Alaska Cruise Part 2

Welcome to Juneau......

Crazy, this cruising thing. Going to bed in one place and waking up in another. We just wish we could have seen all the beautiful scenery gliding past us. Once it's dark, it's REALLY dark and you see nothing in the wilds of Alaska!!

Other than Doug going on the Salmon fishing trip with my Mom and brother, we planned no "tours" We preferred to just wander about town. It is a bit hard to wander with so many others around. We just smile and enjoy. 

Shake a leg  it's Juneau time!! Come on........

Opened the curtains and this is what we saw.....

Mom and Mark heading out with us for a walk....

Fish processing plant. Good to see that there is actually

something other than cruise ships that use these docks.

Okay, I just like the sign. It made me laugh all day....

That's the Star Princess, the middle ship. Just a wee little thing!

Carmen, Doug & Nancy 

We took a little tour in an old wooden trolley bus. Although it wasn't really a "tour" arranged through the cruise lines, we just went on our own. 

I think it cost us about $20 US each so it wasn't too expensive.

Beautiful hump back whale statue/fountain. Loved it.

Famous Red Dog Saloon. My Mom loves this place!! Probably due partly because 

we (Doug and I) had Scottish Terriers for about 20 years and if you look, 

that is the dog on the logo.

Quite the crazy saloon. See the bear climbing up the centre pole?

Cheers!!

To these two guys as well!

Love the drink names.....

Doug liked the logo on this crab shack.

Look closely below: 

She has beautiful crab legs!!

Just starting to pull out.

Thanks Juneau - what a beautiful little town,

and it's the capital of Alaska!!

Another round of family Shuffleboard....

notice all the shorts?

The end of another gorgeous Alaska day. See, what did I tell you.....pretty much nothing but sunshine and blue skies. Very, very unusual for this time of year

We really are so, so fortunate to have this experience with my Mom, aren't we?

Peace - see you in Skagway...... 

Thought for the Day: You're off to great places, Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way....Dr. Seuss

Alaska Cruise Part 1

You will notice I am still catching up!!

September 1st found us heading out of the Port of Vancouver on our way to a 7 day, one-way Alaska cruise. (courtesy of my Mom) . As with the Panama cruise she took us on in 2014, the same group of 9 of us went. My Mom, sisters, Susann, Julie myself and brother Mark, along with our spouses and my niece. A big party type of group. Look out......LOTS of pictures. I'll break up the cruise into a few posts to give you time to go to the bathroom!!

It started out with a lovely breakfast right across the street from our apartment at the 

Hillside Bakery. Our friends, Bob & Danna, graciously offered to drive us from 

White Rock to the dock in downtown Vancouver.

Good grief these ships are huge when you get beside them.....

Early walk around the ship waiting for everyone to board. 

What a beautiful city Vancouver is!!

Just about to go under the Lions Gate bridge. Always a highlight for me!

Gliding past the edge of Stanley Park....

Getting ready for one of the formal night dinners on the first night.

Doug, Nadyne (but you can all call her Mom) and myself.

Really, I know she is short but she really is my Mom!!! 

INTRODUCING "THE FAMILY"...

 

Nadyne (a.k.a. Mom)

The lovely duo of my niece, Lacey & my sister (her Mom) Susann

Sister Julie and hubby Martin

My sister-in-law Carmen and my brother Mark (we let him come along cuz 

we love her so much)....Just kidding Mark!! (sort of....)

And us two scaly-wags....

We were overnight up to Ketchikan which was our first stop. Doug, my brother Mark and my Mom went salmon fishing. They never caught anything. That's okay cuz there is lots of food on the ship. My brother says that's why it's called "fishing" not necessarily "catching". Ha ha. These pictures following were all from Ketchikan. While Doug fished some of us walked around town.

Notice the green sticker on the bottom right? It's Mile 0. that's from Key West FL. Most southerly point in the USA. We have one from our big US trip in 2014. You can only get them in Key West so it was cool to see one here in Alaska.

Remember these?? This one still works!!

This one is for my Uncle Alan who served as a doctor in Vietnam.

Creek Street is an interesting area that was, in the old days, strictly full of brothels. Super cool little houses that were basically surrounded by walkways above the small tidal area......

All us tourists converge on this little town and there are actually people just going about their own business. It must be strange to live in these towns, especially this one as it is not accessible by road. Only barge. The roads go about 30 miles out on 

either side of the town and then that is it.

Imagine 4 or 5 of these behemoths arriving virtually at the same time!!!

This was our ship, the Star Princess.

We all had balconies (thanks again, Mom). 

Relaxing out waiting to "cast-off" from Ketchikan.

Nancy, Julie, Mom, Susann & Carmen

Notice the weather??? 

It would be like this for virtually EVERY day of this cruise.

A totally unheard of occurrence. 

This is from our balcony. This way, I can keep an eye on the bridge. 

Doug and Mark....not sure where Martin was!

We all trudged up to the upper rear of the ship to play shuffleboard, 

which was a family tradition on our Panama cruise.

Can you believe the water?????

Spectacular....

Looking out our dining room window. No photo shopping done.

 I am not nearly smart enough to know how to do that. Just a beautiful sunset.

Okay, that's the end of the first "port-o-call"

See you in Juneau.....

Peace.....

Thought for the day: Good grief we are lucky......

Power Through July & August

I guess I'd best move this along or soon it will be Christmas!!

Lots of camping in July and August (our favourite). Here's just a round-up of all that summer was. Nothing too exciting. Still trying to catch up.....enjoy!

Crescent Beach....

Public transit bus trip down to the beach.I would say they were excited!!

Two little boys and their own version of a selfie....

Symphony of Fire from Mom's North Van rooftop patio....

  

Gus, Grandpa Doug & Jasper

My Mom, Nadyne and I out for a lovely summer lunch.

Teagan and Rudy came to town. Always love it

when we can get everyone together....

Cousins Jasper, Gus & Rudy.....ice cream lovers!!

Peace.....

Thought for the Day: Always be yourself. Unless you can be a pirate, then always be a pirate....Capt.Jack Sparrow.