Goats on the Roof

Before we went, I knew that there was a chance that we would see actual goats on the roof, and guessed there would be sod. That’s about the only thing about the place I got right.

I’d visualized a single building by itself in the woods with maybe a little parking out front. I had assumed the road itself would be a sleepy country lane. I imagined the building itself as little more than a cabin, though I knew it held a restaurant. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Goats on the Roof is a place in Vancouver Island that caters to tourists. I wouldn’t call it a tourist trap, though. More like a tourist mall.

The cornerstone is the store by that name. It’s much, much bigger than it looks at first glance. Inside is room for a grocery section, a housewares section, a place with imported goods like enormous fans and chopsticks, art supplies, paper, books, diaries, and a good sized restaurant.

The restaurant looks like the kind of cafe where you slide a tray along and pick what you want, but you really have to beg the attention of the attendants behind the counter and ask for things on the menu. It comes in a fish and chips style basket.

We ordered two squares of quiche and three salads along with soda that we had to take back to get opened. I’d assumed they were twist off caps.

The place was hopping, yet cozy. Our table solid. The food tasty and just a little upscale. I’d go back if it was convenient to do so.

The road in was the same kind of two-lane you see all over Western Canada, with heavy traffic. The parking along the road was a madhouse. Luckily, there was some parking around back, too.

After lunch, we wandered around among the shops. There were hat shops, Boho clothing shops, T-shirt shops, leather goods shops, even an oriental garden supply store. Some of them had boardwalks out front. Some were hidden around behind others. Some had concrete steps and sidewalks. It was quite the mishmash.

As to the roof, it looked a little over grown to me. Maybe they need more goats.