Welcome to our little home on the net. We are Steve & Rosemary and live in Buckinghamshire, UK. This is a blog of our life, sometimes interesting, but mainly boring. It is very picture orientated as Steve loves to take pictures, especially of wildlife. Sometimes he has his arm twisted by Rosemary and takes the odd snap of a weed.
Glastonbury 2025 Music PlayLists
These playlists have been created by Glastopia, a Glastonbury fanatic. They have been created on Spotify, and I have converted them to YouTube Music. There is a complete lineup playlist, and a stage by stage playlist. Check Glastopia’s Blue Sky account for new playlists and updates. The YouTube Music playlists nearly match the Spotify playlists. The are the occasional missing tracks where the software was unable to match the track.
Driving to Hinton
15/05/2025
Up an out quickly, we decided to head straight on to Hinton, where we were staying three nights visiting R’s brother and sister-in-law. I would have liked to have visited the museum in Rocky Mountain House, and the brewery, but as events turned out, luckily, we did not. I had found an off-the-beaten route to drive to Hinton. It was the shortest route but did not follow the Canadian grid system of main roads.
First off, we stopped at some small shops in Nordegg, one of which was a community shop. R wanted a washing-up sponge for the van, but no luck. She was told perhaps they’d have them later in the year. (The van came with no method of cleaning the crockery or cooking utensils, nor a tea-towel to dry anything with.) There was also a small ‘Shell Fuel’ shop, and that sold them. Next door there was a liquor store, where I popped in and bought some beers, brewed in Rocky Mountain House itself. The beers were displayed in a chilled room, so I was rather quick in buying them, cos it was rather cold wearing just shorts and T-shirt.
Back to the road, we drove another 1000 meters before taking my off-the-beaten route right-hand turn to Hinton. Hinton was signed as being another 170K. But there was something funny about this road; oops, it was a dirt track! Apparently a forest track, and looked to be all dirt. Not only was it dirt, it was wet dirt after a heavy overnight rainfall. It was quite slippery, so progress was slow. I noticed that no other vehicles were using it. We went this way for about another 5K, where there were signs warning that further on the road was under water. We (ie R) thought better of it (I thought we could have done it, I swear the water didn’t look that deep) and so turned around. Was not going to be a good trip. After this small detour, we found the van (and parts of R who’d directed my U-turn) were caked in mud, 25mm thick, which subsequently baked on with the hot sunshine.
Back on the main road we headed on towards the snowfields, and took a right-hand turn onto the 93. Yes, this route was longer at 260K, and not the 170K of the dirt road. Very pretty though. We will be back on that route another day.
We phoned to give our ETA, arriving at Hinton at 17:40. They didn’t warn us not to take the dirt road, cos nobody would do that.
Picking up our RV in Calgary
14th May 2025
We had a lovely lie-in, and a good breakfast at the Elk + Avenue in Banff. Breakfast was the usual North American affair of eggs benedict (or ‘benny’) etc etc. No toast and marmalade! Most of the staff appeared to be from the (British) Commonwealth. We heard how people starting in life would get work visas for a couple of years, working in these resorts
Our Trailfinders chosen driver picked us up from the hotel at 11.00, very promptly. Drove us to the RV pickup. About a 90 minutes drive. He would point out stuff on route, especially the cattle. As we neared Calgary, the land became flatter.
RV pickup was rather slow and inefficient. Keys didn’t work in some locks on the outside cupboards, and much was glossed/hurried over.
We set off, stopped at a Walmart, where we spent far too long buying far too little. Spent a long time looking for the beers etc. Ha! We needed a Liquor Store. Adventure at the Shell filling station where the payment machine misbehaved. It cost more 153 CAD. (Oh they preauthorised 250 CAD. You can set different limits.)
Arrived at Rocky Mountain House Campsite at 7.ish. Reception was closed, they had closed at 5, not 8, as we’d read. We did walk into the unlocked reception, so the owner came down. She had actually emailed us information, and there was a pass key outside the reception for us. The owner offered us coins for the washing machine and tumble drier, 1 dollar coins, called loonies and 2 dollar coins called toonies. R thought a wash & dry for 7 CAD a bargain.
