A Conference in Hawaii Day 2 “Oh, Yes, Cardiology” December 5, 2019

by reissmd, posted in Hawaii, Uncategorized

Oh yes, Cardiology, I knew it was a conference about some medical topic. The conference has had is ups and downs. I have learned some valuable lessons that I plan to bring home to my patients. Unfortunately some of the lectures have been less than inspiring. The conference staff has asked attendees to shut off their cell phones or place them on silent out of respect to the speakers. Today two people in the audience had their cells phones go off during a couple of the talks. Those two individuals were the program co-directors. Oops!

Followers of this blog are well aware that my entries always supply lots of pictures and verbiage about food (today will not be an exception). Many ask me how I manage to stay relatively thin. First of all I exercise on a regular basis. For example this morning I was running on the hotel treadmill at 5 AM. Also, we don’t eat like this when we are at home. In fact my home meals are totally dictated by Patrice. If she is not home I don’t eat. On our trips she is also responsible for feeding the beast. When the morning lectures were coming to a close I alerted her by text, “Morning almost over, please prepare for lunch”.

When I arrived at the room Patrice told me that the nearby Lava Lava Beach Club (69-1081 Ku’uali’i Pl, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738) was walking distance and highly recommended. We took a circuitous route but finally found it in a lovely setting (seems like you can’t find anything here that isn’t beautiful), We had a wonderful meal (sorry, no pictures. I was too hungry to think of taking pictures) but there were lots of bugs that we had to fight for our food. As soon as any plate was cleared we asked the staff to remove it so as to limit the bug’s feeding frenzy. It was like the flies we encountered in Australia’s Outback. No that is an overstatement. Nothing compares to the Outback in Australia (and explains why it is the rare Aussie who has visited that area of the country).

Tonight we had a lovely dinner at Pueo’s Osteria (68-1845 Waikoloa Rd, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738) with Patrice’s friend, Robbie and her husband, Jim who moved here recently from Southern California. Robbie says she loves it here but misses Handel’s ice cream from Torrance. I told her we would have brought her some if we had known. Sorry, no pictures of our dinners. But how about a look at a couple of desserts?

Jim and Robbie shared the cannoli.
Patrice’s Chocolate Hazelnut Torte.

Enough for now, I need to get to bed. My 5 AM treadmill appointment will be here soon.

A Conference in Hawaii? Day 1 “Out of the Rain and Into the Sauna” December 4, 2019

by reissmd, posted in Hawaii, Uncategorized

We escaped Los Angeles on what started out as a very rainy morning. I don’t know what happened later in the day because we were aboard an American Airlines flight to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. I will be attending a medical conference in order to keep up to date with the latest medical information. I know what you are thinking, “Robert is going on a vacation at taxpayer’s expense”. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am very interested in the topics to be discussed this week and that is why I decided to attend. This conference is about…… wait I need to check. I know it is some sort of medical topic, so let’s leave it at that. I will find out tomorrow.

I would like to tell you that the flight to Kona was delightful but unfortunately it wasn’t. We had a lot of turbulence. I kept on grabbing Patrice’s hand because I was so scared. Sorry, I am a big flying baby and that is the painful truth. The only thing worse than the turbulence were the two movies I watched. I saw two films I had never heard of (that should have been a clue). One was called “Bottom of the 9th”. I won’t even bother to discuss it. The other had Alec Baldwin, Selma Hayek and a bunch of other very good actors. It was a comedy titled “Broke Parents” and it was AWFUL.

Upon arrival to Kona it was clear we were not at LAX. The airport is tiny and signage very poor. Luckily staff were great. I found a security guard who was very helpful in directing us to baggage claim and the rental car shuttles. Security guard friendly and helpful? Yes, we were not at LAX. The weather was a major change from LA. It wasn’t raining or cold but it was very humid and hot.

It was a 25 minute drive from the airport to our hotel. We are staying at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa (69-275 Waikoloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Beach, HI 96738). The staff members are very friendly and accommodating but the wait to check in was awful. A sweet young lady offered us an Aloha greeting and placed a puka shell necklace around each of our necks. It was a kind gesture but I would have appreciated her using her time to check people into the hotel instead.

