Sunday, June 3 at 11:15 PM

Both fortunately and unfortunately, I have been too busy since landing in Seattle to add to my journal. It is now near midnight, and I am comfortable seated on a cushy leather chair adding to my travelog. There is a window directly in front of me, with a great view of the ocean, and for some odd reason this window is decorated with cacti and some mock desert landscape. This looks nothing like the natural desert or makeshift gravel one would find in the southwest, where cacti exist in large numbers. To me, the rocks beneath the cacti are more reminiscent of an ocean bottom that a scuba diver may brush against, while in search of bottom-dwelling stingrays or something of that nature. Anyway, I am trying to paint the picture that I am comfortable enough to write about my journey thus far until my computer runs out of battery. However, I will try not to, in hopes that anyone who may have stumbled across this blog of mine will continue reading.

On Friday, our flight did end up being delayed roughly an hour and a half. We arrived in Seattle well over an hour late, only to discover that Seattle would not see a nicer day all year. Upon landing, our pilot informed us that the local temperature was seventy-six degrees and the skys were only partly cloudy. Well, once we got in our rental car and drove away from the airport, I would have given money to anybody who spotted more than a single cloud in the sky. It was gorgeous. Of course, I would have been overtly happy had the weather been stormy, as those who know me well know.

Exhausted from the delay and the following flight, my family went straight to the hotel, a Radisson literally two hundred yards from the airport, for check-in. Excited by the Radisson’s signature sleep number beds, we played around with the controls for awhile before mustering up the strength to walk to a nearby Denny’s. Dinner was nothing spectacular; actually, it may well have been the worst Denny’s experience I have ever had. But I’m not complaining—I’m on vacation!!

After dinner, I went down to swim a few laps and relax in the Jacuzzi. There is a beautiful lagoon just out back of the indoor swimming pool, and it was nice to watch the swans (or ducks) gracefully glide through them as I enjoyed the freshwater pool. The Jacuzzi was nice, warm but not so hot that after five minutes one needs to get out, in fear of turning bright red. I was hoping to meet up with Colleen, my friend from Boston College, later on in the evening, but it unfortunately did not work out. So I showered, headed upstairs, and finished my James Patterson novel before drifting into a much-needed slumber.

We woke up early on Saturday (I woke up at 7 o’clock, and the rest of the family was pretty much all ready to go). We dined downstairs at the Radisson’s “signature breakfast buffet,” and then headed toward Seattle to embrace our touristy nature.

After locating our parking garage, we made out way to the Pike Place Public Marketplace, the nation’s oldest continually operating farmer’s market. This is also the only location Seattle is host to in Patricia Shultz’s 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Naturally, I had to see it. And I am glad I did. I was able to see freshly murdered salmon tossed from employee to employee, and a “pig parade.” That’s right. As part of Pike Place’s centennial celebration, local interest groups (of any sort) were invited to create a pig of some sort, decorated in the spirit of a theme of their choice. There were hundreds of these fake animals, and the themes ranged from gum-covered hogs to monopoly-money pigs. And, at Pike Place, I was photographed riding the “golden pig,” a permanent statue that rests at the marketplace, for a reason I could not even fathom, nonetheless make up an answer for if I tried. Perhaps once upon a time, pigs roamed free in the Seattle Harbor. After most had been captured, the others decided to inhabit the land?

Anyway, Pike’s was neat—a true cultural experience. And I would recommend that anyone who visits Seattle marvel at its uniqueness. However, I would recommend even more that any first-time (or anyone who has not done it) Seattle visitors partake in the city’s underground tour. I will interject because I was just forced out of my writing spot by a pleasant Filipino man who needed to “sanitize” the reading area. I wonder if he would have let me stay, had I told him we are culturally intertwined because my grandfather was born in the Philippines. So anyway, this underground tour…it takes place in Pioneer Square, a beautiful area where Seattle was founded (aka first taken over by the white man). The tour guides are witty and well-versed in their history, and the tour takes you to three different underground locations, the remains of 19^th-century Seattle. One learns about the problems the city faced, and the tactics employed by those looking to get rich and not wanting to spend a lot of money in an attempt to repair these problems. A participant will hear about a 3^rd-grade boy who falls in a mudhole (in the middle of the street), never to resurface. You will also hear about Seattle’s first sewage problem and its failures, as well as the origin of both Duwamish (Seattle’s first name) and Seattle. I cannot emphasize how wonderful this tour is. Present-day inhabitants of this area are actually living above what used to be Seattle. It is strange to think about, and I probably took roughly sixty photographs on this tour (just about enough to create a Facebook album).

