Train to Danali

Mount Whitney or Denali: A little cloud covered today.

Lindonberries

MONDAY - The train ride to Danali was really long. 9 hours long. It was enjoyable, beautiful, educational & long. Here's the Cooks.

TUESDAY - Nature tour in Danali. Did you know the difference between a glacial river bed and a water river bed? Apparently the glacial is flat, and the river bed 'V' shaped.

The Naturalist had all sorts of interesting facts to share, like: Bears that feed on blueberries all season have sweeter fat. The natives like to render down the bear fat to use for cooking, since the berries make the fat sweet.

Here is Annie Quigleys recipe for Blueberry pie: (Annie Quigley was a hard working woman who ran away when young, worked in the mines, built her own cabin, etc)
Recipe: First you pick 5 gallons of blueberries, skin a bear, render the fat, bake 50 pie shells, freeze in permafrost. When company comes pie is topped, I guess the berries are put into to shell, just before eating. So, there you have it. Not quite the same as Betty Crocker...

Traveled to Telkeetna: A very small town which seemed to be a drop off point for hikers. We looked at the few shops that were there, ate, and went back to the lodge.

Bus ride to Anchorage. Our bus driver was the wife of a driver we had a few days ago. A good summer job for couples who enjoy being tour guides, I guess. They quit their regular jobs several years ago to do this, love it but don't make much money at it.
The scenery was very beautiful.
In anchorage we stayed at the Doubletree Hotel. Very Nice. This was sponsored by the cruise line. We each got a chocolate chip cookie to die for! Nice, very Nice! (They are $1.25 each or you can order a tin at doubletreecookies.com the first ingredient is chocolate chips even before flour. ) The room was large and beautiful as well. Our room had two queen size beds with a small square pillow that said 'sweet dreams' embroidered on it
We slept in. Saturday was Seattle Day since I have never been to Seattle.

Sunday at Sea

It's a beautiful, clear, cool day today. Breakfast at the buffet was the same as always for me: A little scrambled egg, bacon or piece of link sausage, OJ, grapefruit, and today I tried a piece of breakfast bread.

After breakfast we attended a culinary demonstration with a humorous twist, and heard music selections from the head waiters. We sat on the front row and cheered for Hector our head waiter. Next was the tour of the galley where all the meals are prepared. There is an elevator inside the galley to maneuver to the other floors dining rooms. I am pleased to see teaching going on. There were photos of the different menus so those preparing each item on the menu could build the presentation as intended by the chef. Serving and preparations are done by people from many countries. There is a sign that tells staff that 'English only' is to be spoken in passenger areas. Nice concept.

All the staff we spoke to spoke English well. They all said that they learned English on board ship. There are classes, but they are during the free time, which isn't often. They help each other. The one cute girl we had one night gave us the menu selections she could say, remember or liked. I was hoping for something other than what she let me choose. But, all was good.

We had a little Sacrament meeting in Cooks room for our church today.
Mel blessed the bread, Joe blessed the water - each couple had a glass to share - Ron gave a talk, wae sang 'High on a Mountain Top' for opening and I sang the closing song: 'I Believe in Christ', a difficult task while touched and tearing up. Diana gave the opening prayer and Connie gave the closing prayer.
Ron's message was good. He talked about Farewell talks from the prophets and read a small account from Joseph Smith, which was written 3 years after his death, but revealed to Brigham Young. Joseph Smith was permitted to share his parting words to 'always keep the spirit of the Lord'.
Joe Buresh talked about complaciency - and how living as we should is an example to those around us, for good. He used himself as an example, when he joined the church his buddies at his work would say, 'Oh, Joe doesn't drink, and things like that at dinners, very aware that Joe was living a higher law now.

While we were resting before the next eating, I checked the noise outside to see a boat from the nearby town of 'Valdez' Alaska, drop off a 'pilot' to get our ship through this channel.

We saw otters sitting and playing on little chunks of ice (little chunks of glacier are called: growlers), looked at College Fjord, and beautiful surroundings.

