cruise

Scenes from the Bus to Denali

Posted on December 22, 2015 by lclalor

Our cruise ship docked at Seward where we boarded a motor coach to begin the land portion of our Alaskan adventure. The 364 mile bus trip to Denali took all day but the scenery and the narration by our driver made the trip most enjoyable. If you read my previous posts about Alaska, you may think this day was less impressive than previous days. Not so, and you’ll soon see why.

We began our road trip on the Seward Highway, a 125 mile scenic byway which crosses the Kenai Peninsula from Seward to Anchorage.

Kenai Peninsula

View along Seward Highway on the Kenai Peninsula

View from Seward Highway on the Kenai Peninsula

View from Seward Highway on Kenai Peninsula

While it was great to leave the driving to someone else and concentrate on capturing the beautiful scenery by photo, one of the distinct disadvantages was not being able to stop when we wanted. I usually take a picture of a nearby sign to tell me where my photos were taken which wasn’t possible from a moving vehicle. Consequently, I can’t tell exactly where many of my photos were taken and I can’t label each mountain and lake.

We did hear the story of Moose Pass, however, and I snapped a photo from the bus. The sign on the side of the road next to the waterwheel and grindstone announces, “Moose Pass is a peaceful little town. If you have an axe to grind, do it here.”

Waterwheel and grindstone on the side of the road

We took a break at a rest area with picnic tables and hiking trails that was especially photogenic.

Jim enjoying the spectacular view

Near the end of the Seward Highway, we drove along Turnagain Arm. In 1778, when Captain James Cook sought a northwest passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans, he named the estuary he found Turnagain River because he was forced to turn around there. Captain Vancouver called it Turnagain Arm in 1794 when he explored the area.

There are two fascinating features of Turnagain Arm. First, one of the largest bore tides in the world occurs here. So what is a bore tide? Dictionary.com defines a tidal bore as, “an abrupt rise of tidal water moving rapidly inland from the mouth of an estuary.” Translated, that means while the water in the Turnagain Arm is flowing out to sea, the tide rushes into the estuary from the ocean. The resulting waves are high enough that surfers actually ride them. For more information and to see a video, check out Alaska Public Lands Information Centers.

The other feature is the mudflats which are composed of glacial silt that act like quicksand. The suction created when the mud is displaced is virtually impossible to break without help. Warnings advise hikers to steer clear because getting stuck in the mudflats with the tide coming in is a recipe for disaster.

Mudflats on Turnagain Arm

After a quick stop for lunch at a restaurant at the edge of Wasilla, we continued toward the town of Willow on Parks Highway where we saw two more amazing sights. First, we got our first glimpse of Mt. Denali, then called Mt. McKinley. Second, we saw smoke. These two sights would dominate the rest of our Alaskan adventure.

Smoke rising in Willow with snow covered Mt. Denali to the right in the background

Let me tell you first about Mt. Denali. We knew we would be very lucky to see the elusive highest mountain peak in North America. It’s more often obscured by clouds than not which is why people lucky enough to see it are called the 30% club. When we got our first glimpse, I started taking photos and didn’t stop. I have pictures taken from far enough away that you wouldn’t know it was Mt. Denali; I have photos of Mt. Denali barely visible behind other mountains; I have pictures taken through the bug-covered windshield of the bus. When I experience a rare event, I capture every minute with great enthusiasm before it disappears. Little did we know we would see Mt. Denali four days in a row. I wonder if there’s a club for that?

Here are a few more views from day one of Mt. Denali.

Mt. Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley)

Mt. Denali

Proof we were there

Mt. Denali

Mt. Denali

The other sight was the fire. We would see and hear more about this event, called the Sockeye Fire, throughout our stay. The blaze was reported at 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, 2015. The seven photos I took as we drove through the area were taken at 1:16 and 1:17 p.m. By early the next morning, the blaze was out of control, Willow was under an evacuation order, and the road we had traveled was closed. We heard the fire was the result of fireworks but the cause was later determined to be an unattended illegal burn pile. In the end, 55 homes were destroyed, 7220 acres were burned, and the cost to fight the fire was $8 million. We would see more results from the Sockeye Fire when we left Denali.

We arrived at the McKinley Chalet Resort late in the afternoon and found our assigned room in the Cottonwoods Building.

McKinley Chalet Resort

Sheryl and Jim outside our hotel building

After exploring the grounds and grabbing some dinner, we were ready to call it a night and prepare for our tour of Denali National Park the following day. Thankfully, we had room darkening draperies because it never really got dark at all.

Based on events in June 2015.

Categories: cruise, Uncategorized, USA | Tags: Alaska, bus to Denali, Denali National Park, Kenai Peninsula, McKinley Chalet Resort, Moose Pass, Mt Denali, Mt McKinley, Seward, Seward Highway, Sockeye Fire, Turnagain Arm | 4 Comments

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Posted on December 15, 2015 by lclalor

One of my travel goals is to visit as many national parks in the United States as possible. The National Park Service offers a lifetime Golden Eagle Passport to seniors at age 62 for just $10. The pass admits the holder and all passengers in the vehicle to all national parks and monuments for the lifetime of the owner. Expect to show ID so the ranger can confirm the identity of the cardholder. I repeat, it’s a one-time $10 fee. I recently saw a website that said it was $10 per year which is incorrect. That’s why I linked to the national park website above. Click on Golden Eagle Passport above to check it out for yourself.

