Friday Food Fun
Happy Friday everyone. My brown bag lunch at work will be rather sad compared to the above.
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Tampilkan postingan dengan label cruise. Tampilkan semua postingan
Happy Friday everyone. My brown bag lunch at work will be rather sad compared to the above.
Wordless Wednesday
Cruising In Alaska - This Is The Boring Day
Monday September 5 - our first full day at sea and it's gray and dreary. Now what - find breakfast - the buffet on the Lido deck is zoo (that's my recurrent comment. I prefer sit down meals, not roaming about. I do not need volume . I seek quality of food). After breakfast, we walk the circuit - three laps equals a mile. Now I feel the ship movement and begin my dramamine and ear drop regimen. That works for my motion issues, and I'm good to go.
There are a lot of activities on board ship and we take advantage of as much as possible - 10 am - hello, winners of Name That Tune in the Crow's Nest. 11 am cooking show in the Culinary Center - crab cakes, shrimp pasta, and creme brulee. High noon - lunch. 1 pm - a Lumberjack Show - sounds corny but was quite interesting. This man, Rob Sheer, won championships and still competes with his son. He wore the ubiquitous red checked shirt, carried a big axe, and was extremely fit for late 50s.
2 pm - time for a snooze. Hey, we're on vacation. Don't judge.
4 pm - another deck walk and a whale watch alert. Sure enough, we saw whales blow holes and breech. Very cool. It was funny as we all ran from side to side of the ship - everyone not wanting to miss a thing. Lots of misty clouds - tendrils encircled the hills ashore.
Night fun included a comedian's show. Jeff Burghart was amusing and did some clever impressions. Then the piano kafe was so-so - the man could play, but not sing. Yawn - time for bed around 10 pm. We have to turn our clocks back for Tuesday and be ready for a shore adventure.
Stay tuned
Alaska Cruise - Ketchikan
Ketchikan - Tuesday September 6 - I'm excited about getting off the ship and walking on land. The dramamine has been doing the job, but I'm ready to "run free". We sign up for a small tour and Bob the guide is quite a character. We soon find out that folks that live in Alaska are unique with a quirky flavor. Bob was no exception - very folksy manner. I'm guessing a former hippie of sorts.
We are on a bus for a short jaunt and then exit to wander to a stream where salmon are swimming like crazy. There's a deer in the distance. No bear. You can see paths where the bear crash through, but at 10 in the morning they are not seeking civilization. But we all look around eagerly -hoping for a spotting.
Onward to Potlatch Park filled with native totems and carvings. Very interesting tour and art.
Back to town and we walk along historic Creek Street, the former red light district. Ketchikan is small and cutesy. One townie said it's " a drinking town with a fishing problem." Ha!
2 pm - back on the boat for pushoff. Gorgeous scenery and everyone was eager to chat and share their day. Sea planes soared overhead. Fish leaped as we looked down. And amidst the drizzle it was sunny and misty at the same time.
I'm feeling the Alaska spirit. We move onward ready for our next stop on Wednesday
Wordy Wednesday - Juneau, Alaska
Juneau - Wednesday September 7 - cute, colorful views from the ship. We exit the ship at 10 for our excursion. it's a rainy intro to Alaska's capital. Not a big city at all. We board a bus and head to the Macaulay Hatchery. The life of a salmon is fraught with danger - the odds of living are ridiculously low. And yet, millions of fish manage to survive and make their trek to spawning grounds and return to this same place. Amazing nature story and miles of swimming involved.
Next stop - Mendenhall Glacier. Lovely park. We do a two mile roundtrip hike that involves stunning views. With a loud rush of water, we hear Nugget Falls. Clear air, gleaming blue ice glimmers in the distance. We are not close enough to touch the glacier. The path has us standing across the body of water. Refreshing stop.
