Today was another free day and I again had signed up for a local tour that would explore some of the highlights in and around Banff. We were picked up at the hotel at the appointed hour and joined 14 other people in a small 20 passenger bus by our driver/guide-Eli. Our first stop was at the famous(?) Bow Falls which is right here in town. Why is it famous? Because Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum filmed the 1954 movie, River of No Return, here in Banff and Bow Falls played a role in the movie. And, no, they did not let Marilyn go over the falls on a raft; they used a stunt actress.
We had to stop to allow about 20 horses to cross the road, headed to a trail ride, which is popular here.
Bow Falls, famous because Marilyn Monroe filmed River of No Return here!
The Bow River which flows through Banff.
We were there.
The Main Street heading into downtown Banff. That is Cascade Mountain in the background.
Streets in Banff are named after animals and people decorate the homes with acknowledgment to the street they live on.
From there we went to a scenic overlook to see a great view of the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel and the “hoodoos”, local rock formations that were not overwhelming; however, the view was marvelous.
The famous Fairmont Banff Springs hotel, built in 1888 when the railroad came.
Mount Rundle ( 9672 ft) behind the Bow River and the hoodoos.
Looking down at the Bow River and the hoodoos.
The “hoodoos”, basically rock formations formed by erosion. The name came from Indian spirituality.
There were 4-6 elk in the field.
A female elk we encountered along the road.
Our tour took out of town to see several lakes and included a stop at Lake Minnewanka, the 2nd largest lake in the Canadian Rockies, measuring 21 km (13miles) long with a depth of 142 meters (466 ft). It is one of the few lakes where motorized boats are allowed.
Two Jack Lake named after two early park managers, named, you guessed it!
Mountains surrounding Banff.
Lake Minnewanka, the 2nd largest lake in the Canadian Rockies.
The beach and boat landing at Lake Minnewanka.
A rock cairn on the beach at Lake Minnewanka. I added the rock noted by arrow.
While on the tour we learned a bit of history, including a drive-by of the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel , built in 1885 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, by William Cornelius Van Horne, an American, who also oversaw the construction of the railway. He is said to have said: “if we can’t take the scenery to the people, we will bring people to the scenery”. Unfortunately our tour did not stop to allow us to visit the famous hotel.
Banff is also a town that lies inside the Banff national park and homes are owned but the land on which they sit is leased. It has a permanent (and limited) population of 8,305, which explodes to 30,000 at peak tourist season.
The tour ended after three hours and rather than go back to the hotel we were dropped off in the town where we did a bit of shopping and had lunch before returning to the hotel late in the afternoon to rest after the last few hectic days of touring.
Downtown Banff. They close off the Main Street to traffic on the weekends which made walking around really nice.
“The Boss”. A grizzly bear that lives near Banff.
Mexican lunch in Banff.
Setting sun on the mountains behind the Rimrock.
Tomorrow we leave Banff and work our way to our final destination, Calgary.
June 9, 2023: Travel on the Magnificent Columbia Icefields Parkway!
It was now time to leave Jasper and head south to our next destination, Banff. The distance between the two towns is 288km (179miles) but includes what may be the most beautiful stretch of highway in North America- the Icefields Parkway. It is definitely an “OMG” visual attraction and I am looking forward to experiencing it again.
Approximately 50 of us were loaded onto a local tour company bus which left the hotel about 8:30 AM. The trip is expected to take all day because of stops we will be making to see the major attractions on the way.
Our first stop was at Athabasca Falls located in the Jasper National Park on, you guessed it, the Athabasca River. By the way a bit of trivia: the town of Jasper is located IN the Jasper National Park and as such you own your home but not your land; it is leased from the Canadian Government for a nominal fee.
Leaving Jasper and crossing the Athabasca River.
Landscape in the area.
Views of where we are headed.
The view as you walk to the Athabasca Falls viewpoint
Nearing the falls.
The Athabasca River originates in the Columbia Icefield and flows northward, finally emptying into the Artic Ocean. The Athabasca Falls drop a height of 24 meters (79 feet) with a canyon width of 46 meters (151 feet). At this time of the year the water was really roaring through that narrow canyon. It was quite a sight.
Back on the Icefields Parkway we saw vista after vista of distant mountain peaks. It was a good thing I was not driving a car as I am sure I would have been stopping every mile or so to take yet another great mountain photo! (I do recall being guilty of that when we visited this area in 1965)!
Heading south on the Icefields Parkway.
The Mountain Views get more dramatic as we follow the highway.
Remnants of a decades old avalanche.
By 11 AM we made our next stop at the Stutfield glacier viewpoint, the first major glacier we were able to see from the roadway. The tour guides set up a hot chocolate booth while we stretched our legs and took in the local scenery.
Approaching the Stutfield glacier.
Tangle Ridge
Stutfield Glacier viewpoint.
The Stutfield glacier.
Hot chocolate or tea served at the viewpoint.
The next stop was at a place that certainly did not exist when we were here in 1965- the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. It is a clear glass floor walkway suspended out from land above the canyon floor which is 280 meters (918 feet ) below. You get great views of the rushing water below (assuming you look down) as well as the nearby glaciers, and the valley carved out eons ago. It is not for the faint hearted and Yvonne is no fan of heights, so what will she do when we arrive? At first she simply remained on the land side of the bridge while I ventured out to experience the effect and take pictures. I thought I might be freaked out when looking down, but surprisingly, I was not. I traversed the entire structure and returned to where I left Yvonne, who, to my surprise, said she needed to cross the walkway because our children would ask if she did! Now that is a motivational reason. I took her hand, told her to simply not look down, and we walked the entire length of the structure. Atta girl, mission accomplished!
The walkway to the Skywalk.
View of the walkway from firm land.
Entering the glass bottom walkway suspended over the canyon.
Looking down to the canyon below.
Surprisingly I was not bothered by the glass bottom.
Views from the land based section of the Skywalk. I wonder if they ever have earthquakes here!
Great views to the distant glacier.
The view without people!
Looking back at the canyon below, where you could see several small waterfalls.
I think I can, I think I can- make it across this skywalk! She did make it!
Onward we traveled as it was now time for lunch and a visit to the major attraction on this road- a trip onto the Athabasca glacier.
Lesson of the day : The Athabasca glacier is one of 6 glaciers that make up the Columbia Icefield. Because of its location it is the most visited glacier in North America. Over the last 125 years it has receded 1.5 km (0.93 miles) and lost 1/2 of its volume. Today it loses about 5 meters (16 feet) of depth annually.
Looking across at the Athabasca glacier, where we will be taken.
Here is what we are looking at. The Athabasca glacier is one of six glaciers that make up the Columbia Icefield.
A very good buffet lunch at the visitor center was part of our tour. Afterwards we were driven across the road where we had a reservation to ride specially equipped vehicles that will take us onto the glacier itself for photo opportunities and the experience of being on an actual glacier. We had done this in 1965, before global warming became this issue it has today. The glacier was certainly larger then and the vehicles used to get us there were archaic compared to today. The ride from the lot where we board the special vehicles was a bit of an adrenaline rush as the “make shift” road ( always changing because of the glacier movement) had a 33 degree grade! I have never been on anything beyond about 10-15 degrees! Also, there was a steep drop off right outside our window; luckily I had the window seat so Yvonne did not know what was happening. Our driver quit talking when he began the downhill road and concentrated on safely navigating our journey; all went smoothly. It was a thrill to experience it again!