Another travel goal of mine is to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites whenever possible. “The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.” (http://whc.unesco.org/en/about/) There are currently 1031 properties on the worldwide list, 23 of which are in the United States. The overwhelming majority (75-80%) are cultural sites with the rest made up of natural sites and some that are a combination.

These two goals coincided in a rare opportunity on our visit to Glacier Bay, Alaska, both a U.S. national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can get there only by air or sea so a cruise is the perfect way to see this spectacular natural site.

It’s difficult to capture and convey the immensity of the experience but the photo below of a cruise ship ahead of us in the inside passage helps. The ship looks like a small dot compared to the surrounding landscape.

A cruise ship in the inside passage of Alaska heading toward Glacier Bay

We entered Glacier Bay at 6:45 a.m. and the park rangers embarked at 7 a.m.

Glacier Bay National Park rangers arriving at the Oosterdam (photo by Sheryl)

We spent the entire day in Glacier Bay with park rangers narrating throughout the tour. Cruise ships don’t dock anywhere in Glacier Bay but the slow leisurely passage allowed ample time to appreciate the spectacular and inspirational scenery.

Entering Glacier Bay

Entering Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay is all about nature. There’s not a lot of history here; in fact, in geological terms, Glacier Bay is very young. A product of the Little Ice Age, just 250 years ago the bay didn’t exist at all. One enormous glacier filled the area, reaching it’s maximum size around the year 1750. When Captain George Vancouver surveyed the area in 1794, the glacier had retreated just 5 miles but by the time John Muir came in 1879 the retreat had reached 40 miles more leaving the bay in its wake. Today, that glacier has retreated further north leaving behind around a dozen smaller tidewater glaciers some of which are visible from the bay (Glacier Bay National Park brochure).

The first glacier we saw was Rendu Glacier.

Rendu Glacier

The Grand Pacific Glacier wouldn’t have been recognizable as a glacier at all to me without ranger narration. It looks gray or black rather than the distinctive blue ice because of the amount of moraine debris it has gathered.

Grand Pacific Glacier

Nearby Margerie Glacier, on the other hand, displays the distinctive blue ice that we expected. Unfortunately, we missed a picture of calving on Margerie Glacier. Calving is when chunks of ice break off the glacier and crash into the water.

Margerie Glacier

Margerie Glacier

Jim and I at Margerie Glacier

Before leaving Tarr Inlet where Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers were located, the captain turned the ship a full 360 degrees and then another 180 degrees so that everyone could get enough of the beautiful views. We spent enough time in the area that we even had lunch with the view.

Lunch with a view of Margerie Glacier

Then, as we proceeded back down Glacier Bay, we also saw Johns Hopkins Glacier, Lamplugh Glacier, and Reid Glacier.

Johns Hopkins Glacier

Lamplugh Glacier

Reid Glacier

We didn’t see a lot of wildlife but I read that humpback whales are often seen in Glacier Bay. We were excited to see some seals which Sheryl captured and allowed me to share.

Seals covering small islands in Glacier Bay (photo by Sheryl)

Seal resting on ice (photo by Sheryl)

Every day on this cruise exceeded the previous day in amazing scenery. Glacier Bay was both inspirational and unforgettable. Whether Glacier Bay was created by God or by chance, it was an experience of the highest spiritual nature.

Based on events of June 2015.

References:

Glacier Bay (brochure). National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior.

World Heritage. UNESCO, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.

Categories: cruise, Uncategorized, USA | Tags: Glacier Bay, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, US national parks | 6 Comments

All Aboard in Skagway, Alaska

Posted on December 8, 2015 by lclalor

The White Pass Scenic Railway is Holland America’s most popular excursion in Alaska and it was the one I was most keen to take. It’s also one of the few excursions that costs essentially the same price whether you book through the cruise line or privately, so I booked through HAL. (Otherwise, I often book privately to save money.) Passengers board the train just steps from where the ships dock in Skagway in front of the graffiti wall where cruise ships have recorded their maiden voyage to this port since 1917. A three hour roundtrip ride to the summit of White Pass is fully narrated while you climb to 2865 feet of elevation in just 20 miles.

View of the train and graffiti wall from our verandah on the Oosterdam

The railroad was a direct result of the Klondike gold rush. When gold was discovered in 1896 at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers in northwestern Canada, stampeders flocked to Skagway and nearby Dyea by the boatload. But the trip from there to the gold fields was long and arduous. The route from Dyea, along the Chilkoot Trail, was shorter but the Golden Stairs, a 1,000 foot vertical climb in a quarter mile, was a definite drawback. The White Pass Trail starting at Skagway was 10 miles longer but less steep. When prospectors factored in the transport of a ton of supplies to last a year as required by the Canadian government, the White Pass Trail was the preferred route. Skagway became the Gateway to the Klondike.

Display of 1 ton of supplies required by the Canadian government for each prospector to ensure their survival at the gold fields

Although the White Pass Trail was somewhat less treacherous, it was not without danger and hardship. The trail became a muddy quagmire resulting in the deaths of 3,000 horses and the nickname of Dead Horse Trail. The 21 year old then unknown writer, Jack London, who sailed to Skagway in 1897 penned, “The horses died like mosquitoes in the first frost, and from Skagway to Bennett they rotted in heaps.”

