I woke up in darkness on my last day on the train as usual, but it felt different because I knew it was my last day. I felt very sad, and I had to laugh at my overly dramatic inner dialog saying goodbye to things. I also laughed at myself for things I was just noticing on my last day.

I discovered another hook in my room. I figured out an easier way to close the blind. I realized in the shower that there weren’t two trash bins, but that one was a place to put your used towels! I’d just been hanging up my wet towel in my bathroom!

As for the landscape, obviously, we were still in Ontario, but it was clear that we were closer to Toronto because we passed through a lot more towns and more sizeabale towns.

McDougall

Parry Sound

And we crossed the Seguin River, which is in the Parry Sound District. All before time for brunch.

Usually, at dinner, they ask you what seating you want for lunch and dinner the following day. However, during dinner on January 19, they informed us that the next day they would only be serving brunch not lunch and dinner. There would a continental breakfast (yogurt, cold cereal, oatmeal, fruit, muffins) early from 6:30-9, but they would be offering brunch at from 9:30-11:30. After that, they had to prepare the train for the arrival to Toronto. We were scheduled to arrive around 2.

Despite the fact that I still went to shower at 6, I decided to wait until brunch to eat. I knew that if I went to eat something at the continental breakfast, I would be too full for brunch. Instead, I hung out in my room in my bed for as long as I could.

I also decided to pack up everything. I wanted to go to the dome car after brunch and see everything. In fact, I planned to stay in the dome car all the way into Toronto.

While I was packing, the porter came by. She wanted to tell me that I would need to gather all my things together and move my luggage to the side because she had to put the bed up no later than 11:30, so my plan was sound.

Brunch was delicious. I was planning to get the omelette because I wanted some protein. I wasn’t sure about the eating situation in Toronto, and in any case, I didn’t want to eat until dinner. I was trying to make it so that I didn’t have to buy two meals that day in Toronto. If I’d really been thinking, I would have gone to breakfast and taken a muffin to wrap up for later, but I wasn’t doing full food strategy. An omelette would be best because protein keeps me full longer.

However, the chef’s omelette was feta cheese, scallions, and MUSHROOMS. ugh. So I was forced (haha) to get the waffles. I’m glad that the chef’s omelette had mushrooms because the waffles were fantastic.

The uni student came in and sat with me right after I had ordered. He doesn’t like mushrooms either, so he got the waffles. We were halfway through when Doug came and sat with us. Our waffles looked so good, he didn’t even bother with the menu and just said, “I’ll have exactly what they’re having.”

The uni student and I were in the same mood: sad about leaving the train.

He was bemoaning leaving the food behind. “How can I get a personal chef? I’m a university student living in an apartment. Do you think I eat like this normally?”

I nodded in agreement. “They just come and ask what you want and bring it to you. Every day.”

Him: “And the rocking of the train!” Me: “I know. Will we be able to sleep properly again without being . . “

Both of us in unison: “Rocked to sleep!!”

Seriously, if we hadn’t been gripping our forks in desperate love for our waffles, we would have gripped each other’s hands in commiseration. Yes, he was dramatic, too. I had learned he did a lot of theater. I, too, have a theater background. We got each other.

After Doug ordered, he asked, “what’s this mood?” And we explained to him about how sad we were leaving the train. He nodded and sighed. Then in what I had become used to from Doug in his deadpan way, he says, “Yeah. I don’t want to leave the train either.”

Uni guy and I nod. Our misery plain on our faces.

Doug: “Yeah, I’m going to be spending five days in Toronto”

. . .

“And then I’m going to get back on the train and take it back to Vancouver.”

Uni Guy’s mouth drops open. I put my fork down and say, “You know we officially hate you right now, right?”

Doug only stopped laughing when his waffles came. Humph.

He did tell me though that what I needed to do was sign up for VIArail’s newsletter because they often have 50% off train trips. I did that as soon as I got to the hotel, but I knew, as I said to Doug, that people with regular jobs can’t take those opportunities because you have to be ready to go when the deals come up.

Doug, with a wink: “That’s why you need to work on retiring.”

I rolled my eyes. Uni Guy paled thinking of the long years he still has before retirement since he doesn’t even have his first full-time job yet.

New Fantasy trip: Fly to Toronto. Take the train west to Vancouver, spend five days in vancouver, take train back to Toronto.

