I apologize for the delay in posting. Unfortunately, I left my computer behind when we left Banff. It is being sent to me and I should have it within the week. I will try to get another post done soon, but pictures will have to wait.
More to come soon.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Yoho!!
We spent Thursday night at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. This is a photo of the hotel that I found online. If I had taken this picture there would still be snow on the mountains and the lake would be frozen, and I didn't get to a spot that would give me this view. The second picture I did take as we were leaving.
Dinner Thursday night was at the Walliser Stube at the hotel. It was fondue and we absolutely loved it. And they had a fantastic spaetzele skillet dish as an appetizer that I will dream about for a long time.
We were picked up at the hotel for the next part of our tour through Yoho National Park. Driving through the Canadian Rockies is so breathtaking I can't say it often enough. I have many, many more pictures, I just can't post them all here.
Yoho is a First Nation (same as our Native American term) word that translates as "Oh Wow!" The name is very fitting as you can see from these pictures of the Natural Bridge area.
We continued our drive to Banff National Park and Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. This place is like a castle! Everywhere we turn there is another sitting area or beautiful lounge. I feel like a queen here. Again, this photo was taken from the internet. I did take the indoor picture, though.
Today we have a free day with no driving or tours. We are just enjoying the hotel and all of the experiences here. It's almost like being on a cruise ship, and just as hard to find your way around.
More tomorrow, if I don't get lost!
Dinner Thursday night was at the Walliser Stube at the hotel. It was fondue and we absolutely loved it. And they had a fantastic spaetzele skillet dish as an appetizer that I will dream about for a long time.
We were picked up at the hotel for the next part of our tour through Yoho National Park. Driving through the Canadian Rockies is so breathtaking I can't say it often enough. I have many, many more pictures, I just can't post them all here.
Yoho is a First Nation (same as our Native American term) word that translates as "Oh Wow!" The name is very fitting as you can see from these pictures of the Natural Bridge area.
We continued our drive to Banff National Park and Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. This place is like a castle! Everywhere we turn there is another sitting area or beautiful lounge. I feel like a queen here. Again, this photo was taken from the internet. I did take the indoor picture, though.
Today we have a free day with no driving or tours. We are just enjoying the hotel and all of the experiences here. It's almost like being on a cruise ship, and just as hard to find your way around.
More tomorrow, if I don't get lost!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
A Bad Case of "Shutter Finger"
I got back on line today and should be online from now on.
Yesterday we had our second day on The Rocky Mountaineer. What a totally wonderful experience. The people were so incredibly nice and helpful we hated to get off of the train. But when we got to Jasper, Alberta we did disembark. We spent the night at the Jasper Park Lodge. There were elk grazing all around the grounds.
Yesterday I had taken so many pictures that I developed a cramp in my finger. Thus, a bad case of "shutter finger." I hope that you;ll agree that it was worth it.
Today we took a private tour of Jasper National Park and the Icefields We drove through the Canadian Rockies which are spectacular! Then we stopped at Athasbasca Falls.
From there we continued on to the Columbia Icefield Centre and a trip up the glacier. We actually got to walk on the glacier and see other glaciers. We rode on an ice explorer, a vehicle made to drive over the ice fields in Antarctica.
Tonight we are at Lake Louise in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. We have been having wonderful gourmet meals and nothing can compare with the scenery that we have surrounding us.
Tomorrow we are on to Banff National Park. More then.
Yesterday we had our second day on The Rocky Mountaineer. What a totally wonderful experience. The people were so incredibly nice and helpful we hated to get off of the train. But when we got to Jasper, Alberta we did disembark. We spent the night at the Jasper Park Lodge. There were elk grazing all around the grounds.
Yesterday I had taken so many pictures that I developed a cramp in my finger. Thus, a bad case of "shutter finger." I hope that you;ll agree that it was worth it.
Today we took a private tour of Jasper National Park and the Icefields We drove through the Canadian Rockies which are spectacular! Then we stopped at Athasbasca Falls.
From there we continued on to the Columbia Icefield Centre and a trip up the glacier. We actually got to walk on the glacier and see other glaciers. We rode on an ice explorer, a vehicle made to drive over the ice fields in Antarctica.
