After a day at sea it was nice to have a chance to visit our first town Juneau.

Although the main part of the town is not too big there were a few interesting places away from the usual souvenir shops, although our daughter does expect a few gifts as surprises.
The first place we visited was the cultural centre where we found out about the early settlers, which proved to be very interesting.

Walking around town we came across the Red Dog saloon; a restored bar that had also been a brothel in the past. This was mentioned in the guide book, so it would be a shame to miss it out. As we strolled across the sawdust covered floor we were lucky enough to find a table. We ordered a drink off a hostess, dressed in a period costume and listened to the singer, whilst I got a chance to capture the scene. An authentic period bar with a great atmosphere and a lively place to stop for a while. 

We also managed to find a few art galleries and had a chance to see a range of local art work. There was also a drop in centre for families to engage in artistic activities which looked interesting. 

​It was a nice start to the cruise although the weather was more like home after the warmth of Canada.

After an interesting day in Juneau, Skagway proved to be a disappointment. 

The sail in was impressive with the low clouds on the mountains but this was also the problem when we arrived with intermittent rain.

We left the boat in the morning and an interesting old fashioned train greeted us before we proceeded up the main street. The road proved to be the centre of the town and mainly had souvenir shops. There were bars but these were crowded with people sheltering from the rain and were not as impressive as the one yesterday. I did manage to get a quick image of the street  and I thought that there were some interesting shop fronts.

We returned to the boat for lunch and decided to go out again but eventually turned back as the weather had worsened.

Maybe I'm being a little unfair on the town because of the weather but it does seem more of a place to use as a base for excursions. These were varied from whale watching, to helicopter rides to a glacier. We had done both of these in earlier holidays and with the low cloud and inclement weather were not sure if these would be enjoyable. Also they were quite costly ranging up to nearly $500 each.

After an overnight stay in Vancouver we were on the move again in more ways than one.

We decided to walk to the cruise terminal  from our hotel, as it wasn't too far and it was downhill. This wasn't too bad as the heavy cases rolled easily. 

 Getting on to the ship is always different on the cruises we have done. This wasn't the easiest we have had, as we had to go through two custom points, as we were leaving Canada and going to America. Also the signs weren't very good in places.

Anyway, we eventually boarded and found our room. Whilst we waited for our cases we had something to eat. 

We were eventually on our way  to Alaska and people crowded onto the deck to admire the view as we sailed out of Vancouver's port. The couple with the man wearing the sailor's hat particularly interested me.

As we sat on the deck there was a small group of passengers listening to the naturalist rep. Fully clothed, she was talking about the wildlife that we may see. We were impressed to learn that "sometimes you see whales in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon and sometimes not at all." This was something we would have to  keep in mind during the cruise!

As it was, we may have seen some whales on the first sea day but as they were too far away, we will never know. You see we didn't have binoculars like the gentleman in my sketch. So the naturalist's keen observation was true. We saw some in the afternoon maybe!

This is best described through a poem what I wrote!!  LOL

There was a competition with something to win
So not to enter would be a sin
We have come away 
With places to stay
So I should have a lot to say
So I racked my brain 
And remembered the train
Becky told a good story
And these didn't bore me
Scott dressed as a Moose 
Although with the truth he was a little loose
Lots of good food from Allanah
And if still hungry you could go to the back for a Bannanah
We saw some Bears
And as we weren't in Gold we didn't have to go upstairs
The first day we saw a tree....tree...tree
Had lots of drinks for free...free...free..
​Lots of views to see..see...see
And even had somewhere to go for a Wee...Wee...?
Sorry if it's getting crude
I don't mean to be rude
But I couldn't think of anything else to say
But we would soon arrive in Vancouver to stay.

To sum up our experience on The Rocky Mountaineer. Some passengers used the train to get to where they wanted to go, others as part of a package and others as a once in a lifetime experience. It's certainly something I would recommend for a Bucket list and we really enjoyed it.
The best description was one that my wife, Susan, said it was like a first class plane journey on wheels. Everything you needed was on hand and the staff went out of their way to help and make the journey memorable. Our particular thanks to Allanah who sorted out our weird dietary needs (We like plain food).

As for my poem. It's only the second one I have written in forty years since being forced to write them at school. You may say this is not surprising but must realise true genius often takes time to reveal itself!

After a restful night we were soon back on the train and off on the second part of our journey, 

As we left Kamloops behind, the scenery was vastly different than the day before. We had a leisurely journey along a twenty mile lake. This gave me a chance to do a couple of quick studies as we passed the small towns and eventually the river. The area was quite barren with the odd farm along the way.

In the early days one of the farmers used to shoot at the train as he was upset that blowing the horn before entering tunnels upset his animals. This was stopped but there are times when he still walks around or drives his tractor naked as a protest. We waved nicely as we passed him fully clothed on this occasion.

