Rocky Mountaineer to Kamloops

Off to Vancouver on Thursday to catch the Rocky Mountaineer for 8am Friday morning. We will have come along way from the BC ferry food once we got on the train. That’s a French fry on the ferry not a tidbit on the Rocky Mountaineer.

It was quite the experience arriving at at 7am (thank you Linda for driving us) to an impressive new train terminal not far off Vancouver ‘s Main Street (not the classic Vancouver train station).

And the trains are classy! 

We were very lucky that our Gold Leaf car only had half the number of passengers. It was wonderful. We could move around, stand up and see everywhere. 

Next breakfast…starter and main dish.

All tasted very good and looked great.

It took quite a while to get out of the city. We even crossed the Fraser River  to my home town of Mission, on the old railway bridge that was there when I was a kid! 

Trust me, Mission looks better than this,

but trains don’t travel downtown.

The Rocky Mountaineer has a generous hand with beverages // you can drink all day! (Although we  drank more cold water and occasional soft drink.)

And no cost.

Up the Fraser Valley with lots of farming while we followed the Fraser. 

It is beautiful and muddy.

Next Hell’s Gate, the narrowest part of the canyon.

A fish ladder has been built to help the salmon get through.

Time for lunch

Delicious 

The polenta 

The tuna 

And of course dessert

Note the macaroon with the Rocky Mountaineer colours…

A chance for fresh air

After lunch we came to Cisco Crossing where CN trains cross over the CPR tracks which our Mountaineer train uses. An unusual experience to meet trains on both tracks at the same time.

A drier climate as we near Lytton. .

Rainbow Mountain from different minerals in the rock.  You can just make out the “avalanche sheds” the CPR built to keep rocks off its tracks. The railway built 33 in a 5-mile stretch here.

Once we meet the Thompson river, the water is less muddy and great for river rafting. 

These are hoodoos, 

The Rocky Mountaineer staff are excellent at keeping us informed on history, interesting stories and any wild life they see. However getting your camera ready to get a shot is difficult. Can you see the two big horn sheep on this photo? 

They are near that rock in the middle but this photo might be better.

Snacks and drinks are offered  all the way

Finally we arrive in Kamloops. Almost 12

hours after we started in rainy Vancouver. Feels good to arrive at our hotel. Yellow Bunny was waiting to relax.

Rocky Mountaineer

Here is a chance for you to come along with Norman and me to experience the Rocky Mountaineer to Banff with the Gold Leaf Service. 

We leave 8:00 am on Friday from Vancouver heading to Kamloops to spend the night at a hotel there. Saturday we continue on to Banff. Watch for food photos! 

Stay tuned for our adventure. 

Zaanse Schans a Windmill village

Our last day in The Netherlands. We had breakfast again at Bagels and Beans. A Sunrise Sunrise Bagel

And porridge.

With Duncan, Lauraine, Odessa and friends from France (Hugo, Sophie, Philippe, Giacomo?) we had a lovely walk to Zaanse Schans. 

It is a historical neighbourhood with monumental wooden buildings, windmills and craft shops. On the walk you could smell chocolate!! We stopped a chocolate store called “Smells Like Chocolate “

Crossing the bridge to see windmills 

A hot chocolate kind of day! Now into the village 

Real windmills 

Grandma and grandpa and Odessa and windmills! 

Always a park for kids

Then homeward for lunch and a story first

Saying goodbye to everyone and back to hotel.

One last walk about Zaandam. We found a boat going through the locks. Man on the left opening the locks 

This man is lowering a wooden shoe with a rolled paper inside to collect money from the boat.

And the guys pay! 

And the lock is closed once they are through. 

Thanks and off they go. 

Time to pack all those books and chocolate while Yellow Bunny watches.

And Norm waves goodbye

Alkmaar

A day to explore the nearby town of Alkmaar, known for its traditional cheese market on Fridays, we visited on Wednesday but there’s still a lot to see. Caught the train and arrived in Alkmaar by noon. First church is St. Lawrence.

A beautiful sunny day so time to sit near a canal and have lunch. The most apple filled apple pie we’ve had! 

A ham and aged cheese sandwich is eaten with a knife and fork in the Netherlands. 

Some buildings date from the 17th century but Alkmaar was granted city rights in 1254. 

Alkmaar is known for its cheese market that traditionally takes place every Friday. The cheese is weighed at the medieval weigh house seen here. 

Unfortunately we are here on a Wednesday. We walked up and down narrow streets filled with a variety of businesses. 

An old fashioned bridge with the Cheese Market behind

Time for real Dutch fries with mayonnaise. Made from real potatoes 

Yummy 
Thought Norm should try these….

Again looking up always finds interesting architecture 

Time to buy cheese in Alkmaar, known for its cheese! 

Tonight we decided to go to Albert Hijn to make our own dinner. One thing I found that there are rows of candy and chocolate but a very small section of cereal compared to what you find back home. 

Can you see Yellow Bunny wondering what would be her favourite? 

Thursday is our last day in Holland. Had a wonderful time catching up with Lauraine, Duncan and Odessa. And the  sightseeing and the numerous kms walking, most of them in Amsterdam, a perfect city for walking.