Riding the Rails

The next part of this Canadian adventure is a trip on VIA Rain’s Canadian from Vancouver to Sioux Lookout. 

Our 'cozy' cabin

After using the train systems in Spain, Portugal and France we wanted to experience our Canadian rail service, so we decided to take the train back from Vancouver rather than flying so we purchased tickets on VIA Rail’s Canadian, which is a “Full” service train providing sleeping and meals. The other option was the famous “Rocky Mountaineer” but it does not provide sleeping accommodations just meals, and it is much more luxurious (and expensive). The Canadian is transportation where the Mountaineer is more ‘tourist tour’, so they stop overnight so you do not miss the scenery in the mountains. We wanted the full “Train” experience so chose the Canadian. 

We boarded the train right on time and found our way to our “Comfy” berth, Cabin F in train 211. The cabin features two movable chairs, a little sink and a bathroom. The two chairs are ‘moveable’ because you have to fold them up to pull down the two sleeping compartments. The train also has fancy “Elite” class accommodations with full sized beds and an on-suite with a shower, but we were unable to book one of these. The other options are tiny rooms with two seats opposite each other where the entire room becomes a bunk bed, or a simple seat that can be folded down to sleep in. For the four day trip we opted for the actual cabin with folding beds and a bathroom. 

The Observation Car

After experiencing the modern European trains (many of which are built by the Canadian company Bombardier), the VIA Rail cars were a little long in the tooth; everything worked fine, but they had a very 1960’s feel and the looked a little worn. A fellow passenger from Switzerland said to me “The trains are VERY old here!”. The tracks are old as well, still running on wooden ties rather than the concrete and rubber ones that most of the European rail systems have moved to. The result is that compared to the smooth high speed rail travel we experienced in Europe, the ride here through the rockies is rough with the train swaying and bouncing along on old rail beds. 

The ride did not bother us and it actually rocked us to sleep last night and we have developed our “train-Legs” and we are managing moving around the train quite well. The food is delicious and the views through the mountains have been spectacular. 

Hell's Gate

Early Morning Misty View

Where are the Cars?

Here is the Mini, Alisha . . . .

Well here it is my last day in Hungary, and I am only now writing my obligatory blog entry on cars. The reason it has taken me so long is because there was not that much to see.

The other day while out walking a brilliant red newer model Ferrari roared by,  there have been a few Porsche 911’s (We did spend a long time in Germany . .), and a nice old red Jag was parked outside a Tobacconist shop in Miltenburg, Germany, but our guide said he never drives it; just parks it on the sidewalk to brag about his wealth, and to show that “He” can park on the sidewalk outside his shop. Other than that, the most interesting are the various Communist era vehicles that survived the fall of the curtain. It was interesting to note that one of the attractions at Memento Park is the East German Trabant car that sits at the entrance.

They are not all in very good shape; while out walking the other day watched an old car try to stop as the driver suddenly realized traffic was stopped ahead. Lots of squealing of “tire”, and smoke, from the one old drum brake that still worked.

More of the old motorcycles seem to have made it through from Communism to Capitalism, and I have found some interesting old bikes.

I did find one very small auto museum of sorts with an odd collection including a Lotus, a Nissan, a no-name truck and a Messerschmitt. As well, walking by an Oktoberfest gathering being set up, I looked down from a bridge at a couple of big old American cars and a Rolls.

Some cars I saw, I could not even identify because they contained no name plates. I figured they were old soviet vehicles that the owners did not want identified.

The most interesting vehicle I saw was a little green thing called a “Jarus”. Doors opened front and back like the Messerschmitt, and it looked the same front or back. The owner told me it was actually made in Nuremberg where I saw it.

Sorry nothing very exciting . . . 

River? . . . . . Ocean? . . . . .

River cruising is not the same as ocean cruising. There are many differences, but the main two are the number of people on the boat, and the scenery you get as you cruise.

