on board the canadian day two
saskatchewan or manitoba, sunday october 26, 7:00
i set my alarm so i would not miss my last prairie sunrise.
i slept poorly. too much excitement. too much shuddering creaking rolling by the train.
so i got out of bed to go observe the sunrise. the vast expanse of prairie sky is noticeably less terrifying and heavy to me now. if i had stayed another year i may have even grown to like it.
now in the dome car, i am watching the sky pinkening and the dawn curl up around the edges of the horizon. my mug is full of not so good coffee. it is warm and caffeinated, so it will do. only after i had filled my cup did i notice that they have my favourite kind of inuit tea. for my second cup, and thereafter i will sip labrador tea.
the grasslands are expansive. they are speckled with lovely glittering sloughs, these drainage ponds still have waterfowl on their surfaces. mallards and canada geese, it looks like. though the sky is still dark and i am not confident that i can tell a mallard from a merganser in this light. we pass fields and farmhouses and i cannot yet tell if their acres are full of hay bales or cattle.
there are clouds in the east, i am missing the fiery ball. we took a wide turn, i finally see the start and end of this train. two engines and i think 21 cars.
suddenly there is geography happening. there are hills, and a vast plain. poplar scrub trees are all around. the lights of a factory, and a strange huge hill. it looks like nothing else around, the light catches it oddly. perhaps it's a tailings pile.
i learn later that this is the qu'appelle valley.
birch trees. more and more poplar and aspen.
oxbows of a meandering river through the plain, i peel my eyes for deer.
the landscape is tame, i see fences and and gravel pits and barnyards full of Herefords. hay bales and barns. there are hills here, i wonder where we are. the only hills i have heard of in saskatchewan are the cypress hills. we are much too far north to be there. a steward later tells me we are in the famous qu'appelle valley, i have not heard of it, and thus am not suitably awed. we pass a town, complete with wild west style white board hotel, with a huge facade. tiny sloped roof behind a big square front.
the lady in the next chair shows me her chatelaine of the future - december 2008.
"i think they jumped the bucket on that one!" she chuckles.
i resist the urge to say, "'jumped the gun' nana, you kick the bucket, jump the gun."
everyone here is almost as old as my parents. some perhaps even the same age. retirees and grandparents. i enjoy their company.
i need to find my steward. i have no idea where my other suitcase is. it was tucked away when he folded down the beds. the bunks fold up into the walls at night, during the day there are couches there. it's comfy. i prefer the observation car, with it's sleek chrome trim and tables.
the grass in the rangeland is cropped short. here and there tufts of sedge or thistle or other less choice edibles poke up. there are horses on the hilltops.
black angus graze among hulks of old ford cars and trucks from the 40s 50s 60s.
then, a mixed beef herd peeks out amongst the poplars. the sun is up. it's breakfast time.
a couple debate if we are yet in manitoba.
the meals are truly spectacular. i am eager to try the breakfast offerings. at dinner there was a choice of soup and salads, (one could get both!) and then 3 entrees. one was clearly labelled vegetarian. there was fish and alberta beef. then the sommelier/matre'd comes by and recommends which canadian wine would go best with your selections. he carefully seats everyone, strangers together to best facilitate conversation. he makes introductions. i am amazed at his ability to remember names and one thing about each of his guests.
it is all so friendly and pleasant. i like the train.
7:45
i set my alarm so i would not miss my last prairie sunrise.
i slept poorly. too much excitement. too much shuddering creaking rolling by the train.
so i got out of bed to go observe the sunrise. the vast expanse of prairie sky is noticeably less terrifying and heavy to me now. if i had stayed another year i may have even grown to like it.
now in the dome car, i am watching the sky pinkening and the dawn curl up around the edges of the horizon. my mug is full of not so good coffee. it is warm and caffeinated, so it will do. only after i had filled my cup did i notice that they have my favourite kind of inuit tea. for my second cup, and thereafter i will sip labrador tea.
the grasslands are expansive. they are speckled with lovely glittering sloughs, these drainage ponds still have waterfowl on their surfaces. mallards and canada geese, it looks like. though the sky is still dark and i am not confident that i can tell a mallard from a merganser in this light. we pass fields and farmhouses and i cannot yet tell if their acres are full of hay bales or cattle.
there are clouds in the east, i am missing the fiery ball. we took a wide turn, i finally see the start and end of this train. two engines and i think 21 cars.
suddenly there is geography happening. there are hills, and a vast plain. poplar scrub trees are all around. the lights of a factory, and a strange huge hill. it looks like nothing else around, the light catches it oddly. perhaps it's a tailings pile.
i learn later that this is the qu'appelle valley.
birch trees. more and more poplar and aspen.
oxbows of a meandering river through the plain, i peel my eyes for deer.
the landscape is tame, i see fences and and gravel pits and barnyards full of Herefords. hay bales and barns. there are hills here, i wonder where we are. the only hills i have heard of in saskatchewan are the cypress hills. we are much too far north to be there. a steward later tells me we are in the famous qu'appelle valley, i have not heard of it, and thus am not suitably awed. we pass a town, complete with wild west style white board hotel, with a huge facade. tiny sloped roof behind a big square front.
the lady in the next chair shows me her chatelaine of the future - december 2008.
"i think they jumped the bucket on that one!" she chuckles.
i resist the urge to say, "'jumped the gun' nana, you kick the bucket, jump the gun."
everyone here is almost as old as my parents. some perhaps even the same age. retirees and grandparents. i enjoy their company.
i need to find my steward. i have no idea where my other suitcase is. it was tucked away when he folded down the beds. the bunks fold up into the walls at night, during the day there are couches there. it's comfy. i prefer the observation car, with it's sleek chrome trim and tables.
the grass in the rangeland is cropped short. here and there tufts of sedge or thistle or other less choice edibles poke up. there are horses on the hilltops.
black angus graze among hulks of old ford cars and trucks from the 40s 50s 60s.
then, a mixed beef herd peeks out amongst the poplars. the sun is up. it's breakfast time.
a couple debate if we are yet in manitoba.
the meals are truly spectacular. i am eager to try the breakfast offerings. at dinner there was a choice of soup and salads, (one could get both!) and then 3 entrees. one was clearly labelled vegetarian. there was fish and alberta beef. then the sommelier/matre'd comes by and recommends which canadian wine would go best with your selections. he carefully seats everyone, strangers together to best facilitate conversation. he makes introductions. i am amazed at his ability to remember names and one thing about each of his guests.
it is all so friendly and pleasant. i like the train.
7:45