After taking the underground tour, we walked along the water for a couple of miles as we made our way to Seattle Center, home of the 1962 World Fair and the easily distinguishable Space Needle. We stopped along the way at a sculpture park (my favorite sculpture was of a metal tree!). At Seattle Center, we stopped for a snack (I ordered a cherry sno-kone [yes, with a “k”], Allison got the same, my mom got one of the most delicious frozen lemonades I have ever tasted, my dad had a diet Pepsi, and Amanda splurged on some Dreyer’s ice cream in a waffle cone). We then went into a music and science fiction museum. The museums are actually separate, but connected. This year’s exhibit at the music museum is the history of Disney and music. It was really something. Walt Disney knew what impact music and sound effects could have on an audience in an attempt to elicit a certain emotion, and this exhibit truly showcased his genius. I went into a studio where I got to sing as if I were recording a CD (museum visitors actually have the option of recording their own CD while there—Gabby!!). I didn’t do that, because, well we all know how that one would sell. The sci-fi museum was neat as well, but we did not spend as much time in there. I signed a release form and recorded my thoughts on music and science fiction while at the museums, which were housed in a very intricately designed building, possibly more unique than Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim in New York City.

Once we were done at the Seattle Center (We didn’t ascend the Space Needle, and I do not regret it [it seemed like a waste of money]), we took the monorail to the Westlake Mall, where we dined at P.F. Chang’s. Yumm. I sat in/on an incredible piece of furniture at Plush (kind of like a Love Sac). That night, I was once again unable to meet up with Colleen. I was able to contact my friend Allie at UW, but she was busy studying for finals. We went back to the hotel and I swam and relaxed in the Jacuzzi again. Did I mention that the weather was probably around eighty and sunny this day? Absolutely ridiculous. I really would have loved to see some rain.

Today was another “beautiful day” in Seattle, sunny again (with a little bit of haze) and somewhere in the low to mid-eighties. I actually sweat a bit throughout the day’s prime. We woke up a tad bit later today, and breakfasted at none other than Denny’s. It was actually really good this time around. We then returned the rental car, and took a shuttle from the airport to the harbor. At the harbor, we boarded our ship more quickly than we have ever done in the past. We had a great bus ride over with an entertaining bus driver/tour guide. We were on the ship just after 12:30, and I got just as excited once on board as I was on the other two cruises I’ve been on. I’ve decided I was made for the sea. J

While boarding the ship was smooth sailing, the events that occurred thereafter were anything but for my parents. My dad was not too happy with the staff and some things that happened (they didn’t get the upgrade they thought they would [my parents signed up for this Carnival Vacation Club on our last cruise, under the impression that they would get major discounts when booking cruises—as it turns out, this cruise used up all but 35 of the 7,500 points they were granted for $7,500], they were assigned to a different dining table than we were, by mistake, and the staff just did not seem as pleasant or responsive as the staff we have had prior experience with was). I can completely understand my parents’ disappointment with this points thing, as this cruise should not have cost more than $4,000 for the five of us, and that is a HIGH estimate. But honestly, I thank the Lord that I was granted such a lax temper, because minor setbacks like these really do not get to me at all. I am what one would call a stress-free traveler. Fortunately, our dining table issue was resolved. We are seated next to three very nice Texans, Peggy, Linda, and Trevor. Incidentally, my dad’s sisters are named Linda and Peggy, and Linda’s grandkids have the same names as Trevor’s siblings do. Peggy’s middle name is my mom’s first name. It was neat. I learned that Amarillo, Texas is much colder than I would have imagined, and enjoyed a heck of a tasty meal. I got a fruit assortment as an appetizer, a vegetable soup in a beef broth for my soup, a salad with a citrus-herb vinaigrette dressing for my salad, a pasta with lemon chicken for my main course, and the Loveboat chocolate mousse for dessert. Everything except for my main course was scrumptious, and I was not near starving when I entered the dining room, for we had the bon voyage buffet on the Lido deck just a few hours before. I tend to eat a good four meals a day on cruise ships though, so I was really just warming myself up for the week ahead.

The ship we are on first sailed twelve years ago, but it is surprisingly well-maintained, and does not seem to be too outdated. The fitness facilities are not up to par with those of other ships I have been on (including the sauna, steamroom, and seven-head showers that our last cruise ship had). And this vessel was constructed before personal choice dining became popular. The atrium is also a bit short in comparison to the near hundred foot atriums our other ships have housed. All in all, it is still a beautiful floating resort, with great artwork and intricate detail everywhere you look. I love cruises.

