Wednesday, 8.1.12, White Pass & Yukon

The train was fun and great sightseeing!

Edgar Serrano was out tour guide extraordinaire!

Border crossing into Fraser and the Yukon

We boarded a motor coach in Fraser after the train ride.  

Our big bear bus was so roomy and pleasant for the long rides.  The glass in the windows was perfect for taking pictures, thanks to Kodak.

Carcross roadside artwork

Bennett Lake and Carcross was a wonderful stop for pictures, treats and stretching the legs.

This bakery in Carcross had fantastic cookies with cashews and cranberries...sooooo yummy!

Just what my brother Brian would want as a gift!!!!

Did you know part of the Yukon is desert?  Check this out...

 Emerald Lake was fantastic!!!

Skagway, Tuesday 7.31.12

Skagway is at the end of the Lynn Canal (or fjord). Although it was intermittently raining, we did a lot of looking and shopping. I did a little gold mining of my own... at the Miner's Gem store.

Our first stop was the old cemetery to see Soapy Smith's grave.

In the 1890s, discovery of gold in streams flowing into the Klondike River in northwest Canada sparked one of the last of the great gold rushes. Jefferson “Soapy” Smith
was a native Georgian who went west and made his bad name in Denver and Creede, Colorado, before heading north at the start.

For a time, Skagway tolerated, and even lionized Soapy Smith. Then one of his gang robbed a returning miner of his sack of gold nuggets. The miner threatened to return to the mines, and tell everyone to avoid Skagway for their own safety. Now that the Smith gang was threatening the prosperity of the town, opinion turned against the crooks, and town leaders demanded that Smith return the sack of gold.

Soapy Smith tried to break up a meeting of the honest citizens of Skagway, but the town surveyor, who was standing guard outside the meeting, refused to back down. Both Smith and the surveyor died in the resulting gunfight. The remainder of the gang were rounded up and evicted from the town.

Check out the above video of the Lynn Canal...

Had to go to the Sarah Palin store...and the Bank of Alaska...

This is how they clear the rails of snow...

Lunch was some fantastic crab...and we learned to use scissors  thanks to a local who took pity on us.

Judy was not posing for her  totem...but she did look cute next to it.

We were so exhausted by the end of the day.  I fell asleep writing a postcard!!!  Bags ouot early for our trip to Whitehorse in the morning.

Juneau, Monday 7.30.12

Juneau was our first port...and of course it rained.  It didn't stop me going ziplining, though. Originally the site of the historic Treadwell Gold Mine, access to the Juneau site is via a fast jet boat ride from downtown.  The runs were fantastic.  Their pictures didn't work but a fellow traveler took some and promises to email them.  I will share when they get to me.  The ziplining included a 10 runs some 180 feet high and 1000 feet long.  The boat ride to Douglas Island was grand and Craig, our guide, who is part monkey I think, helped keep me from smashing into a tree a few times LOL.  There were two suspension bridges. A zipline tour (or as some call it “canopy tour”) is a unique adventure tour that involves being clipped into gear (consisting of a harness, lanyards, carabiners, and zip pulleys on heavy duty steel cables) and gliding from one tree-based platform to the next.The courses are the largest in Alaska, providing one with the longest ziplines, the most breathtaking sky bridges, 4 x 4 climbs up the mountains, a high speed jet boat ride to Douglas Island, rappels and 250 foot mountain slide! Check 'em out at http://www.alaskacanopy.com/images/brochures/RainforestCanopyZipline-Juneau.pdf

The rain the Juneau didn't keep Judy from finding a tour to St. Therese's shrine.

 Juneau was a rainy day...but it didn't stop the shopping and the bear was cute.

The library is nicely decorated. I don't remember it being there last time I was here.

The Indonesian crew show was a valiant effort.

Juneau, Monday 7.30.12

Juneau was our first port...and of course it rained.  It didn't stop me going ziplining, though. Originally the site of the historic Treadwell Gold Mine, access to the Juneau site is via a fast jet boat ride from downtown.  The runs were fantastic.  Their pictures didn't work but a fellow traveler took some and promises to email them.  I will share when they get to me.  The ziplining included a 10 runs some 180 feet high and 1000 feet long.  The boat ride to Douglas Island was grand and Craig, our guide, who is part monkey I think, helped keep me from smashing into a tree a few times LOL.  There were two suspension bridges. A zipline tour (or as some call it “canopy tour”) is a unique adventure tour that involves being clipped into gear (consisting of a harness, lanyards, carabiners, and zip pulleys on heavy duty steel cables) and gliding from one tree-based platform to the next.The courses are the largest in Alaska, providing one with the longest ziplines, the most breathtaking sky bridges, 4 x 4 climbs up the mountains, a high speed jet boat ride to Douglas Island, rappels and 250 foot mountain slide! Check 'em out at http://www.alaskacanopy.com/images/brochures/RainforestCanopyZipline-Juneau.pdf

The rain in Juneau didn't keep Judy from finding a tour to St. Therese's shrine.

 Juneau was a rainy day...but it didn't stop the shopping and the bear was cute. I bought a sleeveless fleece vest as I had chosen to nit bring my Columbia jacket liner.  Can we say, "Mistake!"

The library is nicely decorated. I don't remember it being there last time I was here.

The Indonesian crew show was a valiant effort that night.

Sunday

SUNDAY 7.29.12

Morning breakfast was in the Vista Dining Room and service was very poor this morning. Judy and I made journals in the craft gathering. The time was only 30 minutes but the kit was free. 

