Secrets Moxche

Starting Monday at 10:30 AM, we had our last 26 hours in Mexico at Secrets Moxche. We spent the afternoon at the pool bar where they had two live bands playing. Usually its canned music or at best a DJ. Loved the live music. And we requested one of Angie's favorite songs: Mr Brightside.  

We headed back to the room and got ready for dinner. Tonight we would try the Italian restaurant since most everyone we asked said it wasn't to be missed. Not as good as Vivace at Hyatt Ziva. Had a tasty burrata and zucchini soup with a basil foam. And of course some lasagna. And the salmon was well cooked and served on a pea puree.  

After dinner we headed to Dark Horse which is the two-level sports bar. Many TVs, billiards and foosball!! They were playing BINGO so we gave it a try and I won!! The prize was a Secrets T-shirt.   

On Tuesday we headed to the rooftop pool deck for some breakfast and a little pool time before we had to check out. 

 We had a 4:30 PM flight from CUN which was slightly delayed. We relaxed in the airline lounge and boarded about 4:15 PM. We didn't take off until 5:15 PM which put our 9:50 PM connection in ATL at risk. We landed at ATL about 8:45 but our gate wasn't available. Finally at 9 PM we were able to deplane. We had to get through CBP and then travel from Terminal F all the way to Terminal A on the Plane Train. Would we make it in time?

The Global Entry line was empty so we were processed through CBP in just a couple of minutes. Then a quick jaunt through the baggage claim area and to the Plane Train. It was a great choice to not have any checked luggage for this trip to Mexico. We got to Terminal A about 9:20 and to our gate about two minutes after that. Boarding had started and we'd be able to get on our flight!! Global Entry and only having carryons saved the day!! It was a quick 45 minute flight to our next destination. We walked.outsiide to the hotel shuttles and soon were off to the Hilton Garden Inn.  

And where were we? At the next "M" in MMM BOP: Myrtle Beach South Carolina!! We're meeting up with family for a long weekend.

Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Day 1

Yesterday we checked into the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun. This is a family resort located about 10 km north of Puerto Morelos. Our room wasn't ready when we checked in so we took a stroll around the property. Most of the dinner restaurants are located in one section which makes it easy to navigate. There are nine pools, a small water park and some slides.  

At about 3 PM our room was ready. We had been lucky enough to get an upgrade to a two room master suite. It's not often when you have a room at a resort that has two full bathrooms. Angie and I discussed dinner plans. As with most AI resorts, every restaurant isn't open every night. Some go "dark" every few days, especially when occupancy is lower. We reviewed what restaurants would be open for our three night stay and saw that Friday night would be a good night to try Vivace which is the Italian restaurant.  

We showed up at 6:30 and were seated immediately. Many good items on the menu. For starters we had a delicious and savory mushroom bruschetta along with an Orchard Salad. The salad had a tasty rosemary vinegarette along with some stone fruit.  

For mains we had both eggplant parmesan and chicken parmesan. The chicken definitely was the standout. 

 Too often chefs will pound the chicken so that it becomes too thin. Then it never holds up to frying, instead becoming dry and tasteless. Not here. This was a well cooked chicken breast. I also can never pass up lasagna Bolognese and their version was quite tasty. A delicious meaty sauce between layers of pasta, topped with a smooth bechamel sauce and chunks of fresh parmesan!! No dessert tonight. After dinner we headed to Breeze which is an outdoor bar. We had great seats at the bar to listen to the violinist and then the main acrobatic show. And then it was 9:30 and karaoke time!! They had an app you access by scanning a QR code and used that to enter your song into the queue. The audience seemed a little shy so I decided to get the party started with a crowd favorite: "Mr Brightside" by The Killers!! Followed by Jim Croce's "Bad Bad Leroy Brown". It was a fun start to the evening. Some good singers, especially a couple of kids. We stayed until the last singer and then headed back to the room.  