After exploring the ship and eating dinner, we went up top to see if the weather had changed. It had. Last time we had been outside, we were sweating. Now it seemed to be in the low-sixties, with a bitter breeze originating in the ocean and forty mile-per-hour winds attacking us when walking to the bow of the ship. I was in love. When I finish writing, I will go outside to experience this beautiful gift from Mother Nature yet again. I am so glad I purchased North Fleece’s Windwall just before this trip (thanks for the help picking it out, Jessica!!).

After the cold had gotten to the rest of my family, we went down a few decks for the opening show. It was an introduction of the broadway-style performers on board, the cruise director’s staff, and a comedic magician whose full show will be seen sometime later this week. It was pretty nice, and the boat really started rocking while we were in there (J). Honestly, I could not be asking for anything else right now. I finished my fourth mug of tea a bit ago, and I think I will be drinking coffee and tea just about every hour I am on board this magnificent vessel.

By the way, I am currently sitting in the atrium, and the piece of art near me looks like a scene Seurat would have loved to paint, but since it is not a display of pointillism, I know it was not him. I have a nice view of the ocean’s raging whitecaps just outside the picturesque window to my right. The loveseat I am resting on is just as comfortable as my last chair was, but I have not footrest.

A bit ago, I was up on the fourteenth deck of the ship admiring the scenery. There was lighting in the distance….over a bluff and behind some clouds. It lit up the sky a brilliant yellow with a tint of red, and I am not sure I have ever seen more beautiful flashes of light in my life. An elderly man approached me, telling me what point we had just passed. He lives in Washington, and could tell I did not when I did not recognize the area we had just passed. He has done this voyage before, and was able to answer any questions I had. He told me we will be able to see land just about the whole time we are at sea, which is a huge contrast to what I am used to with the Mexican Riviera’s “at sea” days. He told me I must be as crazy as he was, to be standing outside in what most would consider to be inclement weather. I told him I loved it, although my toes were a bit cold as my Rainbows do not particularly cover them. He bid me good night and went on his way, to a more protected area. I stood there a few moments longer, and when my nose started to run because of the temperature and wind, I knew I should probably relocate. I went to get more tea.

It has been an incredible experience so far, and I am looking forward to the mixture of greenery and icecaps that await us, as well as the wildlife we will encounter and the shore excursions we will make. Unfortunately, the kayaking experience that Ali and I booked was canceled (presumably because of the weather), but dogsledding and ziplining are still a go. And we will book another excursion for Skagway (where we were scheduled to kayak) tomorrow.

It is now a quarter to one, and I am going to go get some tea and experience the great outdoors, but I will do my best to update daily from now on, even though I will not post until the end of my trip.

Monday, June 04 at 11:50 PM

Tonight I am writing from the Muster Deck on the seventh floor of the cruise ship. The temperature is in the forties and the wind blowing in my face is probably close to thirty miles an hour. With the wind factored in, it feels like it is around twenty degrees. Just a bit ago I was out here working on a Wordoku puzzle, in khakis, a long-sleeved shirt, and sandals (which I actually kicked off of my feet). The occasional passerby would look at me as if I was crazy—one lady even made a comment to me. It was a few degrees warmer at this time, but not much. After about a half hour, I could no longer wiggled my toes. I decided it would be best to go downstairs and grab some socks and a skullcap, as well as my Windwall. Incidentally, my entire outfit is as black as the sky I am looking out at now. The horizon line is no longer visible, as the appearance of the ocean is the exact same shade as the appearance of the sky right now. The waves are really crashing against the side of the boat—it is absolutely delightful. Okay, I am starting to think I might be a little bit crazy. It rained today from the moment I awoke until just about two hours ago. I loved it…I think maybe one or two others of the thousands on this ship felt the same way I did.