Because of the very limited growing season here these trees only grow a few inches/year. These might be over 100 years old!
These vehicles will take us out onto the actual glacier. They are certainly more modern than the ones we rode in 1965!
A lake is forming at the base of the glacier.
Elevation on the Athabasca glacier.
Not exactly the same pose as 1965. I guess she is simply glad to be back here!
We were allowed to walk a bit from the vehicle “parking lot”. The surface was surprisingly easy to walk on. I had feared there would be problems with traction.
Our return visit to the Athabasca glacier. There is always a wind here and I put on my jacket as soon as this picture was taken.
Watching someone gather some glacier water. It is safe to drink and very cold!
Crevasses forming on the surface of the glacier.
As close as we could get to the glacier face.
It is always windy on the glacier, and colder!
The darker colored wall is a lateral moraine, which are rocks and debris left by the flowing glacier.
View of the side walls of the glacier valley.
The road to/from the glacier. It is a 33 degree grade! Luckily our vehicles are 6 wheel drive so it posed no problem. The picture does not really convey how steep this road is.
Rocks scarred by the retreating glacier.
Back on our bus as we continue our journey to Banff. Our last planned stop would be at Peyto Lake, world famous for its marvelous, unique turquoise blue color. It is a glacier-fed lake which is why it has the color it does. Time for another lesson: when glaciers melt they create something called “cake or rock flour”, basically finely ground (think texture of cake flour) up rock, which ends up as a suspension in the water of the lake. The blue-green wavelengths of sunlight reflecting on the rock flour in the water gives the water its gorgeous turquoise color we see. Peyto Lake is one of the most famous stops on the Icefields Parkway.
Scenes along the Icefields Parkway
Mount Forbes?
First view of Peyto Lake
A sign showing you how much the glacier has receded in the last few decades.
Cookies and coffee break.
Revisiting a location we saw in 1965.
Bow lake
Clouding up at the end of the day. It never did rain on us.
A stop at Lake Louise is not part of this trip; it was offered as an option to spending two nights in Banff. Since we had not really visited Banff in 1965 we decided to forego Lake Louise for Banff. By 5:30 we had been transferred from the big bus to a smaller van and taken, along with 2 other couples, to our hotel in Banff, the Rimrock Resort.
The entrance to the Rimrock hotel. Note that it is only 3 stories high, the max allowed by the city.
A great sign outside the hotel telling guests when and where a city bus shuttle would be coming.
The view from our room.
Deer sighting near the hotel pool.
Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries were in our room, complements of our travel agent, Patricia Stone.
The hotel lounge and casual dining area.
Enjoying a before dinner drink while being entertained by a classical guitarist.
We had a light dinner and shared a marvelous cheese sandwich built for two!
A very entertaining guitarist who played Beatle tunes.
The hotel has only 3 stories in front (max allowed in the city) but here is what it looks like in the back. They say they have 6 basements!
This sign ended our after dinner walk outside the hotel.
Tomorrow is another free day and we have booked a local excursion to see the major highlights in the Banff area.
We always have a Plan A, and hope it goes as planned. However, it is also good to have a Plan B, just in case Plan A does not work out. Very seldom does one need a Plan C. Well, today we needed to go to Plan C as my A and B plans failed! Let me explain.
We knew today would be a “free day” so I planned to purchase an optional tour to explore the area as I really did not want to sit around the hotel. So months before our trip left I booked a third party excursion on Viator that would show us the highlights of the area. That was my Plan A. Two days before we left on the Rocky Mountaineer train I received an email from Viator stating they had canceled our reservation because they had a problem with my credit card not being accepted! I immediately contacted them to resolve the issue but their response was the excursion was now sold out! Needless to say I complained about their policy of immediate cancelation rather then getting in touch with the customer before doing that. I am not very happy with Viator and you need to be forewarned about their business practices.
We were now on our trip and I figured my best option was to go the the concierge desk once we got to our hotel in Jasper (Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge) and see what they might offer as what would now be Plan B. The young lady suggested a boat ride on the lovely Lake Maligne was available at 11:15AM and they would pick us up at the hotel. We always enjoy boat rides so this sounded like a perfect solution and I booked it for the next day. Back in my room later that evening I looked up the description of the excursion but there was no indication that there is any sort of pickup. Oh,oh. I had better check on this early tomorrow morning.
Kodak moment- early morning reflections on Lake Beauvert.
The front of our unit (on left). There are 4 units in this building.
View of the main lobby building.
Map of the vast Jasper Park Lodge complex.
View of the lake at the lodge.
Great flower baskets everywhere.
One of several sculptures on the grounds of the lodge.
They want to build apartments on this land but need to get rid of the rocks they found here first!
Bright and early I went to the concierge desk where I met, Lisa, who was the head concierge at the hotel. When I discussed the concern I had with her, she said “oops, the young lady who booked your trip the previous evening was a young trainee and was wrong to tell you there would be a hotel pickup; there is none”. OK, can the hotel provide transportation to the site? You can take a cab that cost $280 round trip, obviously not a good option. How about renting a car for the day? There are only 2 car rental options in town and they are probably sold out for the entire summer! Can you get my money back? Yes, I believe I can, she says as she attempts to call the company on a direct line the hotel has to them. As I waited she is on hold for at least 15 minutes and then they disconnect her! In the meantime Lisa suggested we do the Jasper Skytram and the hotel would provide transportation to it and we could leave for the 11:15 trip. Deal! So we are now on Plan C. We had to leave and she promised she would continue to reach out and get me a refund for the lake cruise.
We did make it to the Skytram which takes you up Whistlers Mountain to an elevation of 7,250 feet. There is an option to hike about 1 km to the summit but when we looked at the steepness of the climb we decided a better option was to have a celebratory anniversary luncheon at the restaurant overlooking the Jasper Valley below. It was a lovely spot with amazing views.
Jasper Skytram.
Another bear encounter!
Inner workings of the gondola.
The gondola holds about 30 people, closely packed!
Looking up at the upper terminal of the Skytram.
View of the valley from the base of the Skytram.
Heading up to the top.
As we went up, the other gondola was going down. We counterbalance each other.
Closer to the top.
View of the town of Jasper from the tram.
View of one of the largest campgrounds in Alberta. Sadly the pine beetle killed many of the trees that had been in it.
Nice placards describe what you are seeing.
The trail to the summit. It was hot and we decided to skip the hike.
Another view from the tram terminal.
Some snow still at this elevation. They have had a very warm spring.
The snow covered peak is Mount Robson, still in full visibility!
Tiny flowers somehow survive in this environment.
Celebratory luncheon with drop dead views at the top of Whistlers Mountain in Jasper.
The devil made me do it! I ordered the famous Canadian dish called Poutine, which consists of French fries covered with cheese curds and gravy. This is an enhanced version that had pulled pork and pickled onions on top.
