Rocky Mountaineer Day 2

Today was an early start with a 6:15 pickup. We got to the big mountains today and saw alien type rock forms near Kamloops. People living right on the edge of the river with huge mountains behind them. They seem quite remote or secluded.


The lakes were beautiful and over 500 m deep.

The Rocky Mountains shrouded in clouds loomed above us, still layered with snow

We were wined and dined with gourmet food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The service was indulgent and company was great. We arrived in Calgary at 9:30 and unfortunately will be leaving for Toronto early in the morning so we only get a sneak peak at the cowboy city.

The Rocky Mountaineer Day 1

From Vancouver to Kamloops

The Rocky Mountaineer follows the Fraser and Thompson Rivers along trails carved through the "foothills" of the Rocky Mountains. The journey is slow and surprisingly flat which often is an indicator of the amount of work that went into building the railway track. Our day was filled with being spoilt in the dinning car and spotting wildlife along the edges of the railway line or in the river. We saw a number of eagles, osprey, mountain sheep, a bear (well maybe), a deer and otters in the river.
We were amused by the number of Aussies on the trip from Victoria and the couple who sat next to us were from Gippsland. A teacher and ex-dairy farmer! What are the chances of that? We had great company for the trip and the evening out.

VanDusen Botanical Garden.

Click on the photo to see the rest of VanDusen's Garden

Canada Day 2 - Vancouver
We slept in! Talk about putting some sleep in the bank. We ate breakfast at the hotel and then headed off to try out the public transport system. We caught the train and then walked the rest of the way to the VanDusen Botanical Garden. It would have been quite a short walk if we hadn't got lost. Never mind the mild weather means it is very pleasant for walking and the exercise isn't going to hurt.
VanDusen Gardens were stunning. The Dogwoods lined the entrance in the electric pink flowers. The trees, lakes and plantings were all beautiful.

Day 1: Vancouver

8:00 am - arrived at the Fairmont and had a small spell.
Walked to the waterfront, where the cruise ships are docked.

Walked across town to the Chinese Garden.

In the afternoon we went to the Vancouver Art Gallery just opposite our hotel to the "The Modern Woman: Drawings by Degas, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and Other Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris exhibition"

Dinner at the Hotel Resturant and early to bed. Jetlag is overwhelming.

The streets are full of gardens in pots or hanging baskets. Trees everywhere and the dogwoods are stunning.

Garden Pics in Picture Trail