We saw several wild birds; a couple of Osprey and a few Long horned sheep but the landscape was fairly plain.

​​The next part of the journey followed the river towards Vancouver. Here we saw the might of the river including the impressive Hell's Gate. Every minute, 750-million litres of water crashes through a narrow 33-metre (108-foot) wide gorge - double that of Niagara Falls. No wonder Hell's Gate put the "fear of God" into early explorers.

As the river slowed down we saw the large flotillas of logs waiting to go to the mills as a large part of the local economy. It was here that we saw a sight which we had never seen before where two rivers joined together. One was a dark sluggish grey and the other a vibrant fast flowing blue. The area where they joined was half and half until the fast flowing one melted into the slower one. This two toned effect was impressive

There were several interesting stories of the early settlers and their struggles finding passages and routes in this area and we realised how harsh life must have been in the early days.

Eventually we arrived in Vancouver for one night's stay before the next leg of our journey. 

What did we think of the trip on the Rocky Mountaineer? That will be the next blog!

A really enjoyable first day with the only slight downside being the time it took us to actually get into Kamloops. The company does not own the train track so has to stop every now and again to let goods trains pass.

The upshot of this was that we arrived later than expected and after grabbing something to eat we were limited time wise as we had to be up  early the next day.

We had done our research and had found out  that there were interesting back alley murals, which were near the hotel so we decided to look for them. It seems strange to say we spent the evening wandering down the back alleys but the art was excellent and certainly brightened up the area which would normally be quite dark and unappealing. It seems a shame that more towns don't follow this example.

​Although if you walk around Manchester, murals are starting to brighten up some areas.

Another  surprising thing about the trip so far was the heat; this had been unexpected. Kamloops had been over 110 degrees in the day and was still 100 degrees when we went for the walk at about 8 o'clock in the evening.

Anyway it was time for an early night and to get ready for the second leg of the train journey.

​After a couple of restful days it was time to move on to a part of the trip we had been particularly looking forward to, although we were not quite sure what to expect; our trip on the Rocky Mountaineer.

We waited patiently on the station before being allowed to go to our designated seats. We were travelling Silver class and had the same seats for the whole journey.

We were soon on our way and had plenty of time to get used to the facilities and relax as we passed through the countryside.

Being sat for such a long journey as well as seeing the sights, I had plenty of chances to do some sketching. This mainly consisted of drawings of fellow passengers on the first day.
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The train did slow whenever there was an interesting view and we were told all about it.

​One aspect of the journey was seeing the devastation that can be caused by the forest fires. The large one we passed had been accidentally started by an off duty reserve fireman. The long stumps of the trees stood out against the vegetation that had started to return and I tried to capture this image.

​A really enjoyable first day with the only slight downside being the time it took us to actually get into Kamloops. The company does not own the train track so has to stop every now and again to let goods trains pass.

​ I have often written about my visits to art galleries in different towns.  I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the Art gallery in Jasper.

I was expecting a normal city gallery but it turned out to be a gallery for the Jasper Art Guild.

We arrived at the gallery housed in the library building only to find it closed.  Disappointed  we decided to use the toilet facilities before moving on. When we came out of there, to our surprise, it was now open. So we entered.

After looking around, a young artist Sarah Budd introduced herself and we had a long chat. We were tempted to purchase one of her paintings but unfortunately would have struggled to get it home.

The art guild was for local people and the council had funded the gallery for the club to exhibit their work and it was run by volunteers from the club. Members ranged from sixteen to seventy.

This was a stunning building and the space over two floors was impressive. Members regularly showed their work and they held meetings there. The work was of a very high standard and very diverse. It often reflected the local scenery but there was also abstract work and sculptures.

I belong to a local art club and we would love to have these facilities and exhibition space all year as well as the support from the local council to the same extent.

Having been so impressed with the gallery we went back the next day and this time met another artist Sam Wilson. Again we had a long chat comparing our two clubs and the art produced by members. We were amazed to find out she drove eighty miles to attend classes there and I moan about my drive of five miles to my club. Although I bet my traffic is worse!

Two really enjoyable visits and great to see local artists showing in their own town instead of there being just a commercial gallery showing work by artists often not related to the town.

www.jasperartistsguild.com/
 
https://www.sbuddart.com/

https://www.jasperartistsguild.com/sam-wilson

​After an early start we were off on our travels again. This time an organised tour on the way to Jasper. There were three stunning stops on the way.

The first was a beautiful vantage point to view a bright blue lake. After that we went for a lunch with a view of our second adventure; a drive up to the Columbia Ice-field in a giant tractor motor vehicle.  The tyres alone cost $5000 each! I'm glad we didn't get a puncture.

