With this as our medium, we hope to showcase a little something about our lives together, to share with you some of the things that we both enjoy doing (and eating!) and hopefully inspire you to enjoy life like we do.
Life is a big wonderful trip where the end is never in sight. So let us all enjoy how exciting it is, how delicious and how challenging it can sometimes be.
Take out your traveling shoes and let’s go while we’re young!
Onboard the QuickCoach we filled our customs forms and then watched the city of Victoria, BC quickly slip by. We were soon at the US border for a 10 minute pit stop at Customs. We were then back on the bus and entering The Evergreen State. By the way, I never knew Washington was known as that until Hazel drew my attention to the slogan on the Washington license plates.
The Best Doughnuts Are Made Here
About twenty minutes later we arrived at the Bellingham, WA airport where we picked up our rental car. Cruising southbound in our Cruze (appropriate model name for this trip) we came up on the downtown area of Bellingham. We took a break and toured the area, stopping in some cool stores like Digs and Greenhouse. We also had some fantastic doughnuts from Rocket Doughnuts. I chose the Piña Colada and Hazel went with a custard-filled Bismarck.
Departing Bellingham, we turned onto Chuckanut Drive. According to several Internet travel sites, this is one of the most scenic drives in the state of Washington. It did not disappoint, but dueto the curvy road it was hard for me to personally enjoy the views without leaving the roadway.
A few more miles, twists, turns, and exits brought us to Willows Lodge where we would be staying for the next three nights. We checked into our “nicest” room on the first floor and took a few minutes to relax.
The Lobby Of Willows Lodge
Our Room At Willows Lodge
For dinner we went to The Crab Pot in Bellevue. I ordered halibut filets and fries. Hazel ordered “The Cove” which was a combination clams, mussels, shrimp, corn on the cob, and potatoes dumped out on the butcher-paper covered table.
After dinner we walked a few miles along the Sammamish River which is adjacent to the Willows Lodge. We stopped to watch a local Babe Ruth baseball game that was in progress. After about 30 minutes, we called it a night and retired for the night.
Saturday marked the last full day of cruising. As it was an at-sea day we slept in. After attending a meeting about disembarkation procedures, we enjoyed the sunshine on the Lido Deck. We tried our hand at a golf chipping contest over the Lido pool. I did terrible with most of my golf balls ending up in the pool. Hazel did a bit better and least one a consolation prize of a Holland America pin. We then played a game of chess with one of those gigantic two foot tall chess sets, Again, Hazel did better than I.
In the afternoon we attended the On Deck For A Cure walk to support breast cancer research. This involved 13 laps (a total of over 5km) around the outer ship deck. This might not sound like much, but it helped walk off maybe one buffet trip’s worth of calories.
Alaska In The Rearview
After dinner on our last evening aboard, we attended a variety show that included acts from most of the people that had performed in the Showroom At Sea during the cruise. We closed out the night with games of Scattergories and Name that Tune in the Crow’s nest. Before going to sleep, we had to roll our checked bags out for pickup over night. In the morning we had breakfast and then disembarked from the ship for a final time at 8:45am.
We made our way through Canadian customs and to our awaiting motorcoach that would carry us to Seattle. This was the end of our much anticipated cruisetour. Luckily we still had three more days of vacationing in Seattle before we had to get back to the real world.
On Friday we arrived in the town of Ketchikan, AK.
Since we had plenty of free time before our scheduled excursion for the day, We grabbed the $1 city shuttle and rode about ten miles North to Totem Bight State Park. This park, started in the 1930s, contains 14 restored–or replicated by natives–Tlingit and Haida totem polls. There is also a 1930s-era replica of a clan house. Admission was free, and we spent just under an hour exploring the park.
Totem Bight State Park, Ketchikan, AK
We grabbed the shuttle back to our ship where we dropped off some souvenirs we had purchased. We had a quick lunch at the Terrace Grill which is a “burger and fries” place near the Lido pool.
As Seen On TV, The Aleutian Ballad
We then headed back off the boat to experience the number one rated shore excursion in Alaska, the Bering Sea Crab Fisheman’s Tour. We boarded the Aleutian Ballad, a boat that was feature on the popular TV show, Deadliest Catch. The ship was hit by a monster wave during the second season of the show, and was retired from crabbing. It was completely overhauled to become a handicap accessible tour ship, with passengers being seated where crab pots would normally be stacked a couple of stories high.
