Last post from this trip.

On Wednesday

• One last breakfast at Gracie’s Sea Hag
• Elaine pecked up her t-shirt from Bill, the prez of the C of C
• We watched seals play in the harbor (no camera)
• We drove to Mo’s to buy clam chowder to go for dinner (it was grand)
• The skies cleared mid afternoon and we had one last delightful sunny cocktail hour on the balcony.
• Seas still rough but starting to calm (still no fishing or whale watching boats out)
• Plenty of whales frolicking about.
• Brilliant sunset (best of the trip)

This morning we drive to Portland for our afternoon flight home.  In 10 days Elaine and Caroline head to Ireland for their sisterly tour.  I’ll post some pics and stories when they return.  At Thanksgiving we go to Las Cruces for a Weiler family Thanksgiving.  And on December 21st we leave for Dingle, County Kerry for Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Ireland.

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Views of the Sunset

 

Time to start winding down.  Wednesday is our last full day in Depoe Bay.  On Thursday we drive to Portland (three hours) for a late afternoon flight home to PHX.

Tuesday was sunny – rainy – thunderstorm – sunny – etc.  It was sunny at 7 AM so we did our normal walk into town.  We were rewarded with a beautiful rainbow (faintly double).  We got rained on as we walked back, so we ducked into the Pirate Coffee Company for hot chocolate and scones.  We hung around the condo the rest of the morning.  I was finishing up the latest (and next to last?) Sue Grafton novel, Y is for Yesterday.  Elaine worked on a jigsaw puzzle.  The weather continued to switch between sun and rain.  No fishing or whale watch boats out today – too rough.  Here are some pics of the rainbow and a video of today’s pounding surf taken from the condo balcony..

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It cleared up nicely around noon (contrary to all predictions), so we took the short drives to Boiler Bay, Otter Creek, and Cape Foulweather for picture taking of the wave action.  Here are LOTS of pics and videos of the ocean in action.  “The seas were angry that day, my friends” – George Costanza

 

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Sunday cocktails were indoors at the window.  Rained most all of Sunday night.  Monday broke cloudy but dry. It was dry enough for a morning walk and there were even small patches of blue sky.  We spent the day on a variety of errands: a stop at the Market for lime juice (one of life’s essentials); a visit to the Birkenstock store for sandals; a visit to the Red Cock Jewelry and Clothing Store (no purchases); a ride to Newport for lunch at Local Oceans; a walk along the Bayfront for a Tillamook marionberry ice cream cone; a stop at the Depoe Bay Recycling Center to drop glass bottles; an abortive visit to the Depoe Bay Chamber of Commerce to exchange Elaine’s small Salmon Bake tee shirt for a medium (they were closed).

Lunch was great.  grilled calamari salad to start, of course.  My sister checked the menu at Local Oceans on-line and said she would have to have the Fishwives Stew if she went there.  So I tried it.  Fabulous!  Clams, rockfish, shrimp (big and small), scallops, and a big crab leg  (picture below).

The day’s weather was better than predicted.  Some rain but some sun as well.  Tomorrow is supposed to be more rainy. but we’ll hope for the best.  Here is a potpourri of pictures from the day.

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Below:  Local Ocean for Lunch

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Miscellany

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We awoke Sunday morning to cloudy skies with the rain due to arrive by noon, so we took an early morning walk around Depoe Bay.  Indulged in breakfast at Gracie’s Sea Hag Restaurant (which is also a great eclectic bar at night).  Great corned beef hash.

The rest of the day was spent reading, napping, watching the rain and the waves, and cocktailing.  Dinner consisted of the rest of the chicken cacciatore and salad.

Here’s a video that I shot while sitting on the balcony at the condo the other day.  Watching the ocean is a pleasing way to pass the time.  Enjoy.  Weather calls for more rain for the next three days, so we won’t be doing a lot outdoors.

Yet another beautiful weather day!  Today the car did not move, and we had a singular purpose: the 62nd Annual Depoe Bay Indian Salmon Bake.  We walked into town and down to the town park where the Salmon Bake was held from 10 AM through 5 PM.  We got there about 11:15, a good time as there was no line.  When we left the line was long.  The salmon is cooked on stakes over an open flame fire line in the style of Indians (Native Americans).  It’s served with cole slaw, toast, soda, and a cookie.  The salmon is delicious.

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After the bake we walked around the harbor (self proclaimed as the world’s smallest harbor) and chatted up some fishermen and then journeyed into the newly reopened Spouting Horn, now a craft brewery and restaurant.  We had a couple of drafts and talked with three girls from Texas who are staying right next to us at the Village at North Pointe.

Then we walked home for a nice nap.  Snapped some pictures as we walked.  After the big salmon meal, tonight’s dinner will be just cocktails and cheese and crackers.  Be back at you tomorrow when the rains are supposed to arrive.

 

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For those who have asked about the folding chair that I had shipped here last year for my comfort and enjoyment on the balcony, sadly it was missing on arrival.  The good news is that I figured in might be and when we stopped at Costco on the drive in, I bought another chair that is just as comfortable.

