Crown Princess Travelogue #7 - Sydney Nova Scotia - Canada/New England Cruise October, 2012

Our Travelogue
Canada/New England Cruise on Crown Princess
Day 7 – Sydney, Nova Scotia

The Crown Princess arrived once again under gorgeous blue skies, today in Sydney, Nova Scotia. As we entered port, the sun was rising on the horizon and was an extraordinary color of brilliant pink. We each had breakfast delivered in our cabin by room service as we had to be ready to leave the ship and tender into port by 8:30 a.m.

On the pier in Sydney is an enormous fiddle and bow. The city wanted something to commemorate their Scottish heritage. We boarded our coach for our tour of Sydney as well as a coastal drive and the tour guide began to tell us of the history of Sydney and its coal and steel industry. We drove past the “company store, where he told us a story of the men working in the mines during the week. When they needed to purchase something from the company store, they would go here and sign a ticket. By the end of the work week they “owed their souls to the company store” – remember that song? Each section of town that we passed through was dedicated to a certain sector of workers in the mines. The first was for the company leaders, the second for the white collar workers and then one of the regular workers. You had to have one man in the house working in the mine in order to live in one of these houses. Each of these houses today is well kept. There are no fences in Nova Scotia. The homes sit on probably about ¾ of an acre surrounded by mowed lawns and colorful gardens. I saw several people out mowing their lawns with regular, gas powered mowers – no ride on tractor mowers here! Behind the homes was a forest of trees. And they were all turning colors of red, gold, yellow and everything in between. This was the most changing of the colors that we have seen on our cruise so far. What was truly unfortunate was that once again, the driver would not stop for us to take pictures. The pictures Nola and I have taken have been distorted by the reflections through the coach windows. But, we have the memories – blurred but beautiful.

Our first stop today was at a Jewish Synagogue which is a lovely museum now, The Whitney Pier Historical Museum. Nola got to ride upstairs in a chair lift. At the top, we were greeted by very friendly locals all very welcoming. The hall was full of all sorts of period collectibles including sewing machines, old stoves, dolls, and thousands of other items. The ladies were dressed in long dresses with white aprons and matching bonnets. They served us coffee, tea or lemonade along with an oat biscuit. And, I got the recipe!!

Joan’s Oatcakes Recipe
Provided by the Whitney Pier Historical Museum
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 4 tablespoons hot water.
2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups rolled oats
Directions:
Cream first four ingredients. Add soda mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix. Chill for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll out to desired shape and thickness. Bake at 350 degrees until light brown.


As I walked outside after enjoying a cup of hot tea and biscuit, I was greeted with the sound of music coming from across the street. As I walked up to the gingerbread house, a gentlemen came down the steps and greeted me. Casimer Siepierski (Cas for short) was all smiles. He told me he had lived in this house all his life. His mother built it from the basement up and worked in the steel plant. He is 78 years old and said he plays music for the synagogue. One of the songs that played while we talked was “Good Night Irene”. On the side of the narrow steps leading up to his porch was a flat wooden plaque with a horse and covered buggy. When I left, his hands were both waving in the air and he blew me a kiss!

We traveled from there out along the coastline to the Fort Petrie Historical Museum. This was dedicated to the men who fought in World War I and World War II. The building is right on the waters’ edge and very picturesque. From there we moved on to New Waterford and Colliery Park, a memorial to the coal mine explosion that closed the mine. Off in the distance at the tip of the island, we could see Low Point Lighthouse. We then passed by the Lingen windmill farm where there were several windmills turning around and around. Each one supplies electricity to about 6,000 homes. Marconi Point is where Alexander Graham Bell’s friend sent the very first telegraph signal to Great Britain. The road was windy and full of beautiful color in the trees.

Our 3 hour tour came to an end all too soon. Once back at the cruise pier, we tried to catch a taxi, but because today was the Canadian Thanksgiving and a good number of the businesses in town were closed. We did walk up into town and past a church where they were having a Craft Fair. We made a full circle around and eventually walked along the main street along the water back to the pier. The breeze really picked up and by the time we got back to the pier, it was really blowing. Once inside, we grabbed a light lunch and then Jim and I walked through some of the shops while Nola took advantage of the free wi fi in the terminal building and caught up on her emails.

We caught our tender back to the ship and then came upstairs to the buffet and enjoyed our window table overlooking Sydney. There is a heavy chop on the water below with white caps. The skies remained clear all day with just a few puffs of white here and there. What I find so charming about this area is that the islands do not have large mountains but are rather low rolling hills. As the hills gently reach the ocean, the houses follow the mountain up to the ridgeline. You can see the large lawns and each distinct farm. It is a charming area and one I hope I can return to someday.

Tomorrow we shall be on Prince Edward Island and we’ll be in Charlottetown – the home of Anne of Green Gables. Till then…

Crown Princess Travelogue #6 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Canada/New England Cruise October, 2012

Our Travelogue
Canada/New England cruise on Crown Princess
Day 6 – Halifax, Nova Scotia

After arriving in Halifax at about 9:00 a.m. we disembarked the ship and boarded our motor coach for our trek out to Lunenburg and Mahone Bay, quaint fishing villages to the west of Halifax about 60-70 miles.

Unfortunately, our tour guide and bus driver had a specific agenda and time schedule. Because of this, our time in this beautiful area was quite brief and felt very rushed. Though we drove through Mahone Bay, the bus driver did not even slow down to take in the picturesque landscape along the babbling stream that had colorful trees lining its banks. He did not slow down to even allow us to take a picture of the Three Sisters churches across the bay. On our previous cruise a couple of years ago to Canada, our tour was longer and we were able to stop and enjoy these delightful little seaside communities. We passed by so quickly that we barely got a glimpse of the Victorian style homes and cottages along the seashore. This was truly disappointing to both Jim and me and to Nola as well because we had talked so much about our anticipation of returning to this area. Oh well…

Continuing on we came to Lunenburg about 10 minutes later. The bus driver drove to the top of the hill and dropped most people off near the Lunenburg Academy – once the home of an elementary school and now being turned into a museum. The walk down the hill is very interesting but quite steep – so Nola and I chose to stay on board and meet everyone at the bottom of the hill. As luck would have it, the bus driver took so long reaching the bottom of the hill because of having to make sharp maneuvers around the corners of the narrow streets that we literally met the walking group as they reached the bottom of the hill.

What we so enjoyed about our previous time here was that each of the wooden sided homes in Lunenburg and Mahone Bay are painted different and unique colors. There is a red one, next to a green one, next to a purple one, etc. In Lunenburg, each of the doorways is distinctly unique as well – and as such, they have created a postcard of the doorways of Lunenburg.

Lunenburg is on a small bay filled with numerous sail boats and water craft. The waters were sparkling in the sunshine on this warm day in October. Several of the boats were gliding gently across the waters with their sails billowing in the breeze.

Our time in Lunenburg was cut very short and we only had a total of about 45 minutes – which included the time that it took for the “walkers” to walk down the hill with the tour guide. Jim, Nola and I walked up a block or so and down the street so we could show her some of the ambience of this quaint seaside town.

After we returned from our 3 hour tour and were back in Halifax, we hailed a taxi who took us to the Blue Nose II restaurant where we enjoyed a bite to eat for lunch. Once we finished, we took off on foot and walked past several buildings marked as “historical” with oval plaques on the front of each of them indicating the original business that was in the building as well as the year it was built. We passed by Province House which is the oldest government building in Nova Scotia. Outside and to the right of the massive stone building was a monument and memorial to the Boer War in 1898. Winston Churchill fought in that war. To the left of the building was a statue of Joseph Howe. We don’t have any idea of who he was – but it must have been significant enough to honor him with this bronze statue.

We walked down to the waterfront and along a wooden planked walkway called Harbourwalk. On one side was the bay and on the other occasionally were small wooden shops with local vendors hoping you would go in and find the treasure you had been looking for! There was an ice cream shop and those that indulged were definitely enjoying their sweet treats in the warm sun. A pirate ship sailed by in the bay and scared us all when they blew their cannons. The Halifax lighthouse came into view about half way down the walk. We passed a large open area where about a dozen or so white Adirondack chairs were set on the lawn. Several people were enjoying the sun and sat in the chairs facing the bay or towards a large area full of red sand where children were playing on the swings and playground toys.