This morning I went and got some tea at Roots which is a coffee shop along with grab and go snacks. They also have a smoothie bar setup at Breeze. Just sitting out on the patio, watching the waterslides!! And we do have an ocean view and a short walk to the beach. I think today will be a pool day. Maybe some pool volleyball.

Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya Day 3

Yesterday after lunch of tuna bowl, chipotle chicken wings and quesadilla , we had a pool day.

 We dodged the typical short tropical rain showers. It was a very enjoyable afternoon. About 5:30 we headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. Tonight we'd be going to Lola which is a restaurant located by the pool. We had some really delicious dishes. Started with Mexican shrimp cocktail, tuna carpaccio and ceviche taco. I am a big fan of Mexican style shrimp cocktail. The shrimp is tossed in a thin spicy sauce along with thin onions and cilantro. The carpaccio was also tasty. Thin slices of tuna with some garnishes. And the ceviche taco was so creative.  

Also had a corn soup and Chilpachole. The Chilpachole was just like a boullibaisse!! A rich savory tomato based broth, loaded with mussels, shrimp, tender shrimp and calamari. So good!! For mains we had Tikin fish and a rice dish loaded with the same seafood from the Chilpachole. Both so flavorful.  

Desserts were a well fried churro with a Mexican hot chocolate "pudding" for dipping and grilled pineapple. The pineapple dessert was so well composed with additions of sorbet and shortbread for some crunch.  

We check out of Zilara today and head to Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun for three nights. We'll have lunch at Lola's before getting our transfer at 1:30.

Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya Day 2

Yesterday we had a late lunch at the snack bar with some delicious grilled chicken and vegetables. Then we got our transportation at 12:45 to take us to visit two resorts which we toured. They were close by the Zilara. It was very warm - close to 30°! And felt even warmer in the sun. Always interesting to see other resorts in person. Angie did some filming that she will use for some.upcoming vlogs. Make sure to follow her on Trips with Angie 

Once we returned at 3:15 we were more than ready for the pool. We stayed until 5:30 then headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. We had a pre-dinner cocktail at Social and then headed to Capri Grill which is the Italian restaurant at this Zilara. Many good dishes including the best beef carpaccio we've ever had, delicious braised octopus with a romesco sauce, agnoletti with oxtail, cannoletti with eggplant and a succulent braised pork shoulder! No dessert tonight.  

After dinner we returned to Legends for an after dinner drink - actually after dinner beer. The Dos Equis amber beer here has been the best draft beer I have had at a resort. Cold, fresh and tasty! I was a bit tired from the heat so w headed back to the cabin.  

This morning Angie is catching up on work and emails. I grabbed a couple of teas from the coffee shop and brought back to the room. Just sitting on the balcony watching a family of coatis nesting up in a tree. I've seen many of them around - and inside - the resort. Climbing the stairs. Definitely don't leave your doors open too long. They are very bold animals.  

Later today we'll try lunch at Lola's which is the a la carte restaurant next to the pool. Followed by more pool time. We will likely try Lola's for dinner as well.

MSP to CUN Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya Day 1

 

Yesterday we flew from MSP to CUN. Our 9AM flight was delayed by about 45 minutes but they made up some time in the air and we landed at 1:05.

  It was a quick process through immigration.  Previously, you had to fill out a tourist information card prior to arrival and wait in a standard line to see an immigration officer.  Depending on how many other flights arrived at the same time, that line could be very long.  We have waited for over an hour on some past visits.    Now CUN has installed new electronic kiosks where you scan your passport and enter another area for facial recognition.  You get a paper voucher and that's it.  About five minutes total time.  This is only available at CUN (for now).  Other Mexican ports of entry will have the more traditional immigration process. 

