ALASKA AND ALASKA
After a shakey start in Sydney when I realised I had left our US entry papers at home - only to find that we didn't need them, only be registered, which we were, we boarded our plane for LA very happy after getting the text that we had been bumped up to Business class. The champers on boarding at 10am was a little hard to handle but after about 1/2 an hour we settled in like the seasoned travellers that we are. We were given a lovely pair of grey pyjamas with the flying kangaroo on the front and our individual pods made up for bed.
Breakfast of scrambled egg and smoked salmon for breakfast in business on the flight over.
We had a lovely 3 course lunch which by the time we were finished it and another 3 glasses of wine the staff were calling it dinner to get us mentally psyched into going to sleep to wake at 7am San Francisco time. It didn't work because one clown decided to root around in his overhead locker just as we went to sleep, the the lady across the isle ate a packet of crisps in cellophane and 1/2 a hour later another clown dropped her tea cup in the isle with a clatter and a bang.
None the less, we arrived in Vancouver at our hotel and organised a days tour round town the next day on a "hop on hop off bus"
From the revolving restaurant on the 39th floor on top of the Empire Landmark in Vancouver
Downtown Vancouver.
We found a great market which had some wonderful stuff as well as food items all fairly well priced, except the meat which was not. Mince $23 kilo, lamb chops $27 kilo. Fillet steak $38 kilo, eye on the bone $56 a kilo. Some of the first differences I noticed regarding food, was the bacon was very crispy and the butter was a very pale colour .
A taxi ride to the wharf next morning was the start of our first adventure - the Cruise up the inside passage from Vancouver to Alaska.
Royal Caribbean has a great fleet not the least of which is the Radiance of the Seas. Our first 2 days were spent catching up on sleep and exploring the ship.
As we were going up between islands most of the time there was no swell and so very calm. And although there was a pod of "orcas" spotted we didn't see them.
Saturday night was our first "formal night" as it was the Captains welcome Cocktail Party, so Stuart and i donned our glad rags and headed up to the large room where it was held and made our way into a lovely reception centre with a decent sized dance floor to be served champagne and nibbles while we waited for the Captain to extricate himself from those who wanted their photo taken with him. The music was great and then a 60+ gent and his child bride got up and did a very professional modern jive. After a few other couples who didn't show off as much got up we did also and tried to stay clear of the "professionals" as did all the other couples until we wore them down and they sat down. Yes I know I crossed this one off my bucket list (dancing cheek to cheek on a cruise ship) last cruise, but it somehow found its way back on it.
And to top it off a lady came up to us and said how lovely we danced together, and how happy we looked. We later ran into her in the lift and she told every one again. The Captain had some minor duties to attend to like running the ship and left so we did also as we had to get to dinner. Our dinner companions are a couple from New Zealand and a couple from USA so after a few wines conversation is always lively.
Sunday saw our first land stop at Ketchikan in Alaska and we were up bright and early for our quick look around town before our first tour which was a bus trip for 20 mins to a crabbing community around the coast for brunch of cheese and bickies and smoked salmon followed by wine and Alaskan beer and Dungeness Crab freshly cooked dipped in butter. Stuart and i had a full crab each but a few had 3 halves. Apparently, the record is 14 halves in the hour. Never tasted crab so lovely.
Very worried still, had just got off the plane below
We were very tired when we came back to our room and just had time for a quick freshen up and down to the hub of the ship "Centrum" for a cocktail or two.
We saw whales Sunday afternoon just in front of the ship which was quite exciting.
Monday we anchored off Icy Straight Point where we didn't have any tours booked so it was an easy day. We went on to the island where we just looked around but Stuart would have liked to go on the 1 mile long zip line (flying fox) from up the mountain behind us but didn't. He was brave enough to take his shoes off and paddle in Alaskan waters near a huge star fish though - my hero!!
On Sunday night our head waiter Francis told us that it was an Italian night on Monday Night and I asked him was he going to sing O Solo Mio to me and he broke into song. The next night just after the main course all of the wait staff disappeared and came down the winding staircase singing just that for the guests, with Francis putting his hand over his heart and singing to me . I know they get paid to do a job but Francis and Jonathan went out of their way to make sure that I had my tea instead of the usual coffee and when a few of us liked the look of something Stuart had ordered, they bought us another full round of that meal to try - as if we could fit it all in....
Tuesday was our day in Juneau,the capital of Alaska. we hadn't planed any sightseeing and just wandered around town til we found a cafe with free Internet and checked emails etc. that night we had booked into a mystery dinner instead our usual dining rom where a theatre performance was played out for the 58 guests. On entry we got complimentary champagne and canapés and it was a typical "host a murder party" with a group of actors playing the part. It was an Italian theme with a four course dinner and wine included. By the end of the main course we had to pick the murderer of "two ton Louie". Out of the 58 only 16 guessed of which I was one but I didn't win the prize.
We presented ourselves back at our regular dining room after the show where we were met with derision from the rest of our table but were served with more dessert and tea and coffee by our lovely table staff Francis and Jonathon.
Wednesday we found ourselves in Skagway where we again had 2 tours booked. The first one was a train trip through the White Pass and Yukon Route, which followed the trail of the gold diggers who rushed to find their fortune in the years between 1896 and 1898. The train meandered up the mountain between Skagway and just past the boarder of Canada to White Pass Summit.
She told us about life on the street in those days and about the biggest brothel in town in the day, The Red Onion Saloon and then took us there for a glass of bubbly before we got on our way back to the ship.
Wednesday night was a formal night again and we met up with our other table partners for another great meal. Next morning, we were up early as the ship pulled into Hubbard Glacier. It was a slow trip into it as there was a lot of for around and then it cleared and there it was in front of us. If ever I doubted the mightiness of the universe it was dispelled that morning.
The blue just isn't equal to the real thing. The translucency was unbeleivable
Thursday was the last day of the cruise with us debarking the ship early Friday morning in Seward where we will be going on a tour to another glacier on our way to Anchorage which was cheaper than catching the train.
After busing it for about an hour, we boarded the boat to travel out into the mouth of the Glacier. We saw some spectacular sights, some amazing animals and got a frostbitten nose.
The only seal we saw
Sea Otters frolicking in the frozen water
So cute, I thought he was looking at me...
We saw a lot or black and white killer whales but not very close.
On the way into Anchorage we caught a glimpse of a moose run across the road up ahead.
Saturday, we were picked up to be taken to some more glaciers but the highlight was we got to look at a lot of animals that we don't see in Australia, like elk, muskox, broken bear, moose and bison.
Stuart and I sitting amongst the Lupin flowers that grew prolifically around the sides of the road.
A brown bear that didn't want to stand up for us to get a good photo.
Elk top and bottom that were shedding their winter coats.
Reindeer looking for Santa
Bison
A porcupine
A moose that wasn't very co-operative
Sunday we head for Las Vegas.
Two of the people in the procession that went through our hotel the Palazzo in Las Vegas every afternoon.
More photos to follow. Boy have I had trouble getting photos and my story to meld into a blog but fortunately, an Aussie working at an Apple Store in Vancouver, knew exactly what to do. This last few weeks may be a little bit jumbled but we will all get the picture (pun) I am sure. Some may have seen photos on Facebook but for those who haven't and for those who want to see more - here they are (I hope).....
Shaking Pavoroti's hand