We walked about a mile down to the Halifax Seaport Farmers Market where we went inside to get out of the sun for a bit. This was very reminiscent of the Saint John Market or Pikes Market in Seattle. Vendors were there with fresh fruit and vegetables as well as others selling homemade soap. There was a lavender vendor selling anything lavender that you could want – including lavender ice cream!

From there we walked down to the Cunard Cruise Terminal. Out in front was yet another bronze statue of Mr. Cunard. In the background through the black wrought iron fence stood the Halifax lighthouse across the shore on a tiny island.

Nola and Jim found the Genealogy Center in the cruise terminal where she actually got a copy of a wedding license from one of the Dunbar’s in her family tree.

Once we were all back on board, we all went up to the Lido Deck for sail away. It was a warm evening; and we were treated to a spectacular sunset of brilliant pinks and oranges. We passed two more lighthouses before turning north out of the bay and sailing on to our next port tomorrow of Sydney. We all were pretty tired, so we turned in early. Till tomorrow…

Crown Princess Travelogue #5 - Saint John, New Brunswick - Canada/New England Cruise October, 2012

Our Travelogue
Canada/New England cruise on Crown Princess
Day 5 – Saint John, New Brunswick

We arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick at about 8:00 a.m. to glorious blue skies up above once again! We are so blessed with the weather on this trip!

New Brunswick is a small province in Canada that links Nova Scotia to the rest of Canada. Saint John is perhaps most well-known for have the highest tide range in the world because of the Bay of Fundy’s funnel shape.

Our American Revolution history lesson has continued here. After the American Revolution, there was an influx of colonists in 1783 when 14,000 Loyalists fled the United States. Samuel de Champlain discovered New Brunswick in 1604 and the French settled the area around 1625. In the 1930’s there were 34,000 farms – in 2011 there are only 2,600 farms.

We left the boat around 10:00 a.m. and grabbed a taxi up to town to the top of the Saint John City Market. Similar in concept to Pikes Market in Seattle, vendors set up their stands with fresh produce, baked goods and the like hoping to have a good day selling their things. In addition to the fruits, vegetables and other food items, there is also one stand that we have always visited in Saint John and that is Pat, the linen lady. Her tablecloths and napkins have decorated our holiday table since we first came here in 2005. She is a very friendly and warm woman. This year we purchased new placemats and a runner for our Thanksgiving table.

After we walked through the market we meandered across the street to Barbour’s General Store which is an authentic country store. Inside, it is much like a museum with the original wooden floors and cabinetry that we were told was stained with goat’s milk. The shelves are filled with authentic merchandise of the Victorian era including a delicately handmade Christening gown along with a top hat and several pairs of ladies shoes.

From there we walked back to the pier and caught our tour at 12:30 p.m. We enjoyed our riverboat ride down the Saint John River. The weather was outstanding. We found bench seats along the starboard (right) side of the boat up front near the bow. It was the perfect place for us to be as it was out of the sun. The day was warm and we did not need our jackets, though we had them with us just in case.

The Saint John River is where you will find the reversing rapids. Twice a day at high tide, the bay forces the river to churn through the gorge and the sight is quite remarkable. After we left the small dock, we headed up stream and soon passed our first lighthouse – Greenhead Lighthouse – which is the largest on the river. The guide did not know how many lighthouses were on the river, but during our adventure, we passed three – Greenhead, Kemnebecasis’s and the Bayside.

The river freezes in the winter and becomes an ice road in the dead of winter. The banks of the river are full of maple and pine trees. The natural color of the maple trees is orange, red or yellow. The leaves are overcome by photosynthesis and chlorophyll in the summer which turns the leaves green. The leaves return to their “natural” color in the fall. Again, we saw some bits of color along the shore, but not much.

Our ride down the river was so peaceful and pleasant under the blue skies and warm 72°. Homemade cookies were served on the boat; and you were asked to “leave a donation” for the lady who had baked them. You could purchase bottled water, coffee or soda if you wished. We were on the river for about 2 hours.

As we made our way back to shore near the end of our time on board, the Captain took us down to the bridge where we had begun and we could see the tide coming in and the effects of the reversing rapids. At that exact point the waters became very turbulent with waves crashing and spray flying high above. We only observed it from a distance as it is quite dangerous to negotiate through with the currents and rough waters. It was a great way to end our day on the river.

We were up on the deck 16 for sailaway around 5:00 today. The air was still warm and quite enjoyable. Dinner tonight for us was dinner in the Crown Grill. Nola treated us to a lovely evening. We enjoyed our table by the window in the corner of the restaurant which is located on the Promenade Deck 7. Every once in awhile we would see some people walking past the window, but for the most part the decks were empty.

After dinner we took in the show in the Princess Theater. Tonight we were entertained by Mark Preston, a member of the Lettermen. He has not lost his voice at all though he has been singing with the Lettermen for 45 years. He sang many familiar songs and we enjoyed him. He did a medley of Lettermen hits including Put Your Head on My Shoulders and Summerplace.

Crown Princess Travelogue #4 - Bar Harbor - Canada/New England Cruise October, 2012

Our Travelogue
Canada/New England cruise on Crown Princess
Day 4 – Bar Harbor, Maine (pronounded: Baaaaa Haaaa baaaaa)

We are continued to be blessed with glorious weather here in New England. We arrived in Bar Harbor early at 7:00 a.m. and enjoyed breakfast in International Café before we got off the ship. We took our time as we didn’t have an excursion until 12 noon. We disembarked about 9:30 so we could walk through some of the shops near the waterfront. Unlike many other cruise ship ports, the New England cities have been able to retain their quaintness and individuality without the plethora of jewelry stores. There are many souvenir stores, don’t get me wrong, but they carry local merchandise and are just trying to make a living like you and me.

There are only 5,000 year-round residents in Bar Harbor. The coastline of Maine is rugged and dramatic; and, as you know, Maine is known for its lobster fishing. As we entered the small harbor, hundreds of buoys dotted the waters marking each individual spot where someone had put down their pots. Bar Harbor itself is nestled back in a small cove and is a tender port because the ships cannot negotiate the tiny islands and narrow passages. We anchored out and the tenders were lowered to begin carrying all of the passengers into town.

Once we got off our tender, we took our time walking through several of the shops. Nola and I each purchased a couple of beautiful Pashmina scarves in one boutique. We stopped by a local deli to grab a bite to eat before our tour began.

Today, we were being taken to the Cranberry Islands and to Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain. Arthur (pronounced Aaaathaa) was our guide for the day and he was delightful. He told us about some of the history of the area including how Samuel de Champlain discovered Mount Desert Island in 1604. Champlain originally named the island “Barren Mountain” because of the barren peaks worn smooth by the erosion of centuries. We heard stories of how Maine became a state in 1820, even though the northern border was still disputed by the British and Americans. Toward the end of the 1870’s, Bar Harbor attracted some of the wealthiest families in America because of its stunning beauty. John D Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulizer and the like all had mansions here. Most were destroyed in the fire of 1947. Rockefeller promoted the preservation of the island as well as establishing Acadia as a National Park in 1919.

Arthur guided our motor coach driver through the area out to a small cover where we boarded a small tour boat that took us out to Little Cranberry Island. The scenery was incredible in that only a few puffy white clouds dotted the skies above. The waters were calm as we glided across the water passing Sutton Island out to a small island where the sea lions were found basking in the sun. A few bald eagles were seen flying high in the pine trees. Our guide on the tour boat was a National Park Ranger named Betty. She was about 5’4” tall and very slender. She wore the standard olive green park ranger uniform along with her hard, wide-brimmed ranger hat. She wore no make-up. You could see her brown short hair just under the brim of her hat. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the area and gave us a lot of history about the glaciers and how they formed the fjords around us. Interestingly, we learned about the difference between a fjord and a fjard. The fjard has a narrow opening that was shallow and that is what we were in. The cliffs are dramatically straight up layers of granite dotted here and there with plants and trees. The impressive thing about what we saw were all of the huge homes. Each sits on acres of property – some with manicured lawns that I hoped they had a ride-on lawnmower to keep it groomed.