Building a railroad was the logical solution to move men and supplies to the gold fields and this capitalist venture commenced in 1898. The project was a remarkable engineering achievement. A narrow gauge track was employed due to the tight curves required by the terrain as well as plenty of steep grades, tunnels, and trestles. The project was completed in 1899 at a cost of $10 million with the construction efforts of 35,000 men.

In 1994, the White Pass and Yukon Railroad received the designation of International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, an honor shared by the Panama Canal and the Eiffel Tower.

Conductor on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

Looking back to Skagway from Inspiration Point to see the cruise ships in the harbor

View of the Skagway River from the train

Another view of the Skagway River from the train

Views from the train

View of the terrain and the train

View of one of the tunnels from the train

View from the train

White Pass Summit, official border between U.S. and Canada

White Pass Summit, mile 20.4, elevation 2888 ft.

The old trestle that has been replaced

Jim reading and Sheryl enjoying the view from the train

After our train ride, we explored the restored gold rush town of Skagway, Alaska. By 1897, after gold was discovered in the Klondike, the population swelled to about 20,000 but today there are only around 850 year-round residents.

Restored gold rush town of Skagway, Alaska

We especially enjoyed Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park which is integrated into the town with information and historical displays in several buildings. The photo above of the 1 ton of goods is one such display. There were also many photographs from the time period and lots of explanatory material. It was a history lover’s gold mine of information.

All that history can bring on a powerful thirst and a good place to quench it is the Red Onion Saloon. When it first opened in 1898, the Red Onion served alcohol on the main floor with a brothel above. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks and a popular site in Skagway. We stuck to the main floor but for $10 a madam will talk dirty to you (in a guided tour of the brothel museum.)

Red Onion Saloon

Our server at the Red Onion Saloon

After a fun-filled day on the train and exploring Skagway, it was back to the Oosterdam in time for our departure.

Based on events of June 2015.

Categories: Canada, cruise, Uncategorized, USA | Tags: Alaska, Chilkoot, Dyea, Klondike Gold Rush, Red Onion Saloon, scenic rail ride, Skagway, White Pass, White Pass and Yukon Railroad | 4 Comments

Alaskan Cruise: Juneau, Alaska

Posted on November 24, 2015 by lclalor

Juneau, Alaska, population 32,660, is reachable only by air or sea. While that limits a road trip to visit Alaska’s capital city to a ferry crossing, cruise passengers visit by the boatload. Thank goodness we chose a cruise because it would be a shame to miss this city.

Juneau was founded as the result of gold strikes by Richard T. Harris and Joseph Juneau in 1880. The town was first named Harrisburg but later changed to Rockwell and finally to Juneau when Joe garnered enough support. It has been the capital since 1959 when Alaska was granted statehood but controversy continues as to whether the capital should be moved to a more populated and accessible location.

Welcome to Juneau, Alaska

We planned to take the tram up 3819 foot Mt. Roberts to enjoy the view but the weather changed our plans. Overcast skies and impending rain weren’t very conducive to viewing Juneau from the mountain top.

Approaching Juneau, Alaska

We rethought our plan and decided instead to take a glacier shuttle out to Mendenhall Glacier. Bus tickets were conveniently available from Juneau Tours directly adjacent to the cruise port for just $20 roundtrip with buses leaving every 30 minutes. City buses go that direction, too, but you have to walk a mile and a half at the terminus. The glacier shuttle, on the other hand, dropped us right at the entrance.

Bus to Mendenhall Glacier on Juneau Tours

The bus ride was fairly short since the glacier is just 12 miles away and the bus driver provided a lively commentary throughout the drive.

Our first view of the glacier and Mendenhall Lake was, in a word, breathtaking. The ice appears blue because it transmits the blue color in the light spectrum while it absorbs all the other colors.

Our first view of Mendenhall Glacier behind Mendenhall Lake

Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau

We opted to hike the trails first while it wasn’t raining and save the visitor’s center for later. It turned out to be a good plan and the rain held off for virtually all of our hike. After seeing the sign below, I talked or hummed most of the time to prevent an up close personal encounter with a black bear. I have no idea whether it was due to my strategy (or my humming), but bear encounters were zero.

The trails were well marked with lots of scenic beauty along the way. The trail out to Nugget Falls and back was just 2 miles and an additional photo loop added another half mile.

Nugget Falls Trail

Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls

To see the falls on video, click below.

Mendenhall Glacier behind Mendenhall Lake

Mendenhall Glacier

Icebergs on Mendenhall Lake that have calved from the glacier

Panorama of Mendenhall Lake with the glacier and falls

Sheryl, Jim, and I at Mendenhall Glacier

Following our trip to Mendenhall Glacier, we explored downtown Juneau a bit. Frankly, the rain limited our explorations somewhat but we definitely wanted to see the oldest Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska, St. Nicholas, built in 1894.

St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church

Interior of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church

We also stopped by Starbucks to warm up with a coffee and “get connected” for awhile. Travel tip: Starbucks is the one place in any country where I have always found the Wifi adequate for my needs. Then it was back to the ship in plenty of time for our departure.

