Dining on the Rocky Mountaineer, Part 1
I didn’t cook today. And that’s what we had for lunch.
We spent a long, fantastic day on board the Rocky Mountaineer from Calgary to Kamloops, and tomorrow to Vancouver. Although we’ve made this drive through the mountains a few times yearly for almost as long as we can remember, it’s great to get a new perspective of the Rockies, away from the highway, without the distractions of driving. It’s also pretty rad to be able to drive directly through a mountain, in a tunnel just slightly larger than the train itself, out on the vestibule (everybody said that word a lot today) – the little platform you can go stand on between cars.
We hopped on board in Calgary at the base of the tower – early – check in time was 5:30-6. By 7:30 we were in the dining car, eating warm croissants, fruit plates and eggs Benedict with Montreal smoked meat and tarragon Hollandaise.
The dining car was exactly what I expected it to be – quaint booths with pressed white tablecloths and napkins and silverware. We should all have been in black and white, impeccably dressed, with fancy hats with hat pins and white gloves.
I had expected to ride in a regular sort of train car, but we were up top, under wraparound windows that encased us all as if we were in a greenhouse. They were tinted on top to prevent glare, but the view was spectacular, with barely a cloud in the sky.
It was a relaxed ride to Banff, where we picked up another 400 passengers and had a toast – with orange juice and sparkling peach juice – en masse to cheers the beginning of our trip.
Adam, our handlebarmoustached tour guide of sorts (who was so knowledgable about everything from trains to glacial ice that I started calling him Google) gave play by plays of the interesting peaks we passed, and about rivers and wildlife and answered technical questions from train buffs, and passengers were encouraged to call out if they witnessed wildlife out the window.
We wandered through the spiral tunnels into Yoho (translation: “awesome”) and Kicking Horse Canyon – spectacular from outside and in our seets. (Outside, between the cars, was a great vantage point for the spiral tunnels.) It’s a sightseeing train, not a high-speed train, so we went 30-80 k – for much of the way – it seemed you could jump off and run alongside, almost. (Well not me, personally.)
We passed the old original wood train station in Lake Louise! Where they filmed part of Dr. Zhivago!
I was always under the impression you slept on the train, but when you think about it, you’d miss so much of the scenery if it got dark and you had to sleep. Besides, after almost 14 hours on board (even though there was plenty of leg and stretching room), it was nice to get off at around 7 pm and find our luggage waiting for us in a hotel room in Kamloops. (Interesting fact: the luggage doesn’t go on the train, but is sent ahead on a truck, so arrives far ahead of us.) They instructed us to leave our luggage in our rooms tomorrow morning, and they would be picked up and magically reappear at our hotel in Vancouver.
Hopping on board now. Will report back again soon!
May 12 2011 08:03 am | leftovers
Fiona on 12 May 2011 at 8:52 am #
That looks amazing, all of it!
The word “vestibule” always makes me think of Jill Goodacre.
glenda on 12 May 2011 at 9:11 am #
OH MY WORD!! What a great experience!! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy every minute of it!
Jessica on 12 May 2011 at 11:25 am #
Now THAT’S a moustache!
the other Al on 12 May 2011 at 11:41 am #
after the morning I’ve had with two teenage boys(punched hole in the wall) I’d swap places with you in a heartbeat. Just to let someone ELSE be the boss for a day…
Laurie from Burnaby on 12 May 2011 at 11:57 am #
How lovely! Taragon Hollandaise is known as Bernaise sauce
Laurie in Calgary on 12 May 2011 at 12:00 pm #
Looks and sounds so wonderful! I hope you are enjoying the break and the luxury of being pampered.
Lynn on 12 May 2011 at 12:38 pm #
Julie, enjoy this trip. I did about 6 years ago in the middle of winter and the food and scenery are spectacular. We remember it as a real travel highlight.
Sam on 12 May 2011 at 1:07 pm #
I loved that ride. i took it when I was a kid and I remember doing word searches in the glass car with my Nana. Or at least I did until my Nana told me it was called the suicide car. My Nana was awesome (and I’m totally not joking – might have horrified me then but it makes for a great memory!)