We stopped at Little Cranberry Island and were given the opportunity to walk about the tiny town of about 75 residents. It was up quite a hill so we got off and admired it from a distance. There were several apple trees along the path. There were also the remnants of an old wooden footbridge just sitting alongside the road that had seen better days. Residents on Little Cranberry are for-the-most part summer residents and quite well set monetarily. These are mostly second and third homes for them. There are two EMT’s on the island; but if you have a real medical emergency, you must be air lifted off by helicopter to the mainland.

After our cruise tour of Cranberry Islands, we once again boarded our coach and set out on a quest to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern seaboard. The view from the top was (as Nola says) “brilliant”. We could see forever it seemed. The coastline is jagged and rugged and the horizon was dotted with small islands. It was late afternoon by now, and rather brisk on top of the mountain, so we enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate when we left. Every so often you could see some color in some of the trees. We’ve been told that full cover will be in about 10-15 days from now due to their lack of rain this year. Throughout the vegetation were low mountain ash trees full of red berries. Several of the sugar maples were beginning to turn to yellow and bronze that added to the beauty and gave the opportunity to see some beginnings of the fall colors across the valleys.

The Crown Princess pulled away from Bar Harbor at sunset. The skies were brilliant shades of pink and orange and the three of us enjoyed it from our balcony while we toasted another beautiful day.

We continue to be blessed by the incredible weather we have had. Tomorrow is to be another such glorious day that we’ll spend in Saint John, New Brunswick. Till then…

Crown Princess Travelogue #3 - Canada/New England Cruise October, 2012

Our Travelogue
Canada/New England cruise on Crown Princess
Day 3 – Boston, Massachusetts

We cruised into Boston harbor later than the originally scheduled time of 10:00 a.m. After a VERY rough night at sea where we were shakin’, rockin’ and rollin’ we were happy to get inside protected waters where we had smooth sailing for about an hour.

Our tour today was an all-day tour out to Lexington and Concord, then back to Quincy Market for lunch, then on to the Old North Church and finally out to Cambridge and Harvard University.

Ernie was our driver and Steve was our tour guide for the day. As we drove out of Boston, Steve began to give us the history of Boston and its’ ties with the American Revolutionary War.

Boston was founded by a group of Puritan colonists from England. It was the location of several major events during the American Revolution including the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Boston Tea Party and you can walk along the historic path on the Freedom Trail in Boston proper. You can also take the tour that we took out to Lexington and Concord to hear again the story of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.

The drive out to Lexington takes about an hour. The rolling hills were full of trees beginning to change color; but we were told we were about a week early for the peak of the “changing of the colors” in New England. It was still beautiful. The roadways are green with manicured grasses that back up to acres and acres of multi-colored trees. The trunks of many of the trees were white which gave way to a dramatic color change once you looked up to the tops of the trees which looked like puffy pillows, each a different color of green, yellow, gold and a few had turned to rust. There are numerous varieties of trees including hemlock, spruce, sugar maple etc.

When we arrived in Lexington, Steve continued with our history lesson and took us to the Lexington Visitor’s Bureau where there was an incredible miniature diorama protected by glass inside that depicted the events of the Revolution. It also serves as a souvenir shop. Outside was a memorial to the 78 Minute Men who battled the British. Across the street was a beautiful white steeple peeking out through the trees which belonged to the Congregational Church. The church steeples are quite prevalent in the landscape as you gaze across the valleys and hillsides. There are memorials in many places indicating where soldiers lost their lives (British and American).

From Lexington we continued on to Concord and through the quaint New England town out to the Old North Bridge where the first shot of the Revolution was fired – “the shot heard round the world”. We got off the coach and walked down a path lined with rock fences indicating where the farmers had portioned off their property. It was these very same rock walls and barriers that the colonists used to hide behind when the British were coming.

The path had a slight incline and at the crest of the hill, we could see down into this beautiful valley with a small river running through it. Across the river stood a beautiful arched wooden bridge with handrails. The original bridge was washed out by rains and floods many years ago; but this new one was built and is a replica of what once was there during the Revolution. The trees along the river had more reddish color to them than did the trees in the surrounding acres. Nestled off to the left of the bridge was an old wooden boat house. The wood was old and grey, but it had so much charm to me; and I knew that it had many stories to tell if the walls could only talk.

There is a memorial to the commemoration of the “event” and the fact there had been bloodshed there so many years ago. It was an obelisk and stood about 20 feet tall. It marked the death of two American militia men and two British soldiers. As we walked across the bridge, the river waters were moving but very calm, and the reflection of the trees was beautiful in the blue water. Across the bridge was another memorial, this one was to the Minute Men.

After this, we traveled back into Boston, to Quincy Market where we had lunch and were able to walk around a little. From there we went over to The Old North Church which became famous back on April 18, 1775 when the colonists (including William Daws and Paul Revere) came up with a signal to alert John Hancock and Sam Adams who were out in Lexington and Concord, that the British were coming! Two lanterns were hung up in the steeple of the Old North Church for only one minute on that night – and that is all that was needed to let the Minute Men know the British were crossing the river by boat because it was shorter.

The Old North Church is on the Freedom Trail in Boston and well worth seeing. Behind the church in the courtyard is a bronze statue of Paul Revere on his faithful steed. Our tour guide recited the entire poem by Longfellow as we stood around the statue. From there we walked up towards the church where we passed a memorial to the men and women who have lost their lives in Afghanistan. Trellis type frames were built behind a lovely garden of flowers. On each rung of the trellis hung hundreds of blank military dog tags. When the wind blows, the tags make an incredible wind chime.

Inside the church we sat and listened to a docent tell us once again the story of that faithful night. It was quite interesting as she told the history of that story and several others after that.

From there we walked down the street past an old cemetery and also could see Old Ironsides in the harbor. Then we were back on the coach and on our way out to Cambridge and Harvard. Harvard University was where several of our President’s went to school including John F. Kennedy. It is also the school where some rather famous people dropped out only to make millions on their own – including Bill Gates, Matt Damon and the founder of Facebook.

Harvard Yard is an area inside the campus that is surrounded by many old, brick and granite buildings and now where the students gather to study under the trees on the lawn. The granite library with its tall columns and massive steps were the inspiration for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC. We saw the dormitory where JFK once lived. Several of the buildings originally were the home of military officers.

It was a long day, and once we were back on ship we enjoyed a slice of pizza for dinner onboard and then it was off to sleep for all of us. The weather was beautiful and about 65 degrees. We couldn’t have asked for anything better. Tomorrow we are off to Bar Harbor. Till then…

Crown Princess Travelogue #2 - Boston - Canada/New England Cruise October, 2012

Our Travelogue
Canada/New England cruise on Crown Princess
Day 2 – Newport Rhode Island


We arrived at our first port-of-call, Newport, Rhode Island at around 7:00 a.m. The sun was just beginning to rise in the east as the Captain anchored the Crown Princess in Newport Harbor. The tender boats were lowered and began transporting passengers to shore. We went ashore about 9:00 a.m. and found the group for our tour of a drive through Newport along Ocean Drive out to The Elms and then back to town around noon.

After boarding our motor coach, our tour guide Steve began his narration and off we went traveling through the small town of Newport. Steve pointed out Saint Mary’s church steeple where John and Jacqueline Kennedy were married. We passed many of the pre-colonial houses along Thames Street. As we traveled further along, we passed the boat harbor and on the far side of the boat harbor is the Ida Lewis Boat Club. She was the lighthouse keeper there and was credited rescuing 18 people during her service. Just past that was the summer home of the New York Yacht Club. They are the club who used to conduct the America’s Cup race here in Newport.

From there we went over to Fort Adams which is where Jim and his family used to live back in 1958-1959. Where his home used to be has now been turned into a large grassy knoll. Since Newport was captured by the British in the Revolutionary War, Fort Adams was built in the early 1800’s from further British Conquest. There was never a shot fired from the Fort in anger. It is now the home of the Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival.