We cruised out as we listened to the crew–David, Terry, and Derrick–share stories of how they got started, how fishing is regulated in Alaska, what it’s like to be a crab fisherman, and what it’s like to be a crab. They pulled up pots, lines, and traps of golden crabs, dungeness crabs, rockfish, and octopus. They also pulled up box crabs, shrimp, and starfish—which we were allowed to hold.
A Golden Crab
A Shrimp
The visual highlight of the trip actually had nothing to do with crabs. Midway through the trip the guys threw bait fish over board and dozens of bald eagles came soaring in for dinner. It was amazing to these regal birds soaring just a few feet over our heads.
America, Up Close
As we ran out of time, the boat headed back to Ketchikan. The guys shared more heartfelt stories of why they run this tour, at times making nearly all the passengers get a little misty eyed. They then gladly posed for photos with anyone who wanted one. The guys are down to earth, blue-collar, hard-working folks. They don’t try to upsell you and try to get you to buy souvenirs or charge for photos. They seem to truly love what they do and want to share it with the world. It was the best part of the cruise portion of the trip.
This was the second formal night of the cruise. We ate dinner in the main dining room. Later that evening we attended the dessert extravaganza, a spectacle of all you can eat desserts. I am not exactly sure that is a wise idea to have at 11:00pm at night.
After a fun day in Ketchikan, we went to bed exhausted, right after desserts.
Early on Thursday morning we found ourselves docked in Alaska’s landlocked capitol city. It was cold and raining as we left the ship.
We wanted to go to the Glacier Gardens so we found a city bus that would take us there. We should have known better. The city bus was full of interesting folks. Recently sober job seekers, non-stop talkers, Jesus is my Lord and savior proclaimers, people who hadn’t bathed in weeks and more. The ride to the gardens took forever.
Juneau’s Glacier Gardens
When we first arrived at the gardens it looked promising as there were many colorful blooms visible before the admission payment desk. After paying our admission we were taken to a golf cart tram for our tour through the gardens. After just a few minutes the flowers disappeared and we found ourselves simply climbing through the Tongass National Forest. Sure, it was beautiful but not what we were planning to see. The tour lasted less than an hour. We then had to wait nearly as long to board a repeat performance of the City Bus Follies.
Mt. Roberts Tramway
When we finally arrived downtown we found half of our time in Juneau had already passed. We boarded the Mt. Roberts Tramway for a ride up the side of the mountain in an enclosed gondola. The view is pretty cool as the cruise ships lined up below soon look like children’s toys. We had lunch at the top of the mountain before taking another ride down.
A View From The Top Of Mt. Roberts Tramway
I had originally wanted to tour the Alaskan Brewery but as our all board time was rapidly approaching, we had to skip that idea. Instead, we briefly visited the Taku cannery and then some shops near the cruise ships. 80% of these shops are pushing the same Made in China trinkets and keychains to gullible tourists.
After reboarding, we relaxed a bit in our room. We then attended the invitation-only Captain’s Cocktail Hour. We only stayed there for about 30 minutes before heading off to the night’s entertainment in the Showroom At Sea—a comedian ventriloquist.
The ms Statendam navigated the Lynn Canal and pulled into the quaint port of Haines, AK early on Wednesday morning. This town–not far from Skagway–is not a common destination for cruises. Unlike Juneau or Ketchikan, Haines can only accomodate one cruise ship at a time.
Belgain Waffles For Breakfast
After breakfast in the main dining room, we disembarked. After Hazel hurt the feelings of the bear mascot greeting us at the end of the gangway by calling him a raccoon, we strolled up the hill toward the historic Fort Seward area.
The ms Statendam As Seen From Shore
We stopped at several shops and galleries along the way. In the former fort hospital, we found artisans who spend their time creating and restoring Tlingit totem polls. It is great to see people still taking the time to create these works of art.
