Train Journey 20th August:
After arriving at Toronto about 1500 we collected our baggage and asked directions to the station and off we trotted, the bloke had told us we could even take our baggage trolleys onto the train with us . after a couple of elevators and travelators we finally found the station, only to find out the train just went a circuit around the Airport !!! So back to plan B...a couple of elevators and a travelator we found ourselves outside waiting for a bus.
The bus took it into Union Station in the downtown area of Toronto, we sourced out what we had to do and where we had to go to get on the train at 2300..So we checked our baggage and went off to seek some food. We had hours to kill so Kaff went off and did her thing and I sat in the Irish Pub watching Poker on TV, at least this place had cider on tap, it wasnt the best cider but better than none.
Back at the railway station we were allowed in the business class lounge which was good. The chairs were way more comfortable and they had complimentary fruit and various drinks. So I sat there and recharged all my batteries. The train was delayed getting in so was late taking off. Apparently it has an 8 hour turnaround. Anyway we took off at about 2300 instead of 2200 so we just went straight to bed . We have Berths, which is a bed at night and converts into a chair during the day. At night it have a heavy curtain for privacy. They are about half the price of a cabin and very comfy. You dont use them during the day as we have 3 dome cars we can use and they are much nicer to sit in as they are up higher and you can see the train winding along. You also get to talk to different people and the food in the dining car has just been fantastic. Each meal you get seated with different people so its interesting hearing what people are doing. I will certainly be waddling off in Vancouver. Each carriage has a porter who looks after you, ours is called Ishamel and he is from West Africa and speaks with the most beautiful french accent.
Tomorrow morning we arrive in Winnipeg. The train stops for 4 hours and we are getting off to do a bus tour of the town. Its like the middle of Canada. The middle of nothing.
21 August: Still on the train. We arrived into Winnipeg Manitoba after breakfast and we had a 4 hour stop here so we chose to go on a city tour . I was amazed at how big the place was ! They have 2 big rivers that run through the town and head onto the Hudson Bay in the North. They have a lot of issues with flooding. Interesting things so different from home, like the walkway that runs alongside the river, in winter turns into a Skating track the goes for a couple of Kilometres. We went to their Capitol building which was really beautiful, the chap who designed & constructed it used all these cryptic things throughout and it was only investigated by a university student who queried having Sphynx sculptures on the outside and when delving deeper they discovered it had a lot of other interesting odd things which lead to the conclusion that it was like a Temple or Masonic Lodge. Anyway you can read about it by googling the Winnipeg Capital building. Outside the front of the building they have designed the front gardens to align with the road similar to Canberra but not quite as the road is a bit off kilter.. I would develop a tic if I had to see it everyday, thats for sure . We also went through the sculpture Garden and drove by some amazing houses. We also passed the zoo and saw the Albino Buffalo. The zoo is nearing the completion of a whole new Churchill section which will include some Polar Bears. The bear section will include an aquarium set up which will enable visitors to see the bears from underneath as they swim. Shame we couldnt see that. Seeing the Polar Bears in Churchill is a Bucket list thing.
The city has an underground shopping district and like Calgary they have tubes that connect the building so you can walk through the city without going outdoors as it gets up to C-40o in winter. This winter past started in October and finished in April so they were quite over it by the end. We have a new passenger next to us and she lives 2 hours south of Winnipeg so its been interesting talking with her.
We were back on the train for another great Lunch then it was nap time then back up in the Dome car and next it was dinner. What fantastic food on this trip, I had a Beef rib & Veg and couldnt eat it all there was so much meat . We will certainly roll off the train in Vancouver.
The countryside changed when we left Winnipeg Manitoba and crossed into Sescatchewan and it turned to prairies, lots of grain crops and the railway line has been flat out with goods trains, we have passed so many we have lost count and these trains have like 150 carriages...Massive !
tomorrow morning we will arrive in Edmonton before breakfast if we stay on time. Then lunchtime it will be Jasper. We are picking up 60 extra passengers and crew in Jasper so they are adding carriages in Edmonton to accomodate them and our meal sittings will change from 2 sittings to 3. We are still enjoying meeting the different people. Today at lunch we sat with Anne the new lady and a Phychologist who works for Veteran Affairs in Cleveland. Interesting conversation to sya the least. Didnt sit with him for too long so I couldnt get analysed..lol. Dinner we sat with a couple from Toronto who were photographing Grain Elevator silos..we had a chuckle as we grew up with Mum & Dad running the local one at home . They have some huge ones made from Timber and they are quite impressive. That may well be also why there are so many trains as they are stripping the wheat at the moment.
Anyway Alberta tomorrow, then BC tomorrow night. Nearly there.

August 22nd Friday: Slow day on the train today..So many stops. We made up time overnight which the drivers like to do, as soon as everyone is bedded down off they go, they made up 2 hours getting into Edmonton but then they were held up for over 2 hours. I had a great discussion with a railway man from Edmonton and he explained it all to me...The railwayline is owned by Canadian Pacific, they run the freight across the country. The freight that crosses isnt even for Canada its stuff coming from Europe to China and reversed and across Canada is the quickest route, they call it "The Silk Road". So these huge freight trains are sometimes over 2 Miles long. Most of the ones we have seen and been bothered to count have been between 150 & 200 Carriages and they have priority over the passenger trains as VIA rail who own the passenger trains just rent the line from CP . And that folks is the history of Canada Rail.
Anyway as we stop and start our way across the country we are busy one the train eating magnificent meals, drinking & eating Canapes, drinking tea& coffe & eating biscuitsor muffins or Croissants the food supply is endless. We have met so many different people and had conversations with just about everyone it has been excellent..everyone has a story. Tonight we sat with a lady from Winston Ontario which is a border town to Detroit down on the Great Lakes and also a man who was a travel writer from Vancouver. Conversation was pretty non stop and interesting to say the least. I must say that after this trip I will gladly do distance train travel again.
We got off the train in Jasper for 2 hours as they had to load more carriages on as there were an additional 60 people getting on. So we are travelling with 33 carriages, we started with 27. I tried the internet at the station but it was pretty crap so gave up after a few drop outs.
Tomorrow we hit Vancouver and all this beautiful food will be over and we will be fending for ourselves again..No more Lobster Ravioli, or Confit Duck etc etc etc.... We are supposed to arrive at 1045 but as we were 3 hours behind schedule ex Jasper we are all wondering what our arrival will be. But as night has just come and we are winding out of the Rockies I can feel the train speed pick up and wouldnt be surprised if we made up the lost time . We will see.