Next we drove down towards Hammersmith Farm, the childhood home of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. It is on a sprawling, meticulously manicured numerous acres of land with stone fences facing Newport Harbor. It is a large, two-story grey colored home. On the grounds we saw a black and white striped cow. We were told that the current owners raise exotic animals such as this. The Kennedy’s had their wedding reception here.

Next door is a large yellow, two-story home that President Dwight D. Eisenhower frequented during his presidency. It is called the Eisenhower House now, but once used to be the home of the Navy Admiral.

Off in the distance across the bay was the Beavertail Lighthouse. After Castle Park we began entering the homes of “the Guilded Age” and we began to pass the summer “cottages” of the Vanderbilt’s, Morgan’s and Astor’s. We passed one mansion that was the home of Klaus von Bulow who was accused of murdering his wife, Sunny. Then came the Marble House that was estimated to be worth $17.9 million. We passed the Beachwood Mansion that was owned by Larry Ellison, of Oracle Software – the third richest man in America. We passed Rosecliff Mansion and eventually came to The Elms.

The Elms Mansion was owned by Edward Berwin, a coal magnate from Pittsburgh. His coal fueled all of the Navy ships of the day. As we entered the off-white granite mansion, we were given headphones and a recorder with a pre-recorded self-guided tour of the mansion. It is hard to believe that the wealthy only lived in these homes six weeks out of the year. Their servants would arrive prior to them and would set the house up. At this particular mansion, there were 43 servants. It is said that the women changed clothes approximately 7 times a day. Can you imagine? The bedrooms were smaller than what you would imagine for this size of a home; but the living areas were quite large and ornately decorated. There were paintings on the ceilings surrounded by crown molding. Each room had its own fireplace. Every room was wallpapered. Marble tables were a centerpiece in several rooms. The outside grounds were manicured perfectly. One of the things I enjoyed most of all was a huge tree in the backyard that would have been perfect for climbing.

After The Elms, we traveled back into Newport where we hailed a taxi that took us to the Newport Casino (Tennis Hall of Fame) where we enjoyed a lobster roll for lunch overlooking the grass tennis courts. We walked back through town and down to the pier where we eventually stood in line to get our tender back to the ship.

The ship left port about 4:30ish. It was very windy out on deck, but we were out there trying to take pictures of the Rose Island Lighthouse and Beavertail Lighthouse. It was beautiful. We enjoyed dinner in Michaelangelo Dining Room. Nola and I had Cornish Game Hens served with snow peas and baby corn and Jim enjoyed his Tornedos of Beef.
Till Boston tomorrow…

Canada/New England Cruise October 2011 - Travelogue #1

Our Travelogue
Canada/New England cruise on Crown Princess October, 2011
Day 1 – Embarkation – New York City

4:00 a.m. came very early for us on October 3rd, but we were up and at ‘em and ready for our adventure. We loaded up the car and off we went to the airport. We grabbed our Starbucks once we were checked in and got through security at Lindbergh Field/San Diego. Our flight was on time and before we knew it we were in the air and on our way to New York City.

Our flight was very smooth and uneventful. The views out of my window on the left side of the plane were extraordinary. I could see the Grand Canyon as we passed over into Arizona – then east over landscapes of red clay and dramatic mesas in Arizona and on to the White Sands of New Mexico. Then we were flying over hundreds and hundreds of miles of farmland across mid-America. Each farm was significantly different from the air, I suppose because of the variety of crops being grown on each one. Some of the parcels were square and some were circular. We crossed over the Missouri River and then to the Might Mississippi and up towards Chicago and Lake Michigan. The skies were clear all this way. Lake Michigan was enormous and quite interesting to see all the cities around the shore. Soon after we passed Lake Michigan the clouds filled the sky and remained that way to New York.

After gathering our luggage and finding the Princess Cruise representative in Baggage Claim, we were directed to our ten passenger shuttle to the Intercontinental Hotel on 44th Avenue between 7th and 9th near Times Square in Manhattan. We checked in and found our friend Nola who had arrived earlier in the afternoon. After saying our hellos and freshening up a bit, the three of us meandered out onto the streets of New York for a quick bite of dinner. There was a light misty rain which made the streets damp. We found ourselves at Smith’s Bar and Grill. It was a very noise “joint”, but we found a booth in the back and were able to catch up on Nola’s adventures.

We turned in rather late but were up fairly early to begin our day. Our luggage had to be ready for pick up and transport to the ship by 9:00 a.m. After asking one of the Princess reps where we should go to find a good local place for breakfast, the three of us headed out of the hotel which is right down the street from the Majestic Theater where Phantom of the Opera is playing, and turned left on 9th street where we found The Westside Diner. The place was bustling busy with people at all of the tables and booths – most of them texting on their iPhones or Droids or the like. Some people actually had a newspaper in hand too! We got a booth near the back and enjoyed sitting down in a little quieter place than dinner last night. Nola and Jim enjoyed their pancakes while I enjoyed my cheddar cheese omelet. I must say though, the New Yorkers cook omelets a little differently than I am used to. Their omelets look like two eggs that were cooked separately and then put a slide of cheese in the middle and put another egg on top. Wholla! Omelet!!

Once our tummies were full we had some time and wanted to show Nola Times Square; so we walked up a couple of blocks and there we were in the heart of Manhattan! We could see all the neon lights of Broadway and the ticker neons on all of the billboards around Times Square. The street was busy with hundreds of taxi, honking horns and people scurrying off to begin their day. There were numerous New York City Police Officers everywhere – some in cars – some on horses – and others on foot.

We ventured in to the huge Disney store and picked out a couple of souvenir sweatshirts and t-shirts for our special grandkids then we walked around a bit more down to where Dick Clark used to host the New Year’s Eve show. There is a bronze statute there of George M. Cohen and also one of Father Duffy. Behind them are the grandstands and the stage for New Years. It is a permanent set there.

Once we got back to the hotel, we got our things together then had to gather down in the lower ballroom to wait for our motor coaches to shuttle us to the ship. By now, it is about 12:00 noon. We finally boarded our coach about 1:30 p.m. and our trip took us through Manhattan down past Chelsea Market which is the home of the Food Network, then on past the Holland Tunnel then past Ground Zero. It was a somber moment. Two huge American flags hung flat on the side of one of the buildings. There are police cards and security everywhere. We could see in to where the Memorial was but could not actually see it. We passed by all too quickly. About ten minutes later we were entering the Port of Brooklyn where we met our ship.

Now is where the story turns to humor. YOUR travel agent – yes, that would be me – made the biggest bad decision of her life this morning when I decided to go ahead and send one of our carry-on bags to the ship and not take it with us. I wasn’t thinking – I don’t know WHAT I was thinking!!! That bag had our passports in it!!

We got up to the check in counter a little after 2:00 p.m. and we couldn’t go any further. Nola was all checked in and ready to board and we were instructed to sit in some chairs and wait until they could send someone onto the ship to find our luggage and bring it to us. Well, time marched on and on and on. Supervisors were talking to the ship on their walkie talkies. Supervisors were talking to us. And, all the while, all the rest of the passengers for the Crown Princess passed by us one by one. Finally – and I mean finally – after 5:30 p.m. Monika came walking towards us with our bag! We dug for the Passports and went right to the counter and checked in. (I only broke down twice in the three hours we were there waiting).

We finally made it on board the ship about 6:00 tonight. We ran to our cabin then scurried down to Nola’s cabin and all three of us went up to the Lido where we were directly across from Miss Liberty in the harbor and could also look back at Manhattan and the gorgeous skyline. We could see the new building going up at Ground Zero. It was a magnificent sunset. Then we meandered down through the Lido Buffet where we decided to have dinner. We finally got to our cabin about 10:00 and then unpacked. It made for a long day – but we were so happy to even be on the ship at that point it didn’t matter!

So – chalk this one up to the travel agent who didn’t follow her own advise!!

