We got all our painting done... well, most of it.. there are some trim that needs painting & some touch ups on the ceiling where we got a bit too aggressive lol.
Jim & Muriel came for a visit too. They spent one weekend with Arlene & Blair. Ann also was at Arlene's. They also visited John. We spent one evening golfing... kept going until we could barely see where we were walking let alone the ball!! lol Of course pinochle was on the agenda too. Before leaving Ontario, Jim & Muriel went to see Marlynn & Ed. I'm glad they managed to touch base with all the siblings while they were up here.
Monday, September 10, 2007
OUR ALASKAN CRUISE
I'm finally getting around to blogging about our cruise... it's hard to believe that we've been back 3 weeks already. Well, here goes!
Aug. 9, 2007
Christine & Brianna drove us to the Hamilton Airport, arriving there at 6:30 a.m. Yes that was 6:30 in the MORNING! I'm not used to getting up quite that early, but of course I had no problem with it, since I couldn't sleep that much anyway.
Our flight took off right on time & we had an uneventful trip.
Coming in for a landing at Vancouver Airport.
Tom's cousin Kevin & his wife Mariette met us at the Vancouver Airport & took us to their house for a delicious lunch. We had a great visit with them & with Kevin's dad, Uncle Lou. He might be 94, & his body is wearing out, but Uncle Lou is still as sharp as a tack mentally.
Kevin & Mariette
Tom & Uncle Lou
After catching up with all the news, Kevin drove us back to our hotel where we had a quick walk-about & supper before finally going to bed. Man were we tired! It might have been only 9:00 pm in Vancouver but it was midnight back in Ontario.
I'm finally getting around to blogging about our cruise... it's hard to believe that we've been back 3 weeks already. Well, here goes!
Aug. 9, 2007
Christine & Brianna drove us to the Hamilton Airport, arriving there at 6:30 a.m. Yes that was 6:30 in the MORNING! I'm not used to getting up quite that early, but of course I had no problem with it, since I couldn't sleep that much anyway.
Our flight took off right on time & we had an uneventful trip.
Coming in for a landing at Vancouver Airport.
Tom's cousin Kevin & his wife Mariette met us at the Vancouver Airport & took us to their house for a delicious lunch. We had a great visit with them & with Kevin's dad, Uncle Lou. He might be 94, & his body is wearing out, but Uncle Lou is still as sharp as a tack mentally.
Kevin & Mariette
Tom & Uncle Lou
After catching up with all the news, Kevin drove us back to our hotel where we had a quick walk-about & supper before finally going to bed. Man were we tired! It might have been only 9:00 pm in Vancouver but it was midnight back in Ontario.
Aug. 10, 2007
We had a great night's sleep & now we are ready to start our touring. We can't board the ship until 1:00 pm but we are supposed to be out of our hotel room by 11:00 am. The hotel is obviously used to having us cruisers around because they have a room that they lock luggage in while we are waiting to board the ship. (which we took complete advantage of)
We checked out some of our tour options & decided upon the Big Bus. When we bought our tickets, we didn't know that the ticket was good for 2 days! Not only that, but we could use our 2nd day when we got back from our cruise. That was great because we could just relax on this tour & pick out places we wanted to check out more when we got back for our 2nd day of touring.
Here are views of the Vancouver Armory, our ship in the distance & the port at Canada Place
After a nice lunch, we got our luggage & a taxi & headed for the ship. We were early enough that we missed the usual crowd waiting to get on board & practically went straight on. Of course we had the obligatory boarding picture taken.
our stateroom
at 4:15 we had our Emergency & Lifeboat drill... everyone had to attend but we got to wear these designer jackets :)
At 5:00 pm we were under way & heading for our first stop, Juneau
approaching the Lion's Gate Bridge
Once underway, the "welcome aboard" party began.
We had a great night's sleep & now we are ready to start our touring. We can't board the ship until 1:00 pm but we are supposed to be out of our hotel room by 11:00 am. The hotel is obviously used to having us cruisers around because they have a room that they lock luggage in while we are waiting to board the ship. (which we took complete advantage of)
We checked out some of our tour options & decided upon the Big Bus. When we bought our tickets, we didn't know that the ticket was good for 2 days! Not only that, but we could use our 2nd day when we got back from our cruise. That was great because we could just relax on this tour & pick out places we wanted to check out more when we got back for our 2nd day of touring.
Here are views of the Vancouver Armory, our ship in the distance & the port at Canada Place
After a nice lunch, we got our luggage & a taxi & headed for the ship. We were early enough that we missed the usual crowd waiting to get on board & practically went straight on. Of course we had the obligatory boarding picture taken.
our stateroom
at 4:15 we had our Emergency & Lifeboat drill... everyone had to attend but we got to wear these designer jackets :)
At 5:00 pm we were under way & heading for our first stop, Juneau
approaching the Lion's Gate Bridge
Once underway, the "welcome aboard" party began.
Aug. 11, 2007
We were at sea all day today & tonight, arriving at Juneau tomorrow afternoon about 2:30 pm. This was our first formal dinner & I was looking forward to dressing up.
We also enjoyed the first show of the cruise. The group of performers were really good, in spite of the fact that this was also their first performance together. The theater was a beautiful place to be... very comfortable & the visibility was excellent no matter where you sat.
We were at sea all day today & tonight, arriving at Juneau tomorrow afternoon about 2:30 pm. This was our first formal dinner & I was looking forward to dressing up.
We also enjoyed the first show of the cruise. The group of performers were really good, in spite of the fact that this was also their first performance together. The theater was a beautiful place to be... very comfortable & the visibility was excellent no matter where you sat.
Aug. 12, 2007
Juneau, The capital of Alaska.
We crossed another time zone... we are now 4 hours behind Ontario.
As we neared land again, we were awestruck by the beautiful scenery.
Our first excursion in Juneau was to Mount Roberts.
We took the tramway up to the top for a bird's eye view of the area.
Looking down on Juneau... our ship is the one on the left
At the top of Mount Roberts, there is a conservation area. They take in injured birds, like this bald eagle. She had been shot by poachers & because she can no longer fly, she cannot be released back into the wild.
We then took a tour of the city of Juneau. Very much a tourist town. Lots of jewelry stores but not too much in the way of "good deals".
This evenings entertainment was comedian Michael James. He was more than a comedian... he did an amazing balancing act as well. It was great fun & we were truly well entertained.
We left Juneau about 10:00 pm for our next stop... Skagway.
Juneau, The capital of Alaska.
We crossed another time zone... we are now 4 hours behind Ontario.
As we neared land again, we were awestruck by the beautiful scenery.
Our first excursion in Juneau was to Mount Roberts.
We took the tramway up to the top for a bird's eye view of the area.
Looking down on Juneau... our ship is the one on the left
At the top of Mount Roberts, there is a conservation area. They take in injured birds, like this bald eagle. She had been shot by poachers & because she can no longer fly, she cannot be released back into the wild.
We then took a tour of the city of Juneau. Very much a tourist town. Lots of jewelry stores but not too much in the way of "good deals".
This evenings entertainment was comedian Michael James. He was more than a comedian... he did an amazing balancing act as well. It was great fun & we were truly well entertained.
We left Juneau about 10:00 pm for our next stop... Skagway.
Aug. 13, 2007
Skagway or Skaguay (land of the North Wind)
Skagway is only 4 blocks wide & 23 blocks long, & I'm sure most of it is made up of souvenir shops & jewelry stores!
Our first excursion was a tour of Skagway & a trip over the summit to the Yukon. This was the way that many of the prospectors traveled during the height of the gold rush & where many of them lost not only their horses & mules, but their own lives as well... "many of them chose to forego safety & save the extra time & money this route required". If they made it through the mountains, they had a 600 mile trek across the Yukon's frozen terrain before reaching the Klondike gold fields. Very few became rich.
Tom near Dead Horse Canyon... hmmm wonder where that name came from.
That's me :-)
I can't imagine what it must have been like for the prospectors. It is desolate & looks like difficult terrain to scale. Unlike them, we were lucky, we had a great road, comfortable bus & beautiful weather..
