TRAVELOGUES – DAY THREE CRUISING THE INSIDE PASSAGE & JUNEAU
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
Every time we visit Alaska and sail the Inside Passage, I am always in awe of the serenity and beauty of it all. Gliding through the narrow channels of the Clarence Strait is always beautiful. The clouds above us had thickened overnight so we awoke to very overcast skies. Amazingly though, the clouds gave a blue/green hue to the icy waters we sailed through seemed more colorful than if the skies above were clear.
With countless small islands on either side of us, we sailed along with barely a ripple on the waters of the Inside Passage. Because the area in southeast Alaska is technically a rain forest, the islands and mountains surrounding us were thick with dense forests. The moss laden trees could be seen everywhere. The inlets and waterways that we passed were so calm, they appeared glass like; and the reflection of the surrounding mountains could be seen so clearly in the water that it was like a mirror.
What made the morning spectacular was all of the whale activity in the area. We were greeted by orcas and humpbacks for several hours. Someone (not us) even saw a black bear on Admiralty Island – which has the largest population of black bears in Alaska – more bears than permanent residents actually. The whales traveled together in groups of two or three. We saw whales spouting off in the distance and coming pretty close to the ship (within 50 yards or so). I got pictures of a humpback rising up above the water and slapping its fin. And, I have some fabulous pictures of a humpback’s tale that was spotted with white barnacles.
We were told early on that we would not be able to visit Tracy Arm Fjord and the Twin Sawyer Glaciers because of the tidal range along Vancouver Island. This was a huge disappointment, as we both had really looked forward to seeing this area that we had never visited before. The ship did offer a shore excursion if you wanted to pay an additional $199 per person; but we opted out of that. As the Volendam approached the entrance to Holkham Bay and the Tracy Arm around 10:00 a.m., the Captain stopped the ship to allow the excursion boat to come alongside and let the passengers board who did decided to take the tour. When the Volendam pulled into Holkham Bay, many of us noticed a huge hanging glacier on the left bank of the entrance. I do not know the name of the glacier, but it was spectacular. The colors of turquoise were quite noticeable. The turquoise color is the result of the density of the glacial ice. The darker the colors of blue and turquoise means the more dense the glacier is.
Once the small excursion boat had pulled away from the side of the Volendam, she again was slowly underway towards Juneau. By now we were cruising along the Glass Peninsula of Admiralty Island and along Stephan’s Passage heading north. After a couple of hours, we arrived in Juneau at around 1:00 p.m.
Juneau is the capital of Alaska and is only accessible by air or by water. There are no roads leading in or out of Juneau that would connect it to the Alaska Highway because of the Juneau ice fields. Juneau is located in the Gastineau Channel of the Inside Passage. A century ago, two miners beached their canoes along the Gastineau Channel at the mouth of Gold Creek – the stream that now courses through the center of town. Prospectors Dick Harris and Joe Juneau found themselves a place in history – and founded a city. The mountains that surround Juneau were rich in gold ore and thus Juneau found its’ place among history and the gold rush.
The Gastineau Channel dead ends at Juneau; and so when the cruise ships leave to head north, they must re-trace their path around Douglas Island going south and then turn northwest at Bishop Point. When the Captain docked the Volendam, he pulled her right downtown along the pier directly across from the Red Dog Saloon. We have never docked so close to the center of town before – usually we are about half a mile south along another dock. But, as luck would have it, the Volendam was the only cruise ship in Juneau! Great for us - because the crowds were insignificant. After having lunch on the ship, we decided to venture out and wander a bit through some of the shops along the dock area and down the main street before we had to go back to the pier to join the group for our float plane excursion over the Juneau Ice Fields.
Wings Over Juneau was our tour guide. At 4:00 p.m. we boarded our turbo prop Otter airplane and before we knew it, we were up in the air. There were 9 of us on the plane; and each of us had a window seat. There were headphones for us to wear and listen to a pre-recorded program for the duration of our tour. It was still overcast above us; but the clouds were high enough that it did not deter our pilot from continuing. We flew south out of Juneau to the Taku Inlet and then headed east towards the massive Juneau Ice Fields. Below us were the calm, tranquil waters of Taku Inlet. It’s difficult for me to describe the colors to you; but I’ll try. The waters are cloudy, not clear; but are the more gorgeous colors of light aquamarine with a grey hue. The color is incredible and every time I see it, I am in awe of the beauty.
Much of the area below appeared to be exposed mud flats from low tides – which the pilot confirmed. The mountains were covered with a thick, dense forest of trees and bushes. The “tree line” was very obvious and noticeable with the pine tree forest coming up the mountain to a very distinctive point and then abruptly ending and nothing but thick brush above that.
As we flew further back into the Inlet, we began to see the enormous glacial rivers of the Juneau Ice Field. We flew over Lemon Glacier and Taku Glacier. Looking out my window as I looked down upon this river of ice, I could see the deep crevasses and cracks in the glacier. The crevasses were the deepest blue surrounded by skyscraper high frozen ice that went on for miles and miles and miles – back farther than we could see from the plane. The river of ice flowed towards the Inlet and ended in the waters below. Along the face of the glaciers, you could see where the ice had broken off or calved and the small icebergs or “bergie bits” were floating all around in the bay.