Saturday was Family Day This Week - July 30, 2011

Saturday was Family Day this week – July 30, 2011

Our adventure today began by picking Mom and Dad up and getting everyone settled in the car for our adventure about 11:30 a.m. We headed out East of San Diego towards Lake Cuyamaca. This is an area where Mom and Dad spent a lot of time as teenagers with Dad’s Boy Scout Troup #67 and both of them with their youth group at Asbury Methodist Church.

The temperature was about 85° and the humidity was high with the tropical storm clouds gathering above us from the Southeast. We drove out Interstate 8 and almost immediately Mom and Dad started reminiscing about things that they remembered. There was talk about Old Highway 80 and how it paralleled what is now Interstate 8.

One of the things I remembered from our travels to San Diego from Tucson, was traveling along Highway 80 and in the desert, being able to see the remnants of what was once the wooden plank wagon wheel road that crossed the desert. I read an article in a magazine within the past few months that mentioned those wooden planks; and from what I understand, there are still signs of that when you cross the desert today – even though there is now a freeway. Back in the 1950’s and 1960’s when we crossed the desert, we came across at night because of the heat. We did not have air conditioning in our car back then. We did have burlap bags that hung in front of the radiator on the car to keep the engine from overheating. And, if the unfortunate did happen, you would have the water in the burlap bag to help cool down the engine! I remember Mom always used to pack our dinner for the road – peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on rye bread (because that would not get soggy), Fritos and Kool Aid to drink. And, of course, NeccoWafers! They would not melt!

When we turned on to the road for lake Cuyamaca the topic of conversation turned to all of us wondering if there would still be any evidence of the Cedar fire that burned through this area four years ago damaging so much. As we continued past Descanzo Junction and on out the windy road, evidence of the fire was still around. There were groves of burned trees in many areas. But, what was so nice to see was that tough they were charred, many of them had new growth coming from within. They were not dead as one would imagine. They were still full of life and proudly sporting their new growth. The ground was now covered with green underbrush and the once burned and devastated area was alive and thriving. There were bushes of wild yellow daises along the side of the road along with patches of what looked like wild alyssum blooming as well. The valleys off both sides of the road were green from our winter of plentiful rain. The campgrounds were full of tents. People were riding bikes along the paths and we could see others in groups hiking. There were turn-outs full of trucks pulling horse trailers behind them – so we knew there were others out horseback riding.

It was a beautiful day. The blue skies were scattered with the huge, white billowing clouds. We pulled in to Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant and parked the car. Somehow the building was miraculously saved in the Cedar Fire. The wooden structure remains as it always has, with an uneven concrete sidewalk in the front where you enter the building through the wooden screen door that of course, squeaks when you open it. It just had to be! We got a table right next to the window overlooking the huge oak trees lining the lake. There were a few small skiffs on the lake with fishermen out trying their luck at making the catch of the day. Some people were enjoyed the ambience out on the deck outside.

Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant is owned by Franz from Austria. There are several Austrian pictures, posters and other memorabilia around the restaurant indicating the Austrian heritage. There is even Schnitzel on the menu and potato pancakes if you like. We all enjoyed our meal and talked more about other memories Mom and Dad had – then we got back in the car and headed to Julian for a little dessert.

Julian is a quaint community in the foothills that is known for their delicious apple pies. We parked in front of the Julian Pie Company and found a nice table out on the front patio under the trees. Mom, Dad and I enjoyed a warm piece of Dutch Apple pie and Jim had caramel apple pie. We also got Mom and Dad a scoop of cinnamon ice cream to go with their pie and coffee. It was just delicious! The apples were a bit bitter but the sweetness from the crumb topping gave it a perfect balance and just melted in my mouth! On the sidewalk next to us there seemed to be a parade of big and little dogs out enjoying the day with their owners. Down the center of the street passed a couple of horse-drawn carriages taking people through the middle of town and pointing out interesting sights. It was just so enjoyable and relaxing.

From Julian we headed south and took the Sunrise Highway through Mount Laguna. We passed more areas that had been burned in the Cedar Fire; but once again, the new growth made me smile. The wildflowers added a bit of color along the way. Dad talked about when he and Bob Sexton (his best friend growing up and Best Man at their wedding) used to come up to a cabin that Bob’s family owned and they would hike around the area. They both talked about how they used to take Sunday drives with Aunt Mary (Mom’s sister) and Uncle Eugene and would drive up to Descanzo Junction, Pine Valley or Lake Cuyamaca for dinner on occasion. They pointed out the area that is good for sledding when the snow falls in the mountains. And, Dad talked more about when they would go exploring all around the area. It was just a nice trip for all of us down memory lane.

As we traveled further down the mountain and out towards Interstate 8, we saw lightening strike once and we got a few big rain drops on our windshield. The ground was wet, so we knew that the rain had come through there before we got did. But we really did not get “rained on” much at all. In the back seat, Mom dozed off and Dad sat there looking out the window talking with Jim about different things he remembered and places could see out the window. They talked about the various lakes and reservoirs we passed and a little more about Old Highway 80. Part of the old highway is still visible off to the right of the Interstate.

Five hours later our adventure came to an end. It was just a great day on many different levels.

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #11 Sitka, Alaska June 7, 2011

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #11

Sitka, Alaska

June 7, 2011

Last year when we were in Sitka it was rainy and foggy. Today, when I opened the curtains to our balcony, I was greeted with bright sunshine and not a cloud in the sky! This weather has just been a Godsend!

Cruising in to Sitka, you pass hundreds of tiny islands. When we were here last year, the islands were covered in fog and we could not see much of anything. Today we could see the houses that are on those islands; along with the lighthouse across the harbor and the totem poles from the Totem Village that we visited last time with Mark and Debbie. Seeing everything clearly put an entirely different perspective on where we were and where things were located.

Sitka is a tender port; and because we had booked the Rain Forest Hike as our shore excursion today, we were among the first to get off the boat and onto a tender to go into port. One of the reasons we chose the Rain Forest Hike was to add this to our list of places to do our JDRF Walk for the Cure for our grandson Landon’s Rockin’ Walkers. We wore our JDRF denim shirts today. It was very cool.

It was a short ride; and the ocean waters were as calm as could be. Our tour guide, Catherine met us at the top of the ramp. There were only four of us on this hike today – a very small group. After passing out a Sitka chocolate bar and bottled water, we boarded a small tour bus that took us out to Mosquito Loop Trail at the north end of Sitka and the end of the road.

Neither of us had any idea that this hike was going to be as strenuous as it came to be. We had been told it was a mile and a half through the rain forest. Almost as soon as we started down the path, we began our climb up and up and up. The path had some wooden plank bridges over marshy areas and small streams; and steps were put in as the trail inclined. Doing this while having bronchitis was tough – but I did it! Granted, I brought up the end of the group; but they were all patient and waited for me when I had difficulty.

Our guide, Catherine, has lived in Sitka for a number of years and was full of all sorts of information not only about the history of Sitka, but also about the rain forest flora and fauna. She told us which plants were edible and which were not. We even got to taste a spruce tip – which is very high in Vitamin C. Boy is it bitter! The Alaska Beer Co. actually makes a spruce tip beer that is supposed to be quite good. We saw a lot of Devils Club; which is a plant with spiky leaves. The natives make this into a cream which is good for arthritis. Catherine also told us that they make a tea out of the leaves that is known to reduce symptoms at the onset of diabetes.

The forest we hiked through was thick with moss – several inches thick in many places. There are nurse logs that are trees that have fallen and have been the basis for new trees to grow from them. The path, though up and down and up and down, was gorgeous. It is maintained by volunteer caretakers who live in a log home at the entrance of the trail.

Eventually, the trail led us out to the rocky coastline, where Catherine showed us hermit crabs and other sea life living under the rocks along the shore. The small inlet of water was calm and still and you could see the waterline around the edge. We continued our hike on the other side of the little bay; again climbing up and down through the forest. The views of the Sitka harbor were beautiful through the trees. There were Sitka spruce and Western hemlock trees, alders and yellow cedar trees. Each has a different bark and different needles adding to the multitude of shades of green before us.

