Tea at The Empress - Victoria, B.C.

            "Another cup please!" as the server came by and poured another round of tea for the table. This was a REALLY swanky hotel. The Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Colombia, once a popular hotel for the english royalty, is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city. The Victorian stye building brings in hundreds of thousands of toursist in each year and the most popular thing to do is to sit down for a cup of its home-grown tea. 

            In front of my at the table is a three story little tower filled with scones, finger sanwiches and tasy pasteries. I take a bite of the finger-sandwich and take another sip of the warm tea. I'm sitting with 4 other passengers from the ship. To the right of me are two older ladies who hail from Kentucky. They were sweet old ladies who were very excited abut their cruise.

            The other two are a young couple from Ottawa Canada. The guy who works for an insurance firm, is on his very first cruise. His girlfriend is a long time cruiser as that her parents have also been cruising for decades and would frequently take her along.

            As i am enjoying the conversation at my table I also take notice at the beautiful decorations around me. The giant white colomns and deep red curtains that give the room its intensity. Elaborate crystal chandeliers as well a large fireplace with a portrait of a Victorian gentleman above it. 

            Out the window we have a clear view of the city hall building which has lights surrounding the whole thing: 3,333 lights to be exact! 

            After tea, our tour bus drove us back to the ship but not before giving us some nice views of the city. Victoria still has the royal feel to it as it did back in the 19th century. The Empress Hotel is a great example. I look forward to my return one day so I can live the life of luxury at the Empress Hotel all over again.          -DB