It was fun but the time was too short. I went to the 10:30 meeting from HAL about our tour. We tried the dining room again for lunch. I had the fried soft shell crabs. Service was still not up to snuff. The dessert was a seedless watermelon pie.

 It was raspberry sherbet with lime sherbet and the seeds were chocolate and the crust was Oreo-type crumbs. We went to the Cruise Critic gathering and met some enjoyable folks. They were not set up for us in the Crow’s Nest but they did a fine job of punting despite us having to compete with the Cruise Director’s Trivia Contest. We had coffee and cookies. We left there to go to the galley tour they arranged for us.  He is making crab meat towers.

This was followed by High Tea. 

We had selected early dinner, which I would rethink if going to tea.  LOL.    Formal night we had a lovely dinner with great service by Harry, our server.  Harry made up for the previous service in the Vista Dining Room.  I had the lamb and it was fantastic.  The chocolate decadence was a dessert hit, too.  The show was the Zuiderdam singers and dancers and excellent with great music.  I loved when they sang “If I Could Turn Back Time” and thought of Colleen singing it in the Calumet Theater.  Clocks go back tonight for an extra hour of sleep!!

Friday, 7.27.12 Big Bus

We started the day on the Big Bus tour which also included the pink busses for $37 for a two day pass senior fare. 

We enjoyed the tour and got to the Granville Island stop after Stanley Park. 

First off, we were hungry and Judy opted for the apple cinnamon crepe.  It was fun watching it be made.

The flowers were amazing.

 There is  a great children's park and kids market with every kind of kids toy.

The tug boat was a favorite with the kids.

The Colosseum-like library was interesting.

Chinatown is the second largest outside of China, however the largest population of Chinese outside of China live in Vancouver.  There is your next Trivial Pursuit prize winning answer! .

The steam clock is powered by steam that runs through the city buildings and streets.

The five sails of Canada Place are an amazing landmark of the harbor.

We stopped at the RCMP "Mountie" shop and I got my new patch for my jacket.

We went to the Imperial Palace for dinner, a short two block walk.  Judy had abalone and chicken fried rice and I had crab and corn soup and a spring roll.  Judy said she hadn't had abalone in ages so it was fun.  The bell staff and concierge have been most helpful. 

We will board the ship about noon today and may have limited email and blogging access, but I will catch up  when we do.  Hope you are enjoying our trip.

Canada Line

 On leaving the airport we took a shuttle to the Marriott airport.  This is the horticultured wall at the Canada Line terminal.  The fare was $8.75 to Waterfront Station, the end of the line.  Credit cards accepted.  The train was clean and bright and swift. 

When we got to the station I found a bank cash machine and got some Canadian money to use. I love the aarchitecture of the old train stations. 

We walked the block to our hotel and along the way we found the stone soldier.  The have many of them around town decorated by local artists that are later actioned off  to raise money for local charities.  This is the first one we saw.

ZUIDERDAM entering Vancouver harbor

The Zuiderdam entering Vancouver harbor

I will post later regarding our fanastic Friday.  We got up this morning and saw the Holland America Zuiderdam entering Vancouver harbor.  To our delight, she docked right outside our harborview window at the Fairmont Waterfront, Room 1703.  We are up and packed and went to breakfast.  I had a crab, shrimp and avocado omelette in Herons, the hotel restauraant, and it was spectacular.  It should be about 70 degrees today by 2pm.  We sail at 4pm.  We arranged with the bell captain to get our luggage at 10am and take it directly to the ship. The cost was whatever we tipped the bellman.  Very convenient! We are off to see the War of 1812 exhibit at Canada Place, Canadian Trail.  Judy is the historian of the trip and she is amazing in the stories she tells.  I am so blessed to have this time with her. 

Great Greek...and Judy, too!

Tonight we had dinner at Monterey Greek Taverna. Judy and I dined on fine Greek homemade food including lamb souvlaki and spanikopita and wonderful home-made pitas. This restaurant was right down the street from the Vancouver Airport Marriott.  Highly recommend the food and the host was great, too!

Meet my friend Judy from Corvallis, Oregon.  We have been friends since 1975 when she first helped me get certified as a La Leche League leader in Upper Michigan.  Tonight's dinner was a gift from Aunt Gene's Memorial oil fund! If I haven't told you about that, I will on my return...Time to hit the hay after a long day.  Nite!

Vancouver Airport

Safely landed in Vancouver.  The scenery from the air was magnificent over Glacier National Park.  The lines at customs were reallllllllllly long.  Delta's agent Kelly saved me and got me to the hotel shuttles.  This is a view of the walkway towards customs.  Judy arrived about the same time but we missed each other.  She said it was because I came on a jet and she came on a prop plane.  We didn't know they still made them!  Got settled into the Airport Marriott and had lunch. The fire drill was NOT amusing and very loud, but we didn't have to evacuate.  Time to catch up!

Dogsledding in Juneau

This is me dog sledding on the glacier in Juneau on my first trip to Alaska seven years ago.  I'm all packed and ready to go... only 43 pounds in the suitcase...and it only took 2 hours to pack!!!  Who would believe it!.

Alaska Dream Vacation with Holland America

 This is the start of my FAMtastic Holland America Cruise Tour to Alaska and Denali National Park.  I will write more tomorrow and you can follow my trip and adventures each day.  I promise to have a great trip and post great pictures.  Peg