I woke up this morning promptly at 8:30, after a rough night’s sleep. I first tried to doze off a bit before 3 AM, but the ship was shaking so violently that I was not able to fall asleep until nearly five. Luckily, coffee is included in the price of the cruise. I jumped out of bed at the sound of my sister’s alarm, changed into gym clothes, and headed to the fitness center. I spent about an hour in there: a half hour on some elliptical-like thing that must have been from the early or mid-1990s, and a half hour alternating between free weights machines. I then gave the steam room a shot…bad idea. The steam room could not have been more than ninety degrees warm, and the sauna was unfortunately not functioning. I decided to use one of the showers in the fitness room, but after several minutes off lukewarm water, I decided that, for the first time, the shower in my stateroom was nicer than the showers in the fitness center. It was a great workout, and much needed to jumpstart my day. I was the only one who left my cabin immediately after my sister’s alarm went off—Amanda and Allison both stayed in bed, and poor Allison was not feeling well. At the breakfast buffet, I tried to control myself—and I believe I succeeded. I ate some fruit, rice krispies, and a single pancake with a little bit of syrup. It was there that I discovered my mom got even less sleep than I did. There is this machine in the fitness center that is supposed to be some crazy energizer thing (20 minutes is the equivalent of three hours of deep sleep?), but it is rather expensive, so I won’t be giving that a go.

After breakfast I went down several decks for some morning trivia. We got second place here, much better than last night. Immediately following this round of trivia, which was based on general knowledge, my family met for a lunch buffet. If you are confused right now, do not think you are crazy. Yes, I ate lunch one hour after finishing my breakfast. After this, my sisters and I participate in a game show loosely based on the program “Pyramid.” We paired ourselves up with three extremely bright and nice Indians who were visiting America for the first time. We got third place here, another exciting feat!!

Later, Amanda and I ventured up to the hot tub, where we relaxed for a bit and conversed with some very friendly Las Vegans. The hot tub is outdoors, and it was just around fifty degrees and raining, but I thought it was absolutely beautiful. I think the best time to get in a hot tub is when it is cold enough outside that one can see steam emanating from the Jacuzzi. And the trickles of cold rain were a perfect contrast to the perfectly heated hot tub, allowing me to remain in the Jacuzzi for an entire hour without stepping out. When I did finally surface, my body was freezing. I went to the cabin and took a nice long, scorching hot shower. It was perfect!!

After the shower, we went upstairs for some more general global knowledge trivia…and this time, we won!! And what did we win? Princess Cruise line luggage straps!! Yay!! It was exciting nonetheless. After this, we did not have much time before the Captain’s Cocktail Party (one of the only times on the ship that those of age get free alcohol, and they go crazy over it). Tonight was formal night, and we had to dress quickly. After the cocktail party it was dinner time, and I once again had a delicious five-course meal. For the main course I got pasta again (different kind), and it was much better than last night. For dessert, I tried papaya sorbet for the first time ever. It was definitely tasty.

Oh, I can see a boat in the distance, or a lighthouse or something.

After dinner, my family and I went to see this comedian, a Latino guy I had never heard of but who has been on HBO. He was absolutely hilarious, but I felt that some of his racial and gender slurs could have easily been nixed without detracting from the quality of the show. After this, more trivia!! “Name that Tune Trivia.” Now these tunes were mostly form the Roaring Twenties, and my sisters and I only guessed two out of twenty correctly (my input was the song Edelweiss from The Sound of Music). We did not place this time around. L Actually, we did not even submit our score card because it was so abysmal.

I decided to skip on the second show of the evening, “The Piano Man” as performed by the cruise ship’s up-and-coming stars. I just felt like enjoying the incredible weather outside instead. My sisters, however, told me that it was pretty good when I went downstairs to get some more layers. I went upstairs for a tea and some snacks (cold cuts and chocolate mousse [only about my twelfth chocolate mousse in the last 36 hours]), and that pretty much brings me to now.

It was the first of two sea days, and I enjoyed it greatly. We saw whales today, which was rather exciting. The ship and its grandeur continue to impress me. After taking an art history class, I have much more appreciation for much of the vessel’s décor. It is a quarter after midnight now, and I suppose I will go grab another spot of tea to enjoy while I read. The time changes tonight…we gain an hour!! This is good because we have a wake-up call for six-something tomorrow, and I will need to rest up for a fun day of ziplining and suspension bridges in Ketchikan!!

Tuesday, June 05 at 11:33 PM

Tonight, I am sitting on the floor of my cabin. I just left the hot tub and must say that, while I enjoy walking against strong winds at bitter temperatures, it is not as much fun to do when your body is wet. I looked down at the ocean, as there was still a trace of light outside, and just thanked the Lord I was not swimming in those waters right now. I am going to brush my teeth and read after making a bulleted list of what I need to write about in the morning, because I am waking up at five thirty in the morning for scenic cruising

woke up at 6:45

Ketchikan-sleepy fishing town

totem poles

canopy—Dan and Ian

creek street

married man’s trail (brothel)

went off on my own—scared the crap out of man

price of milk (5) and eggs (4)

houses for sale on islands

bald eagles

little bit of whale that I saw

Jacuzzi (twice)