On Board and Ready to Cruise

The River, the Ship and already a Cathedral

I love ocean cruises, but even I will admit they are getting a bit out of control in the size department. Some of the new “Super-ships” hold more than 3000 passengers. Even on some of the ships we have sailed on, we often see people seven days later that we have never seen previously. On one cruise we met a couple as we were standing in line to check in, and never saw them again. If you sign up for “Set” seating for dinner you sit with the same people all the time, and therefore get to know them well by the end of the cruise, but many of the cruise companies are opting for “Open-seating” or “Freestyle-dining”, where you sit with different people each meal. Sometimes you meet interesting people and then never run into them again. On the River Cruises this is not the case. There were only 183 passengers on the boat, so in 14 days you get to know lots of people. It only takes a few days until you recognize everyone, and it is easy to really get to know many people. Unless you are very anti-social and sit in the corner every meal, over time, you usually sit with someone you have sat with before. We have met many wonderful people on this cruise from all over the world. There is no one else from Nova Scotia, but lots of Canadians. The majority are from the US, but there are Australians, and quite a few from Great Britain as well. All good sources of travel information for future trips, and my personal travel advisor is making good use of these resources. A number of couples we have sat with at dinner or taken tours with and we have gotten to know them well. I met someone who takes pictures of interesting things to sketch later as I do, and I even met another person who collects pictures of doors . . . . and like me, he really does not know what he is going to do with them . . . I love people watching, and often as I observe people I wonder what their story is, but on this boat I have actually gotten to know many of those stories.

Another Bloody Castle!

It is the same with the crew. You really get to now them, and they get to know you. Even though we switched boats mid cruise, the crew is small enough that you actually get to know many of them. I know their names and they know mine.

The other major difference is the scenery. On both types of cruises, you sail between ports where you stop and tour interesting locations. The difference is that while cruising on the ocean your scenery is waves, waves, and perhaps another boat or an island in the distance. We all saw what happened when the captain of the Costa Ship tried to make the scenery better . . . Now I love sitting out on my Ocean Cruise balcony relaxing as the ocean glides by, but the scenery is really far more interesting on a river cruise. This ship has taken us through some of the most scenic areas of Europe and we have seen so many castles, churches and quaint villages that to be honest, it is getting a bit boring. We just got back from a tour of Vienna and I almost did not bother going into St Stephen’s Cathedral, since it really just looked like all the others, a big church, twin steeples, vaulted ceilings, and big pipe organs . . . nothing new . .

A beautiful Cathedral?

I think that the general consensus of people on this ship is that river cruising is far superior to ocean cruising, but I am not so sure. In fact I think each has its place. Twelve days into the cruise, and to be honest, I am ready for a couple of “Relax Days” in Budapest, but I do not dare skip any activities because I may miss something wonderful. On ocean cruises, I relax. I have seen most of the islands, so some I do not even get off the boat; time to sit in the warm Caribbean breeze with a cold beer and a book.

Iceland?

We are off on another of our adventures, this one to Europe for a 14 day river cruise with Viking Cruises followed by 14 days in an apartment overlooking the Danube River in Budapest. This adventure did not get off to a good start however . . .

Iceland

 

We were informed at check-in at the airport that our first flight from Halifax to Toronto was “Delayed” in St. Johns with mechanical problems. We did not have a lot of time in Toronto between flights, so this was an immediate worry made worse when we were given the “good news” that the plane had left St. Johns NFLD. This was not good news for us since our plane from Toronto was not waiting around for us. The airline kindly offered us a hotel in Toronto and rearranged our flights to Amsterdam . . . . a flight to Dallas Texas in the morning and way later in the day, a flight to Amsterdam that would get us there by Monday, when the boat would be well on it’s way to Germany.

On the Boat

We could join the cruise, but not until Tuesday in Cologne, so we debated giving up and fighting with the Travel Insurance company and the cruise company for compensation, but finally elected to go to Toronto and hope for the best.

Fortunately I found a friendly and resourceful Westjet employee, who had some imagination and instead of saying “no” said “Let’s try something else.”, and after computer searches, phone calls and queries from me, suggested “This is a bit of a complicated route but it will get you there.” He found a flight to Iceland leaving in an hour with another flight an hour after getting to Iceland that would get us to Amsterdam by noon on Sunday in plenty of time to catch the boat.

River Boats

So almost exactly 24 hours after leaving home we had added another country to our list and we were tired but comfortably settling into our cozy cabin on the Viking Baldur. And we still had time to explore Amsterdam on a walking tour.