Through the woods you could hear birds chirping. The only bird we saw was a red breasted sap sucker (woodpecker). I tried to get a picture of him as he flew past us.

The hike took almost two and a half hours. When we reached the trail head, Catherine continued our trek across a small bridge over the river where the salmon will be running in a few weeks. There is a bird sanctuary there; and a sturdy wooden walkway through the muskeg. The grass is tall in this meadow area with the winding river flowing out to the ocean.

As we ended our hike, Catherine took us down to the beach which was the location of the Clash of the Cultures hundreds of years ago. Here the Russians fought the native Tlingits and were eventually driven back to Russia.

After our hike, we walked back into Sitka downtown and enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Victoria’s Restaurant which is just down the street from St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Church. The food was delicious and we enjoyed the quaintness of the restaurant and sitting at our window table as the ship passengers passed by.

We walked down past the church and went into a few stores and a bookstore where I found a book on “Amazing Alaska Women” that included a chapter on Alaska Nellie – the pioneer woman we had heard about on our Alaska Railroad trip in Anchorage a few days ago.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Sitka and hated to leave. As we sailed out through the channel and turned south, it was sad, as we were leaving Alaska and our trip is almost over. Only two more days and then we’ll be heading home.

Tomorrow we have a day at sea and Thursday we will be in Victoria. Till then…

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #10 Hubbard Glacier, AlaskaJune 6, 2011

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #10

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

June 6, 2011

When we left Kodiak, Alaska yesterday, we sailed in to the Gulf of Alaska heading south. The seas were a bit rough again, and the dining room guests seemed somehow to be fewer than normal.

The snow capped mountains of the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountain Range could be seen off of the port side of the ship. This is the side our cabin is on. So, we had unobstructed views right from our balcony. We could see several large tidewater and piedmont glaciers out our window – the largest of which is the Malaspina Glacier, a tidewater glacier. We could also see Bering Glacier which is a huge piedmont glacier (its glacial ice does not meet the water but is instead land locked). Mt. St. Elias stands an impressive 18,008 feet tall.

Once again, we have been blessed with another gloriously sunny day! There were a few clouds over the mountains, but visibility was excellent. As we approached Yakutat Bay, the Amsterdam slowed down to board a couple of U.S. Park Rangers and three Tlingit natives. They gave several presentations during the day about this area, its history and native culture. When the natives arrived up in the Crow’s Nest on the Amsterdam, they were wearing hand-beaded vests with their native tribal sign delicately and intricately beaded on the back with several other native symbols on the front. One appeared to be an eagle, one was a whale and the other could possibly have been the symbol for the raven. They never told us what they were. I tried to take pictures of them through the crowd of people, but only was able to get one good one before someone moved in the way.

The natives were Tlingit and lived about 25 miles south of Hubbard Glacier. Hubbard Glacier is the longest tidewater glacier in Alaska and is within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park that encompasses 13.2 million acres. It equals six Yellowstone National Parks. Wrangell-St. Elias, Kluane National Park in Canada and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve along with theTatshenshini Provincial Park in British Columbia are a World Heritage Site and encompass 24 million acres of protected land. Though Mt. Wrangell is still considered an active volcano, it has not erupted since 1990.

Hubbard Glacier is located in Yakutat Bay. As the Amsterdam approached the entrance of the bay, we could not help but notice Hubbard Glacier at the end. It is six miles wide; and with the sunshine that we were blessed with, we could see not only the glacier and the mountains of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park beyond it. The snow capped peaks were magnificent against the blue sky above.

Yakutat Bay was full of small bergie bits and so our Captain and the local Pilot proceeded very cautiously and slowly into the area. The waters of Yakutat Bay were calm and still. Most everyone onboard the ship was out on the upper decks to be able to see this extraordinary venue. And, yes, most of us had a camera or binoculars around our necks. The reflections from the mountains in the waters we passed through were like a mirror. I do not believe that I can even describe how spectacular this experience was; and I doubt that my pictures will do it justice either. There are times when things are almost indescribably; and that is how I felt about visiting Hubbard Glacier today. We have all read poems or heard song lyrics that describe the beauty and majesty – but sometimes nothing will do it justice because it is so incredibly beautiful and astonishing.

There was a mama seal and her pup floating on a nearby iceberg. Mama was asleep and the pup lay next to her. Seagulls flew above us and a few bald eagles were also seen.

From the entrance of Yakutat Bay, the valleys of fresh green grass filled the valleys with pine trees dotting the landscape. Eventually the tree line could be seen further up the mountain that gave way to purples and blues and then the snow began to fill the crevices to the mountain tops. All of this was on our way into Yakutat Bay. To the north, Mount St. Elias could be seen standing proudly.

The last time Jim and I visited Hubbard Glacier, the Captain would not venture in any further than six miles from the face of the glacier. That was quite disappointing. It was beautiful – but difficult to really experience the glacier in all of its glory from that distance. Today, our Captain took us to within about 4 miles from the face of the glacier. The further and further we cruised into the bay, the better we could see the detail of the grand vista before us. This time, we were actually able to see the glacial rivers of ice flowing to the head of the glacier from either side up the mountain valleys. And, we could see the small island that is about 2 miles from the face of the glacier. Last time, we had no idea there was even an island there.

Once the Captain and pilot took us in as far as they felt we could go, they stopped the ship and maneuvered the ship first to the starboard side and then to the port side facing the glacier. When they did this, Jim and I were up on the Sports deck along with several hundred other passengers. Many of us climbed up onto the railing around the Plexiglas wind barriers so we could have an unobstructed view. It was a lot of fun up there because everyone was so excited to see Hubbard Glacier.

Eventually, and all too soon for most people, the Amsterdam turned around and headed back out towards the Gulf of Alaska. As we left, one lone orca whale came into the bay and was seen in the distance. We all expressed our concern for the mama seal and her pup that we had seen earlier on the iceberg and hoped they stayed safe atop their ice float.

As the day ended, everyone on board was commenting on how truly lucky and blessed we have been to have such exceptional weather during our cruise to Alaska. We headed down south along the Fairweather Mountain Range where Mt. Fairweather stands tall. We have not had many sunsets along our way; but tonight when the sun set, the skies had a pink hue that cast a very peaceful hue on the snow capped mountains.

Before dinner most evenings, we have gone up to the Crow’s Nest to play evening trivia. Along with our teammates, Jim & Mary and Andie & Joe, we have managed to win several of the games. Some nights are more challenging than others; but it is fun, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tomorrow we’ll arrive in Sitka. Till then…

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #9 Kodiak,AlaskaJune 5, 2011

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #9

Kodiak,Alaska

June 5, 2011

First thing today I want to wish my daughter Stephanie a very Happy Birthday! Time goes by so quickly – your baby is born and before you know it, she is a grown woman with three sons of her own; and I am a proud Gramma! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Kodiak Island is one of the largest commercial fishing ports in the United States. MS Amsterdam pulled into the city of Kodiak around 9:30 a.m. It was partly cloudy and there was a crispness in the air; although the wind was not blowing as it was yesterday in Homer. Our ship was moored at the only place large enough to accommodate a ship this size and was about ¾ of a mile from town. We could see the rugged coastline out of our port side window. Kodiak Island did not appear to have any snow capped mountains on it from our vantage point. It did, however, have some elevated hills that were home to several large windmills that were turning regularly. They look strong and efficient against the green grass on the hills with the blue sky beyond.

Shortly after breakfast, we got word from the Shore Excursions staff that our tour had been cancelled due to engine problems on the craft we were scheduled to be on. Knowing that we did not have much time in Kodiak today (we were leaving at 2:00 p.m.) we scurried down to the Purser’s Desk to find out what other options we might have. From there we were told to disembark the ship and find Michelle of the Shore Excursions staff on the pier. Michelle was easy to find with her red windbreaker coat and walkie-talkie in hand. The only option we had we another similar marine wildlife tour. As luck would have it, they only had two seats left – and so we booked it right then. We went back to our cabin to gather our things and headed out once again.

