Thursday May 29, 2019
We now have begun the second part of our journey this summer. We are sailing towards the “Land of the Midnight Sun.” We have never been on a cruise this long before. (21 days)
We originally booked our cruise with an inside cabin. However, a couple of days before sailing, the Cruise Company (our booking agent) called and because we had sailed with Holland America before we were upgraded to what we understood was a room with a balcony; as it turns out we have an ocean view cabin and we are glad it worked out that way. Our cabin is much bigger as the space that would have been the balcony is now living space so we have a much bigger room. Also, people with balconies say there rooms are cold. All is well…
Regarding of the blog, we cannot send new postings while on the cruise. It looks like we’ll need to pay for some Internet time in order to keep you up to date. We also cannot send texts or e-mails very successfully. Sometimes when we’re in port JY manages to send a text and a photo.
At first we were concerned that we would be bored for 21 days. Well, the 21 day cruise is called an “in-depth cruise.” So the topics that have been covered in depth include – Culture, Flora, Wildlife, Cuisine and Entertainment. There are a couple geologists that give on-going lectures and a Greek chef who is fusing Mediterranean and Alaskan cuisine.
In today’s the “When and Where” guide listing all of today’s activities there are 70+ activities to choose from and that does not include time for eating or sleeping or reading or maybe just relaxing.
Just by coincidence we were the second couple to board the ship and to offset that we were the last ones to get our luggage. As we departed the skyline of San Francisco was amazing. We sailed right by Alcatraz. The day before leaving we tried to get a tour of “The Rock” but they were booked up 5 days in advance and it cost $75 per person.
This is our first full day on the ship with today and tomorrow being sea days. Yesterday we departed from San Francisco and many were on deck taking pictures as we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was an awesome experience as Peter had heard and read about the bridge ever since he was a small boy in school. The wind was blowing so hard you could barely stand up. He was using his iPad to take photos and had a death grip on it as the wind tried to rip it from his hands. It was so windy JY had to go inside for fear of being blown over. A hot coffee was in order. Peter did get some good pics though.
Like that school boy, while in the stateroom Peter was sitting on our bed which is right under the window watching the waves. About 40 yards from the ship right in front of our window a grey whale surfaced for air and was gone in a split second.
He says it was just luck that he was in the right place at the right time and looking at that spot. Of course every night now he gazes out the window for another encounter with that whale. (or maybe a pirate or Viking ship.)
Being on board the ship is like moving into a new town, for the first couple of days you don’t know where anything is so we are frequently referring to the little map of the ship to figure out where we are and where we need to be for different activities.
Thursday May 31, 2019
This is our second sea day as we make our way north up the west coast of California, Oregon and Washington. We will cruise on by Canada and back into the US waters as we approach Ketchikan, our first port of call. We have started to meet people as time passes and meeting them mostly while we are eating. Now faces are starting to become more familiar in this gathering of 1,200 people, and just like traveling in the RV they are temporary friends meaning you meet them, have a great chat, share travel, career and family stories and then everyone moves on to meet more new people. Everyone is friendly, polite and sociable.
Friday June 1, 2019
We did not dock in Ketchikan. It was a rainy day and we tendered into the dock. There were 5 cruise ships in Ketchikan at the same time (our ship was the smallest) and the streets, shops and restaurants were packed with people. It was a mad house and it did not help that the main street between the dock and the shops was under construction to make the sidewalks wider for tourists.
Luckily we had scheduled an excursion for today which took us away from the crowded tourist trap area. We boarded a bus that took us to the Saxman Native Village where we listened to native Tlingit people as they shared cultural stories with us. And they taught us some Clingit vocabulary. They performed ceremonial dances mixed with traditional songs, chants and stories. People in the audience were invited to participate in the dances and Peter stepped up to the plate to dance. He wore the ceremonial dance garments. It was fun.
After leaving the Beaver Clan Lodge we walked a short distance to a building where they were carving totem poles. The master carver was in Juneau for the day but our guide, who does some carving, explained some of the work in process and the tools used during the carving process. He also explained the different types of wood being carved and how difficult the harder wood is to work with. We were very surprised to hear that this particular carver is world renowned and has orders for totem poles from many different countries.
Depending on the intricacy of the carving, the type of wood and the finish (paint, varnish or wax) totem poles can range in price from $3,000 to $8,000 per foot. Totems can take from one to two years to complete.
We left the carving building and went outside to one of the largest collection of totem poles in the world. Our guide explained the story of many of the totem poles and the meaning of the various figures carved into the pole. Then we gladly made our way to the gift shop to get out of the rain and enjoy a cup of hot coffee.
I wanted to buy a small totem pole as a souvenir however to my surprise a 12” tall one sells for $200 to $300 plus. I did not want one that bad. We boarded our bus back into town and after struggling through the mob of tourists and the rain we decided to just tender back to the board the ship. We have been to Ketchikan 2 times before today and have seen many of the attractions.
This evening we decided to go to the main dining room and we met our table partners. We had the early seating so we wouldn’t miss the evening show. Our table partners were from Australia and we got along very well, telling stories about our lives, families and countries. They vacation regularly in Bali as it is fairly close to them in Perth, Australia 4 hours by plane. Our waiter is from Bali so they had much in common and spoke some Balinese.
Saturday June 1, 2019
We docked in Sitka for a 10 minute shuttle ride into town. We did not have an excursion planned but when we got off the shuttle we purchased a tour from one of the local tour guides.
Our tour was a walk through an old growth forest, crossing a salmon stream (no salmon), a visit to the Fortress of the Bears which is a rescue facility and then an up close and personal tour of the Alaska Raptor Center.
As our guide walked us through the old growth forest she carried a large can of bear repellent as the day before she had seen a large brown bear on one of the trails. She said bears are a part of life in Alaska however one day a couple of years ago one broke into the family garage and tore everything up including their freezer full of salmon. The bear tried to rip the garage door into the house off the hinges but gave up after a while and left. She said she and her kids were really spooked and she now carries bear spray wherever there is a chance of encountering a bear. She said the bear spray is really potent as her husband accidentally set one off in their car.
From our forest walk we drove to the Fortress of the Bear rescue facility where they have taken in injured bears. There were a total of nine bears, 4 large brown bears, 3 black bears and 2 juvenile brown bears.
All the bears were in an open air enclosure with walls about 20 feet high. The adults, juveniles and black bears were separated as they would fight and kill each other if allowed to co-habitate. Although the bears seemed to be doing well it was sad to see them in their enclosures as it is an unnatural way for them to live.
Then it was a short drive to the Alaska Raptor Center. A wildlife interpreter guided us through the Bald Eagle Flight Building where recovering and juvenile birds learn to fly before being released.
In the area where the birds were they have a small stream along with many perching areas and simulated trees made of old branches and logs. They are fed salmon and other types of food they would eat in the wild when released from captivity. We could see the birds but they could not see us.
From there our interpreter introduced us to the raptors that are permanent residents due to disabling injuries. There were many birds including a golden eagle and several bald eagles. There was a kestrel, a great horned owl, several other species of owls and a peregrine falcon. As an example the interpreter explained that the golden eagle is so handicapped that when he gets down off of his perch he does a back flip. We met one of the workers as she was transporting an owl from its outside enclosure to the auditorium for a presentation however she stopped for 5 minutes giving us the opportunity to take pictures and ask questions.
Our tour guide dropped us off at the shuttle stop and we boarded the ship. On the way through town the bus driver pointed out the best restaurant in town. The sign said “Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant – The Best pizza in Town”.
North By Northwest 