After a long day at work, about to leave the bustle for the serenity on The Canadian enroute to Vancouver
Entrance to trains: leaving from beautiful Toronto Union Station on The Canadian across Canada
Welcome aboard The Canadian. The sleeper car halls are narrow due to the cabins: everything is comfortable and cozy
This is my private cabin for one with the bed stowed away. Cozy and comfy - newly refinished too!
The bed pops out from the wall - extremely comfortable and with a dreamy view from the window!
At the back of the train in the Park Car, the Bullet Lounge is very retro and relaxing
Out the portal door window of the Bullet Lounge: watching the tracks strech behind us as we roll along
From the Bullet Lounge, the beautiful retro stairs lead to the Dome Car. Note the amazing clock that tells the time across Canada.
Handy: this clock doesn't need to be changed as The Canadian crosses the continent
Up the stairs to the Dome Car: a magical place to catch the beauty of Canada as we clip along
Lunchtime: sharing stories and photos
First meal on board: a gourmet breakfast with a stunning view in the retro dining car
Enjoying drinks and new friendships on The Canadian
Each of the cars on The Canadian is named after a famous Canadian historical figure. I slept in the "Rogers Manor Car"
Northern Ontario: passing remote towns and cabin communities
The stillness of the remote Northern Ontario winter
The Canadian kicks up lots of snow as it flies through the Northern Ontario forests
Winter in Northern Ontario
Pausing on one of the switches to let a CN freight train go by.
It's cold in Northern Ontario! Ice crystals form around the windows of the Dome Car
In the passage between cars, snow piles up in the doorways
Each car had a plaque explaining the origin of the car's name and the historical figure's contributions to the country
All aboard the great Canadian Journey
The Park Car at the back of the train
The famous bullet-shaped Park Car at the back of The Canadian
The small town of Hornepayne in Northern Ontario. Burrr
Short stop in Hornepayne, Northern Ontario: the outside of the beautiful stainless steel Rogers Manor car.
The baggage car on The Canadian. Some of my fellow guests were moving to new cities - what a neat way to relocate!
The Canadian stopped in Hornepayne, Ontario - with an abandoned railway building beside
The majestic Canadian
Brian, one of the service attendants, keeps us on time during our stop in Hornepayne
Listening to music and reading in the dome car
A special moment on the transcontinental journey: the Westbound and Eastbound Canadians meet. Hello!
The Canadian passes The Canadian
The sun sets in Northern Ontario
Dinner time: meals are prepared fresh in the on-board kitchen
The VIA Rail crew were simply wonderful: enjoyed a nice long conversation with Jeannine, our service manager from Winnipeg
Good morning! One of the most peaceful and relaxing days on The Canadian is passing through the Saskatchewan prairies
The flat, empty prairie landscape in the winter is hyptnotizing
Endless fields of snow and blue sky in the prairies
Stainless steel train, blue sky, white snow. The rail signal lines aren't used anymore, but it's cheaper to just leave them in place
Frigid outside; but toasty warm in the relaxing Bullet Lounge
The sun starts to set in the Saskatchewan prairies
The sun starts to set in the Saskatchewan prairies
Winter scene in the prairies. That vehicle isn't going anywhere fast
The Canadian passes under a bridge
Crossing a prairie river
Pierre, a VIA crew member, clears the snow that has piled up in the doorway
The prairies continue in Alberta
An amazing and rare sight: a sundog! The rainbow to the right of the sun is caused by light reflecting through ice crystals in the atmosphere. That's how cold it is!
A really interesting photo: the stark winter makes Alberta's largest coal mine and power plant look very dramatic
Crossing a valley beside an impressive truss bridge
An Alberta ranch. The prairies are starting to give way to more hilly terrain
Oil wells dot the Alberta landscape
Nearing the Alberta Rockies, the prairies start giving way to tall forests
The Dome Car is a relaxing place to read, watch and reflect
The trees get taller as we near the Rockies
The Canadian plunges deep into the Alberta forests
And how's this for a photo to whet your appetite for the sights to come: here come the Rockies!
Everyone sits together and gets to know each other over the spectacular meals on The Canadian
Enjoying company with new friends on The Canadian
Fabien, a crew member on The Canadian, plays for us during dessert
The tables are set for a nice gourmet meal
The meals? Spectacular!
Dinner and conversation on The Canadian
New friendships form easily on The Canadian: socializing in the Bullet Lounge
Arriving at Saskatoon station for a late-night, 20min stop
Remarkably, my friend Anna trekked out to the station late at night to meet me quickly: and she brought a Saskatoon trivia game!
The key lesson from Anna's Saskatoon trivia game: it's easy to draw Saskatchewan
Arriving in the very early morning to Edmonton
In the distance, downtown Edmonton looks very cold!
