Day Three.........Poutine and Fried Pickles.
Following on from yesterday last night we went out for a quiet meal. If you visit one pub in Kamloops make it the Noble Pig. It is a brew pub which means they actually make all of their own beer. It was also here that I was introduced a Canadian delicacy Poutine. Never heard of Poutine? Neither had I. We were kindly being hosted by the Kamloops tourist board and they ordered all the food. First came out deep fried gherkins that were actually very very good, next bacon popcorn? Then finally out came the Poutine. It turns out Poutine has three basic ingredients. Chips, cheese and gravy three things we have almost defiantly all tried but, not together. The results believe it or not were actually very very tasty.
This morning we got on the coach at 6.15 for the 5 minute coach journey to Kamloops train station . The train was already prepped to go so we could board our Gold Leaf carriage. The Gold leaf is split between two floors. The top floor is where you will sit for most of the journey. Rather than split windows like the Silver Leaf ( one large window with a smaller window above) on Gold Leaf you have big domed windows. The seats are very similar if not the same as the Silver Leaf but, your field of vision is drastically increased giving you much better views. Here you have four members of staff looking after you rather than three. Where the gold leaf really really comes into its own is the dining. The full downstairs cabin is basically a restaurant. The food was good yesterday but, today it was brilliant. Take breakfast for example. You could chose one of five breakfast meals, one including salmon and caviar. You are seated and waited on hand a food and the food is of very very high quality.
Luckily we were also shown around Red Leaf. Essentially the carriages are similar to Silver, but rather that the small windows at the top, you have shelving for your bags etc. The food on red leaf is a chilled meal rather than a hot one. The big difference is the luggage system. On Red Leaf you have to pack a small bag to take on board with you. You are in charge of taking your bag on / off to hotel etc. With Silver you leave your suitcase in the hotel room and when you arrive at the next hotel it is already in your room. Everything is put together so well. You actually get the keys for your next hotel at the end of the train journey, meaning your already checked in before you arrive.
If I'm entirely honest all three options are fantastic, the scenery is the same on any option, but I would honestly say if you can afford it go silver or gold as the extras just make it that more special. I'm not necessarily saying book gold, this would be ideal but, the cost difference from red is a lot compared to what you would pay for silver. So if you can't quite stretch to gold, I would highly, highly recommend silver.
Today's train journey took us from Kamloops to Banff. Yesterday's journey was scenic but today's was really something else. Turquoise blue lakes, row after row of snow covered peaks, we were lucky enough to see quite a few bald eagles also. I pretty much had the postcard perfect Rockies trip ( apart from seeing the elusive Grizzly Bear). We covered 300 odd miles, 7 rivers countless mountains, waterfalls and streams the sights have been incredible.
I have now finished the train part of the journey, but tomorrow it's off to the national park and lake Louise.
Following on from yesterday last night we went out for a quiet meal. If you visit one pub in Kamloops make it the Noble Pig. It is a brew pub which means they actually make all of their own beer. It was also here that I was introduced a Canadian delicacy Poutine. Never heard of Poutine? Neither had I. We were kindly being hosted by the Kamloops tourist board and they ordered all the food. First came out deep fried gherkins that were actually very very good, next bacon popcorn? Then finally out came the Poutine. It turns out Poutine has three basic ingredients. Chips, cheese and gravy three things we have almost defiantly all tried but, not together. The results believe it or not were actually very very tasty.
This morning we got on the coach at 6.15 for the 5 minute coach journey to Kamloops train station . The train was already prepped to go so we could board our Gold Leaf carriage. The Gold leaf is split between two floors. The top floor is where you will sit for most of the journey. Rather than split windows like the Silver Leaf ( one large window with a smaller window above) on Gold Leaf you have big domed windows. The seats are very similar if not the same as the Silver Leaf but, your field of vision is drastically increased giving you much better views. Here you have four members of staff looking after you rather than three. Where the gold leaf really really comes into its own is the dining. The full downstairs cabin is basically a restaurant. The food was good yesterday but, today it was brilliant. Take breakfast for example. You could chose one of five breakfast meals, one including salmon and caviar. You are seated and waited on hand a food and the food is of very very high quality.
Luckily we were also shown around Red Leaf. Essentially the carriages are similar to Silver, but rather that the small windows at the top, you have shelving for your bags etc. The food on red leaf is a chilled meal rather than a hot one. The big difference is the luggage system. On Red Leaf you have to pack a small bag to take on board with you. You are in charge of taking your bag on / off to hotel etc. With Silver you leave your suitcase in the hotel room and when you arrive at the next hotel it is already in your room. Everything is put together so well. You actually get the keys for your next hotel at the end of the train journey, meaning your already checked in before you arrive.
If I'm entirely honest all three options are fantastic, the scenery is the same on any option, but I would honestly say if you can afford it go silver or gold as the extras just make it that more special. I'm not necessarily saying book gold, this would be ideal but, the cost difference from red is a lot compared to what you would pay for silver. So if you can't quite stretch to gold, I would highly, highly recommend silver.
Today's train journey took us from Kamloops to Banff. Yesterday's journey was scenic but today's was really something else. Turquoise blue lakes, row after row of snow covered peaks, we were lucky enough to see quite a few bald eagles also. I pretty much had the postcard perfect Rockies trip ( apart from seeing the elusive Grizzly Bear). We covered 300 odd miles, 7 rivers countless mountains, waterfalls and streams the sights have been incredible.
I have now finished the train part of the journey, but tomorrow it's off to the national park and lake Louise.
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