Street view of downtown Juneau, Alaska

Based on events of June 2015.

Categories: cruise, Uncategorized, USA | Tags: Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier, Nugget Falls | 1 Comment

Fishing for the Halibut in Ketchikan

Posted on November 10, 2015 by lclalor

Jim Lalor, wrote today’s guest blog post.

When planning our Alaskan cruise, Laura noted a salmon fishing tournament at Ship Creek in downtown Anchorage while we’d be there. She thought I should catch a salmon to be smoked and sent home. I thought a fishing trip would be a great way to spend a day but she wasn’t keen on the idea of bobbing in a small boat on the ocean hoping a fish would take the bait. Thus, I began to look for a charter with space for one.

Ketchikan calls itself the salmon fishing capital of the world and we’d be in port from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Internet inquiries showed many small charter boats for day excursions but several emails and phone calls revealed they were already full on our day in port and no one was aware of a boat having space for a single. Then I talked to Capt. Mike on The Alaska Catch. He had 4 people booked on his 5 fisherman boat. He told me that the salmon fishing would be just starting then and unreliable. He said he had good luck at that time of June with halibut fishing and he preferred eating halibut. The cost would be $220 plus tax and a $20 license fee for a 6 hour trip. There was a fish processor that would clean, freeze, and ship the fish overnight once I was home. I told him to reserve my spot and we made arrangements to meet on the dock at the Oosterdam at 7:00 am.

That morning, I put on warm clothes knowing that it feels about 10 degrees colder on the water. I grabbed my lunch and was one of the first passengers off the ship. After a short wait, I saw Capt. Mike with his sign and a father and son from another cruise ship. A couple from the Oosterdam soon joined us for the short walk to the dock to board The Alaska Catch. It was a clean, shiny new boat that was well equipped. The enclosed cabin had 2 chairs and 2 double benches.

The Alaska Catch

After more than an hour of cruising down the channel from Ketchikan between islands, we got to the edge of the drop off into deep water of the Gulf of Alaska. We anchored in 350 feet of water and prepared to drop lines. The 22 pound anchor was enough to hold the 24 foot The Alaska Catch in the breeze.

Halibut are the largest flatfish in the Pacific and evolved to have both eyes on their brown topside with a white underside. Maximum keeper-size for halibut on a guided trip is 42 inches so the photos you see of the giant halibut catches are from unguided fishing trips. Capt. Mike told us about catching a 220 pounder in the spring when he and another guy from The Alaska Catch stopped to fish for supper after a day of working at a cabin they have for fishing groups.

Capt. Mike said the tidal changes in the area are about 17 feet so lots of water moves into and out of the coastal areas carrying food to the halibut. The halibut lie on the bottom waiting for the food to come to them so that’s where our bait would be. We used large hooks with big chunks of fish and a one pound round weight that looked like a small cannonball. Capt. Mike counted down and we all dropped our lines simultaneously so they wouldn’t tangle on the way down. When they hit bottom, we cranked up a little and waited for a bite.

When the fish hit the baits, it was a major struggle cranking up that much weight from 350 feet. It was soon evident that putting the rod in the rod holder and holding down the reel with one hand while reeling in with the other was the only realistic option. We all caught halibut and quill-backed rock fish. Capt. Mike said the rock fish have a low survival rate when brought up and are good eating so we kept all the rock fish we caught and our limit of one halibut each. The five of us had a marvelous time fishing with Capt. Mike and listening to his Alaska and fish stories. Our group had a 40 inch halibut and several in the 30-36 inch range and 5 rock fish. An altogether successful and awesome morning of fishing, Capt. Mike made this a memorable outing for all of us.

Halibut

Quill-back Rock Fish

Our Catch

Halibut

During the hour trip back to the dock, we filled out the fish processing forms for The Cedars Lodge but they actually use Gateway Seafood and Smokehouse for processing. In the section to order retail salmon, halibut, prawns, or crab. I saw smoked salmon was an option and called Laura to ask if she wanted some shipped with the day’s catch. She was excited about smoked salmon and had me order 10 pounds at about $10/lb. Capt. Mike called the processor and they did have smoked silver salmon. Great! It would arrive at our home 2 days after we returned from the trip.

The shipment arrived the second morning we were home still nicely frozen in a styrofoam box. It had many 1 lb. packages of halibut and a package of rock fish filets plus many packages of salmon. We cooked a package of the halibut first and it was delicious. The first package of salmon we thawed was a surprise as it was fresh frozen and not smoked. It was very tasty but not what I’d ordered. I called The Cedars Lodge, spoke to one of the owners, and explained the problem. She checked her copy of the order and said they’d sent the wrong salmon. She asked what day I wanted the smoked salmon delivered at no charge since it was their error. True to her word, the smoked salmon arrived on the designated morning frozen like the first box of fish. We’ve enjoyed the smoked salmon as much as the other fish. It is so flavorful. If you’d like Alaskan fish delivered to your door, this is one option we are very happy to endorse.

My Alaskan Catch

Based on events of June 2015.