Hamburger with fabulous homemade kettle chips.
Backing up a bit, while I was at the concierge desk this morning working on my failed Plan B issue I overheard an assistant concierge discussing an evening excursion involving a three hour trip to go looking for wildlife in the area, as the animals are more active then. It sounded interesting so I booked it for this evening. It turned out to be the highlight of the day as our guide (Sebastian) not only found multiple species of animals (3 black bears, a huge male elk, mule deer, chipmunk, marmot, 2 female elk ready to give birth, 2 eagles) but also provided an on-going commentary about the animals, the environment in which they live , and what they eat. Our guide spoke about the ecology of the area, including the importance of forest fires and beavers to our eco system. He told us about the pine beetle infestation and why it is suddenly an issue. It was a fascinating three hours and certainly exceeded my expectations about what we would see and learn. Best tour of the trip!
Local critter at the lodge. I think it is a groundhog.
These signs were everywhere to warn people that female elk are calving now and are very dangerous at this phase. They are considered more dangerous than bears.
Searching for wildlife near the lodge.
Pine beetle kill, caused by warm winters not killing the beetle larvae.
A pregnant female elk. They leave the herd when ready to give birth. They are very dangerous when they have new babies.
Another female elk ready to give birth.
Look closely and you will see two people climbing this rock face.
A beaver dam. We learned that beavers are very important to eco systems.
Beavers build a series of canals near their den.
A lone loon on the lake. They are capable of diving very deep for food, something ducks cannot do.
Results of a forest fire caused by lightning. First fires are important to maintaining healthy eco systems.
Why did the bear cross the road? This one walked right in front of us.
Most of my pictures are of its rear end!
Finally he/she turned around. This is likely a 2-3 year old bear, now on its own.
Sebastian comparing the horns of a male and female mountain big horn sheep.
Skulls of a cougar, a grizzly bear and a wolf.
Black bear paw with claws designed for climbing and surface scratching.
A grizzly bear paw with claws designed for digging.
A very soft beaver fur.
Moose, ram and elk antler. They are surprisingly heavy, especially the ram horns.
A chipmunk, not a golden mantled ground squirrel which does not have a facial stripe like this guy.
Young mule deer with antlers just sprouting.
Medicine Lake which disappears every fall only to return in the spring.
The hoary marmot scrambling up his rock home.
Indian paintbrush?
A hoary marmot. They are quick!
Another view of Medicine Lake.
Large black bear walking along road. Why? Easier than fighting way through brush.
The fur was bright and shiny. Although we saw three black bears we did not see a grizzly which also live here. They tend to be more solitary than the black bear.
A very large male elk walking around the road.
The elk crossed the road in front of us and walked along side our van.
We did not return to the Fairmont until 9PM and sat out on our patio chairs eating the rest of the cheese and fruit that had been given to us and watched the day turn into night.
Late evening snacks as we watch the setting sun.
Photo taken at 9:45 PM! We are now seeing some of the smoke from Canadian fires.
Picture taken at 10:01PM, just about the time the sun sets this far north.
The day that started out as a disaster waiting to happen ended up being a delight. Moral of the story: sometimes a Plan C does not turn out to be too bad after all!
We were asked to be ready to board our buses by 7:30am and simply leave our luggage in our rooms for later pickup by the staff who will transport them to our next hotel in Jasper. Everyone was on time and they checked to see if we were all accounted for on our bus. With 8 buses picking up people at multiple hotels, it is a fairly complex logistic issue. As we approached the rail yard where the train was parked they even juggled the order of the buses to make sure they were in proper order to drop their passengers close to their assigned train coach. We were aboard and in our seats by 8:05. It is supposed to be 94 degrees here in Kamloops today so it is good we are heading to the higher elevation of Jasper (3380 ft). Because we are climbing in elevation we were told yesterday that we would have 3 engines (two pulling, one as backup) on our train today. Once we were boarded today, Tyler said they had changed their mind and there would be the same two engines we had yesterday. Since each engine sports 3500 hp it was felt we would not have a problem. Since we had backed into the train siding last night it was simple joining the main line at 8:16 AM as our journey continued.
The type of engines used on these trains.
They put out the red carpet and flags each day as we board the train.
We were the first to board this morning.
Today our group will be first for both breakfast and lunch and we were quickly called to go to the dining room as soon as the train entered the main line. The menu is the same as yesterday so we were able to select the entree we missed yesterday! By 9:20 we were already back in our seats watching the world go by. We did get to see a deer swimming across the North Thompson River which we are following today as well as a fox with two babies walking across a farm field. Unfortunately, the train was moving too fast and my camera was moving too slow to record the events to share with you.
I had the lemon pancakes with real maple syrup this morning.
By 10 AM Yvonne was peacefully napping and I was watching the world go by. The scenery has changed once again ; we are back in heavily forested hillsides with occasional farm fields in the adjoining valley. Snacks and drinks were offered as we progressed northward. Yvonne commented that this is how she enjoys “hiking” through the forest!
Local landscape as we left Kamloops.
Farm land in the area.
We are able to follow the train’s progress using this newspaper which also contained tidbits on what we were seeing.
We passed several mills processing lumber.
Following the North Thompson river. The color is caused by glacial silt.
My Kodak moment- reflections on calm waters.
More scenery on our route.
Local hard apple cider, part of the drink selection on the train which featured locally made products.
Spare parts for the tracks lying along the tracks at various locations.
Catching our lead cars going around a curve.
I have noticed how quiet and smooth the train ride was; there was no clickty-clack as the train moved along the tracks. I assume this is because we are on seamless track.
At 11:45 we pulled off to a siding and came to a complete stop to allow a freight train to pass by. The trains here seem to be very long; I counted 160 cars on the one that passed us by.
A passing train going in the opposite direction. I cannot believe how close it was to us!
History lesson of the day. Canada was known for its beaver population and beaver garments and hats became very fashionable in the 17th century in Europe. This fad prompted the start of the Hudson’s Bay Company that began in 1670. During that time frame over 100,000 beaver pelts were shipped from Canada to Europe each year. It eventually almost destroyed the beaver population in Canada. Another sad piece of information related to beavers is that the processing of the pelts for hats was done using a mercury based compounded and workers usually ended up with mercury poisoning and madness, giving rise to the term: “mad as a hatter”. End of lesson.
Lunch was served promptly at noon; same menu but a different shared appetizer plate today. We each tried a new entree today. Then it was back to watching the world go by, another nap and hearing occasional new dialogues from the crew about what we were seeing outside the marvelous (and clean) windows.
Three chefs preparing our fresh breakfast and lunches.
Today’s luncheon appetizer is different than yesterday.
Gnocchi.
My warm wilted salad topped with steelhead trout.
The afternoon was spent simply watching the world go by. The scenery changed as we continued our journey north and hills, then mountains appeared on the horizon.
Our first sight of real mountains.
Original General store that dates back to the gold rush days.
The mountains are getting bigger.
I was amazed at these tiny trees that were springing up everywhere. Mother Nature at her finest.
A track side memorial to the worst train wreck in Canadian history that happened here in 1950.