Our flight was over too soon from our perspective. We would have loved to have had more time in the air – but that wasn’t part of the program – and all too soon we found ourselves gliding onto the water and gently landing back in the harbor at Juneau. It was a fabulous flight and we highly recommend it to everyone.
Because the clouds had lifted and the weather seemed to be getting a little more pleasant, we decided to take the tram up to Mt. Roberts. The gondola raised us about 1,800 feet up the mountain to a platform where we exited and followed the path to the nature center and the gift shop/restaurant area. Unfortunately, once you leave the platform, you lose the entire view of the Gastineau Channel. It was very disappointing as that was the entire purpose of our going up there. We walked around a little and then decided to head back down the mountain. It wasn’t until we got back out to the platform to wait for the gondola that we realized you had to be out there to get any pictures. We rode back down the mountain with another couple who complained about the same thing.
After that adventure, it was time for dinner. We found this tiny Crab Shack directly across from the Volendam where we enjoyed a crab roll with cole slaw and some delicious crab chowder that tasted so good and warm after our day full of adventure in Juneau.
The Volendam set sail for Skagway after 10:00 p.m. It was still twilight outside as we pulled away from the dock. The cruise portion of our trip is almost over. We will arrive in Skagway tomorrow and will disembark the ship there and begin our land tour. Until next time…
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Day Two - Cruising North to Alaska
TRAVELOGUES – DAY TWO CRUISING
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
Even though you would think that because we are “on vacation” we would have slept in and taken advantage of one of our days at sea, that was not the case. Nor was it the case for many of the passengers on board the Volendam as we all seemed to appear up in the Lido for breakfast around 7:00 a.m. I don’t know about the reasons why any of them were out and about so early, but for us, we didn’t want to miss a chance to see anything – whatever it was.
We spent most of the daily sailing up the east side of Vancouver Island and out into the Pacific Ocean and Queen Charlotte Sound. Sailing along with barely a ripple on the water was incredible. The waters were not still like a mirror, but they were close. Up above us was brilliant blue sky with what I think was every type of cloud formation there is. Whether it was stratus, cumulous or whatever – it seemed to be there. Some of the clouds appeared as if to have been painted in the sky with a swooping brush stroke and then curled at the end. Others appeared to be more thunder type clouds (those were over the mountains) and yet others appeared to be cotton balls that had fallen out of a bag and were sprinkling the skies. It was a glorious day and actually quite pleasant outside – about 65 degrees or maybe more.
Our “official” day began with a get-together with the group of travel agents we are with. We were both amazed that there were agents from as far away as Malasia and Italy. Unless everyone was not there for that meeting, it will be a rather small group of only about 35 people. After the meeting, we were told to go enjoy ourselves and explore the ship. That was the only official gathering we will have on board the ship until we disembark in Skagway where our “tour director” will meet us and escort us on the rest of our trip.
During the day we enjoyed a wide variety of activities from two cooking demonstrations in the Culinary Arts Center on how to cook a fresh salmon in a white wine marinade and another recipe for crab cakes (yes, I have the recipe). We joined in on a couple of games of trivia – but most of the time we were up in the Crow’s Nest the furthest point forward and the highest where there is a great room with comfy chairs all around huge floor to ceiling picture windows. This is where we could sit and visit with other passengers and watch the world go by.
Off to our West is the Cascade Mountains which stretch from Canada all the way down to Northern California. The lower, front range had no snow capped peaks; but the range directly behind it was covered thick with snow. The jagged peaks of the Cascades up here and have no trees because of the cold weather conditions in the winter. They are stunning to see and very different to the rolling hills we have in California.
Eventually, much later in the day, we maneuvered in closer to land and begin our journey through the Inside Passage where we will also be tomorrow.
The Inside Passage is a narrow passageway that the ships can sail through along with a “pilot”. The pilot is a trained navigator for these specific waters, and guides the Captain where to sail the vessel without any difficulties. There are several lighthouses that are dotted along the coast. Most of them appear to have home quarters on the bottom with the tall spire of the lighthouse on top of that. The settings are stunning – some out on the edge of rocky cliffs on the shore with others set back in meadow like areas and the buildings are spread out. Most of the lighthouses now are all electronically regulated and maintained. What I find fascinating are the stories of the real lighthouse keepers – those men and women who literally risked their lives to keep the light burning under the worst of weather conditions. Though most of the lighthouses are in remote locations and not easily accessible to a town, these men and women had their entire families with them and the children were home schooled by their mothers.
The Captain announced today that because of the tides, we will miss going into Tracy Arm Fjord and the Twin Sawyer Glaciers tomorrow. They are offering an extra shore excursion for those who really wanted to see the glaciers; and so the boat will stop at the mouth of Tracy Arm; and those passengers will transfer to their excursion boat and will meet up with us in Juneau. We did not opt to take that excursion but chose, instead, to remain on board the ship and enjoy sailing the Inside Passage.
