In its 2017 “Best List: 16 Scenic Train Trips”, National Geographic Traveler magazine highlights Via Rail’s The Canadian. Writer Everett Potter had this to say about it: “After three decades of riding trains all over the world - rural China, the Swiss Alps, Latin American Jungles - I am still thrilled by a classic rail... Continue Reading →
The Christmas Train: Day Three
Time on the Canadian is immaterial. Its measurement is by breakfast, lunch, dinner, sleeping, watching the world pass by from the observation deck. "What day is this?" is a common refrain. After Jasper, the mountains slowly fade into the black of night. People are tucking themselves in for the evening. I have the dark dome car... Continue Reading →
The Christmas Train: Day Two
Putting aside the existential train schedule, the Canadian is one of the best train experiences I have had. The food, served on white linen tablecloths with real china, has been excellent. Today's brunch was a tasty ravioli with lobster in a cream sauce. Dinner, a well-prepared rack of lamb. Even the shower - there's one... Continue Reading →
The Christmas Train: Day One
Why have I not done this before?I love trains. Gail and I have had some wonderful adventures on the rails. We have been on the TGV fast trains in France, on Spain's classy train, the challenging Trans-Sberian from Moscow to Bejing and, just this fall, the ultra-fast bullet trains of Japan. But our very own... Continue Reading →