Green trees and roaring rivers dominate the landscape.
Pyramid Falls, the first waterfall we have seen.
Pyramid Falls.
These are the remains of the original telegraph system used by railroads in olden days.
Real mountains come into view!
People trying to get a good picture from the outdoor viewing deck.
Mount Robson in all its glory. Normally you cannot see it clearly as it creates its own weather. They said it is clear like this maybe 12 days a year.!
Had to try a vodka spritz before we leave the train. It was not all that good.
The views as we get close to Jasper.
There was a time zone change (one hour ahead) as we neared Jasper (we had left British Columbia and were now in Alberta) and because we had to stop several more times to allow freight trains to pass by we did not arrive in Jasper until about 7 PM local time. We were guided to one of 8 buses which then took us to our respective hotels, in our case the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, located a few miles outside of Jasper in a lovely “park like” setting on the lake with marvelous blue-colored water. I was surprised to see that it was not a normal high rise hotel; it was a series of cabins located on the expansive, well manicured landscape. The temperature was surprisingly warm- low 80s when we arrived. We were told that some of the cabins, because of age, would not be air conditioned, but leaving windows open during the cool nights (we are at 3,800 feet elevation) would be sufficient. Luckily as we walked to our waterfront cabin we found that our cabin had air conditioning which was on. And in our room was a lovely welcome gift of goodies, including a baguette, fruit, cheeses, crackers, and candy (thank you, travel agent, Patricia) which ended up serving as our dinner as we were still full from the food we consumed on the train. We were happy campers!
Our train staff saying farewell.
Meeting another bear on my trip!
Old time car outside the hotel front.
Hotel lobby of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. It is located about 10 minutes from Jasper.
The hotel complex is mostly made up of cabins.
Very large room. Our room is part of a 4 plex right next to the edge of the lake.
The other room in our cabin.
View from outside our cabin. They had to bring new chairs as ours were taken by the neighbors!
Music in the early evening.
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge bar.
Sunset comes very late here so we ended up having a cocktail at the main lodge while seating out on the veranda overlooking the placid lake before us. It was still very light at 10PM and I had hoped to use the isolated location to see the night time stars but found it was still fairly light even after 11PM so I gave up and we went to bed.
Cocktail lounge overlooking the pool and the lake.
Cocktails at the outdoor veranda.
Sunset from our cabin.
Our train ride is over. Tomorrow we have a free day to explore the Jasper area on our own. Then we will be bused the rest of the trip as we work our way to our final destination, Calgary, Alberta.
Early to bed and early to rise…. 5:30 AM alarm so we could get dressed before our scheduled luggage pickup at 5:50AM. Sure enough, a knock at the door occurred at the noted hour. We made coffee in the room and then headed down to the lobby at 6:30 where we were met by local staff of the Mountaineer who guided us to the waiting bus. There were about 20 fellow passengers staying at this hotel. Other passengers were scattered among other local hotels, as there are approximately 400 total people on this trip.
I thought we were headed to the local train station but was wrong. Instead we were taken to the special train station owned by the Rocky Mountaineer. There they offered coffee and tea as we waited for the call to board our train which occurred about 25 minutes after arriving. The “all aboard” call came when a bagpiper dressed in full regalia led us from the station to the train.
Condos in Vancouver.
Our Rocky Mountaineer train- 22 cars long!
Good signage directing us.
Vista dome car outdoor viewing area.
Luggage being loaded in trucks to be delivered directly to our hotel in Kamloops
Rocky Mountaineer train station where we waited until boarding time. There was coffee
and tea for those who wanted it.
Ready to board.
Bagpiper leading us to board our train.
The vista dome cars are magnificent. Reclining leather seats with foot rests, lots of leg room, huge panoramic windows and a staff of three in each car that hold a maximum of 72 people. We have assigned seats and all seats face forward.
Seating in the vista dome cars.
Heavy window tint on the top of the dome.
Our seats, complete with controls for reclining, footrest, lumbar support and even heating.
Each car has an area dedicated to drinks and snacks.
Tyler, our lead rep on board. There were three other people to serve our needs.
Breakfast and lunch are served as part of the meal trip but because the dining room, which is on the lower level only seats 36 people at a time, we must eat in 2 seatings. So as to not starve while waiting, those who must wait for a second shift are offered coffee and a marvelous lemon cranberry loaf to pacify us while we wait. Today we are on the 2nd seating; tomorrow the sequence will be reversed.
A marvelous lemon cranberry loaf served to those of us who had to wait for breakfast.
Views of Mt. Baker as we left Vancouver.
As we travel the staff points out local sights and provides insights to our trip. For example, the train travels an average of 30 mph with occasional speeds up to 60 mph. At the start of the trip we actually went backwards to exit the siding and merge with the main track. We were well informed by the staff about what was happening and why.
There is no internet on the train but I am doing this offline using Word, and will hopefully not lose it until I can add it to the blog. Update: it worked!
By 9:30 we were told breakfast was now available for the 2nd seating which included us. Downstairs the tables, seating 4, were set with white tablecloths and napkins. Our table companions were a young couple from Connecticut, both aerospace engineers so we had a fun discussion about jet engines and NASA. The menu offered 6 different items and deciding which to have was difficult as they all looked good. We were served a plate of fresh fruit as a starter along with a plate of several pastry items. It was as good a breakfast as we would have had in a nice restaurant. So far I am extremely impressed with the overall Rocky Mountaineer experience!
The breakfast menu.
Dining area on the lower level of the coach.
Fresh fruit plate started our meal.
Yvonne’s favorite-eggs Benedict.
My scramble.
Back in our seats we found the drink menu which some people began enjoying even though it was only 10:30 AM. The scenery has changed as we were now in the Fraser Valley. We are following the mighty Fraser River with forests and hills replacing the city landscape we left a few hours ago.
Drink menu available all day with a focus on local options.
Oncoming train on tracks on the other side of the river. Each set of tracks are one way depending on the direction you are headed.
Area of rapids popular with rafters.
People on the outdoor viewing platform. It is windy and noisy.
This area is known as the “Hell’s Gate”, named by the explorer who first experienced them. Water flow through here is more than Niagara Falls.
Scenery in the area of travel.
I queried Tyler about the size of our train and he said there were 22 cars on our train today. We also have two engines but only one is working (the other is a backup). Typically they have two trains out on various routes at the same time.
A bit of trivia: There are signs along the rail tracks showing distance; they are called “subdivisions” and mark the distance between watering stations used in the days of steam locomotion. While Canadian highway signs show mileage in kilometers, these rail signs show mileage in miles. The reason is when they were built in the 19th century the Canadians copied the US method of signage and did not bother to change them when the country went metric.
Railroad mileage marker, shown in miles, not kilometers!
We both managed to “rest” a bit after breakfast (i.e. we napped) and when awakened we were offered morning snacks to tide us over until lunch, which for us was not until 2 PM. We purposely sat with different people (couple from Spearfish, South Dakota) to meet other fellow travelers. Again there were multiple luncheon selections and thankfully the portions were small as we were still full from breakfast and the snacks.
