Q: how do i retrieve photo stream from cloud

You can turn on Photo Stream on your iOS device by going to Settings > iCloud > Photos, then turn on My Photo Stream. That will show your Photo Stream photos in the Photos app. If you want to access the Photo Stream on a PC, go to icloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID, and click Photos to view the pictures stored on iCloud.

If you're still having trouble, this article may help:

Get help using My Photo Stream - Apple Support