My Day Off - Part 1 (The Train)

Saturday, July 19th

Last Monday was one of the most spectacular days off I've enjoyed since joining the tour 16 months ago. (Right up there with the whale watching day in Seattle.) I've composed the following photo essay in celebration.

I met the boys at 7:30 to catch the bus.





We were on our way to meet the Whistler Mountaineer. The Whistler Mountaineer is a sight-seeing train that runs over the Canadian National Railway tracks between North Vancouver and the village of Whistler.

We were seated in the "Glacier Dome" car with lots and lots of windows to enjoy the views.



Almost as soon as we were seated, the train set off on our 75 mile journey.






As we passed under the Lions Gate Bridge, the train crew passed out mimosas for a toast! What a great beginning to the day...








Right after the toast our breakfast service began (or breakky as one of our attendants called it). First was a fresh fruit plate.







Which was quickly followed by our hot breakfast of roasted potatoes, an omelet and (of course) Canadian bacon.







While we were eating, the scenery outside our windows became less and less urban. The houses and waving children gave way to increasingly mountainous terrain.







Breakfast was followed by cocktails. Our row cheered so loudly at the mention of free cocktails that we made the attendants laugh (and they served us first)!







No sooner had we finished our first cocktail than the open-air observation car, the Henry Pickering, was opened to us.















The views got increasingly spectacular.







The tracks ran along side several rivers and streams. The water was a beautiful cloudy blue green from all the mountain sediment it collected on its journey. (Our tour guides called this sediment "rock flour".)







All this fresh air was apparently too much for my compatriots, they retired back inside for more cocktails!







Too soon, our journey came to an end and we were saying goodbye to our crew in Whistler.







Stay tuned for Part 2 -

JV