Our daylight begins at about 2-2:30 a.m. and it remains light well after 10:30 p.m. This definitely enables us to see much more of the scenery along our route. We have met people from all over the world – Australia, South Africa, Germany, Canada and from all over the U.S.
Tomorrow we will continue through the Inside Passage and into Juneau. Till then…
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
Even though you would think that because we are “on vacation” we would have slept in and taken advantage of one of our days at sea, that was not the case. Nor was it the case for many of the passengers on board the Volendam as we all seemed to appear up in the Lido for breakfast around 7:00 a.m. I don’t know about the reasons why any of them were out and about so early, but for us, we didn’t want to miss a chance to see anything – whatever it was.
We spent most of the daily sailing up the east side of Vancouver Island and out into the Pacific Ocean and Queen Charlotte Sound. Sailing along with barely a ripple on the water was incredible. The waters were not still like a mirror, but they were close. Up above us was brilliant blue sky with what I think was every type of cloud formation there is. Whether it was stratus, cumulous or whatever – it seemed to be there. Some of the clouds appeared as if to have been painted in the sky with a swooping brush stroke and then curled at the end. Others appeared to be more thunder type clouds (those were over the mountains) and yet others appeared to be cotton balls that had fallen out of a bag and were sprinkling the skies. It was a glorious day and actually quite pleasant outside – about 65 degrees or maybe more.
Our “official” day began with a get-together with the group of travel agents we are with. We were both amazed that there were agents from as far away as Malasia and Italy. Unless everyone was not there for that meeting, it will be a rather small group of only about 35 people. After the meeting, we were told to go enjoy ourselves and explore the ship. That was the only official gathering we will have on board the ship until we disembark in Skagway where our “tour director” will meet us and escort us on the rest of our trip.
During the day we enjoyed a wide variety of activities from two cooking demonstrations in the Culinary Arts Center on how to cook a fresh salmon in a white wine marinade and another recipe for crab cakes (yes, I have the recipe). We joined in on a couple of games of trivia – but most of the time we were up in the Crow’s Nest the furthest point forward and the highest where there is a great room with comfy chairs all around huge floor to ceiling picture windows. This is where we could sit and visit with other passengers and watch the world go by.
Off to our West is the Cascade Mountains which stretch from Canada all the way down to Northern California. The lower, front range had no snow capped peaks; but the range directly behind it was covered thick with snow. The jagged peaks of the Cascades up here and have no trees because of the cold weather conditions in the winter. They are stunning to see and very different to the rolling hills we have in California.
Eventually, much later in the day, we maneuvered in closer to land and begin our journey through the Inside Passage where we will also be tomorrow.
The Inside Passage is a narrow passageway that the ships can sail through along with a “pilot”. The pilot is a trained navigator for these specific waters, and guides the Captain where to sail the vessel without any difficulties. There are several lighthouses that are dotted along the coast. Most of them appear to have home quarters on the bottom with the tall spire of the lighthouse on top of that. The settings are stunning – some out on the edge of rocky cliffs on the shore with others set back in meadow like areas and the buildings are spread out. Most of the lighthouses now are all electronically regulated and maintained. What I find fascinating are the stories of the real lighthouse keepers – those men and women who literally risked their lives to keep the light burning under the worst of weather conditions. Though most of the lighthouses are in remote locations and not easily accessible to a town, these men and women had their entire families with them and the children were home schooled by their mothers.
The Captain announced today that because of the tides, we will miss going into Tracy Arm Fjord and the Twin Sawyer Glaciers tomorrow. They are offering an extra shore excursion for those who really wanted to see the glaciers; and so the boat will stop at the mouth of Tracy Arm; and those passengers will transfer to their excursion boat and will meet up with us in Juneau. We did not opt to take that excursion but chose, instead, to remain on board the ship and enjoy sailing the Inside Passage.
Our daylight begins at about 2-2:30 a.m. and it remains light well after 10:30 p.m. This definitely enables us to see much more of the scenery along our route. We have met people from all over the world – Australia, South Africa, Germany, Canada and from all over the U.S.
Tomorrow we will continue through the Inside Passage and into Juneau. Till then…
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Day One - North to Alaska on MS Volendam
TRAVELOGUES – DAY ONE
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
Just between you and me – 3:30 in the morning is VERY early! But, that is when we had to set our alarm for to be ready for the shuttle to pick us up and whisk us off to the airport in San Diego to begin our cruise tour “North to Alaska”. We couldn’t get coffee soon enough once we got to the airport. But once we did, all was well and we gave a big sigh of relief that we had arrived on time, made it through the security check point and had our Starbucks coffee in hand - all with 30 minutes to spare before boarding our plane at 6:30 a.m.
Our flight was uneventful from San Diego to Portland and again from Portland ultimately to Vancouver. The skies were clear with only a few clouds here and there adding a little color and dimension to the view out my airplane window. From San Diego, we flew directly up the middle of California flying right over Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon and Lake Tahoe. The views were stunning – we could even see Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite. As we continued north, we flew past Mt. Shasta, which was completely covered in snow and definitely stood out in the landscape below. When we arrived in Portland, Mt. Hood could be seen in the distance and when we flew past Seattle, Mt. Rainier greeted us as well.
I never tire of seeing the beautiful landscape below me when I fly up north. The mountain ranges are all dotted with alpine lakes that look like mirrors from my window; and being able to see the islands in the Puget Sound is always a treat. I love seeing the Washington State Ferries on the waters as they are transporting their passengers from here to there and fondly remember when we have been passengers on those ferries and how much fun it is to ride on them.
Once we arrived in Vancouver, we were directed to a motor coach that took us directly to Canada Place¸ the cruise ship terminal in Vancouver. It is about a 45 minute ride. Our check-in for the ship was extremely smooth and I think the easiest of all the cruises we’ve been on.
MS Volendam is a beautiful Holland America ship well-known for its artwork and décor. She carries 1,450 passengers. The Atrium has a beautiful spiral glass staircase with a multi-colored and lighted spire that goes from the bottom of the Atrium on Deck 3 and up to Deck 6. Around the Atrium are several alcoves on the different decks where you can sit in comfy, padded armchairs and watch the world go by through the large picture windows that seem to be everywhere on both sides of the ship on several decks.
After we found our stateroom, a very nice ocean view cabin mid-ship on Deck 1, we took off to explore the ship. The Lido Buffet is on Deck 8 and encompasses both sides of the ship. There are different stations for pastries and breads, salads, Italian, Asian, and main dishes as well as an entire space between the two sides where they have a beautiful offering of desserts.
There is only one main pool with a retractable roof which is the main activity area on the ship; and there is also a small children’s pool at the back of the ship. The library is actually three rooms all open and continuous where they have one wall full of books for you to enjoy, one room where there are jigsaw puzzles set up and then another room with computers and tables for games. Along the huge picture windows are several massage chairs and reclining chairs where we’ve seen several people doing what they love to do on vacation – “nap”.
All of the Holland America ships have now been retrofitted with beautiful, state-of-the-art million dollar culinary centers where they offer cooking classes and demonstrations. This area also serves as a small theater when the culinary department is not having an event.
We listened to a lecture on the first explorers to Alaska in the early afternoon and heard many of the stories that we all learned in history class many years ago. But, even though we had heard the stories long ago, it was nice to get a little refresher as we began our journey up north. The native tribes of the Tlingit and Haida were the very first inhabitants and the trailblazers who introduced us to Alaska some 10,000 years before the first “white” man came here. Vitus Bering was commissioned by Peter the Great of Russian to find out if Siberia was connected to North America back in 1725. Even though he died, his journals and charts were saved, but not published until many years later when one of his fellow shipmates, George Stellar published them. The Bering Sea was named after Vitus Bering. George Stellar was the first naturalist in the area. The Stellar Blue Jay and the Stellar Sea Lion were named after him. After that, there were many more explorers to visit this great land including James Cook, George Vancouver and William Seward. John Muir, the Scottish immigrant who was the crusader for Yosemite National Park, came to Alaska in 1879 and founded the Sierra Club in 1892.
So much for our history lesson today! At 5:00 p.m. on the dot, MS Volendam was underway from Canada Place and quickly began her journey past Stanley Park and under the Lions Gate Bridge out into the calm waters of the Strait of Georgia where we headed north. The ship glided smoothly through the waters that had barely a ripple on them it was so calm. The skies above us seemed to be dotted with cotton balls of clouds against the clear blue skies above. We stayed out on deck for several hours because it was so pleasant and so serene. Inside around the Lido deck pool, the crew began barbequing at 5:00 p.m. and offered the passengers a fabulous array of Alaska salmon, cooked over the smokey coals of the barbeques, along with chicken, ribs, and steak. There were several different salads from mixed green salad to a corn and kidney bean salad to coleslaw. They offered rice pilaf or baked potatoes and baked beans as well. In another corner of the pool area, there were tables set up with white table cloths covered with delectable delights for dessert – among which were small custard fruit tarts, a huge bowl of fresh fruit, a banana cream pie in a Phyllo dough crust and several other things. The table was decorated with carvings made out of white chocolate – one of a bald eagle and one of a prospector.
We ventured up to the “Crow’s Nest” which is a large cocktail lounge/viewing area up on Deck 9 in the very front of the ship that is surrounded by floor to ceiling picture windows, nice comfy chairs and sitting areas where you can watch as the world passes by. I went out on deck several times to take pictures – how odd – and during the time we were in the Crow’s Nest I went out once only to be greeted by a phenomenal view of Mt. Baker as the sun hit its snow white covered peaks giving it a bright pink glow through the hazy foreground. Because it was “behind” the ship, I doubt that many of the passengers even realized that this gorgeous sight was there if they had only gone out onto deck.
It had been a long day for us, and we finally went back to our room about 10:00 last night. It was still twilight outside. But, we were both tired and had no problems falling asleep quickly.
Tomorrow we’ll be sailing through the Inside Passage. I’ll talk to you then!