There were eight of us in our group; and we were shuttled down to the marina in a taxi and greeted there by our Marine Biologist Swengard, from Germany. Our vessel was about a 45 foot cabin cruiser with an enclosed portion housing the wheelhouse up front, the galley to the right and a bench seat and table that wrapped around the left side from the front to the back door. On the table was a nice variety of munchies including chocolate chip cookies, potato chips and homemade salmon spread and crackers. There was coffee, tea, soft drinks and bottled water for us to drink if we were so inclined.

After our safety talk, Captain Chris maneuvered the boat out of its slip and we were on our way. There was another one of the Deadliest Catch boats in the marina. Swengard said that several of the boats used in that TV series have come in and out of Kodiak. As we moved slowly inside the breakwater, we saw another sea otter and a young bald eagle. The sun was starting to really break through the clouds giving way to another glorious day to be in Alaska and see an area we have never traveled to before.

One of the things that Jim and I had so hoped to see in Kodiak was the bears. But, we were told that of you want to see the bears, you must hire a bush pilot or sea plane who will take you about 200 miles and towards the southeast end of the island or out to Afognak Island with is northeast of Kodiak. Swengard also said that the bears do not come out of hibernation until the end of June and July when the salmon are really running. After we got beyond the breakwater, Captain Chris took us out between Woody Island and Long Island out in the Chiniak Bay. These two islands had significantly different topography than that of the other islands we have seen before here in Alaska. Most often, the islands are rugged rocks with jagged cliffs and lots and lots of trees, Woody Island and Long Island have long, black sandy beaches and many areas that are flat like valleys and acres of green grass.

Long Island is a rookery for sea lions. We were able to get quite close to hundreds of them as they were basking in the sun and yelping. Above and around them were hundreds of puffins. Gull Island out of Homer was a rookery to gulls, red legged cormorants, common murres and only a few puffin. This was quite the opposite. There were “logs” of puffins in the frigid waters along with some black legged cormorants.

What I found fascinating about Long Island and Woody Island, however, were the remnants of World War II gun mounts and concrete bunkers. Captain Chris said that during WWII, three Japanese submarines were actually spotted from those bunkers. Today when we passed, there were two bald eagles perched proudly on the grassy roof as if they were there keeping a watchful eye.

I spotted another young bald eagle or golden eagle sitting alone on top of some jagged rocks at one part of Long Island.

As Captain Chris turned the boat to head back to the marina, the deckhand grabbed a fishing pole and through his line over to see if he could get something to bite. Sure enough, about 15 minutes later, he began to reel in a large rock fish. After Swengard showed us how to hold him and talked about the different fish in the area, she threw him back in and he quickly disappeared under the water.

Our excursion ended back in the marina. Six of our group wanted to go into town and do some shopping. Jim and I were met by Captain Chris’ wife who gave us a short personal tour of Kodiak taking us by the Russian Orthodox Church and the seminary – both of which are quite distinguishable by the round blue domes and gold crosses on the top. We passed by the Kodiak Museum which is housed in one of the oldest buildings in southeast Alaska and then were driven back to the ship.

We enjoyed a lazy afternoon and evening. We joined Jim and Mary up on the Crow’s Nest for Team Trivia – and we won! - not because Jim or I had anything to offer. The topic was 80’s music and songs and neither of us knew more than one or two answers. Jim and Mary, on the other hand, were the brains of the group and carried us to the winning circle!!

Tonight I enjoyed some Hazelnut crusted salmon and some beef tenderloin along with a shrimp cocktail and a very small Caesar salad. The maitre’d made some crème bruleé for our table for dessert. Jim and I both said that my recipe is much much better. But, it was kind of him to indulge us in a special dessert.

We sailed out of Kodiak and in to Prince William Sound heading for Yakutat Bay and Hubbard Glacier tomorrow afternoon. There were lots of whale spout sightings but none were close enough to get any good pictures. I went out on deck at one point to try to take a picture and the cold air and wind were too much and I quickly retreated inside. Till tomorrow…

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #8 Homer, Alaska June 4, 2011

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #8

Homer,Alaska

June 4, 2011

I visited Homer, Alaska about 15 years ago and went halibut fishing with friends from Anchorage. What I remembered as a small fishing village with a few wooden businesses built up on wooden pilings with wooden walkways and the Salty Dawg Saloon has now become a developed harbor with breakwater and condos down at the end of the “Homer Spit”. I was saddened to see that commercialism had begun to take away the quaintness of this area known as “land’s end” since I had last visited it.

The skies were overcast and the wind was blowing briskly outside. We bundled up with several layers to keep us warm along with our jackets. I wore my black, furry knit hat to keep my head warm; and several women commented saying they wished they had a hat like that to keep them warm.

We met our group in the parking lot of the marina where we walked across the parking lot and down a very steep steel ramp with treads to keep us from slipping and out to our boat where Captain Bob greeted us. Our guide today was Janet Klein – a Homer local who has written several books on the history of Homer. Both of them were delightful and shared a lot of information and stories about the area.

Leaving the marina we passed The Time Bandit – one of the fishing boats used for the TV series The Deadliest Catch. A couple of the men on board with us were elated and took several pictures. It meant nothing to us as we’ve never seen the show.

Our first destination was 60 foot rock. It was named the men who discovered it because it stood 60 feet out of the water at high tide. While we were there, we saw dozens of sea otters playing in the frigid waters. There was even one up on the shore. I have to say that I was surprised to see this mammal out of the water. I have only seen these mammals in the water – never on land. Before me sat a furry animal with a small beige head and a black, round and quite plump body with two little hands and two little feet. I could not get over how big and round the body was. My perception has always been that sea otters have a lean body and that their fur was all beige like their head! Boy was I wrong!

Several of the otters were swimming in the waters around the boat; and one got a little closer to the boat than most of the others and was quite inquisitive. It was almost as if he stopped and pulled himself up out of the water to look right at us and said to us “okay, so take my picture!”

From 60 foot rock, Captain Bob showed us Grass Island – and yes, it was named by the men who discovered it because it has grass growing on it. Our guide, Janet, also explained that many of the glaciers around Alaska are named by the people who discovered them and perhaps lost their lives on them. There are over 100,000 glaciers in Alaska; and only 600-800 of them are named.

After leaving Grass Island and 60 Foot Rock, Captain Bob took us to Gull Island, a bird rookery that is home to thousands upon thousands of birds who come there to nest. As we approached Gull Island, there were hundreds of birds flying in flocks through the air and landing either on the island or in the waters below forming a bird “log”. There were seagulls, kittiwakes, puffin, cormorants, common murres all habituating Gull Island or flying around it. Janet said that later in the year, the stench from Gull Island is quite noticeable and unpleasant when you approach. But, if you want to see this incredible sight, you must cover your nose and tolerate it somehow.

We saw more sea otters swimming around the shoreline of Gull Island. At one end of the island, there is a huge hole almost in the shape of a heart that can be seen from both sides. It was quite picturesque. There are several grassy areas on Gull Island; and this is where the puffins were nesting. Puffins burrow in to those grassy areas to hatch their eggs while the kittiwakes and others nest on the rocks and in the crevasses.

Captain Bob turned the boat to head back in to Homer and three Japanese Navy ships passed by us on the port side. We were told that they had been doing exercises with the U.S. Navy somewhere in the area and were going to anchor out near Homer for the night. I must say, it was odd – and we did not understand why they were so close.

After our excursion was over, we were dropped in town to walk around Homer Spit a little. I was lucky enough to find one of Janet Klein’s books at a small souvenir shop; and I quickly bought it as a nice memento after meeting her and spending a few hours with her on the boat. Our day on the water in Homer was quite enjoyable and informative. Our tour guides have all been extraordinarily well versed in Alaska history and culture and quite informative. They have shared their humor with us as well which makes for some nice memories.

Our departure time from Homer was at 6:00 p.m. The staff kept paging two passengers who obviously did not make it back to the ship in time. We eventually left port around 6:30 p.m.; and we have no idea if the passengers actually missed the boat. But, it was a big topic of conversation around the ship in the evening.