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Friday was another beautiful day.  The rains are coming Sunday PM and it looks to be rainy from then until we leave.  The weather on this trip has been fabulous and a few rainy days will not spoil things at all.

It was a low key day.  We planned on low key days as we have been here four times now and there is not a lot of new things that we need to do.  Just chilling works out grand.  We decided to go into Newport for lunch at our favorite lunch place.  We stopped on the way at Yaquina Head Light, spot designated as an area of outstanding natural area by the US Bureau of Land Management which administers the site.  There is an entry fee, but our National Park Senior Pass gets us in for free.

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Then it was on to Newport’s Bayfront.  It was a bit too early for lunch, so Elaine wandered about the shops (she bought two pairs of earrings) and I watched the oddly fascinating sea lions fighting for positions on the sea lion docks in the harbor.  Here are a few pictures and a video

Lunch at Local Oceans was as good as ever. If you are ever in this area, go here and have the grilled calamari salad for an appetizer (we shared), the grilled Pacific rockfish sandwich (which was a wrap this year), and a pint of a local draft craft beer (Kiwanda Cream Ale this year for me). It’s the BEST lunch ever.

Home for naps until cocktail hour on the sunny balcony.  It can be quite chilly in Depoe Bay, but the balcony is sheltered from the  breeze and it is warm as could be in the afternoon when the sun is shining.   Dinner was at home – Elaine made chicken cacciatore with a nice side salad.  It was served with a bottle of the outstanding Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Roland Green that we bought at the Vineyard on the way down from Portland.

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Beautiful sunny day with light fog in the morning (shots from the balcony at 7 AM)

We drove into Newport (15 miles) to do grocery shopping at Fred Meyer’s and to get some cash from a Chase ATM.  Then we came back to the condo and fixed a picnic lunch for a drive up to Tillamook.  We stopped for the picnic at a new beach (for us) – Neskowin Beach, a state recreation area run by Oregon which does a fantastic job making the coast accessible and convenient for the whole length of the state.  At Neskowin, there are gorgeous properties available for vacation rentals – a potential future site for us?  Maybe.

After lunch we drove on to Tillamook where we avoided Tillamook Cheese Factory which is a major tourist attraction.  Their ice cream, available everywhere, is delicious, but last year there was a 45 minute line to get a cone.  Rather we come to visit the lesser known Blue Heron Cheese Factory where we stocked on their delicious pepper brie AND had a Tillamook ice cream (Marionberry Pie) with no wait.  As we headed home we also stopped at a farm to buy some dahlias for the condo.

We got home just in time for cocktails on the balcony before walking down the road to Tidal Raves for dinner where the views and the food are spectacular.  One woman was celebrating her birthday ion style.

• Seahawk Bread baguette toasted with smoked salmon, cream cheese, havarti, shrimp and onion
• Elaine:  Moscow Mule- Home made TR ginger beer, vodka, fresh lime and proper copper
• Joe:  Cucumber Gimlet- gin, cucumber, TR lime cordial, lavender bitters
• Clam Chowder
• Elaine: The house special ling cod with garlic mashed potatoes
• Joe: Pacific Oysters pan fried in panko, served with fries
• Wine: 2014 Eyrie Vineyards, Dundee Hills

Then we walked back home for a well earned night’s sleep.

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We had a quiet time in Vancouver.  First night we ate Le Keg, a Canadian steak chain that is a cut below Ruth’s Chris, but still very good.  Had my first steak of the trip.  Elaine had salmon.  On Tuesday we bought day passes on the Aqua Bus and just traveled between stops and did walkabouts.  The highlight, as always in Vancouver, was Granville Island Market.  We had scones and hot chocolate and walked the aisles admiring the food.  There are also lots of atrsy-craftsy to explore.  At the Aqua Bus stop in Yaletown we enjoyed a great lunch at Earl’s Kitchen with a pitcher of Moscow Mules.  Later in the afternoon we enjoyed a nice bottle of wine on our balcony at the Marriott Residence Inn after we rearranged all our suitcases for the journey back to the USA on Wednesday.  Dinner was just a few minute walk away at the Banana Leaf where we enjoyed a wonderful nine-course Malaysian meal (after I imbibed a picturesque Red Lotus cocktail).

 

Here are a few more pictures from Granville Market in my attempt at artistry.