We changed our dinner time to 8:30pm so we could see the College Fjord. It's interesting how things turn out. As we finished our dinner time and were among the last diners, we visited our waiter Krisztian B... We thanked him, gave him our tip envelope... He asked if we were, 'Mormons' or something in his hesitant and broken English. Mel happened to have a Book of Mormon' which he brought because he couldn't find his. (We talked about that a little later, You know how many church books, especially scriptures that we have, and he couldn't find his. So, he brought one of the generic ones that we use to give away.) Hummm. We all wrote a little note in the front and the men brought it back to the dining room for Krisztian. He was still there waiting for them. I don't know if we will ever know the ending of how this turns out, but certainly he hand of the Lord was at work. A good thing for a Sunday! A good day!

Our bags are packed and as soon as we put them on the hall, they were picked up and loaded on trucks to go to our next destination which for us is - Denali.

Glacier Bay

This morning I woke up early, feeling good. We ate breakfast at the buffet and watched glaciers from the balcony of our room, and the others rooms, and the deck of the ship. The bay is mirror smooth and the rock cliffs on each side quite steep. The snow packed glaciers look the same as the rocks except for the color, of course. The white of the glaciers is bluish. The fisures are vertical like the rock surrounding the glaciers but the glacier is leaning against itself this way and that. Some of the under layers are black and some portions of the actual glacier especially the edges are blackened, supposedly from avalanches and storms. Some of the ice toward the front side of the glacier looks like smooth agate with blackened lines through it.

We watched a whale playing. It was far off. Cold today. 41 degrees.

All day long we have looked at beautiful scenery and animal life. Even the mountains out in the open sea have glaciers. The 'Fairweather Range' that we passed at 8pm in full daylight is beautifully covered from top to bottom in glacial snow. It is very rugged and impressive beyond belief. The open sea is choppy now, the ship is swaying a little.

I brought our two loads of laundry down to the laundry room and there were Connie and Diana waiting their turn as well. Each person shares what they have learned about the washers and dryers, and that you can use a half bottle of the ships shampoo instead of laundry soap, share dryer sheets, etc. There seems to be a very nice group of people on board that we have met so far.

We plan to eat dinner at 9pm. It is still daylight until at least 9:30 as we cut straight across The 'Gulf of Alaska'. It is dress up night again and the menu is Lobster, Beef Wellington and pheasant. We were of the last three tables to leave the dining room. Our waiter Kristzian had to leave before we did because he had a staff dance contest or something. We went back to our rooms and directly to bed. Lots more sailing, and tomorrow is Sunday.

More Skagway 5/15

Here's the RR snowplow...

So, from the Railroad visitor center, the men went to eat and the ladies went to look in shops. I must say that Skagway was much neater and quaint compaired to the rundown but repaired towns of Ketchican and Juneau. (Interesting that Juneau is the capital.) I am sure that the rest of Juneau would be nice since it is the capital but the port was there for tourists and the only access to the city and the part of the town that we saw had been the old mining town and shippers part of town. Maybe that is all. It wasn't new, big, nice or like a capital I would expect to see. Locals from Juneau go to Seattle or other US cities to shop.

The shops that the ladies found were: The Loom, which is woven goods like slippers, pursed, & rugs with a very high price tag. Nice, if you like that sort of thing, but expensive. Next shop of note was a knit wear shop featuring musk wool & silk yarns. Wow! I have never felt anything so soft in my entire life. The knitwear here was so soft you could hardly feel it. A small spool of yarn, enough to knit a scarf was about $90. A sweater cost $300. Unique.

We know there are a couple of fabric shops nearby, so - the three of us loving this sort of thing located our spot and zoomed right in. We stopped at the uarn shop first. It had quilts, caribou thimnbles, patterns, cards, fabrics and kits of Barbara LaVallee. I have notices cards and other items in the other shops and I like her style. Sh is an Alaskan painter of happy subjects, mostly people and what they do. She paints whimsical styled characters dressed in vibrant colors. I was attracted to one picture of ladies choosing fabric. That same print was on a fabric panel and made into a quilt on display in this first fabric store. Way cute.

