Trans Canada

After such an energetic cruise a few restful days was just the ticket. Perth (Ontario) really put on some great weather and we took advantage with a trip to Narrow Lock and the Opinicon Lodge.

This is where we berthed in 2009 (see August 2009 blog). The Lodge has been purchased by a team with some money and is going through a major upgrade. Maybe worth risking the sandwiches next time. They were mouldy in 2009!

The sun continued when Steve and Jilly also called over for a couple of days. Wine in the sunroom was the way to go …..

Unless you were on the jetty. I earned my keep and cooked a couple of legs of lamb. This meat was a first for Matthew (Nichol’s friend) but the way it was wolfed down I suspect will not be the last time.

We had a day trip to Ottawa to see some of the sites (well mainly first grandchild Libby). What a little entertainer who clearly enjoyed being the focal point.

We (well Helen) caught up on the washing and after a relaxing couple of days we restarted our journey West and cadged a lift to Kingston so we could catch the train to Toronto. The city has some interesting buildings including the (ice) hockey hall of fame

And this one in need of fresh blue tack.

As we made our way to the water front we encountered this skate boarder performing for the camera. We must have jinxed this jump as it was anything but landed!!

A more sedate sport is cycling and Helen was quite happy to give this tandem a try especially as there was little chance of falling off here. The speed of the bike was also unlikely to impact the hair style.

Toronto is a bit sport mad and was hosting a major baseball game (the blue jays) and an international ice hockey game (Canada v Europe) and this was a Tuesday night! Crowds were everywhere but well organised and friendly. The blimp was out for the baseball but was dwarfed by the Toronto tower (thanks to a little perspective).

Near the baseball stadium was the original round house with train turntable and stables. It looks like an interesting museum as well as bar but unfortunately it was too late in the evening for us to gain entry.

So we settled on a spot of dinner at Fairmont Royal York Hotel which was near the station. A very pleasant way to while away the evening awaiting our cross Canada train's departure.

The main station was being refurbished but nonetheless makes quite a statement including the fact that the train was going to be some 2 hours late. We boarded a bit after midnight for our 4 nights aboard and slept pretty well probably due to the fatigue level.

We saw quite a few Beaver lodges as we travelled through Ontario and its thousands of lakes.

The train was pulled by two locomotives (one for pulling and the second for electricity generation for the carriages).

When I was at school in Canada as a 6 year old I learnt that the country comprised (East to West):

A thousand miles of forest
Two thousand miles of plain
A thousand miles of mountains
And then the sea again.

The first day we were in the forest and with the approach of Fall (suitably named) the leaves produced an increasingly colourful display.

The train stopped in Winnipeg for 3 hours and the downtown station is right next to the Museum for Human Rights. The sculpture of Ghandi in the foreground was particularly appropriate.

The Esplanade Riel and Museum in the background on a sunny and calm day seemed to call out to have their photograph taken. The bridge crosses the Red river and is adjacent to “The Forks” where the Assiniboine river joins.

East is an area which is centred around the heritage awarded St Boniface cathedral façade.

And its adjoining university. A pleasant and peaceful area in which to study.

The train tour guide promised that the prairies (the two thousand miles of plain) was famous for its sunrises and sunsets. We were not up early enough to witness the former but the latter was true enough.

We saw quite a bit of wildlife including a Moose. However, getting a meaningful picture from a train moving at up to 90mph is a bit of a challenge. This elk was one success amongst a herd of failures.

 On the third day we approached the Rockies

and were able to get off at Jasper for an hour or so. In addition to the four dome cars in our 27 car train two new panorama carriages were added (the one behind the human). Luxury viewing.

Although it was wet when we pulled out of Edmonton by the time we reached the mountains we were once more treated to perfect weather. There was an ever unfolding vista of mountains, forests and lakes.

And then we came across the almost 4000 metre high Mount Robson; clothed in its glaciers.

The afternoon and well into sunset there was just mountain after mountain.

In some cases it was hard to differentiate between mountains and cloud.

Our 18:30 dinner call was just as the sun set so we did not miss too much, however we spent all night sleeping through more mountains – just wonder what we missed.

The train timetable is not one for relying on as we swayed from being 3 hours late to 1 hour early over the four days. The track is in many places a single line and shared with goods train. Waiting for these 200+ carriage monsters to pass can take quite a time, hence any timetable has to be treated as an optimistic guide. Travelling West we did progressively collect an additional four hours sleep which was welcome and did make getting up to see the sunrise on our last day a bit easier.

As we travelled down the Fraser the log rafts got progressively bigger (seemingly adopting a percentage of the rivers width).  

Given the approximation of the timetable VIA rail advise not to book forward travel on the day of arrival so I suspect we were lucky to only be 1.5 hours late when we arrived. Stations have long been seen as Architectural statements and Vancouver was no exception.

We had booked one night at an upmarket hotel at Canadian Place on the waterfront (next to the cruise terminal). In the evening we strolled into the beguiling Gastown area. This 2 Ton steam clock was the first in the world. Steam raises a ball and gravity then enables it to drive the clock. Steam also drives the hooting (and somehow quite haunting) chimes. At times you could see the steam exhausting from the top.

We decided on some Italian at the Spaghetti Factory. The décor with its old tramcar and glass lampshades was too inviting to turn down even if we had to wait half an hour for a table. The bar made that a pleasant experience with its rugby enthusiastic barman and “Melbournians” on the adjoin bar stools.

Waterfront road is colourful and overlooked by the contrasting lights of Vancouver lookout tower.

Our hotel (Pan Pacific) adjoined the colourful cruise terminal.

The view from our room was not too shabby either.

Unfortunately, this brought our holiday to an end and we walked to the nearby Waterfront train station and caught the unmanned train to the airport. The Canada line was a staggeringly cheap way to travel. $1.75 per (senior) head for a half hour ride to the airport. Although this was discounted because it was a Sunday the extent of the subsidy can only leave me thanking the BC (British Columbian) taxpayer!

A memorable trip which left us both considering: A further walk (C2C part 2?), more time in Iceland to see the volcanoes and more travel with Pam and Robin on the Rideau as we have been guaranteed the boat will work.