The high pole with the funny top is actually for the winter to show where the edge of the road is. When the snow flies around here, our short poles wouldn't be of much help & it's a long way down on the other side of the guard rail.
Pitchfork Falls.. one of the many lovely waterfalls we saw in Alaska
One of the original steam engines. The round part in the front is the snow plow.
Jefferson "Soapy" Smith earned his infamy with his wide array of crooked schemes, crooked gambling & gunpoint muggings. He was killed by Frank Reid in a gunfight in the name of Law & order. Soapy was buried just outside the cemetery located on the outskirts of Skagway. Frank Reid, who died of the wounds he received in the gunfight 12 days after Soapy, had a more lavish tombstone.
This marker is for an unknown (& inept) bank robber. Apparently he was killed when his gun accidentally went off lighting the dynamite he was carrying. It was reported that all that was left of this poor guy was his head. This was a lucky accident for the bank. When the dust settled the wooden floorboard slats needed to be replaced. Taking up the damaged boards, about an inch of gold dust, probably dropped by prospectors when they took their riches out of their pockets, was discovered underneath. Must be the only time in history that a bank became rich because of a robber.
We then went to Liarsville.
"In 1898, gold fever swept the nation. Hundreds of newspapers sent reporters north to get the story, but many of these tender footed newsmen got to Skagway, saw the arduous trail & decided to stay in this Trail Cap & let the tall tales come to them. Liarsville is a re-creation of an authentic 1898 Gold Rush Trail Camp."
The Canadian government insisted that any prospectors entering our country had to bring with them a year's supply of goods. It was quite a list too! No wonder so many pack horses & mules died trying to carry so much over the mountains & across the rugged countryside.
We were treated to a bit of a show here in Liarsville. It was quite comical & well done. After the show, we went across the street for lunch. Fresh salmon roasted over an open fire, chicken & salads. DELICIOUS!
Then it was time to board the ship again.
Tonight's show was a ventriloquist, his puppet Sally & his alter-ego, Noseworthy. He was very entertaining.
Skagway or Skaguay (land of the North Wind)
Skagway is only 4 blocks wide & 23 blocks long, & I'm sure most of it is made up of souvenir shops & jewelry stores!
Our first excursion was a tour of Skagway & a trip over the summit to the Yukon. This was the way that many of the prospectors traveled during the height of the gold rush & where many of them lost not only their horses & mules, but their own lives as well... "many of them chose to forego safety & save the extra time & money this route required". If they made it through the mountains, they had a 600 mile trek across the Yukon's frozen terrain before reaching the Klondike gold fields. Very few became rich.
Tom near Dead Horse Canyon... hmmm wonder where that name came from.
That's me :-)
I can't imagine what it must have been like for the prospectors. It is desolate & looks like difficult terrain to scale. Unlike them, we were lucky, we had a great road, comfortable bus & beautiful weather..
The high pole with the funny top is actually for the winter to show where the edge of the road is. When the snow flies around here, our short poles wouldn't be of much help & it's a long way down on the other side of the guard rail.
Pitchfork Falls.. one of the many lovely waterfalls we saw in Alaska
One of the original steam engines. The round part in the front is the snow plow.
Jefferson "Soapy" Smith earned his infamy with his wide array of crooked schemes, crooked gambling & gunpoint muggings. He was killed by Frank Reid in a gunfight in the name of Law & order. Soapy was buried just outside the cemetery located on the outskirts of Skagway. Frank Reid, who died of the wounds he received in the gunfight 12 days after Soapy, had a more lavish tombstone.
This marker is for an unknown (& inept) bank robber. Apparently he was killed when his gun accidentally went off lighting the dynamite he was carrying. It was reported that all that was left of this poor guy was his head. This was a lucky accident for the bank. When the dust settled the wooden floorboard slats needed to be replaced. Taking up the damaged boards, about an inch of gold dust, probably dropped by prospectors when they took their riches out of their pockets, was discovered underneath. Must be the only time in history that a bank became rich because of a robber.We then went to Liarsville.