 

We went outside the airport and found our transfer through Canada Transfers.  They have been very reliable.  It was a quick 30 minute drive to the hotel.  We checked in at 2:15 and our room was ready.  We took a look at the dining options and got a 5 PM reservation at Tempest for some sushi.  We then changed into our swimming costumes and headed to the pool area.  They had a snack grill nearby so we had a little guacamole.  We always seem to start every Mexican visit with one of my favorite cocktails: Paloma!!   I'd you haven't had one it is very refreshing. An ounce and a half of Tequila Blanco (I like Don Julio) along with one and a half ounces of grapefruit juice.  Half an ounce each of simple syrup and lime juice. Then top with a little club soda.    If you don't have grapefruit juice you can substitute grapefruit soda and skip the club soda and simple syrup.   Squirt is the brand in the United States.  Serve in a glass with a slated rim and add a grapefruit slice as a garnish.  So refreshing!! 

We left the pool at 4:20 to get ready for sushi dinner.   We arrived right at 5PM.  We soon ordered a few items from the menu. The tuna sashimi was magnificent.  Thinly sliced with some ponzu sauce!!  But what came next was unexpected.  We thought we'd be receiving the few items we ordered a la carte.  But then we started watching the sushi chef putting together this huge platter. Some of the things looked like what we ordered.  Others didn't.  Was this for us?   The answer soon became apparent!  What a creative assortment of sushi!!  And so delicious. Hard to pick a favorite. We had no trouble finishing it.  And then the chef asked if we wanted more!!   Tempted for perhaps thirty seconds, we thanked him and said we had enough. 

 

After dinner we went to Social which is the craft cocktail bar at the hotel.  We had negronis and they were delicious.  There was a saxophonist playing tunes to a backing track.  The coffee shop had gelato so we tried a scoop of chocolate and green tea!!  Both very good.  Then we headed down to the Legends which is the sports bar.  They had a nice assortment of snacks including beef sliders, tacquitos and popcorn.  There was also a guitar duo playing a set of music.

 

Soon it was time to head back to the room. Today we are hanging out at the resort in the morning.  Angie has some work and emails to catch up on. I went and got some tea at the coffee shop along with some pastries. A delicious Berliner and chocolate muffin. Later we will have a transfer pick us up and visit a couple of resorts. Always interesting to see some of the many resort options.  And I expect we'll have some pool time when we get back and maybe some volleyball.  

Florida to Minnesota

 After returning from Vancouver, we spent time with friends in Florida and repacked for our long trip. We celebrated our anniversary at Florida Avenue Brewing with Chris and Jen. 

Then, it was time to head to Minneapolis for Amy's graduation. We had a great time celebrating Amy's Master of Social Work accomplishment. 

Sea Day

By Angie 

Our last Sea Day started with something very exciting. I was honored at a presentation about ship life for completing the highest level of the Holland America training program. 

I received a bottle of sparkling wine that we all shared.

Then we headed up to the pool deck for some Quirkle.

We enjoyed a last happy hour in Tamarind with Palm, Michelle, and Sherwin.

A great day. 

Ketchikan, Alaska

We had a lovely morning sailing into Ketchikan. I filmed the ship tour. 

We headed to Bar Harbor Ale House for a great barbecue lunch and walked around a little. 

Back onboard for a lovely happy hour in Tamarind. And then dinner in Club Orange. A Club Orange favorite is the seares tuna salad. 

We ended the night with our favorite bartenders in Crow's Nest - Edward and Novi. 

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Yesterday was a scenic day of sailing in Glacier Bay National Park.  Always a highlight of any sailing in Alaska. 

We would have an early start since the ship would enter at 7 AM.  As we were headed into the park, Angie spotted a bear walking on the shoreline - even before the naturalist had announced it!!  And then we saw a first for me: A moose and her baby!!   And then some wolves.  It was going to be a great day from the balcony!!    Marjorie Glacier was breathtaking as usual!  

We saw a little calving.  And the weather was magnificent.  Took a few pictures but you really just need to sit back and enjoy this amazing place.  

