Diversions

Traveling with Amtrak Cascades

Traveling with the Amtrak Cascades from Vancouver to Seattle is convenient and cheap.  The route is absolutely stunning.  It takes about 4.5 hours - so depending on your driving speed, can be slightly longer than by car, but at no effort - I enjoyed being able to read and work while getting to Seattle.  And of course, there are no traffic jams or delays due to unplanned speeding tickets...

Pictures in this post are mine, taken from the train on June 27th, 2024.

-- UNDER CONSTRUCTION --

Aachen cathedral is one of the most astonishing interiors I've ever seen.   Constructed between 793 and 813

Further reading:
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/3

Yes, you can take your bike on the train, but we did find this the hardest and most stressful part of traveling with a bike in Europe.  And the least predictable.  Don't make your trip or time table contingent on catching a particular train!

After three weeks of biking through Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium,  here are some suggestions of what to bring, and what to plan for.

What to pack

In addition to the specialty bike gear mentioned in a previous post, here are some other things we found really handy:

Mainz (Germany) is located where the river Mainz intersects with the river Rhine and from Frankfurt it is a beautiful bike ride along the river Mainz on a segregated bike path.   To cross the Rhine, you get to use a small track along the train bridge, which is pretty cool. 

In 2023 - possibly due to some lingering covid cabin fever, we decided our annual trip to Europe needed more fresh air and more connection to the real world.  We started considering options to bike instead of our usual rental car road trips: travel slower, and see more.

Visits to the tap rooms of Coast Mountain Brewing, Whistler Brewing Co and Howe Sound Brewing.

Forever will I thank the one who thought to serve beer as a 'flight'. The option to taste and enjoy without loosing the ability to assess is awesome for a light-weight like me, who loves options and hates to to be limited to a single choice. "Bring Them All!", I say, as I settle at the tasting table.

History of Chinese immigration through food and restaurant culture.

-- Exhibition --

In the past few months, fate put in front of me various learning moments about British Columbia history that - to my embarrassment - I had no awareness of. A visit to Sun Yat Sen garden.

Historic buildings, antique shopping and walks along the river

I am so torn, so torn. I love history, I love historic buildings and researching history. But.. as they say... historiography is very one sided. Take this description from Parks Canada: