Let me back up just a little and tell you about an experience I had where we stayed in Victoria.  As most of you know, I am a smoker.  You also know that most hotel rooms are now non smoking.  That leaves a select group to find a place of peace to do our thing.  Well on Sunday night,  our first night in Victoria, I met a man who was out having his cigarette.  Charlie is an Indian Chief of the Namqis tribe from Alert Bay.  He and three others were in Victoria having treaty negotiations with the provincial government.

Charlie and I talked for quite some time.  The Namqis hold potlatch ceremonies and when he mentioned a potlatch to be held on September 28th AND invited me I was overwhelmed.  I had studied about the potlatches in Anthropology and know a little about them and their history.  It is a sad, but interesting story to read what a cruel thing the government did.  There are many summaries on the net.  Anyway, I so wanted to go to Alert Bay to attend, but I am flying out on the 25th and have decided to continue with my original plan knowing full well that I might never again be invited to a potlatch.

Sorry, no photos of Charlie.