well folks, that’s it for this trip. But don’t wander too far off, the next one will be extraordinary!

British Columbia’s #1 industry is logging. (especially lately due to Covid)

I would really really like to do this, but…probably not right now.

More Canada beauty.

I dunno, a little like “the best gas station sushi in Nebraska”, right? (just kidding, H&H!)

Next to last stop on the train is Whistler. Took the gondola to the top of Blackcomb Mountain, then a “horizontal” gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain, and a third gondola back down to Whistler Village. Fortunately, the “lightning is forecast today” sign was not displayed today.

Around Jasper.

We took a beast vehicle out onto the glacier itself. The hill (in the distance) to go down to approach the glacier (and to go back up to leave) is the steepest legal grade in North America - 34%.

Skywalk, near the Athabasca glacier and Columbia icefield. Not for the faint of heart, re heights. Sticks out over the canyon, several hundred meters up, with a curved clear glass floor to walk on. Don’t look down.

This beautifully-crowned guy couldn’t care less about our presence, although he did manage to prevent me from getting a good pic of his mug.

The Rocky Mountaineer train has glass everywhere, seating on the upper level, with dining tables-for-4 on the lower level. Access is by spiral staircase lower right.

Kicking Horse River.

We’ve moved on to Lake Louise. Banff gets my vote for the stateliest hotel, but the Château Lake Louise surely has the best view in the world. From our window:

We almost never get wild deer roaming around near home on Hawaii.

The Banff Springs hotel is one those Grand Dame hotels from another era. Wonderful sepia photos and evidence of the history everywhere you look.

Unfortunate placement of the luggage compartment handle on our tour bus. 😳

Staying at the iconic old Banff Springs Hotel. And took the wonderful gondola ride to the summit, with amazing views of the valley.

There are challenges to taking pretty nature shots from a train - power lines and glass reflections.

We’re on the Rocky Mountaineer train, we’ll go to Kamloops, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Quesnel, and Whistler over the next 10 days.

Big shout-out to our wonderful friends Helene and Henry, Vancouverites who treated us to a deeeelish Indian curry meal at their favorite local place. This is the view they have from their place, as they watch the cruise ships come and go. Pretty special.

In between the ship and the train, we’re in Vancouver for a couple of days, and we did a “foodie tour” of the Granville Public Market. Anyone else think the morel is the best mushroom on the planet? Or want one of dozens of flavors of macaroons? Cheeses, sausages? Gourmet flavored pickles? Anyone? Bueller?

We’ve disembarked the ship and are at our Vancouver hotel. We’ll stay a couple of days, check in with our wonderful friends/house-sitters H&H, and then head out on the Rocky Mountaineer train Monday morning.

The saddest sight on a cruise ship. Everyone’s big luggage will be collected overnight and will be available in the cruise terminal the next morning.

Last zodiac trip for this cruise 😢. A sea otter pounds shellfish on a rock balanced on his stomach.

More whales!

Bottom line is…we saw more bears than you could shake a stick at, if that’s your idea of a good time. (to quote Groucho)

(artist’s rendering of Gregory, at his favorite sushi bar, when salmon and toro are on the menu)

The salmon are so plentiful and so easy, that bears have the luxury of eating only their favorite parts of the fish, usually the heads and guts. The rest of the carcass can float down the river to what’s called the “lagoon”, where eagles and other animals have their luxury, of just waiting around until something floats by by, and then casually grabbing it.

The little ones have learned their lessons well.

Mama bear showing her cubs the tricks of the trade.

I have several dozen of these videos - they all show more or less the same thing, at different places and from different angles, but it’s impossible to watch and not record!

This turned out to be one of the (if not THE) best shore excursions we’ve ever done.

So, from our call at Wrangell, we went to the Anan bear observation area, with a large viewing platform. Here’s the lay of the land:

Just really love this look.

I covet this woman’s hat. 🤠

We’ve come to think that icebergs are endlessly fascinating, and can actually be aesthetically pleasing.