I said that to my brunch companions, but they both said that I shouldn’t miss the train from Montreal to Halifax. I know one of the other train guys, Bob, was actually getting off the train (everyone had to) in Toronto only to board another to Montreal and then taking another train to Halifax.

I had considered doing that, but I wanted to spend more times in Jasper, Banff, and Lake Louise and couldn’t manage the cost or the time off to do everything.

We lingered in the dining car for as long as we could. Many of the other people did as well. It was cozy and familiar. I sat in the dining car through . . .

Wanilla Island

Severn Bridge over the Severn River

Beaverton

I finally left the dining car and went up to the dome car. Many of the people had gone up there, too. It was the most people I have seen when I have gone before. But as you can see, it wasn’t full. I think everyone had the same idea I had–relishing the last bit of the train ride.

As we got closer to Toronto, it became really clear that we were starting to pass through suburbs, especially when we saw the commuter rail yard.

People really started drifting away and down the stairs back to their cabins or berths at this point. Everyone waving and saying goodbye to the people left behind. It was really sad.

I wasn’t leaving. I know some of them were still packing up. But the only thing I needed to do was change from my slippers to my boots and put my coat on. I was determined to stay in the dome car until the bitter end.

It seemed like it didn’t take very long for Toronto to present itself. I would have been more impressed if I weren’t so mad about getting off the train.

I was able to get some quick shots coming into the station, but then I had to go back to my cabin to change footwear. It was such a lonely sight.

As I said before, I almost teared up saying goodbye to the porter when I got off the train. I thanked her profusely for making the trip so great. She told me that I shouldn’t feel bad getting emotional. She told me lots of people do when they leave, moreso the longer they have been riding the train.

Now the test was to follow the directions I was given to take PATH, an underground walkway, to get to my hotel across the street. While I looked, I took pictures. I’m fond of train stations, and Union station in Toronto is worthy of photos. They just don’t make buildings like this anymore.

The thing is that the last picture was taken after I crossed the street. I wouldn’t have seen that if I had taken PATH. I couldn’t find where that was, and when I went to the information desk and told the guy what I was trying to do, he frowned. Then he told me that it would be easier and take less time to just walk outside and cross the street. I’d be able to see the hotel. He thought PATH was only good if it was raining hard and you were trying to stay dry.

I stayed at the Royal York Hotel, which is another one of the hotels in the Fairmont chain. It is directly across the street from the train station and takes up that block. There is no way I could have missed it.

It is interesting to see how different this hotel felt from the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise even though it is part of the same hotel brand. This is much more of a hipster place. It was very busy because it looked there was a conference going on in it, too. But it is also one of those places where the lighting is really dim, and I can imagine people are drinking double malt scotch . . . a lot.

The room was nice though

. . . and the location was not only right across the street from the train station but a block away from The Spirit of Hockey, the gift shop connected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. I’m embarassed to say that I didn’t take a picture because I was so excited to be back and finally able to get a sweatshirt.

The last time I was in Toronto, I went to the Hockey Hall of Fame (and actually got to touch the cup!!!), and I bought something only to find out when I came home that I bought a large in children’s size not in adult size. I swore that if I ever went to Toronto again, I would remedy that and I did. I had enought Canadian money left! Lucky day.

I realized that night, though, that I could’ve just bought something from their online store and used that money for the Lake Louise tshirt I had been coveting. Oh well. That just means I have to go back to Lake Louise!

I had messaged people about cheap places to eat within walking distance of union station, but I didn’t hear back from anyone in time, so I looked up places instead. I decided on trying a place called Loaded Pierogi. I wanted to eat something that was distinctly Canadian. It was in Union Station, but it took a bit to find it.

There are lots, and I mean lots, of places to eat in Union Station, and it looks like they are building even more spaces for food. Makes sense. Lots of people go through here, and also it’s a central location to have a wider variety of places to eat not just fancy restaurants.

I finally found it, got my dinner, and took it back to the hotel to eat. I got the Buffalo Chicken with Pierogi base. Why would you go to a place with Pierogi in its title and get a different base?

It was really good. I wanted more to be honest, but I wasn’t hungry enough to leave my room again, and I knew that I didn’t NEED to eat more. I just wanted to eat more.

I did nothing else that evening. I stayed in, catching up on all the messages that I couldn’t get while I was on the train. I didn’t check my work email though. I almost did, but I could hear all my work friends telling me not to. Thanks, everyone.

Tomorrow, I’ll write about the trip home.