Now on to my favorite - a real gem. Glacier Gardens. This guy had a vision - he converted a part of rainforest into a private garden and developed it into a wondrous place. The most creative aspect was the Flower Towers - upside down trees with the stumps filled with blooms. It's glorious
The tram ride is a two mile journey through the rain forest and up 580 feet. There's a towering canopy with ferns, lichen, huckleberries, blueberries and flowers below. This is Tongass National Park. One native saying - "When the grass turns to cotton, fall is forgotten. Winter comes." We could see that transition in September.
Back to Juneau by 3 with some time to walk around. I recommend a fish and chip snack break at the Alaskan Brew Company. Yummy and fresh cod.
Time to go board the ship. And conquer with another Name That Tune Victory. Yes, I'm bragging. I'm giving you something to achieve if you decide to cruise on Holland.
Each day gets better and better. What's in store in Skagway?
Fabulous Friday - Skagway, Alaska
Skagway - Thursday September 8. This is one of my favorite days. I highly recommend the Glacier Point Wilderness Adventure. These excursions do cost extra but are worth the bucks spent. How else to truly experience Alaska? You have to get out there...into the rugged wild...albeit with guides. Prior to coming on a big trip like this I do recommend walking. Get into some semblance of shape - you'll want to keep up and be worthy.
7:30 am and off the boat. We board a harbor boat with Elise, our young perky guide, and twenty other intrepid explorers. Captain Dan pushes back and we zoom for 1-1/2 hours through fjords, inlets, passing waterfalls, mountains, misty clouds, and harbor seals lounging on shore. It's not too choppy. Yes, I took my dramamine.
On land we meet our dudes - the wilderness guides. These are twenty something guys who are college grads and not ready to settle down. They work hard in Alaska from May through end of September. They enjoy hiking, nature, and sharing this wilderness with tourists. They've obviously done their research and their enthusiasm is contagious.
So, first stop is to put on waterproof boots. Then we hike on a narrow tree rooted path downhill to a river. Canoes await and we board. Matt is our guide - a dreadlocked white dude from the Midwest. He's very laid back and cool. We paddle a bit and then he kicks on the motor. We zoom to the glacier.
The scale of this area is monumental. You think you are close to a glacier but you are a mile or so away. Chunks of ice float by. Matt stops briefly and hauls in a big chunk - it is crystal clear. The purity here is reassuring. Mankind has not ruined everything.
Canoe lands and we slog ashore to walk about a mile on river walk. It's not easy - hence, you should have trained a bit for this. Blue ice gleamed. Stunning turquoise blue shades. Lapis hues take your breath away. Rocks are the size of buildings. This glacier is HUGE. I'm out of adjectives to describe this. Any pictures you see - they are true and more. Breathtakingly fabulous.
It was all exhiliarating. We lingered - hating to return to the canoe, paddling back, boarding our harbor boat and returning to Skagway. Refreshed and tired for a good reason, we stumbled back to the ship by 3:30 for a nap.
I can't emphasize enough - book excursions. Get out there. Chat with your guides - it's an engaging group of young folks seeing the world and learning a lot.
So, nighttime on the ship. Dinner - brie appetizer, trout with spaghetti, and a strawberry mousse. This is not buffet. The sit-down dinners are really nice.
7 pm - Pub Trivia. Victory!
8 pm - Mike Bliss - comedy, juggling, and magic. We are amused
9 pm - Group Trivia. Alas a tie...that's okay
10 pm - Goodnight
Sunday Cruising - Glacier Bay, Alaska Brrrr
Friday September 9 - It was a dark and stormy morning". Alas, the big boat event day - our tour into Glacier Bay was ominous. This would be our worst weather day. Oh well. You never know in Alaska what you will get late September.
We listen to a prep talk about where we are headed and what to expect. Then we go to the Crow's Nest - 10th floor of the ship. Alas, it's misty glare and way too crowded. Rumor has it they might open the bow. We hurry to our room to bundle up. First we go to deck 3. Brrrr. Reid Glacier, Lansplugh Glacier, and Johns Hopkins Inlet. Lots of wow moments despite the brutal weather.
