OH, CANADA

DAY 1
There are only two things that would get me out of bed on purpose at 2:00 a.m.—a baby feeding, or a 4:00 a.m. limousine pick-up for a flight to Canada.  Since my baby is now fifty-seven years old, it was obviously a ride to the airport.  In the good old days of youth, I could have been up, and about, in forty-five minutes,  but not so much as an old folk.

Not having traveled to a foreign country for a long time (Yes, you need a passport to enter Canada, and Yes, their money is prettier than ours) I was delighted to experience facial recognition technology at my Tucson Airport.  Of course, I had to lower my black mask, so I wouldn’t look like a bank robber.  The flight to Salt Lake City was uneventful, and my final flight to Vancouver left on time. When my taxi arrived at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, my son, Josh and daughter-in-law, Barbara were waiting for me, and happily I didn’t have to tip them for handling my luggage.

Day 2
The next day we took a Motor Coach tour of the city.  Vancouver is a beautiful cosmopolitan city with a sophisticated population—35% Chinese—25% Indian, and the food is gourmet all the way.

Day 3
On the third day we had a Motor Coach transfer to the Rocky Mountaineer Train, and began our journey in the “Gold Leaf Section” of the glass domed luxurious train. Settling into my seat was  fun, because I could push lots of buttons including a lower back lumbar adjustment, a foot elevator and, best of all, a heated seat. There was plenty of room under the seat in front of me for my oversized handbag, but, of course, there was no overhead storage since the roof and sides are all glass. Not spending overnight on the train, our luggage was taken to our next destination, and placed in the hotel room before we arrived. Since we were in “Gold Coach” our dining room was just a few steps down, and we were treated to a gourmet breakfast and lunch featuring local ingredients and Canadian wines.

We experienced compelling story telling from the hosts aboard the train, as we viewed the beautiful Canadian Rockies. We passed over rushing rivers, glided through mountain tunnels, and traveled along coastal forests, and the awe-inspiring sky-high mountains.  Photos really can’t do the stunning scenery justice.

Day 4
Arriving late in the day, we settled in for an overnight stop in Kamloops—a popular filming location for hits like; The X-Files and Battlestar Galactica. Kamloops is a rugged place with desert-like environment including Sandstone Canyons, grasslands and Ponderosa Pine.
We woke up early in the morning, and were picked up to once again board the train on our way to Lake Louise.

Days 5 and 6
As I got to my room at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, I opened the curtains and was presented with a stunning view of the  Turquoise waters of Lake Louise, which was surrounded by jagged mountain peaks, miles of wilderness and immense glaciers. The lake comes from the melt waters of glaciers, and “rock flour” (glacial flour)  comprised of finely ground rock particles reflecting  light giving the water it’s unique color. After a hearty breakfast, Josh, Barbara and I took a hike along the lake. Along the way was saw some “Beware the Bears” signs, but all we saw were birds and frisky chipmunks.  Josh and Barbara finished the long trail hike.  I finished the hike in the gift shops of the hotel.

    Esther Blumenfeld        

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