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INDULGENCES
Riding The Rails In Style
By Rose Chase
Vancouver – British Columbia
Photography compliments of Rocky Mountaineer
The excitement is palpable as guests
from all over the world gather at
Rocky Mountaineer Station in
Vancouver, BC. A mother and son,
husband and wife, honeymoon
couple and families of all sizes, all
looking forward to a train journey
like no other. The staff gathers
passengers at the entrance for a
traditional “all aboard” call and then
they are off, settling into seats in
the glass-domed coach of GoldLeaf
Service, raising a glass of sparkling
orange juice to toast the journey
ahead.
There is something captivating about
a Rocky Mountaineer train trip with
its air of mystique, aura of luxury
and nod to times past. Although
routes vary, pace slows through such
stunning landscapes as the Fraser
Valley and the Fraser Canyon with
its rushing rapids and imposing
mountain peaks.
Helpful onboard attendants double
as tour guides, regaling travelers with
interesting snippets of folklore and
facts about historic landmarks and
sights en route, all while preparing
the dining room for meals and
serving fresh coffee and tea.
Menus are impressive with a
collection of classic gourmet, à la
carte dishes. They cook delectable
dishes of smoked Pacific salmon,
scrambled eggs, caviar and crème
fraîche in a small galley kitchen. All
is as delicious as if it were served in
a five-star restaurant, complete with
white linens fine china and fresh-cut
flowers. And that is just breakfast,
lunch may be Prime Alberta Beef or
Black Tiger Prawns. Meals are served
in the lower level, well appointed
dining cars.
Returning from a fine dining
experience, climbing the spiral
staircase back to the upper level, it
isn’t unusual to hear rumblings of a
wildlife spotting as people scramble
to get their cameras. “What luck,”
said one happy adventurer. “I
snapped a shot of a black bear
and her two cubs in a clearing,
just yards from the train.” As it
turned out, it was the first of many
wildlife sightings on that particular
trip through the interior of British
Columbia and into the Canadian
Rockies. Bald eagles, mountain
goats, osprey and big horn sheep can
be seen as the train travels through
their backyards as they go about their
day. They’ve got some prime real
estate.
Relaxing in comfortable seats and
enjoying the panoramic views
it’s easy to make small talk with
neighbors and still be awestruck by
the change of scenery entering into
stopover locations like Kamloops, for
instance. The dry, arid dessert-like
conditions are a stark contrast to the
lush farmland and coastal rainforest
passed earlier. An overnight stay in
the quaint town of Kamloops and
then off the next morning, bright
and early for the upcoming scenery
unfolding into the Rockies.
It is hard to describe the climb
into the Rockies. Each hour the
mountains grow taller and more
dramatic, each corner lends itself
to another towering rock wall.
The water changes to a beautiful
turquoise hue caused from glacial
run off as it swirls and crashes
through the plunging gorges. Fellow
passengers keep a keen eye out for
grizzly bear or moose. As the train
pulls into the picturesque mountain
town of Banff, Alberta, it may seem
sad to disembark and leave new
friends behind, but anticipation
builds for another adventure through
the rugged beauty and pristine peaks
of the Rocky Mountains.
JL
Jo Lee Power 2011 49