On Wednesday, a long day, we were up at 4:50 AM for our 5:40 limo to Vancouver Airport with chatty driver Duane, a Vancouver native.  In Vancouver you clear US Customs and Immigration before takeoff – the lines were 30-40 minutes long even that early in the morning but with our Global Entry passes, we were through in just two minutes.  Our one-hour Air Canada flight was uneventful, our first experience flying on a Bombardier Q400.  On landing in Portland we picked up our Subaru SUV from Alamo and immediately drove across the River to the Costco in Vancouver, Washington (Oregon Costco’s do sell liquor!).  Yes, our second Vancouver in the same day.  My bottle of Kirkland vodka was $15 more than in Scottsdale due to Washington liquor taxes – we need a Washington liquor party where we throw the vodka into the ocean.  Then it was on to McMinville in the Willamette Valley to get some Pinot Noirs at Eyrie Vineyards.  The owner of Eyrie was the first guy to plant the pinot noir grape in Oregon.  Then finally we motored on to Depoe Bay, stopping along the road for lunch at Mo’s in Lincoln City – clam chowder and grilled oysters for me; chowder and a crab sandwich for Elaine.  A brief stop for essentials and we were at our condo at the Village of North Pointe under glorious sunny skies.  Weather looks good through Saturday when the rains may arrive.  More tomorrow!

 

A few final pics from dinner at Rodney’s Oyster House in Toronto.  Sorry for the blurred oysters – too many gimlets?

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Since then we have been on the train and only had wi fi in Winnipeg, and we were busy there.  So it’s catch up time.  Lots of pictures; just a few words

The train was grand – four nights and three days.  Life aboard was good.  There were 14 prestige cabins and we got along well with everyone, especially an older Lady and her cousin from Windsor, ON, a retired oyster farmer and his mate from Sydney, Australia, and a couple from Manchester, UK.  The four prestige cars are all at the back of a 36-car train.  There is a dining car, two cars of prestige rooms, and a combination lounge car/observation car.  We never left those four cars.  Our room was tiny but functional: a comfortable L-shaped couch with a small table during the day which converted to a comfortable full double bed at night.  There was a large picture window.  The bathroom was small – a toilet, a sink, and a shower.  The shower was just barely big enough to fit in but the water pressure and temperature were both good.  Drinks were included and were served wherever you wanted them.  The food for three meals a day was very good – highlights included a bison burger, lobster ravioli, and a veal chop. Deserts were excellent. In Prestige Class we also had hors d’ouevres at cocktail hour.

There are numerous stops along the way. but usually just for long enough to stretch your legs.  We got out in Hornepayne, ON (there is nothing there) and in Jasper (a tourist town with restaurants and gift shops where we have been before on a road trip).  The exception was Winnipeg where we stopped for five hours.  A bus tour of the city was included, but we skipped it for a walkabout on our own.  Winnipeg is a nice town.  It’s Museum of Human Rights is spectacular.  The architecture inside and out is stunning, and the exhibits, mostly interactive, are truly interesting.  Come see this if you can.  We also watched Dragon Boat races on the Red River, part of the event for kid’s cancer that was going on.

The scenery along the way is spectacular.  It’s way better than the pictures below because the pictures lose something when taken from behind the train windows.  You can see reflections from the windows in some of the pictures.  Along the way (in order) you see forests, prairies, mountains, and rivers.

SCENES FROM THE TRAIN GALLERY – NO CAPTIONS

We arrived in Vancouver several hours late on Monday, and we immediately checked in to the Marriott Residence Inn downtown.  Thursday night we ate at Le Keg in the ritzy Robson area.  Le Keg is a Canadian steakhouse a cut below Ruth’s Chris and the like, but it is very good.  We shared delicious calamari.  Elaine had salmon; I had an excellent NY strip steak.  There were numerous gimlets and a nice bottle of Pinot Noir.

On Tuesday we walked about this bustling city that has lots of high rise construction going on.  We bought a day pass on the Aqua Bus and spent most of the morning at Granville Island, home of one of the best public markets in the world.  We had raspberry scones and hot chocolate before wandering the food halls and craft shops.  We Aqua-bussed on to the Yaletown area where we had an excellent lunch on the patio at Earl’s Kitchen – a pitcher of Moscow Mules to accompany Elaine’s sushi and my bacon cheddar burger.  Then we walked and water taxied some more before returning to the Marriott for wine on the balcony.

Dinner tonight is open.  Tomorrow morning we have an 8:40 AM flight to Portland, OR, and I’ll pick up the blog Wednesday night or Thursday morning from Depoe Bay.  Pictures from Vancouver will be included in the update.

 

Dinner Wednesday night at Rodney’s Oyster House was a triumph.  I had nine delicious oysters, a trio each from different locales, with fresh horseradish and a plethora of hot sauces.  Yellow fin tuna was my main.  Elaine had excellent NE clam chowder and possibly the best scallops ever.

Thursday morning was sunny and cool.  We walked the short walk to the CN Tower and rode up.  During the summer and three hour waits to go up, but it was blissfully empty and enjoyable.  Took lots of pics.  Then we walked to the Hockey Hall of Fame and spent a fascinating 90 minutes or so there.  For lunch we went back to St Lawrence Market and ate at Buster’s Sea Cove.  Elaine had a calamari po-boy; I had grilled calamari and chips.  Yum.  While we eating, the good weather ended, and it was teeming rain.  We made it back to hotel.

We board the train at 10 PM tonight.  It’s on schedule!  Next post depends on wi fi at stations, possibly not until arrival in Vancouver on Monday.

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