After resting up we headed out for dinner. We ate at Napua at Mauna Lani Beach club (68-1292 S Kaniku Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738). The restaurant was recommended by one of Patrice’s friends who recently relocated from Redondo Beach to the Big Island of Hawaii. We had a wonderful time at the restaurant. Service was excellent . The surroundings were beautiful (lush vegetation with a calm ocean bay just footsteps from our table) and the food was superb.

Restaurant employee lighting lanterns close to our table.
We shared the calamari appetizer.

Patrice here. “We shared the calamari appetizer”? Robert and I each had one piece then I looked up as Robert was finished the last serving. That is his idea of sharing.

Patrice’s BBQ ribs.

Patrice had BBQ ribs as you can see above. I love this woman but doesn’t she realize this is Hawaii, not Memphis in May? If you don’t know about Memphis in May I feel bad for you but please click the category named Memphis on the right side of this blog and you will get your full of the MIM celebration.

Caesar Salad with Shrimp.

I had the Caesar Salad with Shrimp shown above. It was spectacular. Patrice loves shrimp and I knew I had to offer her one. Luckily she declined. Enough about food. I need to get ready for tomorrow’s conference. I have to find out where and when the conference will be. I probably should also look to see what it is about.

Aloha

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 5 “Showtime!” November 9, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City, Uncategorized

Today we felt obligated to workout again since clearly we have not slowed our eating at all. So with this tremendous urge to exercise upon us we rested until it passed. Then we set out for lunch at the Brookyn Diner (155 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036). The diner is know for its excellent (but overpriced) food. Then we took a short walk to look at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree which was delivered yesterday and is getting readied for the tree lighting ceremony on December 4th.

We were told that the tree came from Florida which was a surprise to me. Another source said it came from Orange County. That too seemed hard to believe. I later learned that both statements were correct. The tree started its journey 58 miles north of New York city in a place called Florida, Orange County, New York,

The 77 foot tall Rockefeller Center Christmas tree being installed at its final resting place.

A little further down the road we saw this sign that to me said, “Californians Go Home”.

“Californians go home !” sign. This is nothing, temperature will dip to 28 degrees.

We then headed to see the show Hadestown, winner of 8 Tony Awards. The show was excellent. Music, story, staging, and choreography were all a treat. At the end of Act I there was show-stopper song entitled “Why We Build the Wall” which was sung by the character Hades. In case you are not up on your Greek mythology, Hades was King of the Underground.

The lyrics went like this:

Why do we build the wall?
We build the wall to keep us free.
That’s why we build the wall.
How does the wall keep us free?
The wall keeps out the enemy.
Who do we call the enemy?
The enemy is poverty.

I wonder if the lyricist was thinking of any other wall builder when she wrote the song that was sung by the King of Hell?

After a rest at the hotel we were on our way back to Broadway. We saw a delightful musical comedy called “Tootsie”. It is based on the movie of the same name. It was funny and enjoyable. The only sad part of the show was that its conclusion marked the end of our trip. I am not sure if I will have time to post tomorrow or if I will have anything worth talking about (Did I hear someone ask, “Does he ever have anything worth talking about?”). I hope to talk to you soon.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 4 “The Birthday Celebration Continues” November 8, 2019

by reissmd, posted in Uncategorized

This morning we thought about working out but didn’t. Instead we went for breakfast at an excellent restaurant inside the hotel, The Lamb’s Club. Somehow they also knew about Patrice’s birthday and gave us a little treat.

How sweet.

Our hotel is fantastic (The Chatwal, 130 West 44th Street). This is our first time staying here. It is a Marriott property but only has 72 rooms. A number of the staff have called me by my name. That means either they are incredibly nice and attentive to details or know me because I have been such a pain they couldn’t forget my name if they tried. Or maybe they are blog followers? There are all sorts of nice things about the service,

In the evening this service tray was on our bed when we returned to the room,
I left these cables on the desk and at night they wrapped them for us into this neat coil.

If you would like a tour of our room check out this 3 minute YouTube video. https://youtu.be/vCTJlvK24H4

After breakfast, Patrice convinced me to work out against my better judgement. I ran (that is a euphemism for what was more like a jog) for 3 miles. As I left the gym the attendant asked if I needed anything. I am not sure if she meant some sort of toiletries or a paramedic. I gratefully said no and returned to the room for a nap.

