We waited all day to take tea at the famous Blethering House in Oak Bay, Victoria. I’m a tea maven and one of the things I enjoy the most about the city is the tea houses and a great tea shop on Fort Street where I stock up on Irish Breakfast, Roibos, Green tea and numerous other fine leaves. So I was really happy to finally make it to this tea institution. But I must have been a blithering fool to fall for the myth of the place, as the service ranged from neglectful (30 minutes+ wait for a mostly cold plate order to arrive, and when it did, in bits and pieces) to rude, rolling eyeballs and all, plus the food was mediocre and I can brew a better cup of tea in my kitchen.

What I can recommend however, is the Malahat Inn on the Malahat highway towards north Vancouver Island. It is about the only place to grab a bite for a long stretch, and it is worth a stop in any case. Not just for the savory and satisfying antipasto plate or amazing fresh cut french fries, but for the view.