The second shop was the real fabric shop. I couldn't have been more pleased. The best of all worlds came to be. Not only was there fabric, but locally themed fabric. Then the men came in. Oh, dear. Men usually complain about buying fabric, having too much fabric, etc. Oh, dear.
Ron kept finding neat things he liked. So, I bought a set of six 8x8 totemic blocks for a quilt of some sort, and a kit of a striking red and black design called 'Ravens Tale' (65" square). Two Haida patterns and did I mention the large warm chocolate chip cookie from the shop next door. Wonderful day!!!

The men left us and went to Dyea, to the cemetery. They returned with an old bearded guy from our ship that the tour bus just dropped off and left there at the cemetery. He was walking back and out guys gave him a lift. He was about 70. (We met him and his lady friend at dinner later and learned more about them. While they just looked like locals, this was their 'dream trip' just like everyone else. I was not good that the tour bus dropped him off and left him there.

I ate rack of lamb at the 'Bordeaux dining room' tonight for the first time since the 'vomit' incident. All went well and the dinner was wonderful. The girls ate earlier, I wrote in my journal, so ate late with the men. They all had King Crab. It has been a lovely day, although 35
degrees.

The waiters contest show is tonight at 10:15pm. Hector, the head waiter from the Bordeaux Dining room was by far the best. Other acts were things like a good looking girl bringing out a large paper bag and asking the MC to step inside. Once he did he asked what to do next, her reply being something like, 'Just as I thought, once I got you in the sack you wouldn't know what to do next.'

Skagway

This morning we got up early, watched the ship pull into the dock at Skagway, ate breakfast, and Ron went out to get the rental car from 'Sourdough Rentals'. Today is an adventure into the Canadian Yukon Territory.

I feel much better today. I ate breakfast twice, so that is a good sign.

Our first goal of the day is to go up into the mountains, across the Canadian border to 'Emerald Lake' . It's like driving the winding roads up the mountains toward Park City or a ski resort in Utah. The side of the road is dry dirt & rock mixed with packed snow. It is May. At the start of our drive we could see the train track across the ravine. That is where the tourists pay $109. one way to go only part way up the mountain. ( We pain $125. for all 6 of us to go twice as far). The mountains are very jagged and high. In several places we could the stunted trees had been covered with snowpack most of the year, or had shallow root systems.

A tiny visitor center in Carcross, short for Caribou crossing, was open. it was freshly painted, and very clean and nice inside. It looked like it was part Visitor Center, part post office, and part museum/eating area. Across the street was a general store/gift shop/antique shop. They sold beautiful fur jackets, walking stick tags, t-shirts, candy and chips. There was and old mini train they were getting ready for tourist season, but since May = January, tourist season has a while to wait. We donated $1 to get a Yukon Territory passport stamp. The border guards don't do 'cute' stamps. They are hired to be serious. Both directions they asked us if we were carrying anything we souldn't and if we bought anything. (Not that there was much to buy out there in the middle of nowhere.

Emerald Lake was amazingly green. The color comes from little things that feed off the limestone under the water. It is a blue-green of varing degrees depending on the depth of the water. Very beautiful.

We passed the 'worlds smallest desert'.

Mendenhall Glacier

Today is Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska, day.

After a small breakfast, well, small for me, we caught a city bus to the glacier. $7 each way.

The bus driver was an old bearded guy who called himself a 'paid tourist'. He talked non stop the entire ride, interesting of what you could understand. He sounded drunk but seemed to know the area and what he was talking about.

At the glacier we walked, looked, called the family at home, hiked out to the waterfall and glacier, visited the visitor center, and saw a bear.

The visitor center, built in 1960, sits on where the glacier used to be. There is a lot of snow, and the water is slushy. It is probably colder since it is a misty rainy day. Connie, Diana, and Mel went back to the ship. Joe, Ron and I walked out to the waterfall and as close to the glacier as possible. We had to walk way around where the Arctic Turns were nesting. (They nest on the ground and tend to be agressively protective of their nests.)

By walking closer to the glacier we could see a waterfall coming out from under the glacier that we couldn't see from the visitor center. The rocks were obviously smoothed by glaciers of the past. It was pleasantly interesting.

As we waited for the bus, a black bear romped across the road in front of where we sat. Joe & Ron jumped up, cameras in hand, and followed at a safe distance.

The 13th just wasn't a good day...

