Rocky Mountaineer Canadian Rockies Adventure

 

When the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance to experience the magic of a Rocky Mountaineer vacation.  My journey began in the Artsy city of Calgary where I explored the downtown area by foot.  After noticing the Chinese Cultural Center and various Chinese restaurants, my food selection for lunch was obvious.  The concierge at the International Hotel where I was staying suggested the Silver Dragon where I enjoyed a delicious meal.  From there I walked a few blocks to the city's most famous landmark, the Calgary Tower.  After watching several tourists walk onto the glass viewing floor, 525 feet above the ground, I finally worked up the courage to do it myself.  From there I headed toward the Bow River, passing beautiful and interesting artwork such as one of the newest pieces titled, "Wonderland" by acclaimed Spanish sculptor, Jaume Plensa.  Visit http://www.calgarydowntown.com/imagedir/File/artwalk_web.pdf for a detailed map of Calgary's Art.  I walked across the historic, arched, Center Street Bridge flanked by Lions for a great pic of the city, admiring the cherry tree blossoms in Sien Lok Park and then meandering through Prince's Island Park where I watched two Canada geese escort about 40 goslings for a swim along the Bow River.  I back tracked a bit to take in the lovely, indoor, Devonian Gardens and then wrapped up the day with a nice meal at the International Hotel before retiring to my suite.

 

Day2 of my Rocky Mountaineer Vacation got off to an early start.  I boarded the Brewster Coach along with 14 other RM guests and we made our way to Kananaskis for a summit helicopter tour over the remarkable landscape of the Canadian Rockies.  Our tour continued to Banff where my new Canadian friends chose to eat at Eddie's Burger Bar and talked me into sampling a bison burger and Poutine (french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds).  Both were yummy!  Two hours later we were back on the coach enjoying Bow Falls, Surprise Corner and the Hoodoos, and a breath taking gondola ride to the top of sulphur mountain where it was snowing lightly and a group of 60 something Australians were delighting in throwing snowballs at each other.  We checked into the Banff Caribou Lodge and Spa then headed straight to town to watch the Stanley Cup Finals at the Banff Avenue Brew Pub.  I snuck out a bit early for a delightful solitary soak in the relaxing hot pool spa at the resort.

 

 

Day 3 We enjoyed the scrumptious breakfast buffet at the Banff Caribou Lodge then were back on the coach in route to stunning and peaceful Emerald Lake.  After that, we were off to a place I've dreamed about visiting since the first time I saw the photo of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.  A fairytale castle nestled between the Canadian Rockies and snuggled up next to the pristine lake.  I ventured up the snow packed trail to try to get a photo of the view I'd seen in magazines, but the slippery slope cut my hike short and I returned back down the mountainside with a lovely couple from Sydney Australia who've visited the U.S. and Canada eight times, traversing the continent.  I sat on a bench gazing out at the ice covered lake, the sunshine warming up the air to 80 degrees, as a photographer shot photos of a lovely wedding party.   What a spectacular backdrop for the lucky bride and groom!  We left the resort about 5 hours after our arrival, and I promised myself I'd bring my family here someday.

 

 Day 4.  They don't call the Icefields Parkway, one of the World's most scenic highways, for nothin'!  Just when you think you've got the best photo of the day, another gift of nature dares you say that it's not better than the last.  We stopped for great views and wildlife, and were lucky to see big horn sheep, deer, elk, black bears, a wolf, and a grizzly that grazed on dandelions just along the roadside.  We grabbed lunch at the Columbia Icefield Center then took an Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca Glacier.  Amazing Athabasca Falls was our last stop before checking into the Marmot Lodge in the  charming town of Jasper

 

Day 5.  All aboard! 

Townspeople waved goodbye from the station as we settled into our assigned seats in the double decker domed cars with first class service on the Rocky Mountaineer.  We raised our glasses and toasted to our good fortune to have great weather, spectacular views, and good company to share the ride.  We were offered 3 entre selections in the formal dining room for both breakfast and lunch on our all day journey to Kamloops.  Complementary beverages were included.  We were free to move about the car and visit with the other guests and spend time on the vestibule for fresh air and photo ops while the four hosts entertained us with commentary along the way.  Though the train does not stop for scenery or wildlife, they do slow for things of particular interest.  The driver of the coach gave an informative tour of Kamloops upon our arrival and we had a bit of time to walk around the downtown area before dining at the Nobel Pig and retiring for the night at the Hotel 540.

 

Day 6  The hosts welcomed us back on board the Rocky Mountaineer where we enjoyed another day of luxurious train travel.  We followed the rails along the Fraser River spotting bald eagles and ospreys perched in their nests, and big horn sheep climbing along the rocky cliffs.  Many of us had done a bit of onboard shopping and our orders were delivered to our seats.  Little mementos of our Rocky Mountaineer Vacation.    It was after 5pm when we arrived the bustling city of Vancouver, BC and were greeted by the RM ground crew with friendly smiles and welcoming waves.  Everyone boarded a  bus to their Fairmont hotel (there are 3 in Vancouver), enjoying  narration along the way.   We had the pleasure of staying at the iconic Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, where we enjoyed a delicious dinner at The Roof Restaurant with fantastic views to match.    Some guests would continue on, departing the next morning on a 7 day Alaska Cruise while others would head to the airport for their flights home.  I myself was headed home with a camera card full of fabulous photos and memories to last a lifetime. 

If you haven't seen the Canadian Rockies, A Rocky Mountaineer Vacation is a marvelous way to do it.  It could be a life changing experience!