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
Just between you and me – 3:30 in the morning is VERY early! But, that is when we had to set our alarm for to be ready for the shuttle to pick us up and whisk us off to the airport in San Diego to begin our cruise tour “North to Alaska”. We couldn’t get coffee soon enough once we got to the airport. But once we did, all was well and we gave a big sigh of relief that we had arrived on time, made it through the security check point and had our Starbucks coffee in hand - all with 30 minutes to spare before boarding our plane at 6:30 a.m.
Our flight was uneventful from San Diego to Portland and again from Portland ultimately to Vancouver. The skies were clear with only a few clouds here and there adding a little color and dimension to the view out my airplane window. From San Diego, we flew directly up the middle of California flying right over Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon and Lake Tahoe. The views were stunning – we could even see Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite. As we continued north, we flew past Mt. Shasta, which was completely covered in snow and definitely stood out in the landscape below. When we arrived in Portland, Mt. Hood could be seen in the distance and when we flew past Seattle, Mt. Rainier greeted us as well.
I never tire of seeing the beautiful landscape below me when I fly up north. The mountain ranges are all dotted with alpine lakes that look like mirrors from my window; and being able to see the islands in the Puget Sound is always a treat. I love seeing the Washington State Ferries on the waters as they are transporting their passengers from here to there and fondly remember when we have been passengers on those ferries and how much fun it is to ride on them.
Once we arrived in Vancouver, we were directed to a motor coach that took us directly to Canada Place¸ the cruise ship terminal in Vancouver. It is about a 45 minute ride. Our check-in for the ship was extremely smooth and I think the easiest of all the cruises we’ve been on.
MS Volendam is a beautiful Holland America ship well-known for its artwork and décor. She carries 1,450 passengers. The Atrium has a beautiful spiral glass staircase with a multi-colored and lighted spire that goes from the bottom of the Atrium on Deck 3 and up to Deck 6. Around the Atrium are several alcoves on the different decks where you can sit in comfy, padded armchairs and watch the world go by through the large picture windows that seem to be everywhere on both sides of the ship on several decks.
After we found our stateroom, a very nice ocean view cabin mid-ship on Deck 1, we took off to explore the ship. The Lido Buffet is on Deck 8 and encompasses both sides of the ship. There are different stations for pastries and breads, salads, Italian, Asian, and main dishes as well as an entire space between the two sides where they have a beautiful offering of desserts.
There is only one main pool with a retractable roof which is the main activity area on the ship; and there is also a small children’s pool at the back of the ship. The library is actually three rooms all open and continuous where they have one wall full of books for you to enjoy, one room where there are jigsaw puzzles set up and then another room with computers and tables for games. Along the huge picture windows are several massage chairs and reclining chairs where we’ve seen several people doing what they love to do on vacation – “nap”.
All of the Holland America ships have now been retrofitted with beautiful, state-of-the-art million dollar culinary centers where they offer cooking classes and demonstrations. This area also serves as a small theater when the culinary department is not having an event.
We listened to a lecture on the first explorers to Alaska in the early afternoon and heard many of the stories that we all learned in history class many years ago. But, even though we had heard the stories long ago, it was nice to get a little refresher as we began our journey up north. The native tribes of the Tlingit and Haida were the very first inhabitants and the trailblazers who introduced us to Alaska some 10,000 years before the first “white” man came here. Vitus Bering was commissioned by Peter the Great of Russian to find out if Siberia was connected to North America back in 1725. Even though he died, his journals and charts were saved, but not published until many years later when one of his fellow shipmates, George Stellar published them. The Bering Sea was named after Vitus Bering. George Stellar was the first naturalist in the area. The Stellar Blue Jay and the Stellar Sea Lion were named after him. After that, there were many more explorers to visit this great land including James Cook, George Vancouver and William Seward. John Muir, the Scottish immigrant who was the crusader for Yosemite National Park, came to Alaska in 1879 and founded the Sierra Club in 1892.
So much for our history lesson today! At 5:00 p.m. on the dot, MS Volendam was underway from Canada Place and quickly began her journey past Stanley Park and under the Lions Gate Bridge out into the calm waters of the Strait of Georgia where we headed north. The ship glided smoothly through the waters that had barely a ripple on them it was so calm. The skies above us seemed to be dotted with cotton balls of clouds against the clear blue skies above. We stayed out on deck for several hours because it was so pleasant and so serene. Inside around the Lido deck pool, the crew began barbequing at 5:00 p.m. and offered the passengers a fabulous array of Alaska salmon, cooked over the smokey coals of the barbeques, along with chicken, ribs, and steak. There were several different salads from mixed green salad to a corn and kidney bean salad to coleslaw. They offered rice pilaf or baked potatoes and baked beans as well. In another corner of the pool area, there were tables set up with white table cloths covered with delectable delights for dessert – among which were small custard fruit tarts, a huge bowl of fresh fruit, a banana cream pie in a Phyllo dough crust and several other things. The table was decorated with carvings made out of white chocolate – one of a bald eagle and one of a prospector.