By dinner I wasn't really hungry and felt really cold and shaky. We went to dinner, all 6 of us, nothing looked good. I ordered something, took tiny tastes, shared with Ron, the smell of Ron's fish soup was gross, my stomach churned and yes, I threw up on the table.

It came up easily, I made no sounds, everyone was surprised, Ron gave me his sweatshirt, and as the others scurried to gather napkins and help with the mess, Ron & I left the dining room.

The staff handled to mishap very professionally, cordoned off the table, got the hasmat suits out and the caution tape wrapped around the table.

I felt much better after 'the incident', but didn't eat much for the next two days.

Totem Bight

Inside the clan house Lynn shows her stuff...

Lynn exiting clanhouse, and
Lynn being protected by Totem Eagle.
You have to figure out which caption goes with what picture.

Ketchikan 5-13-09

I set the alarm for 5 so we could eat and leave for shore by 6:30am but woke up at 4AM. This day turned out to be very interesting for ME.

It was light by 4AM. A gray morning, interesting to watch the approach to land and the docking process. the morning mist is rising between each rise and visible snow on the mountains in the distance. The town of Ketchikan is a small coastline town. I see many wooden houses on stilts along the shore and climbing the hillside near the dock.

We were able to leave the ship by 6:30AM in a light mist. From the map they give us there is no telling how far away things really are. It turned out that everything is quite near. The girl group checked out the stores recommended by the shopping show we went to yesterday. Most of the jewlery stores were open, doors open on a cold morning to be more welcoming, employees standing at attention, dressed nicely and ready to pounce on the tourist with pockets full of money. We collected our free charm at the two stores mentioned, that was all! There were other stores with native handmade things in the jewlery craft line. I bought some Alaska name tags for Ron and Lynn and some note cards. Wow!

Down Creek Street (The old 'Red Light District' ) there were lots of little shops. It was now raining hard. Here we met the boys and changed routes. Along this street I sampled some dip mix on a cracker that made me sick later. Ron and I went to 'Totem Bight' where the totem poles are. The city bus comes every hour. We were almost to the bus stop and a bus had just arrived. Since there was a chance to catch the bus this round, I ran to stop it. I reached the bus, knocked on the bus door and fell to the ground in front of the bus. I driver stopped, asked if I was OK, Ron arrived, we got on the bus - the driver didn't charge us the $1 fare and we rode to 'Totem Bight' . We sat at the back of the bus. I looked at my knee and it was bleeding. My pants didn't rip, but the knee was bleeding.

Totem Bight was and interesting place. We joined a tour group from Holland America. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. The woods surrounding the totem area looks like Muir Woods with dense tree and underbursh areas. Several of the trees had rotted off and newer trees were growing off the stump. I bought a refridgerator magnet and some post cards. I wanted a book about the Indian totem designs but it was costly so didn't. I wished for it the rest of the trip and didn't see it again until Seattle. I got it there.

Day 2 - 5-12 At Sea

I awoke at 5am which is 6 Utah time. The room is warm and pleasant, the mattress is fairly firm but the pillows are soft and there is a down comforter between me and the bedspread. Cozy. The sun is bright at 6:30 and the ship is moving right along. It is very calm as I watch the land pass. It's like we are on a lake. I want to get the book called 'Alaskan Cruise Companion' that follows where we are each day...

Todays classes are:

PORT SHOPPING

COMPLEMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY SEMINAR

SCRAPBOOKING @ SEA

All classes are at the same time so I could only choose one. I chose the shopping show thinking that they had something to offer, of what to look for. Well, actually they did talk about what to look for... DIAMONDS. Yes, what everyone wants on a ship and nature tour to Alaska. Oh, I have learned that is how the Ship sponsored companies make money. I can't believe all those people go shopping first port they find and buy jewelery. It was an experience that one needs to have, but I wasn't impressed or interested in that sort of promotion. Connie and Diana weren't either.

We are tired today. Lunch was in the Bordeaux Room, the fancy dining room, and there we met our favorite server Kristian from Hungary. He has a cute personality and served us well. For example, Diana got a soda pass and asked for 6 sodas. he brought one for each of us and made sure everyone was happy and well fed. We made a point to request Kristian for dinner. Dinnner is when we met the head waiter, Hector from Alcapolco, Mexico. Mel or Ron asked him something that led him to singing then telling us about the contest between dining rooms on Friday. (with fabulous prizes for his crew). Later on that...

