The Biltmore Estate (Ashville, NC) Day 1

Driving from Atlanta Airport,  (3 1/2 hours but worth it)125,000 acres 178,926 sq. feet of floor space and 43 bathrooms.  only 8 thousand acres remain. The swimming pool was really interesting. They filled it from a pond 4 miles from the estate. It was heated with a big pipe that blew steam into the water. It would take two, or three days to heat it. Then they could only swim for a couple of days because the bacteria would start growing and turn it green very quickly. They didn’t have   pumps to recycle and filter the water, or chemicals to keep it clean and clear. They filled it a few years ago for a party, and when they came into to check the water it was all gone. The pool has a leak, all the water had drained into the lower basement. It will never be filled again.George W. Vanderbilt built his estate in the Smokey Mt. of North Carolina in 1895.Conservatory (WOW)  I had to take a picture of the bougainvillea

Flight to the South

Kim Myers was the flight attendant on our flight from Portland to Seattle.

Victoria Canada

Happy 43rd Anniversary

We love to go to Victoria and it has been about 6 years since we were there.  We didn’t make reservations on the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria so we woke up early to get a place in line. (Yay)There is always beautiful flowers here.We went to the history museum and you have to take a picture at the Parliament building.   We drove to a little town at the north of Victoria called Chemainus.  We heard the town had lots of murals representing the people of Canada and first nation history.  We took a little walking tour to Duncan to see totem poles made by artist from tribes indigenous to the area.  WOW A visit to Vancouver Island is not complete until we went to Butchart Gardens!!The first time ever . . .  We ate in a very nice restaurant in the garden.It was getting evening and there was a concert in the garden.  We had to stay and listen.  I was an musical group from nearby.  It was good music and a beautiful day and night.Back to Victoria and enjoyed the Dragon boat races the next morning.While parking the car on the ferry we saw vintage cars driving on . . . Had to take a picture.