After sailing away from the park, we went to the thermal suites.  Their steam room is one of the best I have experienced.  It has a large window so you don't miss any of the scenery passing by.  After a short rest period we got ready for dinner.  Tonight I tried some things from the Indian menu, one of my favorite cuisines.   Although I started with some delicious lasagna.  My Indian starter was Aloo Tikki which is a fried potato patty with peas, coriander, cumin, turmeric and masala.  

So good with the red grapes!  And it was served on what I think was a tamarind/curry sauce.  My Indian main was a flavorful chicken korma served with dal!! Both seasoned so well and satisfying.   The roti and naan could have been better.   The naan seemed like it had been made a lot earlier and reheated.   No dessert tonight.  

After a long day and exciting day,  it was time to head back to the cabin.  Today we will be in Ketchikan, our final port of call on this cruise before we arrive in Vancouver on Saturday.   We'll dock today about 11 AM.  Our plan is to have a sit down lunch in port with our fellow travelers and then walk around the town.

Skagway, Alaska

Today we explored Skagway one of my favorite small towns. We had the most perfect weather. Sunny skies and 12°!! We went to the Skagway Brewing Company and also Klondike Brewing. Skagway has been here for a long time. Klondike is relatively new. We discovered them in 2021 and have been back several times. Skagway gets all the publicity but Klondike has the better beer.   

Also went to one.of.our new favorites Skagway Spirits Distillery. They make their own spirits and have interesting cocktails. Worth the 20 minute walk the next time you're in Skagway. Definitely try the Rhubarb Collins or the Spruce Tip Tonic.  

We headed back to the ship and had a mandatory rest period. We are meeting our fellow travelers at 6 PM in the Crow's Nest. Then will have dinner in Club Orange.  

Tomorrow we sail into Glacier Bay which is always the highlight of any inside passage cruise to Alaska. The park rangers come onboard and provide narration of what we are seeing.

Juneau, Alaska

We got up early to watch the sail into Juneau. It's so gorgeous. We spent most of the day enjoying the scenery.

At 5 pm, it was time to meet up with our small group whale watching excursion. It was twenty people on a boat built for whale watching. 

We had an incredible time on the water. The tour company participates in a couple scientific studies. One was to pull a crab pot and report the findings. 

Then, it was off to whale watch. We got to hangout with a mother and calf. At the end, we even got a glimpse of a breech. 

Sea Day

Yesterday we had a glorious day sailing away from Vancouver and onto Juneau. It was a bright sunny day and just wonderful watching for wildlife. Spotted several whales along the way. 

We met at the pool deck with our fellow travelers and played a couple of games of Quirkle. My defensive strategy didn't work and the games were won by my mother in law and her her sister. It was then time for some lunch. I used mobile ordering from New York Pizza. We had some delicious pizzas and salads. We stayed at the pool deck and saw a few more whales and dolphins (?) in the distance.  

For this cruise we purchased a thermal suite pass. That gives us access to a whole area of steam rooms, sauna, special showers and a huge thalassotherapy pool. We headed to the spa and spent part of the afternoon there. It was then time to start getting ready for dinner. 

It was our first "dressy" night and we had reservations at Pinnacle Grill. 

 What an amazing meal! We started with the signature starter of clothesline bacon!! 

 Thick cut bacon, rendered crispy with hints of brown sugar, black pepper and other spices. So tasty. We also had some delicious deep fried mushroom caps. These were vegan, as they were stuffed with Beyond meat. Still so savory and tasty. And the romesco sauce and basil oil were great for dipping. Angie had the mushroom soup and it was as good as we had last year. For mains, we had the baked halibut. 

 It was topped with minced porcini mushrooms and some toasted panko breadcrumbs. And served with some braised leaks in a buttery sauce. All so good! A well prepared dish. And for sides we had baby beets with blue cheese, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and sauteed mushrooms.  

Dessert was the most delicious Baked Alaska. It was a block of chocolate chip ice cream encased in the traditional sponge cake. Then surrounded by the best marshmallowy (it's a word) meringue that has been bruleed!! And served with a bing cherry sauce which I drizzled on top. So tasty and decadent. Also has the cheese plate which was a nice selection of blue, brie and parmesan along with several variations of fig (jam and whole). We also had a great Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio wines to compliment the amazing food. 