Loaded the washing machine, then drove to our pitch. Actually made up the bed in the table, banquette area of the van. But never again, far too much hassle and not that good.
Pitched. R went off to the laundry, came back 30 minutes later (having walked around & around) not being able to find.it. I went off to the laundry. Loaded the tumble dryer and waited for its completion. Hour later back at van in the dark, not happy.
Rocky Mountaineer – Day 2
13th May 2025
Picked up at 7ish, and taken to the Rocky Mountaineer.
Today’s trip was much the same as yesterday’s, except we were now eating first. Today we were travelling all the way to Banff, stopping off at Lake Louise, where some new passengers got on or old ones got off. Lake Louise is a prime tourist site, as we were to find out later.
In each carriage we had staff who would serve us our drinks, and a host who gave a commentary about the history of the line, and what to see outside of the windows. Today we were going to go through the underground, spiral tunnels. As a passenger this was not particularity impressive, but from outside you can see something of it. We were asked to guess which way we thought we were turning. Tricky. We visited this several weeks later.
We saw the memorial to the ‘Last Spike’, where the last track spike was fixed to the last sleeper. We later visited here on our road trip (lots of Swallowtail butterflies there).
The commentary we received was sometime interrupted by an excited shout from the host about something spotted on the track side. He was in radio contact with the carriages in front and I assume even the driver. If they spotted something, they would radio the information to all the hosts. The host would then shout, look left or right at two o’clock (or whatever). We were also told to do that if we spotted something. Often this would be a false alarm, and there was nothing. Through this technique we did spot the only bear we saw on holiday, and a Bald Eagle parked in a tree, where we were stopped for a while. It never showed itself completely, and when I was sufficiently bored to put down the camera, it naturally flew off.
Another aspect of the Rocky Mountaineer was the waving. People on the track side would wave, and we would wave back. On route there was a house, where the occupants always waved at the train. How did they know the train was coming? The company sent someone out to find out. It apparently was their dog which could recognize the different sound this train made, so would bark. The residents would rush outside to wave. They were there for us! The company apparently did give them a free holiday on the Rocky Mountaineer.
In our carriage, there was a Canadian couple. A a few years ago, the lady’s mum was on a Rocky Mountaineer trip when a friend of hers had managed to time it correctly, so, from her hometown trackside, she could wave at the mum. This time she would again be trackside, where she was again going to wave but this time, as the daughter went past. The whole of our carriage was told the tale. The driver & the Train Manager were consulted, watches were synchronized. We all waved. Apparently, they both got video of each other waving.
The trip ended, and we were deposited in hotel in Banff, the Elk + Avenue Hotel., which we would meet again.
The Spiral Tunnel
Rocky Mountaineer – Day 1
12th May 2025
We walked to the ‘Wall’, me carrying the heavy bags, pausing a few times on the way, and boarded the coach to take us to the train terminus. The Rocky Mountaineer was long, most of the carriages were double height. Viewing on top and dining below. The single deck carriages appeared to be where the cooking took place, and the onboard staff stayed. There may also have been some Silver Line Guests in there. There was also an external viewing platform for each carriage. This is a must for clear photographs. While on the trip, I hoped to track my location by GPS app. This did not work, the GPS signal was very week, despite the glass roof. I was wondering if there was something in the glass that stopped the signal. This also stopped the location information being added to the camera pictures.
Both days of the trip were logistically the same. Half of the passengers of the carriage would go below for breakfast, followed by the second half a while later. The same happened for lunch. The second day the groups were reversed. Those who dined first, now dined second. No food was offered for the evening. Lunch came with wine,
At the end of the day, arrival times were uncertain, this depended on hold-ups on the route. You would be taken to your hotel, where you could order and buy an evening meal. We didn’t eat an evening meal, breakfast and lunch were filling enough. Next day we would be collected at 7.am. Again, no breakfast in the hotel, it was on the Rocky Mountaineer
While you were watching the scenery outside unfold, drinks would be served, beer, spirits, wine etc.