Part Of Historic Ft. Seward
We made our way to the current downtown area of Haines before running into some of our “cruise friends” and stopping at the Sheldon Museum. The museum houses a very extensive collection of native and Alaskan pioneer artifacts. A majority of these items are from the collection of the late Steve Sheldon, a Haines businessman.
To round out our short time in Haines, we hopped aboard the town shuttle bus and made our way to the fairgrounds for a local farmers’ market. The fairgrounds are located on the former set for the movie White Fang.
Wednesday Farmers’ Market In Haines, AK
We returned to the ship and relaxed a bit before dinner by watching a movie from the rather large library of complimentary DVDs.
We had dinner in the main dining room, and then gave line dancing lessons in the Crow’s Nest a try. My two left feet kept getting in the way, and I gave up pretty early.
I closed out the evening by taking some photos from the upper decks as we cruised down the Lynn Canal–the deepest fjord in North America–towards Juneau.
Eldred Rock Lighthouse Is The Oldest Alaskan Lighthouse In Existence
Haines was personally my favorite port of call on the cruise portion of our trip.
On Tuesday, we left The Gulf Of Alaska and headed towards Glacier Bay. In the morning, a small National Park Service boat transferred park rangers and a native Tlingit culture interpreter to the Statendam.
Margerie Glacier
Holland America’s ms Westerdam
National Geographic’s Sea Lion
Hazel & The Glacier
Jeff & A Mew Gull
As we neared the Margerie tide water glacier, the sea water took on a tropical teal look. We spotted Holland America’s ms Westerdam on it’s way out of the bay. National Geographic’s Sea Lion was in the bay at the same time us. The weather was cold and misting as we floated amongst mini icebergs. We saw the glacier calve several times. Although the chunks of ice that fell into the water were relatively small, they created thunderous claps that echoed across the otherwise silent bay. We spent close to two hours in front of the glacier.
Before leaving the glacier area, our cruise director and over 30 brave individuals took part in the Polar Bear Plunge. Participants dove into the heated outdoor pool where they stayed for two minutes. At that point they had to jump out of the pool, clad in only their swimsuits and stand in the bitter cold glacier-cooled air. Hazel and I were not crazy enough to take part in this ritual and just looked on as spectators.
As our ship headed out of Glacier Bay, Hazel and I went down to The Mix, one of the bars on board, to play Pub Trivia. This was a brain-stimulating event that we attended several times during our trip. We almost won.
Later that evening while killing some time in the library area, we witnessed a full breach of small grey whale, less than 100 feet from the ship. It was amazing to see this so close to the ship. Unfortunately, this happened so quickly I was not able to get a good photo of it.
Comedian and impressionist, Jeff Burghart provided the evenings entertainment. His ADHD-fueled antics included spot-on immitations of our ships captain and Jack Nicholson.
After The comedy show, we headed up to the Crow’s Nest. This large top-floor bar and meeting spot provides pabormic views of the front and sides of the ship. Here we played a game of “Name That Tune” and then started to watch karaoke.
When we awoke on Monday, we found ourselves at sea in the Gulf Of Alaska. The wind was kicking up a bit and the seas were getting sloppy. The captain did a great job of keeping the ship as wobble-free as possible. That did’t stop the sober from walking like drunks (or vis a versa) and the Lido deck pool from having a DIY wave machine.
The Dessert Creation Area
After breakfast at the Lido restaurant, we explored ths ship some more. Holland America is all about sharing how its meals are cooked. We toured the kitchen where several thousand meals per day are prepared for passengers. We saw every part, from the dishwashing area to the prep kitchens. And lets not forget the all important dessert creation area.
Tiramisu For Dessert
It was one of two formal nights in the main dining room. So Hazel and I got dolled up in our Sunday–er, Monday– best and headed downstairs to eat.
I chose the meat tortellini while Hazel had some tasty King crab cakes on grits. For dessert I had some tiramisu which was good, but nothing extraordinary. Hazel tried the baked Alaska.
Captain Of The Ship
After dinner we attended the Captain’s toast. Captain Frans Consen, a bald man with a commanding voice greeted us and then brought out some of his top officers.
After the toast, there was a broadway production that was quite cheesy. Some of the singers seem talented enough, but the over-the-top antics seem to spoil the whole thing.