Dinner was at Sardi’s (234 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036) a traditional Broadway restaurant. The meal was good but not nearly as special as The Modern or Gramercy Tavern. The best part was the location, just 2 blocks from our hotel and across the street from the Shubert Theater where we saw Ed Harris in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. The play was very well performed and the message remains true. But of course it is a very depressing story. I enjoyed it a lot more when I read it in high school than I did tonight. Plus it was a bit cold outside. It was 33 degrees when we were walking back to the hotel. The wind made it feel even colder reminding us of Iceland. We are Californians and we don’t do well in the cold. See below.

Does this look like a person ready to deal with the cold?

More fun for tomorrow.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 3 “Birthday Celebration?” November 7, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City

Today is Patrice’s birthday. What a wonderful idea to enjoy your birthday in the “Big Apple”. Well, not quite. Today we spent the entire day in an office with a bunch of researchers much smarter than me (I know that isn’t saying much) discussing proposals for funding of inflammatory bowel disease research. Patrice and I act as Stakeholders for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. As such we review applications for funding by the Foundation and voice our opinions about which studies should be approved. At the meeting we sit amongst a bunch of researchers who discuss very technical proposals and we try to understand what is being said. The experience for me is like watching Spanish television. I understand a word or two but the meaning often escapes me. Needless to say, this is not how you would probably plan to spend your birthday. But it is incredibly rewarding to feel like we are helping the cause that means so much to us.

After the meeting I wanted to go to the hotel gym and work out. But I didn’t.

Instead we did a bit of chilling in the room until heading out for a birthday dinner celebration at Gramercy Tavern (42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003). This place was recommended to us by one of the managers at The Modern where we dined two nights earlier. Apparently one of their former employees is the general manager at Gramercy Tavern. Both restaurants have the same owner.

Patrice has said that The Modern is her favorite restaurant. Well Gramercy Tavern is right up there too. This restaurant has had a Michelin star rating for the past 11 years (The Modern has two Michelin stars). The food was incredible as was the service. It was not just food but rather an experience.

They started us off with Roasted Cauliflower with whipped Ricotta Cheese to
“Wake up your palette”
Next we had “Whole Wheat Angel Rolls with Goat Cheese Butter”

Those first two items were just add ons. Next we had the first thing we actually ordered and that was:

Ruby Red Shrimp

I can’t begin to tell you how luscious this was. The shrimp were perfectly prepared. The sauce is making my mouth water as I write this sentence. The only thing that kept me from licking the plate clean were these magic words from Patrice, “If you do that, I swear, I will walk out of the restaurant and not look back for one second”. Yes, that stopped me but I would be lying if I didn’t say II did mull over my options.

Then they brought out our main course selections:

Patrice ordered: “Winter Skate with Butterball Potatoes and Almond Butter Sauce”

I never heard of Skate (fish that is) so I looked it up. It looks very much like a stingray. Not very appetizing looking but her dish was spectacular. I ordered:

Striped Bass with Cauliflower Puree Sauce

This dish tasted even better than it looked. The sauce was a bit spicy but I loved it.

The staff knew it was Patrice’s birthday so they personalized her dessert.

Apple Upside Down Cake with a personalized message
I ordered “Chocolate Hazelnut Custard”

As a present they brought us:

Chocolate Pudding Cake

And just in case we didn’t have enough sugar they brought us a couple of candies.

Peach and Amaretto on the left; Pear and Clove on the right,.

We paid the bill and had to get out before we developed diabetes. But they were not done,

Chocolate Banana Amaretto Cake as a to go gift for breakfast in the morning.

I need to go to the gym.

But first I need a nap.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 2 “A Day of Culture” November 6, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City, Uncategorized

This morning our guilt from last night’s never-ending meal at The Modern, was a tremendous burden so we got up early (about 11 AM) and went to the gym for a work out. After that we headed out for some food of course. Patrice found a place called “Friedman’s Kitchen and Bar” (233 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019) which was on the way from our hotel to the Museum of Modern Art (our destination for today). I was in the mood for a good New York deli, so I was all in favor.