Sweet or savory snacks. Can’t decide? Take both. And both were good. Drink of choice today was ginger ale.
Lunch menu.
A shared appetizer plate to start lunch.
My chicken breast entree.
The rest of the afternoon was spent simply watching the world go by as now we were following the Thompson River and the surrounding landscape was more desert-like. Narration of what we were seeing was fairly constant the entire time.
Catching the engine rounding the curve and entering a tunnel.
Landscape became more desert like.
Scenery with a velvet like texture.
A lone tree and very little vegetation now.
A couple of big horn sheep we saw grazing near the tracks.
The Kamloops Lake, which is 18 miles long and reaches depths of 499 feet. Kamloops means “meeting of the waters”.
We arrived in Kamloops, our stop for the night, by 5:30, earlier than I had expected as often one does not arrive until as late as 7:30 PM. Again the process was superb. We were told to wait in our seats so that they can hand us our room keys before disembarking the train. Better yet we were told our luggage would be in our room when we arrived! That is certainly another Disney trick and I loved it!
Sign guiding us to the proper bus to take us to our Kamloops hotel.
When we checked in yesterday the rep said we might not be hungry for a big meal once we got to Kamloops. How right he was! We skipped dinner and simply opted for some ice cream at the local DQ!
My dinner!
Tomorrow morning we board our train at 7:40 AM as we work our way to our final train destination- Jasper, where we will spend 2 nights.
June 5, 2023: First Stop-Vancouver, British Columbia
We are scheduled to fly to Vancouver today as the train leaves from there, and the trip includes a one night stay in the Pan Pacific Hotel on the Vancouver waterfront. The start of the trip did not go as planned. When I went to check in with our United flight Sunday evening I got the dreaded “we are unable to complete your request. Please call customer service”; not a good sign! I waited quite awhile on hold for an agent who also could not find my reservation. As it turned out United had canceled our 1PM flight and rebooked us on a 3PM Air Canada flight but never told me! Thank you, United Airlines! Luckily we found the correct reservation at Air Canada and I was able to check in without further delay. I hated losing the 2 hours but it should hopefully not affect the planned dinner reservations I had made in Vancouver!
Thankfully the trip to the Seattle airport was flawless and because it was mid day the airport was fairly quiet and security lines were quick- less than 5 minutes. Our flight left 30 minutes late but it was not an issue for us. It is only a 26 minute commuter flight from Seattle to Vancouver and you are flying low enough to really enjoy the scenery along the way. Arrival in Vancouver was no problem other than our Nexus cards could not be read by Canadian scanners so we had to use our regular passports to get through immigration. Again, there was hardly anyone there so there were no delays. A 30 minute $40 (CAD $, $29.77 US$) quickly got us to our hotel for the night, the lovely Pan Pacific Vancouver hotel located on the downtown waterfront with spectacular views of the city and surrounding mountains.
View of Mt. Rainier from our Seattle airport get area.
View of Bellevue and the 520 floating bridge in Seattle. When we first moved here in 1963 the bridge did not exist and Bellevue was a sleepy little town where the tallest building was 3 stories high. Today it has 50 story skyscrapers.
Views of the Cascade Mountains on the way to Vancouver.
Approaching the outskirts of Vancouver , British Columbia.
Log booms on a Vancouver river.
We arrived at the hotel at 5:30PM, in time to meet with the Rocky Mountaineer representative to receive our luggage tags, boarding passes and last minute instructions for our upcoming train trip. The check in process was well organized; kudos to Rocky Mountaineer.
The lobby at the Pan Pacific Hotel.
Fountain in the hotel lobby.
Meeting with the representative to get boarding passes and luggage tags.
Our travel agent, Patricia Stone, knew this was a special trip and had arranged to get us a room upgrade and special appetizers in our room for our arrival. Both were really spectacular!
The surprise waiting in our room.
View of the harbor and mountains from our room.
Looking down at the pool from our window.
I had read good things about the Pan Pacific restaurant, the Five Sails, and had made dinner reservations there. We were greeted promptly and taken to a lovely “first row” table overlooking the busy Vancouver harbor with its busy float plane and boat traffic. Dinner was excellent.
Dinner at The Five Sails which was excellent.
Amuse Bouche before dinner.
My filet mignon entree.
Yvonne opted for fresh halibut done Asian style.
Our after dinner treat.
It was still light outside after eating so we walked along the pier where the hotel was located. Part of the architecture are five large sails, so I now know how the restaurant got its name. Besides the hotel the pier hosts the cruise ship terminal and part of the Vancouver Convention center. It is quite an attraction. Near the end of the pier was the “FlyOverCanada” attraction, the concept we were familiar with as there is a similar one in Seattle. It is basically a simulator that gives you the illusion that you are flying. You are strapped in seats which then move, mimicking the motions of the movie, as though you were in an airplane- think a Walt Disney ride! It was still open so we opted to see it, as they are marvelous travelogues of the area. We were not disappointed.
The 5 sails at Canada Place.
The promenade at Canada Place where the hotel is located.
Hanging out with the locals.
Sunset on Vancouver harbor.
Tomorrow morning we must have luggage ready to be picked up by 5:50 AM and we leave the hotel at 6:50 AM to go to the train station to begin our journey eastward. Our reunion journey begins.
On June 8, 1963 Yvonne and I were married in Gary, Indiana. On June 10 we left Gary and began driving to our new home in Seattle Washington where I would be attending graduate school in pursuit of my PhD. Thus began our introduction to, and subsequent love of, the Pacific Northwest.
In September, 1965 as proud owners of a new 1965 Plymouth Barracuda and a new found love for camping we embarked on an extended trip to Canada to experience the glories of Banff and Jasper and surrounding Canadian Rockies. It was a marvelous trip with many fond memories of those majestic vistas. Sadly we have not returned to that region since then….until now!
Our 1965 Barracuda on a major road trip to the Canadian Rockies.
What we looked like in 1965!
Yep, we city folk had learned how to go camping.
Sometimes the weather did not cooperate but we were young and adventurous.
My new buddy.
On the Columbia Icefield. It will be interesting to see how much it has changed in last 50 years.
What a view!
2023 marks 60 years of marriage and I felt compelled to do something special to celebrate. A very popular trip in this part of the country is a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer, a train trip from Vancouver, British Columbia to the Jasper and Banff area. The beauty of the trip (besides the scenic beauty encountered along the way) is that you travel by day in marvelous vista dome rail cars but sleep in luxurious hotels at night-no camping in tents or cooking on outdoor fires! At our age this is what we consider to be “roughing it”. The trip has been on our bucket list for years, but somehow never made it to the top of the list….until now! Why not celebrate our 60th by returning to this awesome part of North America, in grand style!
Here is the Rocky Mountaineer trip we selected: “Journey Through the Clouds Discovery Calgary I”, which will find us in the middle of the Canadian Rockies on our anniversary.
We leave Seattle on June 5, flying to Vancouver, BC where we spend the night. The train leaves the next morning. Hopefully I will be able to properly document the trip and share it with you as we relive some of those memories from long ago.
April 28, 2023: Homeward Bound After One More Tour!