On Sunday morning, we said goodbye to our tour concierge in Anchorage and boarded a bus to Seward, AK. We battled to stay awake due to a lack of sleep combined with the gray, rainy weather. The only thing that kept us awake was the incesant chattering by the overly talkative bus driver. Foggy green hills and trickling waterfalls surrounded us as our bus navigated the winding roads of the Kenai Penninsula.
The Aialik Voyager
Kenai Fjords National Park
After about two hours, we arrived in the seaside town of Seward. The bus dropped us of next to the Kenai Fjords Tours building. There we boarded the Aialik Voyager, a two level catamaran. Our guide set us sailing out through Resurrection Bay towards Kenai Fjords National Park.
We spotted a ton of wildlife on this tour. From fluking grey whales and fin whales to jumping Dahl porpoises. From lounging sea lions and seals to bobbing puffins. But the sights were not limited to just marine fauna. We traveled around the steep Chiswell Islands and up Holgate Arm to view the icy blue Holgate Glacier.
Holgate Glacier
Once we returned to town we were dropped off at the cruise terminal. This non-descript warehouse building was already filling with eager cruise passengers, waiting to clear security and recieve their all-important stateroom key.
Holland America’s ms Statendam
The process was very efficient and we were soon boarding the ms Statendam.
This mid-sized ship was built in 1993 but the staterooms have all been remodeled in the last few years. We made our way up to our verandah (balcony) suite on the 10th floor of the ship.
Our room was decorated with light woods and chocolate and crimson textiles. Fresh lilies and sunflowers greeted us on the table. The room was sparkling clean. It remained that way for the duration of our cruise. Our cabin stewards would clean our room twice a day, stealthily working their magic when we would leave for breakfast and dinner. Each night we would find the next day’s itinerary, chocolates, and a clever “towel animal” waiting for us.
Part Of Our Our Room Aboard The ms Statendam
We had dinner at the Lido restaurant. This bright, contemporary space is home to the Statendam’s casual dining environment. We split our onboard dining between the Lido and the more formal Rotterdam dining room.
On Thursday morning, we left the Westmark in Fairbanks and boarded Holland America’s McKinley Explorer. These two-level observatory cars are attached to the familiar blue and yellow Alaskan Railway trains.
Ready to board the McKinley Explorer
Shortly after the train was in motion we were led downstairs for breakfast. Hazel chose a breakfast burrito while I went with some delicious flapjacks with fresh blueberries and a side of bacon.
Hazel At Breakfast Onboard The McKinley Explorer
After breakfast we returned to the second level to soak in some great Alaskan scenery. Forests and lakes dominated the first three quarters of the trip. We traveled through a few sleepy towns as well as the top-secret facility that monitors North America’s skies for incoming ballistic missles. As we neared Denali, the scenery changed to rocky mountains and gorgeous. From the train we spotted a few brave soles rafting in the rushing Nenana River.
Scenic Vistas From The Train
We arrived in Denali right on time and checked into the McKinley Chalet. Our second-floor room was decorated in a rustic lodge motif. It was located on the end of the building, overlooking the river. Each night we left the windows open and were lulled to sleep of the rushing river below.
The View From Outside Our Room In Denali
We had dinner at Prospector’s Pizza. This restaurant, located directly across from the hotel offers many speciality pizzas. Hazel’s had fresh Alaskan Salmon and cream cheese on it. Mine featured ground elk and reindeer sausage.
We originally had a self-drive Jeep excursion scheduled for Thursday night. However, we found out at the last minute that the excursion had been cancelled. It was too late to find another excursion, so we just relaxed and took a walk down by the river and then called it a night.
Denali Hiding Behind Mid-day Clouds
On Friday we woke up early again, had an ordinary breakfast at one of the restaurants here at McKinley Chalet. We then boarded a bus for an eight-hour Wilderness Tundra Tour. This tour takes you 35 miles into the park. Unless you have a camping or climbing permit, you can not get any closer to the mountain. During our trip we spotted Dall sheep climbing on a distant mountain peak, caribou just feet from the bus, and a total of ten grizzly bears. This included a showdown between a large male bear and a mother bear protecting her Spring cubs that looked like it was straight out of Animal Planet. Wild bears were something I had been hoping to see in Alaska, and this trip did not disappoint. We also got a decent view of Denali which is ofen obscured by clouds. Our guide managed to navigate the large 52-passenger bus along very narrow shelf roads while educating on local flora and fauna as well as teaching us about animal behavior.