After dinner we went to BB Kings Blue Room to see the All-Star band. They are a seven piece band plus two singers. An amazing horn section!! After one set it was time to head back to the cabin. Even though we set back our clocks tonight, it would be good to catch up on some rest for tomorrow's adventures.  

We will arrive in Juneau today about 1PM. We have an evening whale watch excursion at 5 PM. This is the best place to see whales on a seven night cruise. You might be able to find better locations on a longer cruise or when you are on a land trip. We saw so many when we were here last year. Hoping for the same later today.

Embarking the Koningsdam

Yesterday was our last day in Vancouver - until we return next week. We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront which is directly across from Canada Place so you can always get a glimpse of whether your ship has come in!!  

We ate lunch at our favorite - Cactus Club Coal Harbor. 

We're sailing with Angie's parents, her aunt and her aunt's boyfriend. We walked over to the terminal at 10:30. At this terminal you have to head down to the parking garage level to drop off any luggage you want to check. We were carrying all our luggage on but we took four pieces down for our fellow travelers. The whole place is used as a conference center so they convert ballrooms into check-in areas for each cruise line. Yesterday there were four ships: Grand Princess, HAL Volendam, HAL Koningsdam and a small expedition ship named Ocean Victory. So probably about nine thousand people trying to board yesterday. Security and Immigration both had long lines and we were onboard by noon.  We left the hotel at 10:30 am and were onboard at 12:00 pm. 

The cabins were ready once we boarded so we headed straight there and unpacked. We're staying in the same cabin we stayed in May 2022!! It felt like home.

 The balcony is just amazing especially for an Alaskan cruise.

 We had quite a bit of laundry since we hadn't been able to do any since we checked out of the Airbnb in Calgary. I put that together into one of the provided bags. The laundry service is generally very good on HAL, so we should get that back Sunday night. 

We headed to lunch in the buffet. I had a delicious strip loin sandwich on a fresh baguette along with a piece of lasagna. I also tried the Hawaiian poke sushi roll. Angie had a salad. HAL has the best salad bar of any cruise line I have sailed. They have a really tasty asian dressing. After lunch we checked into our muster station. They still have the "E-Muster" process where you find your location, a crew member scans your S&S card and you're done!! Very easy!! We then headed to the Crow's Nest where we met the bartenders Edward and Novie. Crow's Nest is a great feature of the HAL ships and a great spot for scenic cruising. It is a forward facing lounge with floor to ceiling windows that is located on the highest deck.  

After a mandatory rest period, at 6 PM we met our fellow travelers at the Ocean Bar for a pre-dinner cocktail. For dinner I had very tasty Mac and cheese as a starter. It had a very cheesy and flavorful sauce. I also had a bowl of the smoked salmon chowder. It was cold, thin and unmemorable so I didn't finish it. Angie and I both had the rockfish for our mains. It was well grilled fish over a deliciously savory risotto - some of the best risotto I have had. The fish had some good flavor but wasn't served warm. Surprisingly the risotto was served warm and apparently was freshly made. But the fish has been sitting awhile.  

Today is a sea day as we head to our first port of call Juneau Alaska on Monday. We have an evening whale watch excursion.

Rocky Mountaineer Part 2

Thursday was the tale of "The Not So Little Train That Couldn't". Let's begin.  

On Wednesday night the train pulled into the Kamloops station about 8 PM and we got to the Doubletree Hotel by 8:45 PM. It had been a long but exhilarating day riding the rails. We'd need to be in the hotel lobby by 7 AM to meet the bus that would take us back to the train. So no time to explore Kamloops which was a much larger city than I expected. On Thursday morning we boarded the bus and got back in our same seats on the train. We'd be having first seatings today for both breakfast and lunch. Just as the train started pulling out of the station at 8 AM, we headed to the dining room. 