My flight home does not leave until 6:15PM and I need to check out of the hotel by noon. Not wanting to spend six hours sitting at the airport even though I will be eligible to be in the business class lounge as I am flying in business class for my return trip so I can get some sleep on my overnight flight, I was looking for something to do for a few hours in Seoul. So I got out the Korea guide book I had purchased before coming and looked up some local attractions that we had not visited as part of our tour. What caught my eye was another palace (one of the five in Seoul)- the Changdeokgung Palace and its “secret garden”, located near the Gyeongbokgung Palace we visited early in the tour. The Changdeokgung Palace and garden were first built in 1405 to serve as a secondary palace to Gyeongbokgung until Japanese invasions destroyed most of the palaces in the 1500s. Since Changdeokgung was the first one rebuilt, it served as the primary royal residence throughout the 1600-1800s. Unlike other palaces, its layout is designed to harmonize with nature rather than sticking to a set structure.
I also remembered some of our fellow travelers saying that they had visited this palace during some free time and felt it was even prettier than the Gyeongbokgung Palace, and that a tour of the secret garden was well worth it. My decision was made; I would spend the rest of my free time in Seoul visiting the Changdeokgung Palace and its secret garden.
I checked out of the hotel at 11AM, left my luggage at the hotel, grabbed a cab and arrived at the palace ticket office about 11:20 where I found out that because I was a “senior” I could visit the palace at no charge but would have to pay 5000won ($3.79) for the guided tour of the secret garden, and the next tour leaves at 11:30! Just like life, timing is often everything. The direction signs said the garden entrance was an 8-10 minute walk; I could do that; and I was able to join the assembled group of about 30 people just as they were being addressed by the local tour guide. We proceeded to embark on a one hour guided tour of various locations in the secret garden (called Huwon). Needless to say it is a magical place full of ponds, trees and pagodas built for the exclusive use of the king & queen. The guide told us stories about what the various buildings were used for, what life was like back in those days, along with old pictures and drawings, etc. It was pretty fascinating and yet another reason why taking a guided tour is more rewarding then simply walking through a location by oneself.
One of several ponds located throughout the Hidden Gardens.
I believe this was a library in the garden area.
Decorative roofs on the pagodas.
Another “calming” location in the garden.
Another area for contemplation in the Hidden Garden.
Our tour guide showing us how the men had to walk because of the big, floppy pants they wore.
Doors in the palace.
Underfloor heating for the queen.
A dance group entertaining visitors.
One of the many buildings in the Changdeokgung palace.
A father taking a family picture of his girls.
A fascinating story conveyed to us was the story of the development of the Korean written language. Until 1446 Koreans relied on the use of Hanja, the Chinese alphabet, for their written language. The Koreans had their own spoken language but not a written one. Sejong, a king in the Choson Dynasty, created the Korean alphabet, called Hangul, but surprisingly the elite class continued to use the Hanja alphabet for 500 more years before formally transferring to the Hangul system. There was good employment for people who would translate the Hanja writings to the spoken Korean language and later to the Hangul alphabet.
After the tour I left the palace and finally found a location where I could catch a cab (they did not simply stop anywhere because of traffic flow) and return to the hotel to retrieve my luggage and find my way to the airport using the airport limousine bus service that fellow travelers raved about. It turns out that the Hotel Prince, where we stayed, is in a superb location to catch these buses which run every 15-20 minutes. The bus stop was literally right across the street. And the buses were new, clean and outfitted with only 3 seats per row, with spacious reclining chairs. They were indeed “limousine” buses! I wish I had known this when I first arrived in Seoul; I would not have hired a private car to take me to the hotel.
Impressive airport limousine bus service that runs every 15 minutes and cost $12.88 for the 1 hour ride.
The trip to the airport was fast and flawless. I was flying with a new (for me) airline on my return to Seattle: Asiana, a Korean based company. The other local carrier is Korean Airline but I liked the Asiana schedule more. Check-in was swift and flawless, as was getting through immigration and security, and within 20 minutes of arriving at the big, modern airport I was sitting in the business class lounge in a cubicle on a comfortable chair with ottoman, eating some snacks.
A common delivery method in Seoul.
Another example of street art you see all over Seoul.
Colorful bed of blooming azeleas.
The Seoul airport is on an island outside of Seoul.
Saw quite a few of these robots wandering around the concourse offering assistance to people. Impressive!
A robot to carry your heavy luggage to your gate.
The Asiana business class lounge,
Trying some of their higher end Rojo.
My Asiana plane. I was impressed with their service.
A robot just delivered a donut from Krispy Kreme to a young boy at the gate! You order it and it will deliver it to you.
The Asiana flight was marvelous! By the way I had mispronounced its name; it is “aah..z.ana”, not “a…z. ana” as I had surmised. The food is some of the best I have had on a flight and service was superb. I would fly with them again. We left on time and pretty much arrived in Seattle on time, 10+ hours later.
Brushetta appetizer.
Followed by crab salad.
Followed by cauliflower soup.
Followed by tenderloin with truffles.
Cheese and fruit with port wine.
French toast with real maple syrup for breakfast
Watching a music video that was filmed in Dubrovnik, Croatia. We have been on the patio where he is playing.
Passing near our home and approaching downtown Seattle.
Mt. Rainier welcoming me home.
Epilogue:
– Country # 103 is in the books.
-The trip and tour exceeded my expectations. I was impressed with both.
-Korea is a marvelous country. It is sad they cannot achieve peace with their northern neighbors and families can be reunited.
-Korean food, for the most part, was great. No wonder Korean restaurants are popping in the the US.
-Monastery living is not for me! Glad I experienced it but I am not cut out for their lifestyle.
Parting Comment: “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
We were asked to be ready to depart by 7AM so we could beat the hordes of tourists that normally descend on the DMZ. Because the hotel breakfast restaurant would not open until then Rob promised to bring it to us, which he did. It was a delightful, freshly made egg sandwich and a bottle of orange juice, that he had purchased at a local bakery. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great breakfast sandwich so we could leave for the DMZ early.
I was shocked to learn that the DMZ was only about 1 hour north of Seoul! With all the saber rattling done lately by North Korea dictator, Kim Jong Un, the South Koreans seem unconcerned (at least in public) and act as though he did not exist. Life for South Koreans goes on incumbered by the politics of the north.
The Korean demilitarized zone is a strip of land bordering the 38 degree parallel north which was established in 1953 following the Korean War armistice. It acts as a buffer between North and South Korea. It is commonly referred to simply as the DMZ. The DMZ is 250 kilometers (160 mi) long and about 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) wide and pretty much cuts the peninsula in half.
The Demilitarized Zone separating North & South Korea.
We were reminded that the Korean War is not formally over! All that was agreed to in 1953 was an armistice, a temporary end of fighting. To this date, a formal peace agreement has never been signed. Relations between the countries were better when Kin Jong Un’s father,Kim Jong ll, was the ruler, but that changed when he died so current relations between the countries have regressed. Technically the two countries are still at war 70 years later.
