Whales and Rails!

We enjoyed a much-needed leisurely morning on Thursday – our final day in Vancouver – before heading back to Granville Island for a whale watching excursion. We headed out of False Creek Bay and into the massive body of water toward the Straight of Georgia (funny how I seem to stumble upon anything related to my beloved team!). The smooth, glassiness of the bay waters gave way to swells and white caps the further out we ventured. And not long after, our captain slowed the boat to give us time to watch a group of three humpback whales (two adults and one calf). What a sight! They would skim the surface, then disappear for minutes at a time, diving deep for fish, only to reappear on the surface, sometimes gifting us with the sight of their beautiful tails in the process.

Then, just as we thought that was it, they each began breaching – one after another! This went on for a good 10 minutes, serenaded by the “oohs” and “ahhs” of everyone on board and shutter clicks from the few actual cameras capturing the spectacle.

After everyone got a chance to marvel at the beauty of these water giants in front of us, we made our way toward Howe Sound. Our second visit to this vast body of water included a massive rock island completely covered with sea lions. Some were swimming, others were bickering and barking, while many others were basking lazily in the afternoon sun. And a massive granddaddy of all sea lions stood upright, further emphasizing his girth!

Back at our condo, we packed up and readied for our next adventure! Friday morning came early, as we made our way to the Rocky Mountaineer for our two-day train ride to the Canadian Rockies. Rather than carry my SLR camera on board, I chose to rely on my iPhone on the train knowing that getting great photos would be challenging. It also afforded me the opportunity to simply be in the moment and enjoy the experience.

Karsten, our railcar’s host, greeted us warmly as we boarded the upper deck of our lush and comfortable car for the journey. A little about the Rocky Mountaineer – this beautiful train is well appointed with two classes of service. I highly recommend the “gold class,” as it provides a two-tiered car, with comfortable leather seating (think first class plane seats with better support), fully-glassed dome ceilings for unobstructed views, a separate dining area in the lower deck for meals, and incredible seat-side service of drinks, snacks, and even throw blankets upon request. Those blankets, along with the heated seats, saved me as they keep the train at a very cold temperature. And when I say cold, I mean cold! Word of warning – come dressed in layers and be prepared!

We were all surprised by the diversity of topography we encountered on this first day, traveling from Vancouver to Kamloops, our destination and stop for the night. We first found ourselves passing through the Fraser Valley, where farmlands gave way to dense temperate forest. Towering Douglas firs, red cedars, Ponderosa pines, and western hemlocks lined the tracks and the surrounding landscape. Karsten pointed out the mighty Fraser River running beside us, carving its way through the Coast Mountains.

One of the most impressive moments was crossing the Cisco Bridges near Lytton, one bridge for rail and one for road, spanning high above the river in a breathtaking tangle of steel and canyon walls.

As we continued toward Kamloops and into the Thompson River Valley, the scenery shifted dramatically. Lush green hues were traded for golden browns; sagebrush and dry grasses replaced the tall pines. We were not expecting this arid, desert landscape with its protruding rock formations perched high above us. What a surprise! We also saw several osprey and their nests, as well as numerous bald eagles and big horn sheep along our journey.

By the time we made it to Kamloops, our tummies were full from the fantastic meal service onboard, and we were exhausted from a day’s worth of sightseeing albeit from a train! After a short night’s sleep at the hotel in Kamloops, we were back on the train before 6:30 am and ready for day two.

Soon after leaving Kamloops, we came to learn about Doris. For the past 10 years, Doris stands on the front porch of her house, which directly faces the train tracks, and greets the train with enthusiastic waves and kisses. In fact, she hasn’t missed greeting a single train yet! She recently had hip replacement surgery, but there she was, waiting for us as we passed by!

The second day’s adventure included more incredible, awe-inspiring scenery, complete with bridges, tunnels, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, and even a few snow-capped mountains as we climbed further east and into the Canadian Rockies. We passed through the iconic spiral tunnels in Yoho National Park, an ingenious feat of 20th-century engineering that allows the train to safely gain elevation in tight mountain terrain. We got a great view of Cathedral Mountain, while winding our way through narrow canyons flanked by larch, aspens, and lodgepole pines. The sheer scale of it all made the second day nothing short of cinematic.

A few more words about our train car host, Karsten, whose knowledge of Canada, this route and its many picturesque offerings, was pretty incredible. We are biased, but Karsten was the best of the best. He complemented his factual knowledge with great storytelling and humor, all the while taking such great care of us. If we ventured to the first level to step outside onto the viewing platform in between cars, we would return to a fresh beverage of our choice without even asking. Breathtaking views aside, he made this journey that much more enjoyable.

We said our goodbyes to the incredibly warm and capable Rocky Mountaineer staff, and checked into the lovely Fairmount Chateau Lake Louise – our hotel for the next two days. An early night was in store once again, after two days of early morning starts.

Tomorrow, we explore nearby ice field glaciers!