Categories: cruise, USA | Tags: Alaska, Alaska fishing, fishing, halibut, Ketchikan, The Alaska Catch | 4 Comments

The Inside Passage to Ketchikan, Alaska

Posted on November 3, 2015 by lclalor

On the second day of our Alaskan cruise, we enjoyed a full day “at sea” sailing up the inside passage from Vancouver, B.C., to Ketchikan, Alaska. We were hoping to see wildlife along the way but with such dense woods, that was probably an unrealistic expectation. There were wildlife sightings in the water such as humpback whales and the captain would announce sightings from the bridge but it always seemed we were in the wrong place at the time. So we focused instead on the breathtaking scenery all around us that we would later learn was nothing compared to what was ahead.

Cruising the Inside Passage

View from our ship along the inside passage

Inside Passage View

Sunset along the Inside Passage

Cruise Day 2 ended beautifully

The next morning (day 3) we arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska. Jim had arranged a private fishing charter with The Alaska Catch, so he was up and off the ship early to meet Captain Mike. Be sure to read Fishing for the Halibut in Ketchikan next Tuesday featuring Jim’s guest blog post about his experience.

Meanwhile, Sheryl and I explored Ketchikan. Imagine our delight to see blue skies and sunshine when we’d heard it always rains in Ketchikan. After noting that Ketchikan was Alaska’s first city and the salmon capital of the world, according to the welcome sign, we headed to historic Creek Street.

Welcome to Ketchikan, Alaska

Creek Street was built literally on Ketchikan Creek. The wooden boardwalk built on pilings driven into the banks of the creek was home to Ketchikan’s red light district from 1902 until prostitution was outlawed in 1953, and the scene of bootleg liquor sold in speakeasies during Prohibition. Today, there are shops and restaurants lining the boardwalk and Dolly’s House, where the famous madam had her lucrative business, is open for tours. The tour guide at Dolly’s offered us a rock bottom price of $5 so Sheryl and I did a walk through.

Creek Street

Creek Street on Ketchikan Creek

Dolly’s House on Creek Street

After checking out a couple of shops, we headed to the Totem Heritage Center. This museum is the repository of a priceless collection of Tlingit and Haida totem poles. The red cedar poles, carved by local artists in the 19th century, were rescued and salvaged from Tongass Island, Village Island, and Prince of Wales Island with technical assistance from the Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Forest Service.

Totem Heritage Center

The $5 admission price was well worth it to see these original totems that are so culturally significant to the Northwest Coast Native peoples.

The Totem Heritage Center, located along the Ketchikan Creek, was the starting point for a lovely walk along the creek to Salmon Row where the hatchery is located, and ending at the Salmon Ladder.

Ketchikan Creek

Pacific salmon are anadromous, that is they hatch in fresh water, migrate to the ocean to spend most of their life, then return to the area where they hatched to reproduce and die. When they leave the ocean, they stop feeding and their stomachs disintegrate to provide more room for the developing eggs and sperm. The appearance, flavor, and texture of the flesh isn’t very good for eating at this time so if you want salmon to eat, you fish in the ocean. The rapids in the Ketchikan Creek is an extreme challenge for the salmon to surmount to reach the spawning area upstream. The Salmon Ladder on the creek assists thousands of salmon to reach their spawning area by allowing them to use the ladder which is essentially like stairs in the water rather than face the rapids. Unfortunately, we didn’t see it in action because although we were in Alaska at the beginning of the spawning season, we were a little too early to see any fish in the creek. Read more about the life cycle of Pacific salmon here.

Rapids on Ketchikan Creek

Salmon Ladder next to the rapids on Ketchikan Creek

After a little more shopping and halibut fish tacos at Annabelle’s, it was back to the Oosterdam in plenty of time to set sail. I would call Ketchikan a good cruise port with plenty to keep a cruise ship tourist interested and engaged.

Based on events of June 2015.

Categories: cruise, USA | Tags: Alaska, Alaska Catch, Creek Street, dolly's, Ketchikan, Pacific salmon, salmon ladder, Totem Heritage Center, totem poles | 8 Comments

Cruising Through Stanley Park

Posted on October 13, 2015 by lclalor

Vancouver’s premier park bordering the downtown area was established in 1888 and has attracted residents and tourists ever since. When I first visited Stanley Park in 2010, we walked for hours through the park. There are many other ways to enjoy this 1000 acre park, including by car, bus, trolley, horse-drawn carriage and even by roller blades but this time, we rented bikes. There are several bike shops directly outside the entrance to the park and miles and miles of bike trails within the park to explore. We rented one-speed cruisers with helmets and a map from Spokes. Sheryl and I selected bikes with front baskets to hold our backpacks and we each had a bike lock for parking the bikes, but we didn’t use them. In retrospect, Jim thought we should have rented bikes with more speeds because he had a hard time with the old-style coaster brakes in place of hand brakes. When he tried to stop, all he accomplished was ringing the bell which happened quite often. Frankly, the wide comfy seat on the cruiser and the low price tag dictated my choice.

Sheryl and Jim with their cruisers in Stanley Park

Because our time was limited, we rode along the Seawall, the main route around the perimeter of the park, but we saw a lot in just a couple of hours. The Seawall is 8.8 km and then with the distance to and from Spokes, we probably rode about 11 km or almost 7 miles. It was the perfect distance on a perfectly glorious day.