 Breakfast had the same menu as Wednesday. We tried the lemon/honey pancakes, bacon and avocado toast. Just as our orders were being taken, there was a power failure. This would be the first of many power failures for the day. The air conditioning stopped and it also impacted the galley. Then the train came to a stop. The power resumed, the galley was able to resume and our orders came. The pancakes had a great lemony flavor and the avocado toast was tasty with the smoked salmon. But the train was still stopped. And we remained stopped for the next two hours. We were told there was construction and congestion up ahead.   

At 10:45 the train started moving out of Kamloops and we began to see the landscape of this part of British Columbia. It started off with lots of farmland. Then we saw terrain that looked like we had been transported to the Southwest United States. A desert-like landscape with scraggly mountains. In many ways the views were more remarkable than the snowy mountains we had seen on day one.  

At 12:15 it was lunchtime and we were able to sit with friends we had met at lunch the prior day. We had a fun chat about travel with Mark and Mary Lynn. We had the steelhead trout and a Moroccan spice bowl. Both very good.  

We headed back to our seats as the train made some progress towards Vancouver. 

 But at various times the train would have to stop due to congestion ahead. Or another time it was because the crew on a train ahead of us had "timed out" and had to be switched out. In Canada, the crew are only allowed to work twelve hours in a row without having at least a ten hour rest period in between. All these delays, coupled with our initial two hour delay, made it quite obvious we weren't going to be getting to Vancouver anywhere close to the estimated time. We weren't even halfway there and it was already 3:30 PM. Unlike an airplane, there's not a way to make up time on a train. A plane can increase speed or change flight paths to try to get somewhere faster. But a train is limited to the track it has, the maximum safe speeds and any other trains that are ahead on that same track. We had been provided a map off our journey on day one. Angie took a look and estimated we'd likely be at our Vancouver hotel by 11 PM. We'd only gone about half the distance required over eight hours. 

Soon one of the guest services managers came onboard our train car and delivered good news and bad news. The "good" news? We had been on the train so long that we'd be getting dinner. The bad news? It was obvious we weren't getting to Vancouver anytime soon. Or actually at all - at least not by train. There were just too many trains ahead of us that would be causing further delays. Instead, the train would stop in Chilliwack where busses would meet us and drive us to our hotel in Vancouver.  

Dinner was delivered to our seats. No first or second seating this time. It was chicken skewers on rice. The dining on Rocky Mountaineer is heralded as one of the signature experiences of the trip. This wasn't that. But it was remarkable that the galley was able to come up with anything at all.  

By 8 PM we had pulled into Chilliwack which is about 100 km from Vancouver. They had arranged for busses to take us to our hotels. By 9:15 the bus was loaded and we made our way towards Vancouver. There was a bit of confusion on where our luggage would be. One guest service manager told us to check with bell services at our hotel. Then other passengers on our bus had rechecked their luggage underneath this bus. Where was our luggage? We hoped at our hotel. At 10:30 we pulled up to the hotel. Unlike our stay at the Doubletree in Kamloops, the Rocky Mountaineer staff had not provided us keys to our room. We had to wait in the queue to get checked in. After about 15 minutes we had our keys and headed to the room. And as we walked in the door I checked my watch and it was just a few minutes before 11 PM - as Angie has estimated. And our luggage was right there inside the doorway.  

It was a very disappointing and sad end to our Rocky Mountaineer experience. We missed seeing the additional scenery and I really wanted to have the train pull up into the train station in Vancouver. But on the bright side we had our luggage and we were in the city where the next leg of this adventure will begin.

Rocky Mountaineer Part 1

Today we left the Ptarmigan Inn in Banff at 7:30 and were taken to the train station about five minutes away. Soon afterward we boarded the Rocky Mountaineer!!! We'd be heading to Vancouver by way of Kamloops. We had decided to purchase the Gold Leaf service which gave you fancier seats and a huge glass dome overhead.

