Celebrating Canada Day in Victoria, B.C

It's 7:30 pm when I step into Victoria, and I have only five hours to explore before the ms Westerdam sails to Seattle. I'd planned to meet a friend at the Empress Hotel at Victoria Harbor and go out for drinks. An affordable shuttle bus typically ferries cruise ship passengers from the dock to major tourist sites like the Empress, but the line for the shuttle bus is about 400 people long. If I stand in line, I'd end up spending the entire evening looking at the back of someone else's head.

Throngs of tourists are walking in a single direction. I figure they must be heading toward town; a pedestrian map confirms my hunch. Memorizing the route to Victoria Harbor '" a zigzag of Dallas Road, Simcoe, Menzies, Belleville '" I set out through suburban Victoria. The snow-capped peaks across the water portray a purple glow in the setting sun.

I quickly ditch the majority of other tourists, probably more than 3,500 passengers from both Holland America and Princess cruise lines, by heading down a side street. Passing cute apartment complexes that all seemed to offer terraces, horse and buggies loaded with American tourists, and drunken teenagers waving Canadian flag bandanas, I make it to Victoria Harbor's central area in about thirty minutes.

Cars are parked bumper to bumper on Menzies St., and thousands of red t-shirt wearing spectators swarm the lawn of the parliament buildings. I wonder why there are so many underage youth stumbling around on the grass. Then, I remember Canada's drinking age is 18, not 21. A bare-chested college-age boy with a Canadian flag wrapped around his neck as a cape spots a group of tourists and shouts, "Spend more money!" I wish I'd worn a red shirt today, but I'm wearing blue. I hope my friend isn't wearing red or I fear I won't be able to pick her out of the crowd.

Mercifully, MaryAnne is wearing a blue Chinese silk top as she's just returned from Shanghai. We're able to pick each other out easily, and we start power walking away from the Empress looking for a cafe or pub. We stop in at Bard & Banker Scottish Pub, a strange choice for a national holiday, but it's the only place we can find with open seats. I'm inspired to order the beer taster platter that features four beers brewed within two miles of the pub.

I'm not much a beer drinker, but I like them all. As it starts getting late and the fireworks crescendo to a finale, I say bye to my friend and start weaving my way against the flow of foot traffic get back to the dock. I wish I had a map so I could take an alternate route, but I stick with Belleville, Menzies, Simcoe, Dallas. As I board the ship at 11:30 pm, the view of fireworks fades into a line of brake lights along the waterfront.

Tips for Visiting Victoria on Canada Day

1. Bring a foldable chair to set up along the lawn for live music or along the waterfront for fireworks.

2. Bring your own refreshments. The lines at convenient stores were ten deep.

3. Give yourself extra time to walk back to the dock if you're on a cruise ship. The crowds make walking slow going.

4. Don't count on taxis or public transport as the central area is transformed into a pedestrian zone.

5. Don't be too ambitious about seeing the sights. Many attractions are closed on this national holiday.

6. Wear red and white so you'll blend in with the locals.

Heather Carreiro sailed to Victoria, B.C. as part of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers third annual Conference at Sea aboard Holland America's ms Westerdam.