Susan on 12 May 2011 at 1:23 pm #
Enjoy yourself. I did a Redleaf trip on the Mountaineer five years ago and really enjoyed the trip. I will be going again at the Goldleaf level in August and hope to enjoy it too.
Erica B. on 12 May 2011 at 1:29 pm #
Ok it’s official; forget Disney, this is the next vacation we’re taking! Thanks for sharing
Sarah Galvin (All Our Fingers in the Pie) on 12 May 2011 at 3:41 pm #
I have added this to my bucket list.
The Roaming Boomers on 12 May 2011 at 5:01 pm #
Julie, thanks for sharing this. We will soon be aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. Your article, and particularly your photographs, make us far more impatient for the journey!
CathyH on 12 May 2011 at 5:10 pm #
What a wonderful trip and as usual, your colorful narrative makes us feel as though we are there! Enjoy the journey, well deserved!
Erin on 12 May 2011 at 5:19 pm #
Hahaha! I don’t know you Fiona, but I have a feeling that we’re kindred spirits. Jill Goodacre also popped into my mind! “I’m stuck in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre!” Classic!
On a more on-topic note, this is my DREAM TRIP!!!! If I ever win a chunk of cash, I want to take my dear old dad on this trip. He’s always dreamed of it as long as I can remember.
Have lots of fule Julie and keep the pics of that decadant food coming!! It’s like food porn!! hahaha:)
Bon Voyage!
Vivian on 12 May 2011 at 9:17 pm #
Bearnaise…uses white wine vinegar, I believe…not lemon juice as does Hollandaise…delicious none the less. I do hope that was very thin sliced fennel on the ?Arctic Char…seemed too red for salmon.
Avery on 12 May 2011 at 9:30 pm #
Sooo jealous! And I was right; my friend Mathieu is one of the chefs on board (formally of Rouge!), so I know the food must be amazing. We have to drive with a 6 month old and a 2.5 year old to Merritt BC, next week… wish we were going by train instead!
Tina on 12 May 2011 at 9:35 pm #
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/
Check this out, Julie! Read today’s post, “Juggling,” by another woman I admire, and know you’re not alone!
Lana on 13 May 2011 at 6:48 am #
WOW. The food had me drooling and then the shot of the Lake Louise Train Station..? I ate there with Rach once and so the pic had me catching my breath. LOVE.
This trip sounds incredible. Enjoy every moment!!
Christina on 13 May 2011 at 8:51 am #
OH MY GOODNESS I want to do this!! I showed my husband and was like “Honey, this has got to happen!!”!! What an awesome experience! Can’t wait to hear about the rest of the trip!!
Beverley M on 13 May 2011 at 11:20 am #
Sounds fabulous! Having lived my entire life in BC, it’s not one of the things that would ever occur to me to do. Travelling from one place to another is just a CHORE (“ugh, it’s so far to Grandma’s house”) not an adventure. I may have to try this trip with my kids when they’re older, though! (They’re 3 and not-quite-born-yet, so it’ll be a while!)
sweetsugarbean on 13 May 2011 at 6:54 pm #
I want to go!!!
Joan Sugrue on 15 May 2011 at 7:29 am #
I am having difficulty trying to decide something exceptional to do for my upcoming 60th birthday…think I may have just found the answer. Sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing it.
Cheryl on 18 May 2011 at 2:36 pm #
I would take that trip just to go through the spiral tunnels.
Terry Bailey on 17 Jun 2011 at 7:45 am #
I have just arrived home from Canada where I took a 15 day insight vacation from Vancouver to Toronto.The first 11 days on a motor coach and the rest by rail on the via Canadian.When we reached Jasper with the exception of us 11 heading east the rest of the tour were heading back to Vancouver on the rocky mountaineer.Having read this article the rocky mountaineer will be a priority on my next visit.Thank you for sharing this with us all.
Pam on 07 Jul 2011 at 8:38 am #
Hi
I travelled from Vancouver to Banff on the Rocky Mountaineer in June 2011. It was an amazing experience & I would recommend it to anyone. The food was amazing – did you by any chance get the recipe for their Wild Mushroom Soup? All the attendants that we encountered showed exceptional customer service & local knowledge. Trip of a lifetime!