"In 1898, gold fever swept the nation. Hundreds of newspapers sent reporters north to get the story, but many of these tender footed newsmen got to Skagway, saw the arduous trail & decided to stay in this Trail Cap & let the tall tales come to them. Liarsville is a re-creation of an authentic 1898 Gold Rush Trail Camp."
The Canadian government insisted that any prospectors entering our country had to bring with them a year's supply of goods. It was quite a list too! No wonder so many pack horses & mules died trying to carry so much over the mountains & across the rugged countryside.
We were treated to a bit of a show here in Liarsville. It was quite comical & well done. After the show, we went across the street for lunch. Fresh salmon roasted over an open fire, chicken & salads. DELICIOUS!
Then it was time to board the ship again.
Tonight's show was a ventriloquist, his puppet Sally & his alter-ego, Noseworthy. He was very entertaining.
Aug. 14, 2007
The Hubbard Glacier
Some of the spectacular sights as we approached Yakutat Bay & the Hubbard Glacier.
The mountain range can be seen under the clouds. Although the clouds looked ominous, we didn't get any rain or wind. We just sailed under the clouds on calm waters.
The Hubbard Glacier is 300' high at the face, 6 miles wide & 90 miles long. The face of the glacier is approx. 200 years old which shows how slow the glacier's "slide" down the mountain is.
We are about a mile away from the glacier & that was as close as we could go
The colours of an iceberg tells you its origin. White bergs hold many trapped air bubbles & will hiss as you go by; blue bergs are dense & old; greenish-black bergs are from the glaciers bottom; dark-striped brown bergs carry rubble from the joining of tributary glaciers. I think the glaciers are the same, so this would fit with the Hubbard being old.
You could hear the glaciers "groaning" & "popping". That is because it is constantly moving & cracking. We saw many "calvings"... when huge chunks of ice crack & crash into the bay. I was in the back of the boat as we were leaving, watching this awesome sight when the glacier started calving yet again. I put my camera on rapid fire... taking many pictures one after another when all of a sudden there was a huge chunk falling into the bay... I was so excited... the following pictures are just a few of the images I managed to get.
The start of the "calving", then a bit more
& a bit more... & it looked like that was it...
but then....
it didn't want to stop!!! I was one of the few people who got pictures of this one.. the most spectacular that we witnessed. Most people had gone inside already!
Imagine... that is 300 feet of ice cascading down... I have no idea how wide it was... but that sure was a lot of ice falling!
After our exciting afternoon, we headed to our cabins to get ready for our second formal night dinner.
The Hubbard Glacier
Some of the spectacular sights as we approached Yakutat Bay & the Hubbard Glacier.
The mountain range can be seen under the clouds. Although the clouds looked ominous, we didn't get any rain or wind. We just sailed under the clouds on calm waters.
The Hubbard Glacier is 300' high at the face, 6 miles wide & 90 miles long. The face of the glacier is approx. 200 years old which shows how slow the glacier's "slide" down the mountain is.We are about a mile away from the glacier & that was as close as we could go
The colours of an iceberg tells you its origin. White bergs hold many trapped air bubbles & will hiss as you go by; blue bergs are dense & old; greenish-black bergs are from the glaciers bottom; dark-striped brown bergs carry rubble from the joining of tributary glaciers. I think the glaciers are the same, so this would fit with the Hubbard being old.
You could hear the glaciers "groaning" & "popping". That is because it is constantly moving & cracking. We saw many "calvings"... when huge chunks of ice crack & crash into the bay. I was in the back of the boat as we were leaving, watching this awesome sight when the glacier started calving yet again. I put my camera on rapid fire... taking many pictures one after another when all of a sudden there was a huge chunk falling into the bay... I was so excited... the following pictures are just a few of the images I managed to get.
The start of the "calving", then a bit more
& a bit more... & it looked like that was it...
but then....
it didn't want to stop!!! I was one of the few people who got pictures of this one.. the most spectacular that we witnessed. Most people had gone inside already!
Imagine... that is 300 feet of ice cascading down... I have no idea how wide it was... but that sure was a lot of ice falling!
After our exciting afternoon, we headed to our cabins to get ready for our second formal night dinner.
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