Our first stop was at the recently opened Korean Peninsula Ecological Peace Tourism Information Center where we needed to register for the tour we will take. The reason for the early start became evident right after we arrived around 8:20. Our bus stopped and Rob raced into the ticket office with our passports to get in line to buy our tickets for the escorted tour. We were free to roam the area with a request to return by 9:10. As we watched, other buses began to arrive and it became quite a spectacle as each bus (usually 50 passenger ones) stopped, their tour leader jumped off and literally ran into the ticket office to get their tickets. It was hilarious.
There were some displays in the area, a coffee shop and even a short cable car ride into an area that was not part of the DMZ ( but got you closer). As it turned out Rob was #9 in line when the ticket office opened at 9AM and he was successful in getting us tickets for the 9:20 bus tour which included a train ride into tunnel #3 (will explain later) rather than having to walk! We made it by the skin of our teeth as our last bus seat was #44 on a bus that held 45 people.
The visitor center where you get tickets for the excursions to the DMZ.
The ticket office does not open until 9AM. People have left keys, paperwork or whatever on the stools to protect their place in line.
The peace bell here.
A somber display of rocks from world locations where there have been wars! There are way too many rocks on display.
On the left is the wooden “Freedom Bridge” where 12,773 POWs returned to South Korea in a prisoner exchange.
Original train track waiting to be reconnected to North Korea.
Remnants of the rail that ran through this area prior to the war.
Cable car to take you somewhat closer to actual DMZ.
Rules for visiting the DMZ area.
When we arrived there was only 1 big bus of tourists. An hour later there were a dozen!
No thanks for trying this version of ice cream.
Ginseng products for sale in the tourist store near the DMZ. It was expensive.
Expensive souvenir from the war.
We were warned to not take any photos of military facilities or soldiers during our tour. Once on the assigned bus we drove a short distance to a military checkpoint where armed soldiers boarded the bus and using a typed attendance list, previously recorded at the ticket office, checked us off one by one by viewing our passports which had been returned to us. Once verified we were allowed to proceed to our first stop- tunnel #3.
Four underground tunnels have been discovered (there are thoughts there might be as many as 20) so far since the 1970s, leading from North Korea into South Korean territory. Tunnel#3 was discovered in 1978. It spans over 1,635m in length, 2m in width, 2m in height and 73m below ground, and is located only 44km from Seoul. It is estimated that approximately 30,000 soldiers could move through the tunnel per hour. The North Koreans said it was only a coal mine but there is no evidence that any coal could exist in the area!
A schematic of the tour through the underground tunnels discovered in 1978.
By making the 9:20 bus we get to travel into the tunnel by riding in a train rather than having to walk down (and back up) a fairly steep walkway. Hooray for Rob! Unfortunately, all our belongs had to be locked in lockers before we boarded the train and our heads properly protected by hard hats. It reminded me of a Disneyland ride! Once we reached the end of the ride we had to walk the equivalent of several blocks, often bent over to avoid heading our heads on the supporting structure and rock ceiling. At the end of the walk was a concrete wall (one of three) that blocked further progress. Also there was an illuminated sign that said we were now 150 meters from the North Korean border! That is the closest we will get to North Korea.
The location of Tunnel #3.
Sculpture called “This One Earth” depicting attempts to reunite the countries in peace.
The “train” we will ride into the tunnel.
Group photo by our transportation into tunnel #3.
Returning by train to the surface we spent some time in the adjacent building viewing a short movie and seeing displays related to the DMZ and the Korean War.
We were shown a short film about the Korean War and the efforts to regain peace between the two countries.
Some Korean War weapons.
Imjingak is where we purchased our tour tickets.
This shows the location of tunnel #3 and the Dora Observatory with respect to the actual DMZ line.
Schematic of the Joint Services Area (JSA) which we were not able to visit.
We then reboarded our bus and were taken to another attraction in the area- the Dora Observatory where there are dozens of telescopes aimed at North Korea, a short distance away. There was some haze today so the viewing was not the best.
We saw multiple signs warning about the presence of mines left from the war.
Dozens of telescopes are on a viewing platform to look into North Korea. Unfortunately it was hazy this day and viewing was limited.
Even some high powered devices were available.
Views into North Korea. There is a small village in the distance.
Sadly that completed our DMZ visit because visits to the JSA (Joint Security Area) is still closed (Covid victim). Bummer! The Joint Security Area is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone where North and South Korean forces stand face-to-face and is the famous picture you often see when the DMZ is discussed. So overall my visit to the DMZ turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. As we left the area we were again checked by the military; I guess to make sure we were all leaving the area.
Barbed wire fences were everywhere.
Active farming occurs on the lands near the DMZ.
As it was now close to lunch Rob said he had picked a restaurant in nearby Paju that featured Italian food- a treat as we have been eating nothing but Korean cuisine since arriving a week ago. As it turned out the restaurant was a delight and very American in design and menu. It was a nice change of pace.
We saw a lot of barbed wire and manned outposts as we left the DMZ area. It extended for miles along the river.
An fine example of a typical taxi in Korea. They are new, clean and inexpensive.
The Italian restaurant where we had lunch. Its decor was modern; we could be in a fancy USA restaurant, not in Paju, South Korea!
Another view of our restaurant.
Outdoor patio adjoining Pithecanthropus restaurant. On warm days meals can be had there.
My delightful dish of bolognese pasta!
Teddy bears are popular in Korea. Here is Rob Lee, our tour leader with one.
There were a lot of coffee shops and art galleries near the restaurant.
After a pleasant lunch with some California wine we finished our trip back to Seoul to visit the War Memorial Hall of Korea, where we were given time to view the displays about the Korean War on our own. As is typical you could spend a lot more time there as it was a very interesting place to visit.
Returning to Seoul.
This is a beautiful gold colored building. Atmospheric conditions today prevented the picture from doing it justice.
Outside the War Memorial Hall of Korea.
Another sculpture showing a divided country wanting to reunite.
Names of Korean solders who died in any war.
Memorials of US soldiers who died during the Korean War.
Dome in the building.
Map showing how the Korean War progressed.
Some brief explanation about the Korean War. I had not realized General MacArthur played such a big role also in the Korean War.
One of his famous corn cob pipes.
China entered the conflict on the side of the North Koreans.
Interesting comparison of the capabilities of the 2 combatants.
Part of display of some Korean War weapons.
A pretty archaic Air Force initially dropping bombs by hand.
Weaponry display hall.
The view from the museum entrance. It was formally an Army base.
Late in the afternoon we were deposited back at the hotel as the tour was now over. We had one more night at the hotel and tomorrow people would go their separate ways. Some were taking an optional cooking course on making kimchi, some were headed home, others were headed to Japan to tour some more. I have a late afternoon flight home.
Most people were not interested in dinner plans as our lunch was so large. I, for one, was headed to try to find a Manhattan before I leave the country and perhaps find that strawberry tart dessert that caught my eye yesterday. I queried the internet for a close-by larger hotel who might have a cocktail lounge and found that there was one right down the street with a rooftop bar. Perfect! Why was I looking for a Manhattan? The short story is my brother, Gerry and his wife, Sue, often travel with us and we have made it a habit to try Manhattans wherever we were. It has led to some really funny experiences and often less than stellar drinks. I wanted to continue the tradition and report back to him. Well, I went up to the rooftop bar at the “bewitching” hour and found a sign that said it was closed because of a private party. And to make things worse I had not found any other nearby bar to go to, so there will be no report on how good the Koreans are at making a Manhattan.
