Hardwired

Rocky Mountaineer

Canada 2015: Vancouver—Days 2 and 3

On our agenda for the day was Granville Island, where we browsed the art galleries, shopped for souvenirs, had lunch, and paid a visit to my book designer—Fiona Raven of Fiona Raven Book Design. She was putting the finishing touches to my cover for Genocide, book three in my Darcy McClain and Bullet Thriller Series.

Seated outdoors at ShuRaku Sake Bar & Bistro, we ordered an assortment of sushi and sashimi, and the sake tastings. Good service and a delicious meal.

David is no stranger to Vancouver, having worked there in bygone years, and he wanted to spend the morning in Gastown, the city’s oldest neighborhood—a trendy area of hip eateries, unique galleries and boutiques, and superb culinary fare.

The warm day called for lunch outdoors. Our server at The Flying Pig seated us at the far end of the patio and we people-watched as we ate our meals.

On our last night in Vancouver, we dined at Five Sails on the waterfront at Canada Place. Starter: Trio of Warm and Chilled Seafood—wild jumbo shrimp tempura, Dungeness crab, and scallop ceviche. Mains: Honey Glazed Smoked Duck Breast with braised red cabbage purée, roasted celeriac tortellini, truffle butter caramelized salsify, and huckleberry sauce; and Lamb Variation—Rack & Saddle, the rack with pistachio and almonds, and the saddle with brioche and olive crust, and goat cheese-infused whipped golden potato. Dessert: Grand Marnier soufflé.

That evening, we packed for our morning flight from Vancouver into DFW. It was a great trip, and if you haven’t been, then we highly recommend a rail tour on the Rocky Mountaineer: https://www.rockymountaineer.com/

My traveling buddies asked if they could have a guest spot on my blog post, so here they are, and they bid you all a fond farewell!

Cate from Canada, George from New Zealand, Diego from Tasmania, and Bert from Australia.

 

 

 

 

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Canada 2015: Kamloops to Vancouver, BC

 

The Rocky Mountaineer pulled into the Vancouver rail station, and we said a fond farewell to our guest team, who handed out bound blank travel journals for recording your rail trip, and postcards commemorating the company’s twenty-fifth anniversary. If you haven’t enjoyed the experience, you should—it’s topflight from the start to the finish. Book the GoldLeaf Service for unparalleled views of the Rocky Mountains and the surrounding countryside.

We checked into the Fairmont Pacific Rim, which is a stone’s throw from the Fairmont Waterfront, the hotel we’d stayed at two weeks earlier. I guess David really was interested in staying at as many Fairmonts as he could during our Canadian vacation.

That night, we dined at Oru in our hotel, and I would entice you to eat there as well, but I just read the restaurant has closed and a new dining establishment is under way. Regardless, we enjoyed our meal of duck and rabbit pâté, followed by our mains—mushroom, lobster, and spinach risotto, and short ribs with lobster.

Along this stretch of the rail tour, we went through Black Canyon. You can’t appreciate the immensity and stark beauty of Black Canyon unless you see aerial views. Check it out: https://mapcarta.com/24150400/Gallery/16584892104

You might also enjoy learning more about Hell’s Gate: http://www.hellsgateairtram.com

July 19, 2018—Canada 2015: Vancouver, Day 2

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Canada 2015—Banff to Kamloops, BC

 

Three Valley Lake Chateau on the BC-1

The day broke with clear skies as we checked out of the Fairmont Banff Springs and boarded a bus to the rail station for our return trip aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. The first leg would take us from Banff to Kamloops, where we would make an overnight stay. The second and final leg would terminate in Vancouver. read more…

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