Canadian sites, such as Niagara Falls, have never been on my agenda as places to visit. Why… I will never understand, for Niagara is one of the truly magnificent places on earth. Visiting it recently, with family, will stand out as a memory to be cherished.
The highway approach to Niagara Falls is stunning… there are no words to describe the water rushing faster and faster toward its sudden fall. We weren’t prepared for the grip on the imagination. Over the ages, with few changes, the Falls have stood as a testimony to the power of nature.
While it was never a dream to see Niagara Falls, it’s always been a dream to cross Canada by train. Trains are my favourite mode of travel. Train travel is laid back and relaxing, and about as far away from the stresses of daily living as one can get in the 21st century. Presently, I am on my way from Toronto to Vancouver by train.
The trip thus far has been spectacular. We just left Edmonton, and the stop that was supposed to take 45 minutes stretched into almost six hours and no one seemed to mind. Passengers were not screaming to get off, not even for a smoke. Even when they can get off this train, many passengers remain in the dining room.
Perhaps my fascination with trains is a throw back to the Newfie Bullet. It is difficult for me to digest how different train travel is now from the days when we had to go to Gambo by boat, and wait in the train station for hours to board a train that was inevitably hours late. Men, women and children would lie on the floor and sleep. Comfort wasn’t in the equation.
On the boat to Gambo, there were more passengers than seats or berths and, even if one wanted to sit down below, the smoke from the cigarettes being smoked constantly was oppressive. Seasickness was the order of the day and even grown men would be prostrate for the entire trip.
One always got the measure of people on the passenger boat and in the station waiting room. Some people were simply out for themselves; they would race for a comfortable place and hold on to it for dear life. Others would give up their comfort to help another person.
That reminds me of Japheth Melindy of Lumsden who, on one trip to Gambo, insisted that I take his place in a berth even though he wasn’t feeling well. He was such a gentleman that it wouldn’t have crossed his mind to take a berth from a female.
Some people were simply out for themselves; they would race for a comfortable place and hold on to it for dear life. Others would give up their comfort to help another person. -
But this is a far cry from the Newfie Bullet; this is VIA Rail and things are pretty comfortable. The compartment even has toilet facilities. The food is the best; it is not a word of lie that it is better than any food I have eaten elsewhere in my travels, without exception.
In fact, I have always had problem with food outside the home. Yet here, I must admit that I am eating every bit that is put on the plate, up to the point of eating too much. The cook could put high-class international restaurant cooks to shame.
Canada is a vast country. It takes four nights and three days to go from Toronto to Vancouver. It could be done faster because we have spent a lot of time waiting for freight trains to pass. There is only one main line and freight trains, which are kilometres long, take priority over the passenger train. Perhaps that’s not surprising since commerce is king.
There is some spectacular scenery on this trip. First the rocky land covered by ponds and forest that is reminiscent of Newfoundland, with its feeling of untouched nature. Then there are the flatlands where farming is the main industry. It is comforting to see the farms in full operation, even though it seems farmers have been having trouble with rain this year.
Later today, we should be going through the Rockies. Many people take this trip specifically to see the Rockies. There is a steady rush to the Dome cars where the view will be better appreciated.
However, because of the delays, it’s touch and go whether we’ll reach the Rockies before dark. It’ll be a shame if we have to sleep through the Rockies! We really did spend a lot of time in Winnipeg.
One reason we stayed so long there is that the entire crew changed, including, unfortunately, the cook and servers. And then suddenly, in a puff, what seemed like paradise from an ancient time, where food was perfect and service a distinguished art, just became again normal good food with busy servers.
The question now is whether to join the rush for the best seat or remain in the back. There are no Japheth Melindys on this trip.
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