The trip was generally quite slow, there were occasional long delays, where we were stationary, allowing trains on their way to Vancouver to come by. The track is a single track, with long passing loops, where you would wait for the freight train to come past. The Mountaineer was a second-class vehicle; priority was given to the 200+ wagon goods trains. The operators of the RM were so worried about causing delays from breakdowns, they always had an extra locomotive connected to the train
In the photographs, you will see a train line on the other side of the river. Yes, there are two lines, and they are not running trains in different directions. They are two distinct lines owned by two companies, being Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP). We were travelling on the Canadian National Railway (CN).
These two lines run from Vancouver to Kamloops, operating on different sides of the river valleys. They follow the River Fraser, and then the Thompson River. There is one spot at Viewpoint Bridges on the Thompson River where both lines cross over the river. Yes, two bridges to allow the lines to swap sides. Very Bizarre. You would also think that if the companies came to an agreement, and ran traffic down one line, and up the other, they could increase the capacity of the lines.
On the first day we followed the River Fraser, which started wide and slow flowing. Later we entered the Rockies where the river narrowed and started to flow faster. Here the scenery was becoming startling. We were also privy to some feats of startling engineering. The river Fraser was a brown colour. At a river junction we then followed the Thompson river, here there was a startling change in colour, gone was the mud colour and now we had a blue river. The scenery was also more robust, with snow tipped mountains, and steep escarpments. On route, we looked out for avalanche shelters, bridges and other trains which were on either the CPR line, or on our line as we waited in a loop.
The goods train wagons were varied, containers, coal, gas oil, aggregate. The most carriages we counted was 212. Often these were hauled by an engine in the front, and one in the middle. Sometimes, there might be one locomotive at the back with two in the front as well.
With the twisty track, I managed to get images of our own train entering tunnels, yes, our train was quite long, longer than a standard British train. On the route we saw Ospreys, and a huge Osprey nest.
We arrived into a siding at Kamloops, which is their base for RM train repairs. Here we were picked up and deposited in our hotels. I went for a walk in a nearby park and found several groups of (Yellow bellied) Marmots. (Although the whole Marmot v Ground Squirrel v Gopher etc debate gets a bit fraught.)
Granville Island
11th May 2025
Today we both headed over to the Sheraton Wall Centre, to register with the Rocky Mountaineer. We came away with luggage tags to ensure our stuff arrived in the correct hotels, and importantly instructions as to where we had to be and by when for tomorrow’s trip. R was still feeling the effects of her illness so decided to go back to our hotel for the day. I was full of life and wanted to see the markets on Granville Island. I walked down to the Aquatic Centre Ferry Dock and caught one of the ferries to take me to the island. This area is low lying and lies under highway 99 bridge, which is also known as the Granville Bridge. The area contains marinas, small shops, restaurants and food halls, Oh and a cement works with cement mixers and silos lovingly painted. I did pick up something to eat from one of the stalls.
Walking around, I did spy the Granville Island brewery, where they had a bar. One thing about Canadian and American culture is that you have to meet the receptionist, who then seats you at your table, or bar seat. This was the case everywhere we ate and drank, except for one case later in our trip when we were staying at Banff. In the brewery, I asked to sit at the bar, where I was seated between two females who were each drinking alone. The day was looking up. This was a brew bar, and here was the taproom, with an excellent choice of craft ales. I started with a Hazy IPA. and then a darker beer. I should have gone for a tasting selection where you get a full selection of beers. I so like these NEIPAs and WCIPAs, with the occasional stout, they are a revelation in taste. (I do have a monthly beer subscription which is themed. Selina introduced me to this 18 months ago. When I arrive home, hopefully there will be a case of Italian craft beers waiting by the door.)
My companion on my right, was waiting for a flight home, and was idling away a few hours in the bar. She appeared to work in the brewing industry, making the malt from the barley. The barley is wetted, and laid out on a long tray, and she would go around turning it.
As well as the markets, there were some sideshows, such as this ball run.