We ventured up to the “Crow’s Nest” which is a large cocktail lounge/viewing area up on Deck 9 in the very front of the ship that is surrounded by floor to ceiling picture windows, nice comfy chairs and sitting areas where you can watch as the world passes by. I went out on deck several times to take pictures – how odd – and during the time we were in the Crow’s Nest I went out once only to be greeted by a phenomenal view of Mt. Baker as the sun hit its snow white covered peaks giving it a bright pink glow through the hazy foreground. Because it was “behind” the ship, I doubt that many of the passengers even realized that this gorgeous sight was there if they had only gone out onto deck.
It had been a long day for us, and we finally went back to our room about 10:00 last night. It was still twilight outside. But, we were both tired and had no problems falling asleep quickly.
Tomorrow we’ll be sailing through the Inside Passage. I’ll talk to you then!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Less than 24 hours and a new adventure begins!
So, the time has actually arrived. The suitcases are almost packed - just a few finishing touches (like an umbrella) and I'll check my list over and over again today to try not to forget anything.
Tomorrow at 4:30 a.m. the shuttle will come and pick us up and off we'll go in the dark to the airport! Then, at 6:30 we'll be whisked off up in the air to Vancouver. We will keep you updated all along our way.
We are traveling to the "land of the midnight sun" and to the "northern lights". We could experience anywhere from 18-20 hours of daylight while we are there with an "average" temperature of 66 degrees and a low of 52 degrees. Now, that being said, keep your mind on "average". We've been in Juneau when it's been 90 degrees - so we are packing for the layered look to be ready for anything.
One thing I haven't mentioned is that we would love to see the aurora borealis. It would be an incredible thing for us to be able to see the "northern lights" while we are up in Dawson - which would be our best chance for seeing something; but with so much daylight during the summer months, our chances are slim to none.. The aurora borealis is named after the Roman Goddess of Dawn "Aurora" and the Greek name for the north wind "Boreas". Auroras are the result of the emissions of photons in the Earth's upper atmosphere, above 50 miles from ionized nitrogen atoms regaining an electron, and oxygen and nitrogen atoms returning from an excited state to ground state. They are ionized or excited by the collision of solar wind particles being funneled down and accelerated along the Earth's magnetic field lines; excitation energy is lost by the emission of a photon of light, or by collision with another atom or molecule. And so we will concentrate on the scenery and the wildlife instead.
And so - tomorrow our adventure starts - and I will leave you with this from the great poet bard, Robert Service:
"It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,
It's the forests where silence has lease;
It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace."
Robert Service - "The Spell of the Yukon"
Tomorrow at 4:30 a.m. the shuttle will come and pick us up and off we'll go in the dark to the airport! Then, at 6:30 we'll be whisked off up in the air to Vancouver. We will keep you updated all along our way.
We are traveling to the "land of the midnight sun" and to the "northern lights". We could experience anywhere from 18-20 hours of daylight while we are there with an "average" temperature of 66 degrees and a low of 52 degrees. Now, that being said, keep your mind on "average". We've been in Juneau when it's been 90 degrees - so we are packing for the layered look to be ready for anything.
One thing I haven't mentioned is that we would love to see the aurora borealis. It would be an incredible thing for us to be able to see the "northern lights" while we are up in Dawson - which would be our best chance for seeing something; but with so much daylight during the summer months, our chances are slim to none.. The aurora borealis is named after the Roman Goddess of Dawn "Aurora" and the Greek name for the north wind "Boreas". Auroras are the result of the emissions of photons in the Earth's upper atmosphere, above 50 miles from ionized nitrogen atoms regaining an electron, and oxygen and nitrogen atoms returning from an excited state to ground state. They are ionized or excited by the collision of solar wind particles being funneled down and accelerated along the Earth's magnetic field lines; excitation energy is lost by the emission of a photon of light, or by collision with another atom or molecule. And so we will concentrate on the scenery and the wildlife instead.
And so - tomorrow our adventure starts - and I will leave you with this from the great poet bard, Robert Service:
"It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,
It's the forests where silence has lease;
It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace."
Robert Service - "The Spell of the Yukon"
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Fathers Day - Making a Memory
Happy Father's Day to everyone - especially my Dad (Harvey) and my father-in-law (Mel)!
One thing I have learned from both of these men is that you should travel while you can. My Dad is now 88 and Mel is 90. The past couple of years have been hard on both of them and their health ailments have increased to the point they don't feel comfortable traveling anymore.
But - I'm so happy to say that they both traveled a considerable amount when they were able to. My parents traveled because of my Dad's work. I was an insurance company brat. Dad was President of several companies, and therefore had to arrange for their conventions and incentive promotions. They went on cruises, traveled to Europe, and stayed in some of the finest hotels. They were blessed to be able to do that. My parents have a small group of friends who also get together and all of them travel. They've done several cruises to Alaska and Mexico, and just enjoy being together and sharing the moment.
Mel is a retired Navy Captain - and he travelled the world but in a different sort of manner. After he retired, they became big fans of river cruising here in the States. They love the small boat feel and cruising down the inland waterways on the East coast. They golfed in every port they stopped at. They've also gone on three ocean cruises.