The Glacier was impressive but it seemed a shame that this was shrinking at an alarming rate and future visitors won't have the same opportunity to view it in the same way. We had a chance to step out onto the Glacier and have a short walk to take in the experience.

Our next stop was the Glacier Sky-walk overlooking the Sunwapta Valley. I'm not fond of heights but this was fine and the scenery was breathtaking.

The last stop was to view an impressive waterfall; another chance to see the power of nature. We were able to walk so close to it that we were sprayed with icy water!

The last highlight of the day was when we were lucky enough to see our first full sighting of a Canadian Brown  bear after a few near misses earlier in the day. The only frightening thing was the people getting out of the cars to take pictures. If the bear had taken a swing at any of them, it would have  had to be put down  which would have been a shame when it was the stupidity of the people who had caused it.
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​An excellent day and well worth taking the coach. Unfortunately no chance to do any drawings on such a busy day.

​ Again the hotel in Jasper was a little way out of town but a pleasant walk this time. Jasper was a nice surprise after the busy few days already on our tour. It was quite laid back and gave us a chance to relax before the next leg of our journey.

We explored the town, enjoying the space and interesting buildings. After visiting an excellent Ice cream parlour,  I decided that the old fire hall would make an excellent subject matter. 

The next day would give us a chance to see more of the town.

​After an early start we were picked up by Brewster's tours, a local company that served us well all the holiday, and travelled the short distance to Lake Louise. Our hotel was one of two near the lakeside; the other being a beautiful chateau.

After a quick lunch we walked down to the lake, which proved to be in a outstanding setting with bright blue waters.

We then had a decision to make. Being a holiday weekend the queues for the boats was horrendous. We decided to go for a walk and asked about the best route. There was a short walk around the lake  and a 3.8 kilometre walk up the hill. We decided on the latter.

This started off well and we saw lots of families with small children who were also on the walk. This proved to be deceptive as the walk soon changed into a strenuous uphill climb. The path soon became quite steep in places and quite rocky. Not to be deterred we carried on, especially when we were passed by quite  a few elderly people taking it in their stride.

We were not disappointed by the incredible views and eventually reached the first stop, Mirror lake. After a short break, we continued  upwards until we reached a waterfall and eventually we reached the top where we sat by the stunning Lake Agnes. As we sat a Blue Jay landed next to us and a photographer quietly approached for a picture of it. Just as he went to take a picture, a dog barked and off it flew. He had apparently been trying for two days for a picture.

It was a surreal place because as we sat sunbathing  in the hot sunshine, over on the other side of the lake, a group  of people were having a snowball fight!

A highly recommended walk, if a lot harder than we were led to believe.

On the way down we saw discarded  baby buggies, where families had tried to push them up and then must have decided to try to carry their child and they had abandoned them along the path way to be picked up on their way down.

We tried to warn a young family that pushing a double pram up the path was not advisable. They carried on but we were sure they would soon discover the error of their ways.

Surprisingly, there was a tea-house at the top of the hill but their menu was disappointing. We had a very watery lemon drink and as for spending a penny, we wouldn't have recommended it, unless you had a strong stomach!

I did manage a few quick sketches,, whilst catching a breather, two of these are shown below.

​After two days sightseeing we were lucky enough to be in Banff for Canada Day. We arrived early and found a good spot behind a barrier. It is fascinating to see the enthusiasm that some countries have for these celebrations. The people really feel for their country. Everywhere families lined the roads with their bright red t shirts to celebrate the event. The procession started and it was good to see all aspects of the community represented and to enjoy the atmosphere. We even bought suitable t shirts ourselves to wear for the event.

​After an enjoyable parade we followed the crowds down to the park where there were stalls, music and everyone relaxing with picnics etc.

​After looking at the stalls, enjoying the music and generally soaking up the atmosphere we decided to wander the back streets and have a look at the art galleries. I always seek these out on trips and am fascinated by how local artists are influenced by their location. With such beautiful landscapes and such a different environment from my own this should be interesting.

There certainly was a wide range of work and it was interesting to see their interpretations of the local scenes. Again there was a variety of styles and topics covered. Although enjoyable these galleries were aimed at a select clientele and the prices reflected this.

​More interesting was  the selection of art work that was on display on the pavement. Local children had been given a paving stone each and encouraged to draw a range of pictures celebrating Canada.

So after three days it was time to move on so back to the hotel to pack. Thoughts of the first three days:
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The hotel was excellent but a little too far out for our purposes.

Banff is a pretty town surrounded by mountains with some lovely walks available

The Cable car to the top of the mountain looked interesting but the thermal bath looked a bit like a local swimming pool, although a good place to sunbathe.

It was very crowded because of the weekend celebrations and it has become very tourist orientated due to the fact that in winter it is also a ski resort. On the plus side it was busy because of Canada Day and watching this made our day.

So an interesting start to our trip and another adventure tomorrow.