Tonight we are at Lake Louise in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. We have been having wonderful gourmet meals and nothing can compare with the scenery that we have surrounding us.
Tomorrow we are on to Banff National Park. More then.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
In The Company of Royalty
Sorry I didn't post yesterday but I didn't have internet access. Well, not really didn't have access, just didn't want to pay $14 for one day access. Why is it that Holiday Inn Express and almost any coffee house you find will give you free wireless internet access but a $300 per night room charges $14 for the privilege? It's a mystery to me.
Yesterday we drove from Seattle to Vancouver. We checked in to the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. I knew right then this was the pampered vacation I was hoping for. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. I couldn't have asked for more. Late in the afternoon we went to the airport and picked up our friends Jan and Linus. We had a wonderful dinner at Herons Restaurant in the hotel.
This morning we boarded the Rocky Mountaineer train in Vancouver and set off east through the Coastal and Cascade Mountains to Kamloops, British Columbia. What wonderful and helpful people work for this company! There isn't a thing you need that they don't provide or service they don't offer. I cannot pay them enough compliments. When we got to the train station when we entered we were welcomed by all of the staff lined up on either side of us. I felt like the Queen. Little did I know that a few minutes later the Queen and Duchess Kate (impersonators) came in through the same line. The Queen herself gave the All Aboard call.
The railroad trip was very relaxing and the meals were superb. It's very much like taking a cruise on a train, but even better. And the scenery is fantastic!
I have some beautiful photos but don't have time to post them tonight. I will try to get them to you as soon as I can.
We are off for the Canadian Rockies tomorrow. More then, if I have internet access.
Yesterday we drove from Seattle to Vancouver. We checked in to the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. I knew right then this was the pampered vacation I was hoping for. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. I couldn't have asked for more. Late in the afternoon we went to the airport and picked up our friends Jan and Linus. We had a wonderful dinner at Herons Restaurant in the hotel.
This morning we boarded the Rocky Mountaineer train in Vancouver and set off east through the Coastal and Cascade Mountains to Kamloops, British Columbia. What wonderful and helpful people work for this company! There isn't a thing you need that they don't provide or service they don't offer. I cannot pay them enough compliments. When we got to the train station when we entered we were welcomed by all of the staff lined up on either side of us. I felt like the Queen. Little did I know that a few minutes later the Queen and Duchess Kate (impersonators) came in through the same line. The Queen herself gave the All Aboard call.
The railroad trip was very relaxing and the meals were superb. It's very much like taking a cruise on a train, but even better. And the scenery is fantastic!
I have some beautiful photos but don't have time to post them tonight. I will try to get them to you as soon as I can.
We are off for the Canadian Rockies tomorrow. More then, if I have internet access.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Cruisin' Around Seattle
Today was an easy day for us. Since we don't need to be in Vancouver until tomorrow we just bummed around the Seattle area for the day. After driving through the city we headed up north to the San Juan islands and visited Anacortes. We had lunch at Anthony's, a lovely seafood restaurant on the marina.
Then we drove out to Deception Pass. Since it was Sunday there was no place to park to take pictures but I did manage to get out of the car for a minute and catch a few.
Tomorrow we will be in Vancouver. I am hoping to be able to have internet access. If you don't see a post tomorrow please keep checking daily. I will post as soon as I am able.
More then.
Then we drove out to Deception Pass. Since it was Sunday there was no place to park to take pictures but I did manage to get out of the car for a minute and catch a few.
Tomorrow we will be in Vancouver. I am hoping to be able to have internet access. If you don't see a post tomorrow please keep checking daily. I will post as soon as I am able.
More then.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Like Al Roker
This morning we left Missoula, Montana and continued our trip west. We drove up into the mountains again and encountered rain. That sure put a damper on my photography for a while. This is the view from the passenger seat.
We did get a reprieve and enjoyed the mountains with the soft wispy clouds sliding through the evergreens while Toby Keith sang "I Love This Bar" on the radio. Okay, I confess, I like country music. Never could get into rap. Is there a lyric in there somewhere?
Our route took us all the way across Montana and into Idaho. Couer d'Alene is really nice, and I'm sure would have been much more beautiful if the sun had been shining.