One of the best cruises that Jim and I ever took was a short cruise to Cabo San Lucas round trip out of San Diego with my parents. We took advantage of our time with them and sat down and asked them questions about how they met and each converation grew and grew into more and more things they remembered. It was a fascinating trip and one that I will always cherish. I took notes about everything they told us and I'm not putting it all together in a memory book for my daughters and grandsons and family.
I found out on that cruise that my great great grandmother was a widow with five boys. She lived in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and had a long-time friend who had recently become a widower in California. He wrote to her and offered to marry her and move her family out to Visalia. She and the boy boarded a train to California and when they arrived, he met them and they walked across the street to the Justice of the Peace and were married immediately. My grandfather was one of those five young boys! If we hadn't been on that cruise, and we hadn't asked all the questions, I may never have known that story!
Take the time with your parents and just sit and talk with them about some of their memories while they are still here. Before we know it, it will be too late.
One thing I have learned from both of these men is that you should travel while you can. My Dad is now 88 and Mel is 90. The past couple of years have been hard on both of them and their health ailments have increased to the point they don't feel comfortable traveling anymore.
But - I'm so happy to say that they both traveled a considerable amount when they were able to. My parents traveled because of my Dad's work. I was an insurance company brat. Dad was President of several companies, and therefore had to arrange for their conventions and incentive promotions. They went on cruises, traveled to Europe, and stayed in some of the finest hotels. They were blessed to be able to do that. My parents have a small group of friends who also get together and all of them travel. They've done several cruises to Alaska and Mexico, and just enjoy being together and sharing the moment.
Mel is a retired Navy Captain - and he travelled the world but in a different sort of manner. After he retired, they became big fans of river cruising here in the States. They love the small boat feel and cruising down the inland waterways on the East coast. They golfed in every port they stopped at. They've also gone on three ocean cruises.
One of the best cruises that Jim and I ever took was a short cruise to Cabo San Lucas round trip out of San Diego with my parents. We took advantage of our time with them and sat down and asked them questions about how they met and each converation grew and grew into more and more things they remembered. It was a fascinating trip and one that I will always cherish. I took notes about everything they told us and I'm not putting it all together in a memory book for my daughters and grandsons and family.
I found out on that cruise that my great great grandmother was a widow with five boys. She lived in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and had a long-time friend who had recently become a widower in California. He wrote to her and offered to marry her and move her family out to Visalia. She and the boy boarded a train to California and when they arrived, he met them and they walked across the street to the Justice of the Peace and were married immediately. My grandfather was one of those five young boys! If we hadn't been on that cruise, and we hadn't asked all the questions, I may never have known that story!
Take the time with your parents and just sit and talk with them about some of their memories while they are still here. Before we know it, it will be too late.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
12 days and counting!
In just twelve short days we will be on the road again! We will be flying from San Diego to Vancouver, British Columbia and boarding the beautiful Holland America Volendam for a 13 day adventure on water and land.
As a travel agent and an Alaska Destination Specialist, this is a trip that we have been looking forward to because it will take us to places we have only dreamed about visiting.
We will start our adventure in Vancouver - the home of the Winter Olympics in 2010. As we sail out of Vancouver in the late afternoon, we will pass Stanley Park (one of our favorite places to visit in Vancouver) and our voyage will begin North to Alaska.
We will enter the Strait of Georgia and travel along Vancouver Island which is the home of a resident pod of orca whales known as "J" pod. Granny and Ruffles are the two oldest members of this pod. Granny is the matriarch and thought to be almost 90years old! Along with her son, Ruffles, they lead the pod through the waters in and around Vancouver Island. There are over 40 members of this pod. We hope to get a glimpse of them gliding graciously through the waters as we pass by!
From Vancouver we will continue on up the Inside Passage past Wrangell and Petersberg to Tracy Arm Fjord which is off of Stepens Passage across from Admiralty Island. We will visit the North and the South Sawyer Glaciers (Twin Sawyer Glaciers) and then spend an afternoon in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.
From Juneau, we will continue up Stephens Passage to Lyn Canal where we will cruise to Skagway. We will disembark the ship in Skagway and will spend the night there. That afternoon, Jim and I are scheduled to take a float plane ride!
The next morning we will board the White Pass and Yukon Railroad traveling along the same route that the gold miners hiked one after the other in 1898 hoping to strike it rich in the gold fields in the Yukon. We'll visit Lake Bennet and eventually arrive in Whitehorse, where we will spend the night and enjoy the Frantic Follies Vaudeville Revue.
From Whitehorse, we will board a motor coach to Dawson City and stay overnight in the Klondike National Historic Site. We will then visit Dawson City or Tombstone Park and learn more about the Gold Rush and visit the gold fields and explore where a full range of wildlife roams free.
On Day 8 we will cruise the Yukon River on the MV Yukon Queen II catamaran and hear tales of river pilors, mail carriers, prospectors and Mounties as we travel to the small Alaskan town of Eagle.
A motor coach will take us up the Alaska Range and along the TransAlaska Pipeline to Fairbanks on Day 9 where we will visit Gold Dredge No, 8 and actually give a good try at panning for gold ourselves.
