life in the old lane

Needed to get some exercise after four days of eating and sleeping and sitting.

Four and a half miles later I declared myself sufficiently exercised.

And then there was the grocery store where I stopped to get a sandwich for dinner.

I may need to return to that grocery for more than a sandwich!

I ran into this:
Chariot Fest, organized by the Toronto chapter of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), begins Saturday with its signature Ratha-Yatra procession. Three towering wooden chariots will be hand-carried along Yonge Street by thousands of participants as musicians, dancers and devotees fill the route with singing, chanting and drumming.

Back at the hotel…

And that’s a little walk about downtown Toronto. Maybe a boat ride tomorrow?

it was a great train voyage. 

Just look at all that space. 
I ordered room service dinner.
Will enjoy a nice shower.
A stationary bed.
And a WC that isn’t under a Murphy bed.

I wonder what I will do tomorrow?

At about 0540 I decided to have a shower. 

That’s all. No cell service for a while.

The only event today is walking along side the train in Saskatoon.

22 cars on the train. 

There are interesting people to talk to.

Beer and wine tasting.

Good food 

Running about 5 hours late.

No worries.

 

We were told that every car on the train was 71 years old. Most of the passengers are at least that old. 

I presume the engines are younger.

 

Waiting for the seaplane this morning I was entertained by dancing water taxis. They were charming.

Today’s event is getting to Vancouver by a 50+ year old plane.

The pilot is the baggage handler and there is no TSA.

I frequently end up in Vancouver and always stay at the YWCA. my favorite coffee shop was still in business. The grocery store was where it has always been.

So, I had coffee and a cookie for lunch, there’s a deli ham sandwich on tap for dinner and a muffin for first breakfast tomorrow. 

Feeling the years, so I plan to stay in tonight. 

About the blog. There’s no WiFi on the train. And there aren’t many cell phone towers along the way.

I will be on the train from Monday afternoon until Friday afternoon. If the train is on time and it won’t be.

So, if there’s no blog update it doesn’t mean the I have died. Maybe I just couldn’t connect. But, Nobody is promised tomorrow.

Decided to have another Wander Day. This time I wandered towards the ocean.

After a while, I come to a half mile long break water.

I wandered almost six miles and for that I am truly grateful.

Only 3 days into the trip and I needed a day off.

So, I took wander about town.

It was cloudy and in the mid 60s. A fine wandering day.

I believe if you planted a tooth pick here next year you would have a tree.

After almost 4 miles, I was ready for ice cream.
And a nap.

Grateful for nice cool day for wandering.

Some how I missed this installation yesterday. Wonder why they put an avocado on a sidewalk in Canada?

Rain today, but I went to visit Butchart Gardens. About an hour bus ride. It was raining. But that was OK. Made it more interesting and kept the crowd down  

Butchard had small umbrellas for visitors to use. It made visitors look like so many jellyfish.

The gardens were wonderful. Over the top. Sort of reminded me of Singapore Botanical Gardens. 

Grateful for nice hot tea on a chilly July afternoon.

Got a real newspaper with breakfast and this was the political cartoon.

Five passengers. Super flight. 

No algae problem here.

Fire works at 10 pm. Don’t know if I will be awake.

Last-minute addition to my kit – “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” Button. I resisted putting my “Resist” t-shirt in the bag.

Flying from DC to Newark to Vancouver today. ETA at Vancouver Hotel 9:15 PM. Don’t imagine I’ll be in any shape to post anything.

I last did this route in 2012. I went to Vancouver by train. All the way in coach. Then I crossed Canada by train in coach. And took the MegaBus back home. Oh, and I rode a Harley down Icefields Parkway. Needless to say, Carlton was not with me!

This time: no coach train travel. No long-distance buses. No motorcycles.

But I do get antique seaplanes. A de Havilland Canada Single Otter tomorrow.

Grateful to be going out on another adventure.