Mount Washington from Oak Bay Marina

It was a beautiful sunny day on B.C. Day (August 1) and it was an easy decision to go to Oak Bay Marina with mum for a stroll and picnic lunch.  The air was so clear that we got an extraordinary view of Mount Baker in Washington State. Wikepedia tells us that: "At 10,778 feet (3,285 m), it is the third-highest mountain in Washington State and the sixth-highest in the Cascade Range... not counting a subpeak of Mount Rainier." 

Mt Baker is also a volcano with a very active history in the 19th century but less active history in the 20th century.
It has the greatest volume of snow and ice within the Cascade Range volcanoes (with the exception of Rainier).
Its name was given by local Native Americans and means "White Steep Mountain"
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/cascades/mt_baker.htm

Mount Baker seen from Oak Bay Marina

Yachts in Oak Bay Marina

Victoria Symphony Splash

I went down to Inner Harbour yesterday for the 22nd annual Symphony Slash.  This is a huge event that has 40,000 thousand people sitting or standing around the harbour, on the lawn of the Legislative Building and Empress Hotel, on boats in and around the harbour, and leaning out the windows of the Empress.  "Admission" is by donation as the event is free. 

Each year the concert has a theme and this year the selections were nature-themed to honour B.C. Parks' 100th anniversary.  The selections included old favourites such as Roses From the South by Johann Strauss, Coming Up Roses by Jules Styne and By the Sleepy Lagoon by Eric Coates. But for me, the most beautiful and impressive piece was Winds of Kananaskis by seventeen-year-old Jared Richardson.  He spoke from the barge where the orchastra played and told us that he composed the piece when he was 15 after a vacation to the Alberta Rockies.  Also featured each year is an up and coming artist.  This year it was 11 year-old soloist Alice Haekyo Lee on violin. 

The evening always concludes with a performance of  of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, accompanied by fireworks and cannons which is followed by pipers ending the evening with Amazing Grace.