We had a fine night on the train and woke up before 7 as we rolled through beautiful British Columbia. We were served sparkling champagne in the panorama car soon after the train started last night. Our room was made up for sleeping with minimal fuss or disruption too. We woke up in the middle of the night to dark skies full of stars and a sliver of a moon low on the eastern horizon. We would never seen this normally due to all the light around us. A very special treat!
Via rail has some differences from Amtrak and seems to be higher quality at least on this major route. The beds are wider and top bunk has more head room. We weren't expecting a bathroom but have one. Our luggage fits but rearranging things allowed us to have the bigger bags checked in route. Breakfast was tasty and fresh and the first of many meals that we would be scheduled for. Laurie enjoyed a felt craft workshop where she made a flower. I did some catching up on notes and sightseeing. We can roam this 20 car train too. We didn't see many signs of fall color but there is some yellow in the lowlands. We meet different people with each meal and have learned more about DC, Montreal, and other locations while dining. Waterfalls, glaciers, tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, bears, mountain goats, the continental divide and much more were all seen today.
We were full throughout the day but wouldn't think of missing a meal. We did enjoy time in Jasper where I got in a couple of miles walking and collected some local information and color. Jasper is a town within a national park and I saw lots of sign of bear management and elk visits to town.
We are trying to reconstruct when we were last here which seems to have involved a bike and train trip more than 35 years ago. There are some gaps in our details remembered. Hopefully more of that story will come back and I can write it up. The time is changing each day as we head east and that seems to pack the meals in closer. Dinner was early and I enjoyed a mix up my grilled duck for the rack of lamb ordered by another person at our table. No harm done there and we saw three white mountain goats while eating.
We also saw some vast areas of Alberta torn up as we passed through while dining. Lots to think about as these vast areas of Canada are exposed to energy development pressures. There was s lot of discussion about climate change, train travel, and exotic locations as we rolled along today. Quite a bit of discussion also on the Scottish separation vote but not a lot of insight from those of us here. We stayed in the panorama car til past sunset and were up late in our car reading. The long night of travel would take us out of the Rockies and into the prairie.
We are starting to get the hang of being offline while on this train. I think a term is needed for those of us addicted to online communication like the "fresh air" break that smokers take when the train stops. I did find some free wireless in Jasper but at least spent more time walking than reading tweets or emails.
Tomorrow we will be in the vast plains or pothole country that makes up the middle of this huge northern country.
Pyramid Falls
Laurie's first felt flower
Lots to see at all times
Getting ready to re-board in Jasper
Part of Jasper National Park
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