We played Trivia up in the Crow’s Nest before dinner. After dinner we stopped by the casino because they were having a free raffle – and guess who won two of the prizes?! You got it! We did! We won a DVD of the cruise and also a mini-facial from the spa. The catch on the facial is that it is only for port days – and we have things booked – so I probably will not be able to enjoy that one.¬ But, we won!!
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Tomorrow we will be in Kodiak, Alaska. Till then…

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #7 Anchorage June 3, 2011

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #7

Anchorage


A week goes by so quickly when you are on vacation! It is even days since we boarded the ship in Seattle and now, our cruise is already half over. I can honestly say that this has been a wonderful respite for me and I am completely and totally relaxed. I love Alaska – oh – but then you know that already don’t you!?

Last year the city of Anchorage dredged the channel in the Knik Arm of the Cook Inlet and made way so cruise ships could actually call on the city of Anchorage now. Before this, they had to either stop at Whittier or Seward and the passengers would have to either take a motor coach or the train up to Anchorage. The port is downtown and virtually 5 minutes away from the Alaska Railroad terminal. This is where we caught our train for our all day adventure on the Alaska Railroad today.

We boarded car D and soon were heading through the port district along the Cook Inlet. The tide was low and therefore the mud flats were exposed. Though it appears that you could walk far out, these mud flats are like quick sand. You must be very cautious when venturing out there, because there is a 20-25 foot range in tide; and if the tide starts coming in, you could get stuck out there.

The train began to travel adjacent to the Sterling Highway along the Turnagain Arm. When Captain Cook came here in search of the Northwest Passage, he sailed his boat into this inlet of water and because of the tides, had to turn around and try to come back in again and again. Thus, Captain Cook named it Turnagain Arm. Across the water from the mainland is the Kenai Peninsula with its snow capped mountain peaks and thick forest of green.

We passed Potters Marsh, which is a wildlife and bird refuge with wooden walking platforms throughout the area for viewing. We continued on to Girdwood, the home of Alyeska Ski Resort. This area is also known as Glacier Valley. The turnoff for Girdwood is an area where there is still visible evidence of the results of the devastating earthquake on Good Friday on 1964. The ground dropped 6 feet and was immediately covered with the salt water for the Turnagain Arm which in turn killed all of the trees. There are three wooden roof tops that you can see from the side of the road – that is all that remains along with the grey tree trunks from all the trees that were submerged and died shortly afterwards because of the high tide from the tsunami.

The train went all the way to Whittier, although I do not understand why. We were not allowed to disembark the train to even take pictures. Nonetheless, it gave us a glimpse of Whittier – a small port south of Anchorage in the Chugach Mountain Range. The train changed direction and we began to go backwards to Portage, where we changed tracks and started out towards the Kenai Peninsula. We passed Spencer Glacier to our left about a mile away. While we were climbing the mountain to Grandview a large black bear was off to our right foraging through the bushes – probably looking for fresh berries. We were so far away that I could not get a clear picture – but I do have the shadow of the bear amongst the brush.

The further and further up the mountain we climbed, the more and more patches of snow were around us. From the bright green baby skunk cabbage and fresh ferns to the new spring shoots on the low lying brush that grew into aspen and cottonwood trees with the tender leaves blowing gently in the wind and then patches of tall pines, the valley below us was a patchwork of colors and textures because of the diverse landscape. Every now and then I saw a purple lupine sprouting up amongst the grasses. In the distance was a glacial river that meandered through the valley floor that was grayish turquoise in color from the glacial silt. It was so picturesque!

The train passed by Trail Glacier and Bartlett Glacier finally up to Grandview where we made a brief stop. By now, there was a misty rain falling from the clouds that somehow made everything fresher to me.

Every time I am in Alaska I am in awe of this spectacular great land. Seeing the snow capped mountains above the tree line is so beautiful to me and I know that I am truly in a very special place and when I visit it, I am somehow at home. Alaska is so incredibly magnificent. Each time I am here I am lucky to see new places and more astonishing views and vistas. My heart is happy here.

As I sit on the train now and jot down my notes, I cannot believe the view out my window. The clouds are high enough that I can see the sweeping rise from the valley floor to the mountain tops with the crevices of the mountain packed with snow that is now melting off with warmer weather and creating cascading waterfalls down the mountains. We saw a huge eagle nest with an eagle inside; but the train whisked by so quickly that I did not have enough time to get a clear picture. We also saw a moose in amongst the brush.

I wish I could explain how pristine and beautiful this is. I try to convey that in my journal notes and with my pictures; but somehow I do not feel even that gives it justice.

Our Alaska Railroad guide was a young man in high school and working as a guide for the summer. We spoke with him several times when he passed through the train car. The guides told us a story of Alaska Nellie who made her home in Grandview in the early 1900’s. It was quite interesting and I hope to be able to find the book about her in one of the book stores. They said that her husband was the man who held the key that unlocked her heart to love.

There have been a few people we have met on our cruise who have complained about the cold weather here. Some have said they are bored. Some have said they wanted to get to Anchorage so they could go shopping – at Walmart! To me – that is a shame and a travesty. The air may be brisk; but I think it is invigorating. It is clean and fresh and without pollution. The stars on a clear night seem so close you think you can reach out and touch them. Most of us who live in the lower 48 states have no idea how bright and spectacular the Milky Way truly is. Up here, it is larger than life. And with the Star Walk app for my iPad, I can go out on my balcony at night and hold it up towards the sky and I can see all the constellations right before my eyes. Technology is mind-boggling to me.

As we approached Anchorage on the way back to the ship, we spotted some Dahl sheep high on the jagged cliff above us. After we returned to the ship we enjoyed a light dinner in the Lido buffet and then called it a day. Tomorrow we will be in Homer, Alaska. Till then…

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #6 Day at Sea June 2, 2011

Holland America MS Amsterdam Travelogue #6

Day at Sea

June 2, 2011

Thursday was our second relaxing day at sea. And, that is precisely what we did – relaxed. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast up on the Lido and then began our activities. We were under partly cloudy skies and relatively calm seas. I did hear a couple of people complaining that they were getting seasick – but not nearly as many as the day the seas got to me at the beginning of the cruise. I seem to have my sea legs now and am doing okay – knock on wood – except for seeming to have developed a nice case of bronchitis. Yep! It got me! Luckily I brought lozenges and some cold and allergy meds along with us.

We enjoyed another culinary demonstration down in the Culinary Arts Center. This time our Cruise Director, Jimmy from Australia made crab cakes. Now mind you – this was supposed to be funny, and it was; but Holland America also gave us the real recipe. Jimmy’s version included lots and lots of Tabasco sauce. In fact, he put so much in the crab cake mixture that it would have been spicy hot anyways; but then proceeded to pour it all over the cake once he placed it in the pan full of hot oil. As if that wasn’t enough, when he turned the cake which was now almost crispy black because he said he liked it crispy, he poured the other half of the bottle on the other side. Needless to say he did not get many volunteers to taste his masterpiece! However, he tried it himself and said his tongue was on fire! How odd!

We stopped by the Explorations Café and had Josalito make us a warm coffee latte and Jim read the New York Times condensed version that they provide daily to the passengers and I came down to the cabin for awhile for do a little journaling.

The day continued by attending a Microsoft Techspert hour where you could go ask your questions for the computer guy. The comedian, who performed the other night, gave a talk later in the afternoon on the Secret of Comedy which was interesting and then we stayed for BINGO. And, I won the second game! Had I been the only winner, my jackpot would have been $200 – but I split it with one other lady and so we each walked away with $100.

Before dinner we wandered up to the Crow’s Nest and played Trivia with Jim and Mary from our zip adventure and we won! We got Holland America pins. After that we headed down for dinner in the dining room and then went back up on the back of the ship to enjoy the sunset as the Amsterdam proceeded north up along the Kenai Peninsula on to Anchorage where we will be tomorrow. After not seeing much but open ocean for most of the day, around 9:00 p.m. we could start to see the white tops of the mountains. Spouts from whales could be seen far off in the distance from our table at dinner. We are still waiting for them to be closer and give us a real dinner show!

Till then…