Just a short note today. Absolutly spectacular scenery today. Woke up to overcast skies with light rain but the clouds went away and we had sunshine and glaciers and tall white-capped mountains. A bald eagle was perched on the top of the glacier and I saw a brown (or grizzly) bear on the shore as well as a couple of seals. Lunch on the Lido deck was bar-b-qued fresh salmon and mussels and clams in a white wine broth. YUM! I have managed to have salmon at every meal so far. I think I'll have to buy some in Juneau tomorrow and ship it home. Tomorrow we have 13 hours in Juneau and I'll be taking the raft trip from Mendenhal Glacier down to the sea. Saw the big production number last night and the singers & dancers were very good. Then we went to the piano bar to hear Nathan do his Broadway program. He has written a musical that is currently running off-off Broadway and the song he sang from it is one I'd like to see some GALA choruses do. He'll have it up on his website in a month. It's called "Unconditional Love" and has great lyrics. I am currently sitting in the Crows Nest on the very top of the ship in the library and looking out as we pass high mountains. This trip has been everything I'd hoped it would be and we still have most of it to go.
Check out some pictures of Margerie Glacier at Glacier Bay.
And some other photos of sailing in Alaska.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Pride Parade and Sailing
On the street outside Hotel Monaco was the staging area for the Pride Parade. We ate breakfast outside and watched the festivities. It was very entertaining. Then we took a Town Car to the Pier. When we checked in the lady informed us that our cabin had been upgraded (don't you just love wonderful suprizes) to deck 6 where we now have our own private veranda!!!!! Had a wonderful meal of Herb infused Salmon and French Onion soup. Now I'm up in the Crow's nest where the Internet Cafe is located. Beautiful scenery going by outside the wrap-around windows. This is SO GREAT! Having a wonderful time - wish you were here.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Seattle at last!
Got to DIA yesterday at 10am. Flight was as 12:05pm. Had tried to confirm online on Thursday, but because I had requested a cart, I was told to register at the check-in counter. When we got there the lady informed us that the flight was over-booked and that we were not guarenteed seats, but to check in at the gate. We did not get on that flight, altho we were given confirmed seats on the 5:50pm flight and $400 voucher good for a year. So we putzed around playing tag-team suitcase watching near gate A52 where the flight was supposed to leave from. We were told that the gate had changed to A24 which was at the complete opposite end of the terminal.
The plane finally left at 7pm and we got to Seattle, caught the Grayline bus to the Fairmont Hotel just 1/2 block from the Hotel Monaco. Got checked in quickly and since we missed the free wine hour the lady at the front desk gave us each a voucher for a free glass of wine. We went upstairs, quickly unpacked and grabbed a quick glass of wine before they closed at 11pm.
Today we got up early, had coffee in the lobby and walked down to the Waterfront. We took the ferry over to Bainbridge island. The weather is beautiful - Sunny and 58 degrees heading toward 70. It's a bit hazy so Mt. Rainier is visable but fuzzy.
There's a really big cruise ship about where ours will be taking off from, but we were not close enough to tell if it's the Westerdam.
We wandered down the Waterfront and then climbed up to Pike Place Market where we saw the flying fish and sampled some fresh Ranier cherries. We ate brunch at the Pike Place Bar & Grill on the 2nd floor overlooking the flying fish place. Very good food. We toured the Seattle Aquarium and saw them feeding the fish and the sea otters. Then we CLIMBED up the HILL (boy, is it steep) to the Seattle Library where we are now. (check out the I love the Library blog)
At 5pm we'll walk half a block to the hotel and enjoy their wine and decide where to go for dinner.
Tomorrow the Pride Parade goes right past the hotel, then we're off to the Pier to get on board the Westerdam.
The plane finally left at 7pm and we got to Seattle, caught the Grayline bus to the Fairmont Hotel just 1/2 block from the Hotel Monaco. Got checked in quickly and since we missed the free wine hour the lady at the front desk gave us each a voucher for a free glass of wine. We went upstairs, quickly unpacked and grabbed a quick glass of wine before they closed at 11pm.
Today we got up early, had coffee in the lobby and walked down to the Waterfront. We took the ferry over to Bainbridge island. The weather is beautiful - Sunny and 58 degrees heading toward 70. It's a bit hazy so Mt. Rainier is visable but fuzzy.
There's a really big cruise ship about where ours will be taking off from, but we were not close enough to tell if it's the Westerdam.
We wandered down the Waterfront and then climbed up to Pike Place Market where we saw the flying fish and sampled some fresh Ranier cherries. We ate brunch at the Pike Place Bar & Grill on the 2nd floor overlooking the flying fish place. Very good food. We toured the Seattle Aquarium and saw them feeding the fish and the sea otters. Then we CLIMBED up the HILL (boy, is it steep) to the Seattle Library where we are now. (check out the I love the Library blog)
At 5pm we'll walk half a block to the hotel and enjoy their wine and decide where to go for dinner.
Tomorrow the Pride Parade goes right past the hotel, then we're off to the Pier to get on board the Westerdam.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Getting Ready to go
I'm about 3/4 packed. Will take my cat, GiGi, to the Cattery today at 5pm. This is a bit of a test because I'm using the Goggle gadget on my home page and want to see how it works.
Right now: 24 hours and 23 minutes til we leave!
Right now: 24 hours and 23 minutes til we leave!
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