July 9, 2013

We were up early to catch the 7:22 train to Vancouver. It is a beautiful sunny day. Our first stop today was Jasper, where we restocked our Canadian KitKat candy bars. (Larry and I both love them and even though we never see each other eat one—suddenly the bag will be mysteriously empty!) The train stopped for just over an hour. We enjoyed a walk-about but I must say Banff has us spoiled for scenery. I’m not sure many places can measure up to Banff for strategically- placed mountains!

The train ride is so enjoyable. Some of the scenery is spectacular, but a lot of it is similar to the forested mountains down east. We saw an elk grazing beside the railway tracks. Larry and I spend our day on the last railcar which has a look-off dome. It’s cool because when the engineers up front see wildlife they radio it back to our car so we can get our cameras ready.

It’s nice that we get to eat our meals with Rebecca and Rachel. We enjoy meeting new people, but a bit less pressure when you get to eat with family!

The train moves more slowly through this part of the country and I actually got a book out of the suitcase for a while. Most of the time we just look out at the passing views and vistas. I had trout for supper. It was my nod to the brook trout of Cape Breton. They are enjoying a stress-free summer without Larry around to terrorize them.