Our first stop at the First Nations totem poles is the most visited tourist attraction in all of British Columbia. Totem poles carved from red cedar trees are unique to the Pacific Northwest and a must-see on any trip to British Columbia or Alaska. They are not idols for worship, as once thought, but rather storyboards with recurring themes. The eagle represents the air, the whale represents the sea, the wolf stands for the land, and the frog links the land and the sea.

Totem Poles in Stanley Park, Vancouver

I love lighthouses and Brockton Point Lighthouse is a charmer. Built as a replacement in 1914 with an automatic light, it’s one of the well-known landmarks in the park. It’s small, almost dainty, but I’m sure the light does its job welcoming ships into the inlet and warning them where the land begins.

Brockton Point Lighthouse in Stanley Park, Vancouver

Our next stop was to get a photo of the inlet with a view of iconic Lion’s Gate Bridge in the background. This suspension bridge connects Vancouver to North Vancouver along a major artery through the city.

View from Stanley Park of Lion’s Gate Bridge

Nearby, the sculpture Girl in a Wetsuit perches on a rock. Designed to represent Vancouver’s dependence on the sea, she’s been sitting in the same spot since 1972 when the sculptor, Elek Imredy, gifted her to the city.

Statue of Girl in a Wetsuit in Stanley Park

The Empress of Japan Figurehead is a pleasant resting place with benches and great scenic views. The masthead graced the container ship RMS Empress of Japan until the ship was scrapped and the masthead was rescued, restored, and displayed in Stanley Park in 1927. This figurehead is actually a replica; the original is on display in the Vancouver Maritime Museum.

Empress of Japan Figurehead in Stanley Park

The day was warm with bright blue skies and every view was photo worthy. We stopped often for views and photos and while others joined us along the Seawall route, it was never uncomfortably crowded.

View from the Seawall, Stanley Park

We had been advised by our host at the B&B that on warm sunny days, everyone in Vancouver stops what they’re doing, strips off their clothes, and heads to the beach. Sure enough, the jumble of bikes and sunbathers at the Third Beach confirmed his warning.

Third Beach in Stanley Park, Vancouver

When we spotted cairns built all over this rocky bit of shore, we couldn’t resist a photo. Since these cairns clearly weren’t here to mark a trail, I assume they are a bit of art created by passersby to announce “I was here, but I won’t permanently affect the environment.”

Cairns along the Seawall in Stanley Park

And further along the Seawall at Second Beach, there’s even a swimming pool.

Pool at Second Beach, Stanley Park

There is so much more we didn’t have time to see or do in Stanley Park. The Vancouver Aquarium, located in the park, is Canada’s largest with over 70,000 creatures. Several restaurants located inside the park provide varied dining venues. Many more trails, lakes, and even a miniature railroad offer additional experiences to the visitor.

But what we enjoyed most were the scenic views all around us while riding on our cruisers.

View from the Seawall, Stanley Park, Vancouver

Based on events in June 2015.

Categories: Canada, cruise | Tags: bike rentals, Brockton Point Lighthouse, Empress of Japan Figurehead, Girl in a Wetsuit, Lion's Gate Bridge, Seawall, Second Beach, Spokes, Stanley Park, Third Beach, totem poles, Vancouver | 5 Comments

Less than 2 Days in Vancouver, BC

Posted on September 15, 2015 by lclalor

Vancouver, B.C, is the largest city in western Canada with a population over 600,000 and 2.4 million in the metro area. Incorporated in 1886, it replaced and absorbed Gastown which was established years earlier when “Gassy Jack” opened the first saloon in 1867. I first visited in 2010 on a girlfriends trip to Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver, but we didn’t really explore Vancouver except for a long walk through Stanley Park. This time I was determined to see as much as possible in less than 2 days. We wanted to stay downtown within walking distance of the cruise-ship terminal and the city attractions. You don’t really know whether you found the perfect place until you get there, but this Victorian mansion on a shady residential street in the middle of the city hit the mark. Our B&B, the Barclay House, in the West End neighborhood was close enough to the sights to walk almost everywhere. That said, we noticed that no matter which direction we walked, it seemed to be uphill both ways.

You can orient yourself by the map below. Our B&B was in the West End just south of Stanley Park and west of Coal Harbour. We easily walked (uphill) to Coal Harbour, Downtown, Stanley Park, Gastown, and Chinatown and back (uphill).

Vancouver Neighborhoods

Sheryl arrived first and explored the area so when Jim and I got there she led us directly over to Coal Harbour Walkway. Coal Harbour was originally an industrial area that has been transformed into an upscale neighborhood with many high-rise condos, a marina, plenty of green space, shops, restaurants, and a lovely walkway along the waterfront stretching from Stanley Park to Gastown.

Coal Harbor Walkway

I was surprised to see a little house on stilts in the middle of the walkway. The local artist, Liz Magor, created and gifted the sculpture, LightShed, to the city in 2004. It’s similar to the sheds that lined the harbor years ago where fisherman repaired their boats.

LightShed by Liz Magor erected in 2004 along Coal Harbour Walkway

We watched seaplanes take off and land loaded with tourists seeing the sights from the air.