Bow opens and we are layered with boots, hats, and multi-coats. We bustle out and gasp. Rain, wind, and a massive glacier in view. Quite dramatic. We snap pics with freezing fingers. Okay - that's enough. We give. Nature wins.
Scurry indoors to change clothes. We are soaked through. Since we have a veranda we stand at the glass with our noses pressed against the glass. Lovely. We break for lunch, then return to our room for the grand finale - the Marjorie Glacier. The weather has broken a bit so we even venture outside - bundled up of course. Oh, the caves and blue ice. The Captain spins the ship slowly a full 360 degrees. Hey - we can even hear an ice calving - a dull roar and we can see the splash as ice breaks off. Tremendous.
One can only imagine a sunny day - beyond spectacular.
We finish up our day killing time. Announcements are made about expected boat rocking challenges. Ray even partakes of dramamine. Any place you go on the boat, you weave and weeble wobble. It's a disconcering feeling. However we are able to sleep after seeing the Noordam actors present a lovely show.
Glaciers are an amazing wonder to see. And the only way to see this National Park treasure is via cruise ship. It's well monitored and very conscious of the environment. We want to preserve this purity!!
Alaska Cruise - Of Course It's Sunny The Next Day
Of course, Saturday September 10th dawns glorious. It's our day at sea, not the Glacier Bay day. Oh well. There's a lot of motion on the ship and we both have a slight sore throat and cough. Probably best to stay on the down low. Ray does his one gambling foray in the casino. That's a bust. We hang on our verandah in the sun and read. We do get in our one mile walk on the Lido deck, but even that's getting tiresome. We are ready to get off the boat for good. I can highly recommend Holland America. The staff has been fantastic, the shows awesome, food is delicious, etc etc. But we are not "cruise" people. We want to be on land and into the adventure.
Sunday September 11th - we say farewell to the Noordam. We have cruised. Bus trip through Seward and we learn about the great quake of 1964. It obliterated the city. Zoom on through Anchorage, Wasilla (I can see Russia from here - ha!), Willow, and finally outskirts of Denali by 5:30 - the McKinley Chalet. Nifty resort with a room overlooking mountains and a river. The yellow aspens pop - gorgeous fall colors. We are now on our LAND adventure.
Alaska - Denali Grand Finale
Land Ho. Monday September 12. Okay, I admit I do take some dramamine because we are going to be on a bus all day. You never know - better safe thank sorry. Ray did check around midnight for the Northern Lights. Alas, too much cloud cover. We never did see them.
2 pm tour bus for the Tundra Wilderness Tour. Book this now........wow, what a splendid day.
Justin, our tour guide, was studying for his masters in biology. He's been studying wolves. His gig as a Denali bus driver is a bonus for us - the man knows his park, the animals, and he sought to give us the best experience possible.
The National Park system of the USA is a treasure and funds should not be cut. That's my political statement of the day. In Denali they maintain a natural eco-system. No interference. What lives. What dies. That's how it goes. No hunting or thinning of herds. It's maintained naturally. Regulated buses run during the day. The park shuts at night. Only a certain amount of certified photographers are allowed in per day. It is controlled for a good reason - try to NOT interfere with mother nature. I was very impressed.
Denali is the size of Massachusetts. Again the scale is mammoth and it's reassuring to know there is so much wild still not developed. Trust me - go see and you'll be glad.
Caribou had migrated already. We could see the tracks. One lumbering grizzly sought berries. His huge paws dug furiously and found a yield. Justin stopped the bus and we watched him. He dug, strolled, walked in front of our bus, and proceeded to continue his search for food. The whole bus stayed quiet as we snapped pictures. He was SO big and just freaking amazing.
Altogether, in our seven hour day (which flew by), we saw eight grizzly, eight moose (they are humongous), grouse,squirrels, bear cubs, an eagle,and a rainbow.
Wow
Book this trip now
