Panning for gold in the Skagway Miner's Camp
View from the White Pass Railroad
Flowers in a window box in Skagway
Monday, August 13, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Day 225: Juneau whale watching
I am resuming my blog with my favorite day from the entire cruise vacation. It's going to take a week to edit all the photos and write all the entries. Fortunately, I did keep my usual trip log, so it will help me recall most of what we did each day.
When we sailed into the port of Juneau, heavy fog hung over the dock and encircled the surrounding peaks. We boarded a bus with our driver 'Bama and he transported us to the bay where we climbed onto a two story catamaran. The captain skillfully steered us to a passage teeming with humpback whales! People dashed from one side of the deck to the other every time someone shouted out a new sighting. But the most thrilling moment was when one brave whale swam directly off the stern of the boat. We could feel the spray and see the whale's eye, blow hole, back and tail as it slipped by us and plunged back into the icy water.
Regulations limit the amount of time that the tour boats can stay in a whale feeding area because they don't want disrupt their natural patterns. The boat moved on and in the distance, the clouds hung low over the bay and in the distance, mountains rose above the clouds.
On a nearby island, a colony of sea lions relaxed on the beach.
Back on the bus, we drove to see the massive Mendenhall Glacier in Tongass National Park. In a stream nearby, the salmon were running and a bear family splashed about in their quest for a meal. Overhead, a bald eagle perched in a treetop and surveyed the scene. One of the forest rangers said they are scavengers as well as predators.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Day 224: Cruising
The ship cruised north all day in a chilly mist. We spent the day walking the decks, visiting, eating fabulous meals, and we enjoyed an evening performance by a terrific comedian.
Our first formal dinner with Amy, her dad Jerry and her daughter Megan. The photo isn't good at all, but it's too precious to delete.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Day 222: Seattle
Such a fantastic day! We got up at 4:00 am EST and were landing in Seattle by 3:00 pm Pacific time. Seattle has an excellent public transportation system and we always like to use it in new cities we visit. From the airport we took the light rail to Pioneer Square and walked a few blocks to the hotel.
Pioneer square is the old part of the city that burned in 1889. When city fathers planned the reconstruction, they determined that all new construction be brick or stone and that they would raise the level of the streets to prevent the constant flooding. In the 1960s, a local businessman decided to start the process of developing the area and creating tours of the underground ruins. When we come back next summer, we will definitely try the tour.
After lunch at a delightful deli, we took, the light rail north to the monorail station which transported us to Seattle's famous Space Needle. It offered 360 degree views of the city and beyond to the dramatic Mount Ranier . The mountain rises above the clouds and provides a dramatic backdrop for the city. If the volcano erupted, it would wipe out all of Seattle because it is surrounded by glacier that would melt and create tons of molten mud, ash and lava.
I couldn't go on any longer so we had a short nap before dinner at a wonderful Cajun restaurant that had a live jazz band playing. The musicians ranged from 60 to 80 years old and they were amazing! Steve tried a seafood gumbo that was labeled mild,but he found it very spicy, but delicious. I had a drink called the black eyed Susan and the barbecued chicken meal. Our salads were mixed greens with a very peppery dressing. Hush puppies and zucchini accompanied the meal and it was excellent.
It's been a long full day, but it wouldn't be complete with watching women's platform diving and the finals in soccer. The women are doing handstands on the edge of the high platform and then push off. How terrifying!
Pioneer square is the old part of the city that burned in 1889. When city fathers planned the reconstruction, they determined that all new construction be brick or stone and that they would raise the level of the streets to prevent the constant flooding. In the 1960s, a local businessman decided to start the process of developing the area and creating tours of the underground ruins. When we come back next summer, we will definitely try the tour.
After lunch at a delightful deli, we took, the light rail north to the monorail station which transported us to Seattle's famous Space Needle. It offered 360 degree views of the city and beyond to the dramatic Mount Ranier . The mountain rises above the clouds and provides a dramatic backdrop for the city. If the volcano erupted, it would wipe out all of Seattle because it is surrounded by glacier that would melt and create tons of molten mud, ash and lava.
I couldn't go on any longer so we had a short nap before dinner at a wonderful Cajun restaurant that had a live jazz band playing. The musicians ranged from 60 to 80 years old and they were amazing! Steve tried a seafood gumbo that was labeled mild,but he found it very spicy, but delicious. I had a drink called the black eyed Susan and the barbecued chicken meal. Our salads were mixed greens with a very peppery dressing. Hush puppies and zucchini accompanied the meal and it was excellent.
It's been a long full day, but it wouldn't be complete with watching women's platform diving and the finals in soccer. The women are doing handstands on the edge of the high platform and then push off. How terrifying!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Day 221: Ready to go!
We are all packed, the car is loaded and we are ready to go. The millions of details to take care of a house, cats and yard, are finished, I hope.
Misty Mae Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings won Gold in beach volleyball in their third Olympics! Amazing achievement! I love their enthusiasm and dedication to each other. After each match, they are so gracious and kind in sharing credit with all the people behind them.
Postings will be sporadic for the next week, but I will make up the entries when we return.
Misty Mae Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings won Gold in beach volleyball in their third Olympics! Amazing achievement! I love their enthusiasm and dedication to each other. After each match, they are so gracious and kind in sharing credit with all the people behind them.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Day 220: Packing!
We were crazy busy today getting ready to depart for Seattle and then Alaska on Thursday am, but we still managed to watch some of the Olympic events and I swam a mile.
Annie came over and showed me her new clothes for college. It was a real treat since my sons never got excited about new clothes. In fact, it was a massive struggle whenever they had to try on an item. Even getting them to brush their hair and teeth was a battle.
Annie came over and showed me her new clothes for college. It was a real treat since my sons never got excited about new clothes. In fact, it was a massive struggle whenever they had to try on an item. Even getting them to brush their hair and teeth was a battle.
Beach Volleyball
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