View of seaplane from Coal Harbor Walkway

Keeping our feet firmly on the ground, we ambled as far as the Vancouver Convention Center and Canada Place, reading signs about the history of the area along the way. Outside the Convention Center, the Olympic Cauldron on Jack Poole Plaza is a permanent reminder of the 2010 Olympics held in Vancouver. It’s still lit on special occasions today.

Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza

From there it was back to the Empire Landmark Hotel located within a couple blocks of our B&B for a nightcap while we enjoyed the 360 degrees panorama of Vancouver from Cloud Nine, the revolving restaurant on the 42nd floor. Cloud Nine welcomed us graciously when we explained we just wanted to enjoy a drink and the view.

High rise buildings in downtown Vancouver

Cloud Nine revolving restaurant atop Landmark Empire Hotel

Nightcap at Cloud Nine

View from Cloud Nine

Sunset from Cloud Nine

City View from Cloud Nine

This was probably my husband’s number 1 favorite sight in all of Vancouver. (Next time I’ll share my favorite sight.) The full rotation took about 1.25 hours while we enjoyed the view in every direction. What a relaxing way to end a day of travel and sightseeing and orient ourselves to the City of Glass with the mountains in the background.

Based on events of June 2015.

Categories: Canada, cruise | Tags: Barclay House, City of Glass, Cloud Nine, Coal Harbour, Coal Harbour Walkway, Gassy Jack, Gastown, Jack Poole Plaza, Landmark Empire Hotel, LightShed, Liz Magor, Olympic Cauldron, Stanley Park, Vancouver BC | 3 Comments

North to Alaska 2015

Posted on September 8, 2015 by lclalor

I’ve known since 2012 it was time to go to Alaska. That was the year Jim and I went to Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine bringing to 49 our total states visited. Prior to that, my state total was 46 and Jim’s was 43. Honestly, Alaska was never really on my short list but when it’s the only state in the U.S. you haven’t visited, it’s time to make a plan.

I sent for the Alaska Official State Vacation Planner at TravelAlaska.com to begin my research. The sample itineraries in the planner were invaluable for narrowing the options. Many friends cited their Alaskan cruise as their best trip ever so I began exploring cruises. Most itineraries depart from Seattle or Vancouver and typically include the inside passage. A cruise seemed like a pretty efficient way to start to see our largest state but frankly, it looked like we’d barely scratch the surface of this vast area. That realization caused me to look at a combination cruise and land tour. The cruise tour would add a land trip by coach and train to Denali National Park with possible views of Mt. Denali, aka McKinley, the highest peak in North America.

Recommendations and research led me to Holland America, the largest tour operator in Alaska. I knew I wanted to go in June and I wanted to get the best price for a stateroom with a verandah on the starboard side, hoping to spot wildlife as we cruised north. I didn’t have a preference for a particular ship or whether the land portion was before or after the cruise, but I did prefer a cruise starting or ending in Vancouver. We’ve never cruised Holland America before but Norwegian, my usual cruise operator, couldn’t beat their price so I booked with HAL.

Holland America Cruise Line Logo

Our original price was just short of $2500 per person but then a friend, Sheryl, decided to go with us so with three in the cabin the price went down to $2035 each. Then the closer we got to our departure date, the more emails HAL sent us offering upgrades and the lower the cost was for the upgrade. With three in our cabin, we decided to spring for the suite upgrade for an additional $100 each which gave us considerable extra space both in the cabin and on our verandah plus two sinks and a whirlpool tub in the biggest bathroom I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. The total for the three of us for the 11 Day Double Denali which included the 7 day cruise, coach to Denali, 2 nights lodging in Denali, tour of Denali, domed rail trip to Anchorage, and one night of lodging in Anchorage was $6400 or about $194 per person per day. I tell you this for reference purposes in case you want to go to Alaska. I do believe I got the best deal available at the time.

Here’s our itinerary from HAL’s website:

Day/ Port
1 Vancouver
Sail from Vancouver, glide under Lion’s Gate Bridge, and enter the scenic wonders of the Inside Passage
2 At Sea
Relax and enjoy a full day of scenic Inside Passage cruising and immerse yourself in Holland America Line elegance
3 Ketchikan
Explore this uniquely Alaskan port, famous for its rich native culture, salmon fishing, and scenic Misty Fjords
4 Juneau
Enjoy a full day of exploring Alaska’s capital-choose from exciting shore excursions and still have time to shop
5 Skagway
Step back to the days of the last great gold rush-choose from exciting shore excursions and still have time to shop
6 Glacier Bay
Cruise the ice-studded fjords of this national treasure for a full eight hours as a Park Service Ranger narrates
7 At Sea (Gulf of Alaska)
Enjoy a leisurely day of cruising
8 Denali National Park
Disembark and enjoy deluxe motorcoach sightseeing to Denali National Park for a two-night stay at this majestic national treasure (lunch included)
9 Denali National Park
Venture deep into Denali on the Tundra Wilderness Tour (snack included), the best way to see wildlife and hopefully Mt. McKinley too
10 Anchorage
This morning, board the luxurious domed rail cars of the McKinley Explorer bound for Anchorage
11 Anchorage
Your Land + Sea Journey concludes this morning in Anchorage.