The place looked good and the staff was friendly but I have to admit I was a bit confused by the menu which featured Grilled Fish Tacos, Chicken Tostada Bowl, and Chicken Banh Mi. I asked our hostess if the restaurant was named after the owner (“No, his name is Mr. Phillips”). She explained that the restaurant was named after Milton Friedman, the famous economist. Now I was really confused, I inquired if Milton Friedman was a gourmet among his other more notable talents. She said she didn’t know about that but she said he was known for the phrase, “There is no such thing as a free lunch”. Now it all made sense and my hopes for a Senior Discount was quickly forgotten. We got to meet the owner, Mr. Phillips, who, like his staff was a very friendly young man. The food was good and like I said the staff was great.

Our server, Matthew, Patrice, and Hostess, Jess.

After lunch we headed to MOMA. The museum recently reopened after being closed for 4 months as part of a $450 million renovation. The place looks fantastic. The design is very contemporary (hmmm, who would have guessed that?) and the layout is very user friendly. The exhibits are on 6 floors (there is a gift shop and theaters on a lower floor below the street level entrance) that are all very easy to access and laid out in a circular design letting you see all the exhibits without missing anything.

We got to see Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory”, and Warhol’s “Campbell Soup Cans”. You can also see all three of those masterpieces in our home. Of course the ones in our home are a little less valuable than the originals at MOMA. The one exception in the Campbell Soup Can in our house which is a needlepoint made by my sister, Annette, and given to me as a gift.

Starry Night by Van Gogh
Dali’s “Persistence of Memory”
Campbell’s Soup Can by Andy Warhol (I like mine better).

There were some things in MOMA that left me a little befuddled regarding their art value.

Is a man’s hairy armpit art?
What about a leg sticking out of the wall?
I think these two clocks were entitled, “A Waste of Time”.

We were just about to leave MOMA when Patrice and I got into a big fight. I found two things on exhibit that she made me throw out recently. Just think what we could do with the money we could have had from selling these two treasures (see below).

I knew my note pad had value.
“Pine Cone” An obvious treasure but not recognized by my wife.

I am sure you have had enough of my whining and complaining for one day. After all, it’s time for DINNER.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 1 “The Real Reason We Came to New York” November 5, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City, Uncategorized

As many of you know 2 of our 3 children have Crohn’s disease. This is an ailment that causes intestinal inflammation resulting in abdominal pain, diarrhea, difficulty absorbing nutrients among other wonderful experiences. Because of them we are very active raising money for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation (Team Reiss brought in $74,180 for the nation’s second highest total for the Take Steps program this year). We also participate on a committee that determines which scientific studies are funded by the Foundation. It is this later function that brings us to New York. But let’s be honest, the real reason is to enjoy this marvelous city.

Tonight we had an incredible meal at “The Modern” (9 West 53rd Street). We were also here in May of 2017 at which time I blogged about our dinner. Towards the end of our meal tonight, I looked for that post from 2017 and saw that we had a very similar experience at that time. We had a spectacular meal. The food was great, the service superb and the presentation was incredible.

Here is what we were served tonight:

Buckwheat Tartelette. Don’t ask me any questions. We were told to eat these with our hands and in one bite. I promptly complied. That is why you just see one in the photo (Patrice was a bit slower than me).
“Eggs on Eggs on Eggs” when it was brought to the table.
Remove the top and you find, three different types of eggs. Amazing combination.
Pretzel Croissant. Meant to cleanse our palette but with the Dijon Mustard Butter inside it did more than that.

Below you can see the Pole Beans which Patrice said was wonderful. I had the Foie Gras Tart which was beyond words. By the way if it is still Un-PC to eat Foie Gras it was Patrice who had it and I had the beans (yuck).

Pole Beans
Foie Gras Tart

More appetizers followed.

Matustake Mushroom Fricassee (Robert)
Seared Scallops (Patrice)

Then on to the main course.

Sautéed Sea Bass (we both had this)

And for dessert:

Vanilla Bavarois (Patrice)
Dark Chocolate Chantilly (Robert)

Of course they had to acknowledge Patrice’s birthday.

Happy Birthday Patrice
But just in case we had any room in our tummies they sent us home with these luscious Coconut and Mango Shumai.

Enough food?

Until tomorrow.

