boys with some quiet activity time after dinner in the cabana. Can you see that D figured out there were games on the cell phone?

So when D was asked his favourite part of our vacation, he did say, "going home," but I guess six nights is a long time to be away from home for a four-year-old. Besides, vacations are usually meant to elicit a greater appreciation for home.

Below is a ranking by D of our accommodations with #1 being the best.

#1 Cabana #12 at Lakeside Gardens (Saltspring Island)
#2 Tent camping (Site #14) on MacKenzie Beach
#3 Clayoquot Field Station (Room #7)--D remembered that some of the teachers and students there didn't offer him any pie the first evening

We're just happy that tent camping didn't end up being in last spot, as one of the intentions of this trip was to introduce the boys to camping. The only disappointment was not being able to have a campfire to roast marshmallows. Oh well, next time.....

A wee bit of knitting content to come in the next post.