I finally managed to find some time to sort through the photos I’d taken during the trip. So many … it was hard choosing which ones to put in the album to accompany this blog.
You’ll find a brief description with each photo. Here’s the link
Thanks for reading my blog!
We are almost at the end of our stay in Canada. A final weekend with our son Chris, who has flown up from New York to join us in Vancouver.
Chris, lives and works in New York. His visits to the UK are fairly infrequent and so the opportunity to meet up in Vancouver is a great end to our trip. Unfortunately, his wife Katie, is unable to join us because of work commitments.
Aside from eating (which seems to be a major theme on this trip!), we manage to fit in visits to Stanley Park Including the Aquarium), Granville Island (again!) and China town. The China town area is somewhat of a disappointment, the streets seem full of beggars, the homeless and drug addicts! Police presence was scarce to say the least!
The Granville Island trip gives us the chance to sample some of the local beers at the local micro brewery. Very good, as far as I recall!!
Here’s a few photos from the weekend.
A nice finish to the trip. We are now back in the UK and Chris has flown back to New York.
I will post a link to a selection of photos from the trip when I get time to organise and sort through a 1000+ photos!
We are nearly at the end of our journey and our time on the Rocky Mountaineer. Both the journey and the people we have met along the way have been memorable. An experience we will never forget!
On our outward journey from Vancouver we met Bonnie and Dewey, a couple of Americans. They got off the train at Banff but by chance we bumped into them again a few days later. It was like a meeting of long lost friends!
There were so many other people we met along the way. Most of the Australians we met were from Melbourne – maybe everyone in that city is on holiday? We were really disappointed not to have said our goodbyes to Pam (from Melboune) but the following day we met her whilst walking around Vancouver. A special moment!
Hamish, we will remember who was from Singapore but now lives in Thailand with his wife Leena. We will remember him for his infectious laughter and his constant chatter about food.
There were two Davids aboard our train. One an American attorney, the other a white-capped Brummie who constantly had a quip for every situation in between double Bailey’s drinks.
Lively Judy will be remembered for her singing and limbering up in her seat. We later found out she was a singer and inspirational speaker. Her companion, Elizabeth, was a former diplomat.
Janet was from Victoria, BC and had a fine sense of humour. Janet and Pam became “meal” buddies on our hotel stops.
We met Warren and his wife Rosie (two New Zealanders). They were on a long trip and Warren told me he was really keen to spend time with his wife. Warren was up and about most of the time out of his seat taking photographs and sharing his sense of fun with everyone on the train!
Paul (a farmer) and his wife Renee, from East Riding, kept us amused at meal times with their gentle humour and chatter … a lovely couple. There were also two Canadian cousins from Italian descent. A truly international set of passengers and new friends!
On that last journey into Vancouver, I had my final sighting of another bald eagle perched on a branch overlooking a bay, on the lookout for some unsuspecting fish.
A brilliant end to a brilliant trip!
A final shot of the Rocky Mountaineer …
Just an overnight stay here and probably a place I’d want to come back to.
There are lots of walking trails, and cycling is really popular, with lots of people whizzing along the cycle paths. You need to be on the lookout for bears especially at this time of year. They are just waking up from the winter hibernation and on the prowl for food, whether it be berries or dandelions, which they seem to have a liking for.
The town centre is pedestrianised and has plenty shops to explore. Food shops and cafes are here in good numbers also. We had just enough time after a quick tour of the town centre to walk through to the “Lost Lake” before heading back to our hotel to embark on the last leg of our journey back to Vancouver.
The hotel (above) was located within a short walk of the town centre. The room at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler was superb, the best so far on the trip. Shame it was just a short stay!
Today was an early start, but an early night meant we were both refreshed and raring to go.
Early rain dampened our spirits somewhat and the views early on were not as dramatic as we had experienced on the Vancouver to Banff rail trip. All that changed during lunch when we entered the Fraser River canyon. We saw this vast canyon, with the mighty Fraser River, weaving it’s way through it. The photos really do not do it justice …
The buzz in the carriage was electric and the rear vestibule was well used as travellers took time out to capture the scenery on camera.
The food as usual was up to it’s usual high standard – I promise no more food pictures after these ones!