On Day 10 we will board the McKinley Explorer (Alaska Railroad), and travel along the scenic byway as we travel through the heart of Alaska to Denali National Park where we will stay for two nights. Not only do we hope to get to see Mt. McKinley, we have high hopes of seeing a lot of wildlife on our Tundra Wilderness Tour. We could see Caribou,moose, grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep, bald eagles and
much more.
From Denali on Day 12, we will again board the McKinley Explorer and travel the rail down to Anchorage. In Anchorage, we have plans to meet up with my dear pen pal Pattie and enjoy some time catching up with her. Our last day will find us on a 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier that will take us into the Prince William Sound to visit 26 "named" glaciers including those in College Fjord. We will see all types of glaciers including Alpine (hanging), Piedmont and Tidewater glaciers( glaciers traveling down valleys towards the ocean). Getting up close to these towering masses of ice, we will be able to "hear" them move while they groan and crack as they move ever so slowly to the icy glacial waters below. There will be many "bergie bits" (small chunks of ice floating in the water) and the glaciers will be brilliant colors of blue and turquoise.
And, as with all vacations our time will end sooner than we want and we will find ourselves on our way home. We hope you'll join us on June 30th as we take to the skies to Vancouver and set sail on the first day of our journey. I'll be posting blogs all along the way, so you can come along if you want!
Now - I've got to start packing!
As a travel agent and an Alaska Destination Specialist, this is a trip that we have been looking forward to because it will take us to places we have only dreamed about visiting.
We will start our adventure in Vancouver - the home of the Winter Olympics in 2010. As we sail out of Vancouver in the late afternoon, we will pass Stanley Park (one of our favorite places to visit in Vancouver) and our voyage will begin North to Alaska.
We will enter the Strait of Georgia and travel along Vancouver Island which is the home of a resident pod of orca whales known as "J" pod. Granny and Ruffles are the two oldest members of this pod. Granny is the matriarch and thought to be almost 90years old! Along with her son, Ruffles, they lead the pod through the waters in and around Vancouver Island. There are over 40 members of this pod. We hope to get a glimpse of them gliding graciously through the waters as we pass by!
From Vancouver we will continue on up the Inside Passage past Wrangell and Petersberg to Tracy Arm Fjord which is off of Stepens Passage across from Admiralty Island. We will visit the North and the South Sawyer Glaciers (Twin Sawyer Glaciers) and then spend an afternoon in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.
From Juneau, we will continue up Stephens Passage to Lyn Canal where we will cruise to Skagway. We will disembark the ship in Skagway and will spend the night there. That afternoon, Jim and I are scheduled to take a float plane ride!
The next morning we will board the White Pass and Yukon Railroad traveling along the same route that the gold miners hiked one after the other in 1898 hoping to strike it rich in the gold fields in the Yukon. We'll visit Lake Bennet and eventually arrive in Whitehorse, where we will spend the night and enjoy the Frantic Follies Vaudeville Revue.
From Whitehorse, we will board a motor coach to Dawson City and stay overnight in the Klondike National Historic Site. We will then visit Dawson City or Tombstone Park and learn more about the Gold Rush and visit the gold fields and explore where a full range of wildlife roams free.
On Day 8 we will cruise the Yukon River on the MV Yukon Queen II catamaran and hear tales of river pilors, mail carriers, prospectors and Mounties as we travel to the small Alaskan town of Eagle.
A motor coach will take us up the Alaska Range and along the TransAlaska Pipeline to Fairbanks on Day 9 where we will visit Gold Dredge No, 8 and actually give a good try at panning for gold ourselves.
On Day 10 we will board the McKinley Explorer (Alaska Railroad), and travel along the scenic byway as we travel through the heart of Alaska to Denali National Park where we will stay for two nights. Not only do we hope to get to see Mt. McKinley, we have high hopes of seeing a lot of wildlife on our Tundra Wilderness Tour. We could see Caribou,moose, grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep, bald eagles and
much more.
From Denali on Day 12, we will again board the McKinley Explorer and travel the rail down to Anchorage. In Anchorage, we have plans to meet up with my dear pen pal Pattie and enjoy some time catching up with her. Our last day will find us on a 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier that will take us into the Prince William Sound to visit 26 "named" glaciers including those in College Fjord. We will see all types of glaciers including Alpine (hanging), Piedmont and Tidewater glaciers( glaciers traveling down valleys towards the ocean). Getting up close to these towering masses of ice, we will be able to "hear" them move while they groan and crack as they move ever so slowly to the icy glacial waters below. There will be many "bergie bits" (small chunks of ice floating in the water) and the glaciers will be brilliant colors of blue and turquoise.
And, as with all vacations our time will end sooner than we want and we will find ourselves on our way home. We hope you'll join us on June 30th as we take to the skies to Vancouver and set sail on the first day of our journey. I'll be posting blogs all along the way, so you can come along if you want!
Now - I've got to start packing!
Friday, June 4, 2010
What's on Your Bucket List?
It's Friday! Don't you wish you were hanging that "Gone on Vacation" sign on your computer? Where would you like to go? What's on your Bucket List? For me - someday I would like to go to Banff and Lake Louise and do the Rocky Mountaineer railway from Calgary to Vancouver.
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