Book excerpt: Nothing says "Victoria" like Government Street, the road that runs through the city's historic downtown core. At one end of the street is the earliest Chinatown in Canada, at the other, a view across the strait to the United States. Since the mid-1800s, Government Street has held the key to Victoria's past and in her lively new book Danda Humphreys takes you on a guided tour of this "heritage mile." The history of Victoria may be short--the city marks its 150th anniversary in 2012--but it hasn't been dull. Characters, events, politics, and even the buildings were colourful in the early days. Danda's stories are complemented by archival photos and postcards, and contemporary colour photographs that let you compare historical and present-day views of buildings and features. This stroll along Government Street will reveal the people, places and events that created the city we see today.