So tomorrow we have a few hours to explore Whistler before travelling onto Vancouver where we will meet up with our son Christopher before the journey home after the weekend.
Let’s hope we can get some sleep tonight after the excitement of today’s trip!
The Rocky Mountaineer quietly rolled into the town of Quesnel, following the Fraser River for much of the journey from Jasper. Once again we were treated an abundance of food and wine for the trip. Some of the highlights follow …
The stay in Quesnel is just an overnight stop before travelling on to Whistler. A walk around town revealed some interesting little people (fire hydrants), a riverboat building and a dollar seat!
I’m beginning to lose track of time as the days merge into one another. Yesterday(Tuesday) we made our way to the Columbia Icefield which is the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains. The Icefield feeds 8 major glaciers and is approx 125 square miles in size with ice as deep as 1200 feet in places.
Once we arrive at the Glacier Discovery Centre we take an Icefield Explorer onto the ice. Our driver, Patrick, keeps us all well entertained with his Canadian humour on the outward and inward journeys. The path across the ice is clearly defined, any deviation from the path, is risky as there are enormous crevasses potentially below the ice.
Our overnight stop is in Jasper. Just outside the town, elk and a bear are spotted by the side of the road – another of many photo opportunities!
Another early start this morning – it is 5 am as I update this blog entry, but I feel quite awake … for now! Today we are back on our rail journey leaving Jasper and bound for Quesnel.
Today we had a half-day visit to Yoho National Park, taking in some of the highlights, before travelling on to Lake Louise by coach.
Emerald Lake was probably the highlight of the morning and very aptly named. The colour and the stillness of the lake made for some excellent photos with superb reflections of the mountains and vegetation.
There were some other photographic highlights to the morning including another bear sighting and an American robin which we don’t see in the UK.
We arrived at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise early afternoon. A very french sounding name and impressive building. Maybe my primary and secondary schooling of french will stand me in good stead here? On second thoughts, maybe not!
Lake Louise is surrounded by soaring peaks, with the Victoria Glacier and it’s emerald water, it is one of the most stunning sights in the world. Our room, on our one night stay here, will look out onto this stunning lake – I can think of no better sight to wake up to. Well, maybe aside from my dear wife’s face, of course!
Tomorrow we move onto Jasper by coach, stopping en route, to explore the Columbia Icefield.
We are back on the Rocky Mountaineer on Wednesday, so the food pictures will return. You have been warned!
We arrived at our hotel last night – the Fairmont Banff Springs. This luxury hotel was originally built in the 19th century in Scottish Baronial style. Very impressive and ideally located just outside Banff.
Today was spent exploring Banff and the surrounding area. This included a trip to Bow Falls, not far from the hotel. Afterwards it was a trip up Sulphur Mountain on the gondola. The views from the top were outstanding. On the way back to Banff we stopped at Two Jacks Lake – you guessed, named after two men called Jack!
Wildlife seen today include elk (seen on the edge of Banff), a chipmunk, ground squirrel and a bald eagle! I managed to take a photo of the eagle, not brilliant but nevertheless I got him (or her!).
No food pictures today. I thought I’d give you a break from them but don’t worry there’ll be plenty more to come.
An early start today, 5 am – what on earth am I doing up at this unearthly hour! More so, how did Susan manage to stir from her comatose-like sleep!
Day two, and it’s the rail journey from Kamloops to Banff. Our coach serving team are in mischievous mood this morning.
“On our left we are coming up to some award winning cows,” one of the team announces. Passenger faces gape out the window expectantly. What manner of beasts have won such an honour?
“They are outstanding in their own field,” she continues. The penny drops, we have been duped! Groans resound all around the carriage.
We leave Kamloops and the arid scenery gradually becomes greener, with thick mixed forests hugging the mountain scenery, broken up by fast flowing rivers. The train passes through marshland – beaver country, the evidence all too apparent from the number of dams scattered around.
Finally we reach the Rockies and are now in bear country. By the time we reach Banff we manage to see bears on two separate occasions as well as big horn sheep. Once again the food is excellent – I am really going to have to get on my bike when I get back home!
Journey Through The Rockies 