Rocky Mountaineer Day #6 “Home Sweet Home, Not Quite and I Fixed It!” Sunday, August 4, 2019

by reissmd, posted in Canada

First of all before I forget, I fixed the link to the video of Owen solving the Rubik’s Cube. In case you don’t want to go back to yesterday’s post to find the link, I have added it here. Owen’s Rubik Solve Video.

Last night after resting up at our hotel for a bit, Patrice and I took Owen to the Vancouver Lookout (555 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6B 4N6, Canada). Here you get a 360 degree view of the city (some parts are better than others as you would expect). You ascend to the top (553 feet above street level) via a glass elevator so you can appreciate the view immediately. It was a fun activity for us and we received vouchers as part of the Rocky Mountaineer tour so it was “free”.

This morning was a travel day but instead of heading home to LA we had to fly to San Jose so we could bring Owen back to his family. We plan to hang out here a few days and then return home. I am not sure when our next trip will be but I am sure it won’t be long.

It has been become a bit of a tradition to end each trip with a series of photos of things on the trip that have sparked my interest but possibly didn’t deserve a lot of time for me to describe. So here they are:

Obviously a place that does not want me as a customer.

Bears are very smart and will come into town looking for food. Check out this picture showing the design of a trash can meant to keep the bears out.

Very ingenious plan to keep bears out. I think it might keep some humans out too.
Did someone lose a contract, so they want to put the fear of God into the tourists?
Carlos O’Bryan’s in Kamloops, On their web site it is also listed as Kelly O’Bryan’s. It appears they are trying to appeal to Irish people who have relocated to Canada after living in South America.
Great mocha and breakfast at “49th Parallel” at Robby’s recommendation. https://49thcoffee.com/
At Nightingale we had this lunch guest join us.

I saw this sign at the Park Distillery where we had dinner one night.

I wonder if they would give you 20% off if you could spell receipt?

I apologize for grammar and spelling errors tonight, my editor is asleep and I am ready to post. But first, one last picture. Evidence of the highlight of the trip.

Heck with the sights of beauty in the Rockies, Robert solved the Cube !

Rocky Mountaineer Day #5 “Oh My, Lindsay Did It Again” Saturday, August 3, 2019

by reissmd, posted in Canada, Uncategorized

When I left you yesterday we had just finished our two day food gorge on the Rocky Mountaineer, checked into our hotel and headed out for dinner. We left the choice of a restaurant to Lindsay because as I previously stated, this is her area of expertise. She found us “Market by Jean-Georges” (1115 Alberni St, Vancouver, BC V6E 0A8). Apparently Jean-Georges Vongerichten is a famous chef with a restaurant (or 2 or 3) with Michelin Star ratings. I was informed that Michelin star is a designation of a high-end restaurant and not a high-end automobile tire.

In addition to having a “Lindsay Star” rating the place was appealing because it was located close to the hotel. Upon arrival to the address the only inkling that we were close to the restaurant was a sign on the street. Further inspection of the sign directed us to the restaurant tucked away between two buildings and on the second floor. I assume the owners only want smart clientele, unlike me who was ready to give up when I had trouble finding the place.

The staff was friendly and the ambience very good. They sat us at a table for 5 that provided a beautiful view of the neighborhood. Lindsay ordered Beef Cheeks (sounds gross but she said it was great), Patrice had Steelhead Trout, Robby and I opted for the lamb, and Owen once again wanted a cheeseburger.

Owen digging into his cheeseburger.
The lamb that Robby and I ordered was magnificent.

We all enjoyed our meals. I was very impressed how Owen powered down his burger (I guess practicing solving the Rubik’s Cube in under 30 seconds takes protein power). We tasted each other’s dishes and Owen surprised me by asking, “Can I have a little lamb, Grandpa?” Of course I obliged. A few minutes later he asked for another taste and then a third. After my lamb was gone, Owen turned to Robby and asked, “Can I have a little lamb, Robby?” Yes this is a growing boy.

In case you wondered what Beef Cheeks look like here is a photo of Lindsay’s dinner.

Today we decided to let Owen sleep in. He has been a real champ not complaining at all about the early starts dictated by our tour. Speaking of Owen, he has been amazing this trip. In addition to being a very fun and responsible traveler he spent some time entertaining and impressing the other passengers with his ability to solve the Rubik’s Cube in less than 30 seconds. If you want to see him do it, check this link. Click here to watch Owen solve the cube in seconds!

