We made several trips to the Cowichan Valley, about an hour north of our condo. At the Lavenderfest we spoke with one of the vendors who raises mini-llamas on a farm near Cobble Hill. We learned that she gives tours during the week so we visited her farm to see the animals and her fabric products. Mini-llamas are just what you would expect – small versions of llamas. They are not used as pack animals like their bigger cousins but their soft wool makes them valuable. After the visit we had lunch overlooking the water at Mill Bay. Then, just for fun, we took the small ferry from Mill Bay to Brentwood Bay, about a 30 minute ride. Vancouver Island has an extensive network of small ferries to get people and vehicles around the waterways.
On another trip to the Cowichan Valley we went to the town of Duncan and took a look at their farmers market. Then we spent some time walking around and seeing some of the many totems in town. First Nations people have had totems on Vancouver Island for centuries but by the middle of the 20th century many were in disrepair. In 1985 the town of Duncan began a project to restore and display many of the totems. The Totems Tour now consists of over 40 totems displayed outdoors, mostly in the downtown area.