 The seats even had heaters and reclining options. Super fancy. The dining room downstairs could only hold about half of our car so we went in two shifts. 

 We had late seating. While we waited for our seating time, the crew brought coffee service with a delicious lemon bread. Soon it was time for breakfast. Breakfast started with some fresh fruit and pastries. And then you could order a la carte. I went with the eggs Benedict. Well poached eggs with a paprika hollandaise served with well dressed greens. 

After breakfast it was time to head back to our seats and enjoy the view of the Canadian Rockies.

 We'd have almost 600 km to get to Kamloops. We passed such great views. It was really challenging to get the "best picture" so for most of the day I just sat back and enjoyed the amazing views. Not too many pictures. There was a vestibule where you could stand and watch the views while getting some fresh air. Make sure you are following Trips with Angie since she'll be posting a vlog about the experience.   

It was getting close to lunch time so the crew started taking drink orders. Gold Leaf service included all your alcoholic drinks as well. They had four BC wines, four local beers from Vancouver breweries in addition to the normal spirits you'd expect. We had second seating for lunch. They rotate it so tomorrow we'll have first seating for both meals. 

Lunch began with a charcuterie platter with banquettes, brie, prosciutto, figs and pickled vegetables. 

 Off to a good start!! Just like lunch, you ordered your main from the menu. Many interesting choices. I went with the steak and Angie ordered the Dungeness crab ravioli. When you look at the size of the galley they have on these trains, it is surprising how they are able to make much more than simple meals. But both dishes were really well crafted. My steak was a perfect medium rare and the raviolis had a lot of flavorful crabmeat in a delicate sauce. I had berries and cream dessert. And Angie had some Earl Grey macarons.   

For the afternoon, the crew provided more drink and snack service, bringing around some savory and sweet bar-type snacks. All while Chase, the lead crew member, was providing us narration of what we were seeing and what would be coming up later. He also hinted at a surprise snack - in case we were still hungry. That ended up being a wine and cheese plate that had some delicious crackers and a dilled cream cheese - similar to Boursin. Also some dried apricots, figs and apples. 

 They served it with a Pinot Noir or a Sauvignon Blanc - neither of which were on their regular menu. A nice treat!! When we were about 45 minutes away from Kamloops, Chase said the galley team would be coming up to serve us a sweet treat before we got off the train. Soon they came up with fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. You certainly won't go hungry on the Rocky Mountaineer. 

We arrived at Kamloops train station about 8:15. Almost twelve hours from when we left Banff. We'd be staying at the Doubletree hotel tonight. Chase came around and provided room keys for everyone. We wouldn't have to check in at the hotel. We'd just go directly to our rooms. We walked off the train and into the waiting shuttle bus that took us to the Doubletree. And our luggage had been delivered right to our rooms. Such a smooth operation.  

Tomorrow we meet in the lobby at 7AM. We'll be taken to the train station to continue our journey towards Vancouver. It will be a shorter day since we have less than 400 km to go. And we'll have first seating for breakfast and lunch.

Sulphur Mountain

Yesterday was our last full day in Banff!! We had an early start by packing up all our luggage and leaving it with the bellman about 7:30. Today we'd be taking the bus up to the Sulfur Mountain Gondola. One perk of staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs is they provided you a bus pass. Then the gondola would take us to the visitor center at the very top. We had made advanced reservations a couple of days before. It costs $75 CAD/person (~$55 USD). What a glorious day!! Sunny and warm. Highs in the 20's.  

We were on the 8:17 AM bus. It was about a ten minute bus ride to the gondola station. When we arrived only the staff was there. It appeared we'd be the first people up to the mountain this morning. It was the longest gondola ride I have ever had. Although it is at an elevation of almost 2500 meters so there is a bit of distance to travel. Once we arrived we had the place to ourselves. We walked around the first level and just took in the amazing scenery. We could see a higher peak off in the distance. 