Afterwards I walked around the food hall, looking at the tremendous array of produce, both cooked and raw. Then it was home to the hotel to commiserate with R.
Arrival at Vancouver Port
10th May 2025
We arrived at Vancouver early in the morning. We watched the dockers come and moor us up. We ate our last breakfast on board and prepared to disembark. It was a short walk, carrying our bags to the taxi rank. This was well organised with several lanes for the taxis, and groups of people were let through to an empty lane, where upon taxies would arrive and whisk people away. We were taken to the Holiday Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown, where we checked in and dumped our luggage and had a coffee. Next, we walked to the Sheraton Wall Centre where we asked about the Rocky Mountaineer reception. We needed to be there on Sunday to get baggage labels.
Now the mistake, I suggested we go to the Museum of Vancouver, it seemed easy to get to but required us to cross the bridge. The bridge is high and goes on for miles, then once off you backtrack to the museum. The museum is small, and also expensive. It does detail how in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Vancouver was created by stealing all the land from the native tribes. You also learnt how the Indigenous nation was banned from hiring lawyers to fight the land grabs from the Europeans. (Oh yes!)
Getting back was easy; we discovered these small bathtub shaped boats which would ferry you around False Creek, taking you from the museum to the other side of the creek, and also to Granville Island and further up the creek. They hold only about eight people but run every few minutes. Some routes there was a boat every 2 or 3 minutes. We had to wait for the second boat as the one that came in first became full very quickly.
We were soon over and had a short walk up from the shore under the bridge and onto Granville Street. We stopped at Maxines’ Cafe & Bar for a snack and a drink before heading back to the hotel. As we left, R spotted a beautiful silver tabby on a harness & lead in her mistress’s arms. The cat batted R’s hand out of the way at any attempt to stroke him.
We were now quite tired.
Koningsdam Cruise Day
9th May 2025
This was another cruise day. We set off from Ketchikan after 6.30 pm the previous day, sailed all night, then all of Friday and Friday night .This takes us back to Vancover for the morning of Saturday. We were given instructions on packing, where to leave our luggage, or to handle our own luggage. We chose to handle our own luggage, leaving us free to leave on Saturday at the time of our choosing.
Today, not a lot happened, plenty of eating, some drinking, trying to use our 15 drinks a day package. Quite a challenge, even when this includes the purchase of espressos and cappuccinos. In the dining room, the waiters put on a little farewell show. We did listen to some music in the rolling stones lounge. The band there was OK. The couple on the pianos in the other bar not exactly to either of our tastes, and that was not because they did not play our suggestions; just banged hard on the keys.
We also looked at the shops, trying to spend our ‘free’ money allowance, instead we gave some of it away as a tip to our waiter, who came back thinking we had made a mistake in the tip.
Cruise stop at Ketchikan for Photography
8th May 2025
The overnight ship trip to Ketchikan has us arriving at 11.00am. Today’s activity was a photo safari, which R and I were booked on. R still under the weather, so did not attend. I misread safari and took my huge lens. The safari was around the town at the sites, being instructed by a photographer on how to take better photos. This included looking at the old brothels which they celebrate, but still continue to persecute whores in the present day. Thankfully I had pocketed the small lens. But that still meant lugging around the useless, heavy birding lens.
The instructor on our trip was Randy Kirby. His photography company is called Bear Paw. For this trip he was guiding, he was working for Ketchikan Photo Safari.
Oh, and it rained.
We also visited a waterfall behind a shopping mall, where there were many mini buses from the ships bringing in staff to buy necessities. Ketchikan is a busy port with up to eight liners there. Most stop to fill up with water.
After the falls, we went on to a museum of Totem Poles.
I did learn from the photo lessons, including some interesting techniques with a mobile phone.
Short Video of Totem Pole
Glacier Bay
7th May 2025
I was up and about early, but still missed the Park Rangers coming on board, although I did hear them talk at the Observation Deck. The Park Rangers remained on the ship for the duration of the visit to the glaciers
At around 9.30 we saw the first glacier, the John Hopkins Glacier. This Glacier filled the inlet where we were sailing up until the 1907. We did not get up close to the ice wall because of baby seals who live on the ice. In the water we saw numerous otters swimming on their backs. Some were carrying babies, others were swimming amongst the ice flows. On the bank a bear and a mountain goat were spotted. I did catch a picture of the goat. It was a very small indistinct picture as the goat was far off.