A Mama Grizzly Bear In Denali
Shortly after we returned from this excellent trip, the shuttle bus from Era Helicopters picked us up for our next amazing excursion. After donning some specially made glacier boots and attending a short safety briefing we boarded the helicopter. Our pilot then lifted off and headed out across the tundra.
Hazel, Arctic Explorer
I had never been on a helicopter before and didn’t know what to expect. The ride was smooth and the scenery was stunning. Soon, the tundra gave way to rocky snow-covered mountains. After about 25 minutes, we touched down on the Yanert Glacier and stepped out onto the frozen ground. It was just Hazel and I, another couple, and the pilot standing alone in some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere.
An Arctic Expedition
The Yanert Glacier sits at the base of Mt. Deborah, a 12,000+ ft. summit that has only been successfully climbed a handful of times. We spent about 20 minutes on the glacier, taking photos, chatting with the pilot, breathing the crisp clean air, and drinking true glacier water right from the blue pools that dotted the surface of thr glacier. We then boarded the helicopter for a smooth ride back.
A View Of Mt. Deborah From The Yanert Glacier
Hazel and I closed out our Friday night with a late dinner at Alaskan Fish & Chips.
On Saturday, we headed to the Husky Homestead. This facility is owned and operated by Iditarod winner Jeff King. As soon as you arrive, they hand you a husky puppy to hold. The one we got was a cute little sleepy blonde colored puppy. Unfortunately, they don’t let you take the puppies home with you. We watched a demonstration of the dogs being hitched up for a practice run. Then we headed inside to listen to Jeff King talk about life in Alaska and his experiences running the Iditarod.
At The Husky Homestead
After the Husky Homestead, we boarded the train bound for Anchorage. On board we had lunch. I chose the reindeer chili in a bread bowl, which was pretty tasty. Hazel chose the seafood salad sandwich. The ride is eight hours long and travels along the Alaska range, the Talkeetna mountains, and then ends close to downtown Anchorage. We then were shuttled to the Westmark hotel, which while had clean beds looked like it has not been updated since it was built. I guess the thought process is that you are only there for a few hours so they don’t spend money on upgrading the hotel. However, they should completely remodel both this Westmark and the one in Fairbanks.
This morning, we will take a two-hour motorcoach ride to Seward. From there we will board a boat for a six hour cruise of the Kenai Fjords. After this, we will board the MS Statendam for the cruise portion of our trip.
After a restful night of sleep, we awoke, got ready, and headed downstairs. We decided to stuff ourselves with carbs at the Northern Latitudes breakfast buffet here at the Westmark.
We then boarded a tour bus bound for the Chena River. Here we boarded the Discovery III, a sternwheeler similar to the ones used early pioneers in the Fairbanks area. We spent three hours floating up and down the peaceful Chena.
Piper Super Cub Floatplane Taking Off From The Chena River
During this time, we were able to watch a Piper Super Cub floatplane take off and land. We also saw a demonstration of training for Iditarod sled dogs. Lastly, we disembarked at a living history museum dedicated to the culture of the native Athabaskan people. The commentors are all of indigenous descent and did a great job keeping the audience engaged. We able to see native ceremonial dress, hunting implements, furs, and housing.
Ceremonial Athabaskan Attire
We followed this riverboat trip with a family style dinner and looked around at the gift shop before reboarding our tour bus.
Our next stop was Gold Dredge 8, an active mining claim adjacent to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. We boarded a small gauge train that carried us throughout the property. The tour guide wasn’t very engaging and was sometimes too technical. We were given a chance to pan for gold, and this is where we struck it rich. Okay, together we found $25 worth in gold, which isn’t enough to retire on.
Soaking Up The Alaskan Sun
We are now back at the Westmark and are trying to decide what to do for dinner. Tomorrow we will be up early as our bags have to be ready to be picked up by 6:00am. At 7:00am we will head out for our four hour train ride to Denali National Park.