We skipped across the panhandle of Idaho right into Washington. Everything here is so green! I finally feel like it's actually Spring. When we left home everything was still brown and dull after the never ending winter. It's so nice to see wildflowers in bloom and the trees budding.
On the last part of our drive today we went through the mountains, part of the Cascade Range, I think. I would have taken more MVP pictures, but I was driving. As good as I am, I can't take pictures and drive.
All of a sudden, I drove around a curve and we found ourselves overlooking Columbia Gorge. Wow! It is really breathtaking. And WINDY!! I got out of the car to take these photos. I was pretty sure that was what Al Roker feels like covering a hurricane. I'm surprised any of the pictures turned out because I was doing everything I could to stay standing. It even smelled pretty. Not sure if it was the wildflowers, or the perfume blown in from some woman standing on the Space Needle. I'll believe it was the flowers.
So, we made it to Seattle, or specifically, Issaquah, just to the east of the city. I really do enjoy this part of the country. Tomorrow is a "day off" for us, we don't need to be in Vancouver until Monday, so I am hoping to do some sightseeing here.
More tomorrow.
We did get a reprieve and enjoyed the mountains with the soft wispy clouds sliding through the evergreens while Toby Keith sang "I Love This Bar" on the radio. Okay, I confess, I like country music. Never could get into rap. Is there a lyric in there somewhere?
Our route took us all the way across Montana and into Idaho. Couer d'Alene is really nice, and I'm sure would have been much more beautiful if the sun had been shining.
We skipped across the panhandle of Idaho right into Washington. Everything here is so green! I finally feel like it's actually Spring. When we left home everything was still brown and dull after the never ending winter. It's so nice to see wildflowers in bloom and the trees budding.
On the last part of our drive today we went through the mountains, part of the Cascade Range, I think. I would have taken more MVP pictures, but I was driving. As good as I am, I can't take pictures and drive.
All of a sudden, I drove around a curve and we found ourselves overlooking Columbia Gorge. Wow! It is really breathtaking. And WINDY!! I got out of the car to take these photos. I was pretty sure that was what Al Roker feels like covering a hurricane. I'm surprised any of the pictures turned out because I was doing everything I could to stay standing. It even smelled pretty. Not sure if it was the wildflowers, or the perfume blown in from some woman standing on the Space Needle. I'll believe it was the flowers.
So, we made it to Seattle, or specifically, Issaquah, just to the east of the city. I really do enjoy this part of the country. Tomorrow is a "day off" for us, we don't need to be in Vancouver until Monday, so I am hoping to do some sightseeing here.
More tomorrow.
Friday, April 19, 2013
No! Not Bad Route Road!
Tonight we are in Missoula, Montana. Yesterday we drove 608 miles and today 612 miles. Our weather was a triple header, sun, rain and snow. But it's getting warmer, up to 60 at one point.
Our drive was much more interesting today. Of course, we narrowly missed a disaster by not taking the exit for the Bad Route Road. At least there was a rest area there. How bad could it be?
Since we stayed true to our plan we went through, or by mountains. The Beartooth Mountains, The Crazy Mountains, The Absaroka Mountains. Here are some pictures. Pretty good for MVP, Huh? That's Moving Vehicle Photography.
More tomorrow.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
On Our Way
Well, we're on our way. We left home at about 7 am in the rain. Our route took us to the Twin Cities where we picked up I-94 and followed it all the way to Dickinson, North Dakota. We went through, or past, St. Cloud, Alexandria, Moorhead, Fargo, and Bismarck. The weather was lousy with mist, rain and snow until we were west of Fargo. From there the clouds started to clear and we had sun the rest of today's drive. There wasn't much to photograph on the interstate except he snowy landscape. Hopefully we'll get into a little more scenic area tomorrow.
More to come.
More to come.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Wash & Where
We're getting out the suitcases and maps, washing clothes and preparing for our next road trip. In about two weeks we'll be heading for the Pacific Northwest. We'll drive to Vancouver, British Columbia and meet our friends Jan and Linus. From there we'll take a train and motorcoach trip through the Canadian Rockies to Calgary, Alberta. Watch for more posts from the road beginning about April 18, 2013.
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