 Would we try to get there?  

We went to the coffee shop and got some hot beverages. Angie had a chai latte and I went with good old fashioned hot chocolate. Both very good. When we finished those, we decided to see where the boardwalk led. The signs made it clear that you were on your own. The boardwalk had lots of stairs and viewing platforms. Just amazing views!! But no crowds. I compared it to the low crowds we had when we climbed the Great Wall in the off season many years ago. it was so much easier without tons of people We had made a great choice coming so early. And did I mention how great the weather was? So clear and sunny. I thought it would be so much colder at the top but it wasn't. I eventually made it to the top which is where an old weather station was situated. And a snowblower. Lots of snowblowers around when you need one. Angie waved from one level below!!

We then made the trek back to the visitor center. A few more people had come up in the gondolas but it still wasn't crowded. We then went to level four which was the observation deck and saw a bear!!! Oh my!! This bear was remarkably calm and collected. He or she seemed to be reflecting on something. And also guarding some chairs. We decided to sit down by the edge of the deck.

 And that's what we did for the next two hours. Just comfortably, enjoying the views. Angie caught up on some emails. More and more people came. They crowded the boardwalk. But we just had our comfortable chairs and a view. A really marvelous morning.

As the crowds continued, Angie checked the bus schedule and saw we could get either the 12:46 or 1:15. We decided to take the gondola down and catch the 12:46 bus. The ride down was a bit faster!! But just as glorious!!! Our bus came and we took it to downtown where we stopped for lunch at Farm and Fire and had a delicious Cobb Salad and breakfast bowl. Today was check out day from the Fairmont and we'd be checking into the Ptarmigan Inn which just happened to be next to the restaurant. 

 We checked in about 1:30 and our room was ready. We made a quick stop at the room and dropped off a bag we'd been carrying. Then we walked back to the Fairmont to get our luggage. But not before we made a few stops. First stop was at the Elk and Oarsmen. We had seen a rooftop bar the first day we were in downtown. Angie had done some investigation and found this was the bar!!! So we decided to head on up.

 We tried two beers from new breweries. And we had yet to try poutine on this trip so we also ordered the Elk Poutine. It was pretty tasty. The best is still the Butter Chicken poutine I had a few years ago. But this was good.  

After our snack, we continued the walk and went to the First Nations museum to learn a little bit about the indigenous people of this area. The museum had a lot of individual displays of clothing, artifacts, weapons and pictures.

 But not a lot of information on the people. Although they did have a buffalo skull that was over 6000 years old. I'm glad we went. The museum would be a lot better with a better curator. 

We made it back to the Fairmont, claimed our bags and took a taxi back to the Ptarmigan Inn. We had a mandatory rest period before our dinner reservation at 6. I watched the first couple of innings of the Red Sox and Blue Jays and then we headed to the restaurant. It was about a five minute walk. So many places to eat and drink here in downtown Banff!!  

The Maple Leaf was primarily steak and seafood. They had a special menu with items that focused on indigenous ingredients and cooking methods. Had a delicious mushroom starter and cinnamon cured salmon. 

 I was a bit nervous about the cinnamon being took strong. But it was very balanced. It also came with some wild dill which has a minty flavor. We went with the cowboy steak for our main. It was very flavorful. We asked for medium and most of it was cooked that way. Part of the steak was a little thinner so it was closer to medium well. But the flavor of the Canadian beef was so good it didn't matter. And this cut of steak is also fattier so it is more forgiving. A really great meal!! We also enjoyed another delicious Cab Franc from BC.  

Today starts the next leg of the adventure!! We'll be boarding the Rocky Mountaineer Train later this morning. It will stop in Kamloops tonight where we'll stay in a hotel. Then we'll be back on the train Thursday and travel to Vancouver. I am very excited for this train!! There is a full sky dome on the cars to take in all the views. More on that later and the full experience. We decided to book Gold Leaf service which is supposed to have upgraded meal options and other amenities.