After we got the crew in gear we took a short cab ride to Science World (1455 Quebec St, Vancouver, BC V6A 3Z7). This is a very fun, hands on Science museum. They had an IMAX theater (we saw a film called “Superdogs”) and live presentations (we heard the ones about “Air”, “Sound”, and “Cold”). It was a fun time for all the children (all 5 of us). We then walked to a nearby skate park (Robby is a skateboard enthusiast). Then we walked to Nightingale (1017 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6E 0C4) for a late lunch early dinner. Unfortunately our path took us through part of Vancouver’s less desirable neighborhood. This was our second time at this fine restaurant and once more had a wonderful meal.

We are now back at the hotel chilling out before our next activity. During this time Owen gave me some Rubik’s Cube pointers. Thanks to Owen and his dad (my son, David) today, August 3, 2019 at 6 pm it will forever be known as the date and time, I Robert Reiss, solved the Rubik’s Cube for the first time (Okay, I did need to use some notes). I hate to admit it but I have been spending a lot of time working on this project. In fact, I would venture to say that if I studied medicine as hard as I have been studying the cube the name Reiss would be spoken along with Dr. Salk, Dr. Sabin and Dr. DeBakey.

We will be leaving soon for some more fun in the city but more about that tomorrow.

Rocky Mountaineer Day #4 “Where the Heck is Kamloops?” Friday August 2, 2019

by reissmd, posted in Canada, Uncategorized

Yesterday the Rocky Mountaineer cruised into the city of Kamloops, British Columbia.   I don’t mean this to be disparaging to this lovely town but prior to this trip I had never heard of Kamloops.  After listening to our guide it is no wonder that I had not heard of the place.  It seems that the most notable fact about it is that Kamloops is the home of 100,000 people and 250,000 cows.  It is also the town where Mark Recchi was born.  Mr. Recchi escaped my brain until yesterday when I found out he was a former NHL hockey player and played on three Stanley Cup championship teams.

After settling into our hotel room and getting some much needed rest (after all we had been sitting on a train all day) we then went out to dinner (I might have mentioned the only activity we had on the train was eating).  Initially we planned to eat at the hotel but Lindsay reviewed the place online and recommended that we try another restaurant not too far away.   I have learned when it comes to picking restaurants I should trust Lindsay.  We walked from our hotel to Terra (326 Victoria St, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A5) and were quickly seated upon our arrival.  Lindsay is able to find great restaurants and this time she came through again.  The food and service were excellent.  Since I never can find good lamb in Los Angeles, I went for it here and I was not disappointed.  Robby had pork belly and his plate was empty when we left so I will take that as a good sign.  The others also seemed to enjoy their dishes.

My Lamb
Robby’s Pork

The waitress at Terra’s told us an interesting tidbit.  Since the Rocky Mountaineer has such a large presence in the town there is a hotline that townspeople can call to find out how many trains will be stopping that night (trains arrive from both directions), what time to expect their arrival, and how many people are on the train.  As she put it, “If they say the train will arrive with 300 people at 5:15 pm we know to expect to see a bunch of people on the street seemingly walking aimlessly about at around 6 pm.”

Today we took the train from Kamloops to Vancouver.  The trip was filled with lots of great sights and lots of great food.  On these trips I keep meeting people who are retired and speaking of the virtues of that part of life.  As many of you know I have been giving a lot of thought to calling it quits and must say it is looking like a better option everyday.  Some of my patients have informed me that I can’t retire until they die so some arrangements might have to be made in that arena.

This leg of the trip took us through a much more arid area of the country before transitioning through more greenery.  One sight that I found fascinating was where the Thompson River connects with the larger Fraser River.  The Thompson River having much less silt looks blue compared to the brownish hue of the Fraser.  In the picture below you can see the effect when they connect.

The far side of the river is water coming from the Fraser River and the near side water is from the Thompson River.

Another interesting sight was the other passengers every time a guide would tell us that something worth photographing was coming up on the right or left. 

Cameras Out !

At about 6:00 pm we finally rolled into the Rocky Mountaineer railway station in Vancouver.   We quickly boarded a bus to our hotel.  Now we are chilling in our room getting ready to have …………………….. dinner !