I walked the streets of the Myeongdong area by our hotel to see if there were any last minute souvenirs worthy of being purchased and to see if I could find that strawberry dessert I saw yesterday. Luckily I did, and my “dinner” turned out to be that delicious tart with fresh strawberries and whipped cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect way to end the tour of South Korea.
Ultramodern coffee shop where I found my strawberry tart.
And here it is! Could have eaten two of them- it was that good.
Steps for the day: 11,712 so I had earned that dessert.
April 26, 2023: Riding the Bullet Train Back to Seoul!
Awoke to sunny skies, Hurrah! After the wet day yesterday this is nice to see. Cool this morning, 51 degrees, but much preferred than the hot, muggy weather they have in the summer. We will be doing a bit of sightseeing here in Busan before boarding the bullet train after lunch. Rob has been doing a great job guiding us through all the ins and outs of Korean culture. Also, he has us leaving our hotels at the leisurely hour of 9AM.
Busan is the 2nd largest city in South Korea, with a population of 3.3 million people. It is noted for its sandy beaches, seafood and a famous international film festival. It is the busiest seaport in South Korea and the 6th largest in the world.
After checking out of the hotel our first stop was at the seaside beach in downtown Busan for a short walk through Dongbaek park and boardwalk to the famous Haeundae public beach here in the city. We joined other locals walking on a padded, rubberized walkway through the wooded park. We stopped to view the APEC House, built specifically for the 2005 meeting and luncheon of the leaders of 21 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) member nations. It is hardly been used (4 times?) since that time and is now a tourist attraction.
View of nearby Busan mountains from my hotel room.
Expensive high rise apartments near Haeundae Beach. Owned mostly by foreigners.
Padded walking trail in Dongbaek Park made of pulverized rubber.
The APEC House, built specifically for the 2005 APEC Conference, and seldom used since.
Large lacquerwork inlaid with mother-of-pearl, created by Kim Gyu-Jang is on display at the entrance of APEC House.
The conference room where world leaders met.
President George W Bush was an attendee at the 2005 APEC meeting.
Picture of the Busan Cimena Center where the International Film Festival is held.
Part of the boardwalk linking Dongbaek Park with Haeundae Beach.
View of Haeundae Beach in downtown Busan.
The 2.5 m, 4 ton Princess Hwangok statue overlooking the beach. Sad story- look it up!
After leaving the park we drove to the 120 meter high Busan Tower, one of those high rise observation towers that many cities have. We rode to the top for a territorial view of the city and its surroundings.
Crossing the Gwangandaegyo two level bridge which is 6500 meters long and is the 2nd longest in Korea.
A Princess cruise line ship was in town.
One of many residential areas in Busan.
A tree lined walkway in Yongdusan Park.
The 120m high Busan Tower located in Yongdusan Park. Luckily the elevators were working so we did not have to walk the 495 steps to reach the top.
Busan city view from the top of the Busan tower.
Another Busan city view.
It was then on to the large, modern Busan train station where we had an hour for lunch in one of the many eateries located there before boarding our 1:10PM bullet train for the 2+ hour ride back to Seoul. Traveling at 180mph (300km/hr) for some of the time is an almost too quiet experience as I slept part of the time because of the lack of the normal “clicky-clack” of the rail ties, as these bullet trains operate on magnetic leviathan technology, meaning they are virtually riding on air most of the time. It is quite a pleasant experience.
The Busan train station.
Busan train station. It is big, new and modern. Wish the train stations in US were as nice!
Nearby office or residence?
Egg Box is a chain specializing in egg based sandwiches. Mine was a warm ham, egg, and cheese one and it was quite tasty.
Need fresh vegetables? Buy them prepackaged at the train station.
Aerodynamic bullet train engine.
Boarding our bullet train to return to Seoul. The cars looked the same as their regular trains.
Inside our car on the bullet train.
Leaving Busan.
Views at 180 mph!
Returning to Seoul.
Upon arrival back in Seoul we were hustled to Namsan Mountian , the tallest hill (270 meters) in Seoul where their famous YTN Seoul Tower is located. We rode a 50 passenger tram to the upper level planning to then ride to the top of the Seoul Tower. However, because of maintenance activities there would have been a 50 minute wait to ride to the top so that was not possible given our time constraints so we simply walked around the lower level taking in the views and watching people.
The cable car used to take people up/down from Namsan Park. There are also trails for the more energetic.
The cable car ride to the top of Namsan Mountain.
The YTN Seoul tower, built in 1969 as a communications tower with added observation deck.
The Seoul Tower is 236 m (774ft) high.
These smoke pots were used as signal devices in ancient times.
Thousands of “love locks” weigh down the railings in the park.
Everywhere you look you see the love locks anchored to the railings. We wondered if any were taken off when the relationship soured!
Views of the city of Seoul from Namsan Park.
The city and me- with my new “rugged” look!
The geographical center of Seoul.
One more stop was made at the Namdaemun Market, which features shops selling everything but food. I wandered the street looking for soccer jerseys but they were not available anywhere.
The Namdaemun Gate, one of the six remaining ancient gates to the city.
A rousing game of something!
I saw these “ambassadors” in several locations during my Seoul visit. It is a good idea.
Enfused health drinks of some sort. I did not buy any.
Obviously she is not concerned about wearing coordinated outfits!
It was then time to head back to the Prince Hotel which we had used earlier in the tour. Tomorrow we will be traveling to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), to view the most militarized area in the world. We were on our own tonight for dinner as Rob was headed to his home to finalize paperwork. The one famous Korean meal many of us had not yet tried was fried chicken and beer. Yes, there are restaurants that specialize simply on serving platters of fried chicken with beer as the beverage of choice. I joined 4 others and we headed off to try it at one of these recommended specialty restaurants near the hotel. The restaurants are small with limited seating inside but with 10-12 small tables outside on the sidewalks. Even though we were early we had to wait about 10 minutes to secure a table. It was quite cool this evening and we had hoped for an inside table but had to settle for one outside. Menus offer only a few alternatives- regular, crispy, with/without sweet and/or spicy toppings. We ordered a few alternatives and mugs of local draft beer. I added an order of french fries (one of the very few optional dishes) simply because it seemed the right thing to do! When the dishes arrived we felt we had over ordered, but surprisingly, most of it disappeared before we were through!
BHC, our chicken & beer restaurant.
These people standing in the street are waiting for tables.
It was quite cold but beer is the drink of choice in these restaurants. The chicken with sauces are messy so they provide plastic gloves and a lot of napkins!
Did we order too much for 5 people? No! As it turned out we finished most of it.
There are 3-4 other such restaurants in the same block. None were as busy as ours.
No karaoke tonight. Back to the hotel as we needed to be ready to leave for the DMZ by 7AM so we could beat the hoards of tourists that normally visit the most major attraction in South Korea.
