Day 5...Vancouver!

Sunrise along the Fraser River was beautiful with mist on the water and surrounding pastoral landscape. Whenever I am in BC I feel like I am coming home....

We arrived in Vancouver at about 930 am.  I'm actually sad to leave my train behind! I am definitely a fan of train travel.It was relaxing, the scenery was beautiful and we met people from all over the world on the train.What a great experience.

Day Four... Through the Rockies!

We arrived at Edmonton about 730am and had a few minutes to stretch our legs as a new viewing car was added prior to our journey thru the Rockies. Let me add now that in order to quickly upload several pictures for the Blog, I have changed their size and the quality is not up to my usual standard... so there you have it...quantity today is trumping quality!

The "special viewing car" was special all right: the polarized glass combined with the polarizing filter on my lens created this funky rainbow effect and I had WAY too much fun shooting all kinds of stuff! I especially liked the industrial equipment, electrical towers, and factories!

                                                     Here I am in the magical rainbow car!                                                                          

     

This poor bear is hanging out by the track looking for grain dropped off the grain cars. MANY animals are killed on the tracks this way. According to one of the Via Rail staff there have been 40 fatalities in the past 2 months. She urged us to write to Via Rail and CN to ask that they make a greater effort to keep the grain off the tracks. They HAVE vacuum cars that remove the grain but they need to do it more often. I plan on sending an email to them. Please consider doing the same. SO MANY bears and other animals are dying!

                                                                                 

        We are nearing Jasper now. Mountains getting bigger!                                                                            

I'm turning into a train freak! Loving watching the other trains we cross paths with, noting how many engines are pulling them, how many cars they have and so on....

Rocky Mountain High!

They served champagne to everyone  in the dome car to toast as we were crossing the Great Divide.

Mount Robson looming 

Another pretty view

Pyramid Falls. Not bad shots for whipping by on a train.

Another Mount Robson shot.

Crossing high above a rushing river. 

The view from the back of the train. Leaving the highest peaks behind.

One of my Favourite shots of the day.

Train Trip Day 3

We left Toronto Tuesday evening at 1030pm and traveled through Northern Ontario the second day and night. At 730am Thursday we arrived in Winnipeg and had a few hours to stretch our legs off the train.

 Yes this is me at 730am(!) Ready to explore the city. Note the strong cup of coffee in my hand sustaining me.

 The new Museum of Human Rights is an architectural wonder. It was not open yet. Set to open this week I think.

I liked this moody scene along the Red River. Guess I should get out with my camera early in the mornings more if the reward is such interesting skies!

 Back on the train again, we are moving through the Assiniboine River valley. Misty and definitely showing signs of Autumn.

Big skies of Saskatchewan came into view mid afternoon. Can't get enough of them. I find the Prairies endlessly interesting... no boredom here!

 Prairie sunsets seem to last forever. It was beautiful to watch an extended sunset for about an hour!

Our train heading west...following the sun...I enjoy moving in a westerly direction best...In the words of Led Zeppelin:  "there's a feeling I get when I look to the west and my spirit is crying for leaving...."

Train Life Pics

The Dining Car. We dined with different people each meal. Always interesting conversation. Great food too!

Lovin the train life!

There was even entertainment. Emily and Pat from Brantford!

Toronto to Vancouver by Train!

Here are some pics from the first day of our trip. Didn't have wifi on board train so just posting now that I'm stationary again!

our cosy cabin on the train

Mark got the top bunk!

The view I woke up to on day one. Northern Ontario. 

A couple of minutes later....

Finally... cat video fest pics! Kitty Woodstock!

After many technical difficulties, I am now able to post some pics from the 3rd annual international cat video festival on August 14 in Minneapolis! What a great event! What a great CITY! The people are amazingly friendly and helpful, it is beautiful, and hey, they seem to love cats too!!

Here my friend Susan and I stake out our place early on the lawn of the Walker Art Center decked out in our crazy cat lady finery! Notice my nice orange tail.

An overview of the area with the Minneapolis skyline in the background. There were an extimated 10,000 people at this event and many latecomers were not even able to find space! Here's a small sampling of the sites seen on this fun filled festive cat crazed occasion!! As I was telling people, it's a freak show and I'm one of the freaks! Just loved it!

See, there's crazy cat men too!!

This had to be the best crazy cat lady outfit!

matching glasses!

great cat shirts and check out her tights!

even the garbage cans were dressed

Nice Dress!

The evening's events

crazy cat couple

quite a look...love it!

a startling site!

Another overview from close to the screen near show time.

Sue getting her face painted

just one of the freaks!

very good boy. he sat behind us.

We were interviewd by a local tv station having come all the way from Canada!

 

Beautiful black cat!