We got up closer to the next glacier, the Margerie Glacier, where we waited around for here for some time. Unfortunately, we did not see any calving of the ice. This Glacier filled the Tarr Inlet until 1892. I viewed the glaciers from the foredeck, where we were served Dutch Pea Soup. A very thick soup which was to be eaten, rather than drunk.
When we left, there were still otters to catch on camera, when I had the big lens. Some of the pictures show a juvenile otter being carried by the adult. The weather stayed mainly dry, but did have the odd cold shower.
R missed all this, she was laid up in her bed. Steve not wanting to eat on his own, went to the dining room and asked for a shared table. Four others joined him for the evening meal.
We heard the history of Glacier Bay, how that in the 1600s it was farmed, and a river flowed through it. Then a mini ice age occurred and the ice formed and swept through the valley. The whole bay filled. The Glacier reached its maximum extent in 1750. Since then, it has retreated 65 miles to the heads of the two inlets.
As we were leaving, another Holland America cruise ship, the Noordam, came in to replace us, This ship was on an 11-day cruise. The Alaskan Parks limit the number of ships allowed into Glacier Bay, so when we were visiting, we were the only ship there, to be replaced by the next ship. Not all cruise liners get to go to Glacier Bay, so make sure you check the itinerary before booking.
Skagway
6th May 2025
That evening the Koningsdam sailed on to the next stop of Skagway. It left after 10pm and arrived around 6.00am. We headed for an early breakfast on the upper deck, a self-service buffet. Seemed complicated, and if you left your seat to get something else, there was no guarantee your plates would not be cleared away, and someone else would have taken your space. Light breakfast. Oh, and there was a whale in the harbour blowing in the docking area.
Skagway is the port where the gold miners came during the Klondike gold rush in the last decade of the 1800s. We were heading out for the White Pass Summit Rail train trip. Some issues with the audio on the coach taking us to the start, so a stop beside the road to have the sound system fixed. This was the first time the guide/bus driver had taken this trip. We drove up to the border and entered, yet again, into Canada.
The road snow depth indicators are unlike UK and European ones. The European ones are poles on the side of the road, how near to the pole are you able to go before you are off the road. The Alaskan guides have a horizontal section at the top, pointing in towards the road. These are painted with red and yellow paint. The red near the edge, and yellow over the road. This gives an indication as to where the roadside is.
The Canadian customs guy checked our passports at the customs post several miles into Canada. Here we joined our narrow gauge passenger train. The trip was all the way down to the bottom, through gorges, tunnels and across bridges. Oh, and this time we went through American customs, and they didn’t bother checking us face to face. They said all checks had been made.
On the trip down, we saw the cross on the boulder for Maurice Dunn, buried by massive boulder in a blasting accident, while building the railway. There was sign on the mountain, “On to Alaska with Buchanan” this refers to a series of adventure trips organized by George E. Buchanan, a Detroit coal merchant, beginning in 1923.
The line was mainly single track, with a dual track halfway down to allow upcoming and downcoming trains to pass each other.
At the bottom we went onto a BBQ and goldpanning show. Don’t think any of the meat had seen a real BBQ. Chicken and ribs were on offer. There were some lovely spicy hot baked beans as an accompaniment
Met a couple from the US on the trip. They were from Houston in Texas, and had come on holiday to be somewhere where it was cooler. Their first cruise as well.
After the BBQ we did some gold panning, and lo and behold found 1.8 grains, of gold, worth $38. Ha!
Back to the ship. But why the two checks for entry, a facial recognition system, then at the ship, a scan of the cruise card. Oh and bags x-rayed, to check we were not bringing any alcohol on board. So irritating.
We ate in the dining room, again just the two of us, but this time it was upstairs.
We set sail some time in the early evening, on our way to Glacier Bay