Itinerary Map View

The cruise began in Vancouver, B.C, and ended in Anchorage, so after booking the cruise, my next goal was to find and book reasonable “open jaw” airfare. (Open jaw means your roundtrip is from different airports, e.g., the departure is DesMoines to Vancouver and the return is Anchorage to DesMoines. I searched on Kayak but I’ve since learned about ITA Matrix and I’ll try that, too, next time. As long as we were going to be in Vancouver, we wanted to explore the city a bit but the less expensive flights were mostly red-eye or arrived late in the day. I found two one-way tickets actually offered the best times and rates in this instance. Orbitz offered a one way from DesMoines to Vancouver on Air Canada for $291.59 and Delta had a return from Anchorage to DesMoines for $404, bringing the roundtrip total to $695.59. It seemed high but summer flights to Alaska are expensive so I booked it.

Finally, we needed two nights accommodations in Vancouver to allow plenty of time before the cruise in case we had flight delays and to properly see the city. Hotels there are very expensive, as I soon found out. I found a Hampton Inn at $260 a night and booked it but canceled it when I found a darling bed and breakfast, the Barclay House, in a great walkable neighborhood for $230. That rate changed when we added Sheryl to our room, but it was still lower than the hotel would have been if we added a third person.

Barclay House

So, with all the arrangements made, we were ready to set sail to visit our 50th state in June 2015.

Next time I’ll show and tell you all about our departure port, Vancouver, B.C.

Based on events from June 2015

Categories: Canada, cruise, USA | Tags: Alaskan cruise, Holland America | 10 Comments

Foodie Report for the Norwegian Star

Posted on January 20, 2015 by lclalor

You may recall an earlier post in which I claimed I’m not a foodie. In preparation for this post, I took a quiz to see just how un-foodie I was. You can take the same quiz here: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Food/2012/0727/Are-you-a-real-foodie-Take-our-quiz. Imagine my surprise when I scored 80%! A score of 70% or higher qualified me as a definite foodie. Who knew? Frankly, I rocked all the French cooking questions because although I may not consider myself a foodie, I am definitely a francophile. Now that I can legitimately claim the title of foodie, I am presumptuous enough to give you a foodie report for the Norwegian Star.

With a capacity of 2348 passengers, the Star serves a lot of meals which obviously requires a huge amount of food. At embarkation we observed some of the provisions that would be loaded onto the ship to feed us for 14 days at sea.

Provisions to be transported onboard

The Star features 14 dining options, composed of two complimentary main dining rooms, the Versailles and the Aqua; the Market Cafe, which is a buffet; several other bars and cafes that serve food; and 8 specialty restaurants that charge an extra fee.

For breakfast, we opted for a made-to-order omelet and fresh fruit each morning in the Market Cafe after a workout in the fitness center or a walk on the promenade. I usually had egg whites only with every veggie. Yum! I loved sitting outside to enjoy the balmy temperatures in the morning.

Breakfast by the pool on the Norwegian Star

For lunch, we enjoyed whatever they prepared on the pool deck or went back to the Market Cafe for a big salad and some protein.I enjoyed watching the chefs prepare dishes in mass quantities before our eyes. Since I’m gluten-free, I didn’t eat the pasta…

Seafood Pasta on the Norwegian Star

The first two evenings we ventured to the Versailles Main Dining Room which seats 491 guests. Frankly, we weren’t overly impressed with our service and although the dining room itself is gorgeous, it was noisy and distracting. The third evening we decided to try the other main dining room, the Aqua, which seats 334 guests in a bit more casual venue. We were so impressed that we had dinner there every night thereafter.

Versailles Main Dining Room, Norwegian Star

Lori and Jim at the Versailles

The main dining rooms feature the same menu with items that remain the same each night and “Tonight’s Signature Specialties” that change every evening. There was plenty of variety and we had no trouble choosing a pleasing entrée along with starters and sumptuous desserts. Each entrée is paired with sides that complement the main dish but you can order additional items if you prefer. I usually opted for seafood while Jim chose beef or pork. I especially liked the portion control of the dishes that encourages some self-restraint. The service, presentation, and taste were especially good considering how many people they feed each evening.

We enjoyed our servers at the Aqua so much the first evening that we requested seating in their area every evening afterwards. Jessie is from the Philippines and Indra is from Indonesia. They worked hard, and they were friendly, professional, and knowledgeable.

Our server, Jessie, on the Norwegian Star

Our server, Indra, Norwegian Star

I love taking photos of food so I’m happy to share some of our meals with you. I wish I’d thought to photograph the menu each night so I could identify each dish as well. The names of the dishes are as appealing as the food, in my opinion.

They say the average cruiser gains a pound a day. I say you can actually choose to live a healthier lifestyle on a cruise ship. If you get some exercise each day and make sensible food choices among the plentiful offerings, you can come home without “extra baggage.”

Taken from events of November, 2014

Categories: cruise, Uncategorized | Tags: cruise ship dining, Norwegian Star | 3 Comments

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Scenes from the Bus to Denali

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Glacier Bay, Alaska

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All Aboard in Skagway, Alaska

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Alaskan Cruise: Juneau, Alaska

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Fishing for the Halibut in Ketchikan

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The Inside Passage to Ketchikan, Alaska

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Cruising Through Stanley Park

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North to Alaska 2015

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Foodie Report for the Norwegian Star

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