After lunch everyone went to a movie; 'Mall Cop'. I read from my book 'Alaskan Cruise Companion' and attended a short class on reflexology. As I waited and read, there was a trivia game going on across the way. The couple near me, and me as well would utter the answers to some of the questions. We were happy to get some of the answers as we did what we were doing and entertained ourselves.

DRESS UP NIGHT:

Ron wore a suit and I wore a black dress with pearls around my neck. I adorned my shoulders with a white croched shawl. We were stunning. Our dinner was surpurb. Most of us had the Filet Mignon. Ron and Mel had Halibut.

It has been an enjoyable day at sea, relaxing, exploring and eating. We will set the clock back and hour and prepare to awake early for docking in Ketchidan in the morning 6:30am to 1:30pm.

Ketchikan is known as the Salmon capital of the world or locally as the rain capitol. (162" annual precipitation). It has a higher concentration of native Alaskan people than any other city.

More of the first day...

We found our room Aloha 533. It was about 10' by 13' in the bed area and about 6' from the front door to the bed area. There is a closet and compact bathroom, and a starboard balcony - essential for a trip to Alaska. Bureshes and Cooks are next to each other so they can join each other from their balcony, we are a few cabins down the hall.

After the safety drill we ate at the 24 hour cafe. The tuna sandwiches I brought and the fruit that wasn't taken at the Canadian border, and the lovely little decorated strawberries weren't enough to last all day.

After eating we explored and listened to the loudspeaker tell us about the area and where we were going. The sun was out, the wind blowing a little, the scenery was very beautiful. We are off the a wonderful adventure, but ready for bed by 9:30pm.

Cruising Alaska:

5-11-09
I'm starting this journal of our Alaskan Cruise at the airport. After packing last night and this morning, and wearing a turtle neck, sweater and coat to the airport, I'm tired and and over heated. It's Mid May. It feels good to sit and rest as we wait for our flight to Seattle to leave. I ate Cherrios for breakfast but feel a little hungry. I will feel better after I find a large warm chocolate chip cookie, I am sure. (I weighed 119.6 this morning before my shower, 123.5 last night, dressed, as I prepared to hold a suitcase on the scale to see how much it weighed. Ron's suitcase is heavy so we had to adjust to be under the 50 pound maximum weight.) Time to line up...

How exciting to meet up with Cooks & Bureshs in Boise. The plane stopped there. Mel boarded with the first group, with a cane. We saved seats together until the girls boarded.
We have planned for this trip for months and months and now it is finally happening.

In Seattle we waited for our bus to take us to Vancouver, British Columbia. There are birds in the airport and a note stuck to each table saying $100.00 fine for feeding the birds.

The bus driver called the bus a 'coach', the ride of which took several hours. I didn't realize it was so far away. They estimate 4 hours which was pretty close. Looking around the 'coach' I notice there is one young couple. Only one. Most of the group is 'mature'.

At the Canadian border I filled out a customs declaration noting I had apples, oranges, & bananas and a tuna sandwich. (Let me tell you, it was good to have food with us!) Except the customs officer came on board the 'coach' and called out our name. Cunliffe, and another couple had to give up the apples, including the apple core already eaten. I gave the officer a plastic bag to carry the used stuff in. Ron thought he was being a 'jerk', anyway, the bag was useful for trash.

Vancouver was nice. Houses along our route were separate and neat, although not in the best of neighborhoods. I suppose it helps to have the greenery and beautiful flowers all around to improve the view. Azaleas and bright pinks and reds adorned the way as well as some very bright yellow flowering bushes. There were lots of Asian populations along the route. Along the hillsides against the waterways , homes & tall buildings were neatly lined up in rows, it seemed.

Before boarding the ship in Vancouver we had to go back through customs again and declare that we weren't sick. The ship is huge, the walkways neat and pleasant to view. I was amused to note that the luggage was hoisted to the ship in a 10-12 foot cage.

Finally on the ship:
We find our room...