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Stately Ghosts
Vacationing on
Vancouver Island is always a very relaxing and rewarding experience, and for
the last couple of years I have also been able to define it as “work” as my new
paranormal series, based around my main character Detective Carol Ainsworth, is
set on that beautiful island and mostly in Victoria.
Victoria is reportedly
the most haunted city in Canada, which is my main reason for setting these
novels there, but also I suppose because it is close enough for me to do real
research for a change, instead of relying on that good old staple Google. Tagging
along of course is my very helpful wife, whose analytical madness I have become
to rely on.
The Rogers’ Chocolates
store, near the Empress hotel, is one supposedly haunted site so obviously well
worth a visit (and for my wife to enjoy a girl’s best friend too of course!).
The very wonderful and chatty lady that had been working there for the last ten
years had known of ghostly goings-on, an example of which is that one morning all
the boxes of vanilla chocolates from one shelf unit had been knocked onto the
floor. Funny thing, it was only the vanilla chocolates, not the plain or toffee
or nut, which were all still in their place. These were well known to be Leah
Roger’s favorites. A rather colourful street person outside also had a story
for me, in that his friend would walk by with his dog most evenings and the dog
would, on many an occasion, stop and stare at the upper window, growling and
barking at something which he only could see. Of course, this is where the
living quarters for the Rogers were situated!
We spent the first two
nights in the Emily Carr suite at The Pendray Hotel on the inner harbour, which
is supposedly haunted by two male ghosts. This is precisely why we stayed there
but unfortunately they did not think us worth a visit. (I could tell you that
when I awoke at five in the morning and swore I got a vague whiff of oil paint).
After a relaxing three
nights at the Point No Point resort in Sooke (no, no ghosts or ghost stories;
however a pod of Orca did grace us with its presence) we spent our final night
at the Fairmont Empress. I wanted to get a real feel for the place, especially
during the wee hours. Our last evening was spent in the wonderfully appointed
bar, The Q, which overlooks the harbour. A very morose young lady dressed all
in black finished her glass of wine and left her window seat up for grabs.
(Maybe more of this sad figure to come; she did have an effect on me.) Our very
attentive waitress was happy to be quizzed and was very knowledgeable having
worked there for some time. On asking about weird goings-on she did have one
story, in that a customer came down to the bar rather pale looking and after downing
his scotch in one said his wife and daughter had just seen a ghost and were
currently moving rooms.
Whilst waiting for our vehicle
the next morning I asked the valet the same question. His story was more
compelling. He had a man report that his wife’s luggage had been opened when
they got to their room and her clothes had been taken out and “ghost clothing”
(his words so I presume they were old fashioned) had been put in their place.
(This valet had been working there some years too; I guess Victoria is a great
place to work!).
There are reports of
several ghosts in the Empress; some old employees that rather enjoyed their
jobs never seem to leave, even after death, and on occasion wander the halls.
During recent renovations, two workers quit, claiming to see a man hanging from
a noose. It was later discovered that indeed, in the fifties, a man had hanged
himself in that very same suite.
It is also reported
that the man that built the Empress and the parliament buildings, Francis
Rattenbury, frequents his old glories, looking for recognition after dying in
an unmarked grave.
So although we didn’t
actually have any ghostly experiences ourselves, our trip was invaluable for
information gathering, sight-seeing and just generally soaking up the
atmosphere. Perhaps the story of book three in this series will find it is
being told in Victoria too.
Have I ever seen a
ghost, you ask? Well not as such, but I have had what I call a spiritual
encounter that was rather spooky. A friend had hiked into the Stein Valley a
few times and claimed to have some very spirit-based encounters. After taking a
small ferry and parking my vehicle I hiked in a couple of kilometers to a
campsite, passing some petroglyphs on the trail, and pitched a tent at a
campsite near the river, all alone. That night I encountered weird voices
outside the tent and something scratching the tent’s awning. After working up the
courage I turned on my light and took a look around; nothing but the water
flowing past in the Stein River. It happened a couple of times and after I fell
asleep I felt as if I was flowing into the earth, becoming one with it. Very
grounding. I had the sensation that whatever spirits were out there had checked
me out and thought I was okay. Now I knew why the old native shamans would go
into this valley to learn their craft. Although, when you’re alone in the
pitch-black wilderness under only a thin layer of canvas, and something is
scratching at your tent, it’s definitely time for new clean underwear!
Sincerely
Frank Talaber
My webpage
http://twosoulmates.wixsite.com/frankt-author-blog
Frank Talaber’s
Writing Style? He usually responds with: Mix Dan Millman (Way of The Peaceful
Warrior) with Charles De Lint (Moonheart) and throw in a mad scattering of Tom
Robbins (Even Cowgirls Get The Blues).
PS: He’s better looking than Stephen King (Carrie, The Stand, It, The Shining)
and his romantic stuff will have you gasping quicker than Robert James Waller
(Bridges Of Madison County).
Or as is often
said: You don’t have to be mad to be a writer, but it sure helps.
https://www.facebook.com/FrankTalaber/
https://www.facebook.com/franktalaberpublishedauthor/
(My facebook short story page)
http://bwlpublishing.ca/authors/talaber-frank-suspense-urban-fantasy-canada/
T\https://about.me/ftalaber
Twitter: @FrankTalaber
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| The Video of The Joining, my upcoming series |
https://www.facebook.com/FrankTalaber/videos/1503706939697200/
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