dinner stories

newlywed game

Wednesday, June 06 at 7:30 AM

The wake up call abruptly ended the deepest sleep I have been awoken from in a long time, but it was well worth it. I am sitting on deck 7 again, in the same place I wrote from the other night. Right now we are cruising through the picturesque Tracy Arm Fjord, and the scenery is so breathtaking, had I not loaded pictures onto my computer last night, I would have nearly exhausted my memory card. A couple of hours again, there were two floating chunks of ice on either side of the chip. A couple of dolphins could have been seen. There was a lot of green on either side of us. The water was quite shallow. Since then, we have fully entered the fjord. We are cruising through a very narrow gap in the land. We have seen full-on icebergs. The chunks of glacial ice floating around are abundant. The water is nearly one thousand feet deep, and we have seen countless waterfalls and icefalls. Some of these waterfalls have been slow-moving, thick slush trying to find its way to the water. One that we just passed, however, was the most violent I have ever seen. It is almost as if the snow above were melting so rapidly that there was not enough room for the resulting water to get through. The granite wall of the rock is breathtakingly beautiful, and the majestic mountains are covered in moss and alpine trees. The clouds are fairly low, but they create a very nice backdrop for the beauty of the scenery.

So yesterday, I woke up at 6:45, and after a meager breakfast existed the ship for the first time since boarding on Sunday afternoon. Ketchikan, which is dubbed “Alaska’s First City,” because it is the farthest south, is a sleepy fishing town, but it is absolutely gorgeous. The sign reminded me of the UofA, “Arizona’s first university.” With a population of 15,000, Ketchikan is Alaska’s fourth largest town, and is considered to be the salmon capital of the world. It is a beautiful place, and it looks like the pictures I have seen of towns in Switzerland and the likes. My sisters and I went on a tour of the rainforest canopy. We went down eight ziplines (the longest of which was 750 feet in length), and crossed three suspension bridges. It was a great time. Our guides, Ian and Dan, were great. After this adventure, I separated from my sisters and set off to explore town. I wandered around the historic Creek Street district, and stumbled upon precisely what I was looking for, a hiking trail. It was called “Married Man’s Trail, and I later found out why. It was the trail that led down to the back of the town’s brothel, which was the secret entrance married men used. It was a beautiful trail, and took me high up into the mountains, near the snow. Eventually I found myself with nobody around, and was able to enjoy nature all by myself. I climbed some sedimentary rocks, and took numerous pictures from one of the best vantage points I have ever experienced in my life. Around this area, I found the remains of many things. It looked like it was a common party spot, as there were a number of beer cans and such. But I also found a torn shoe, a nasty sock, and an old and rusted microwave and television. I would be lying if I said my mind did not wander over the thought that this could be a serial killer’s lair. And yes, I was completely alone. Or so I thought, I came back down from my rock pile, and saw a hippie-like man carrying a plastic bag. He said I scared the shit out of him, but I was a bit startled as well. In the end I determined he was just an adventurer like I, and he was not some sick creep dwelling in the mountains and taking out any life he came across.

When I finally came back down to the trailhead, I stopped and looked at the Lodge, thinking what an incredible weekend getaway it would be for a married couple, and will try to keep it in mind for later on. Outside, there is a totem pole circle, one of many that can be found in the Ketchikan area. My parents actually went on a totem pole tour while we were there. At Whale Park, a small park designed in the shape of a whale, lies the most massive totem pole I have ever seen. Rubbing the pole’s belly supposedly brings good fortune and good luck, and I took my turn in the belly rubbing.

Ketchikan was a great experience, and a place I would love to return to. While chilly in the morning, I found myself in just a t-shirt while I was hiking. It probably got up into the low 60s, quite warm. Nothing but oil and fish (and water) is abundant in Ketchikan, so naturally prices are expensive. To give you an idea, the price of a gallon of milk is upwards of five dollars, and a dozen of eggs costs nearly as much. As we departed, we saw two small islands with houses on them. One of the houses was on the market for 1.2 million, and the other was 1.6 million. These costs are thirty and forty times the price of the average oceanview house in Ketchikan. Land and lumber are cheap, but the cost of living is ridiculously high.

Ketchikan is also filled with wildlife. I saw a few bald eagles throughout the day, as well as a black bear while we were ziplining. It was on the riverbank, trying to catch some salmon I assume.

Dinner was filled with laughs tonight, as one of our dinner buddies arrived late and ate the olive I had so rudely spit out on my plate after mistaking it for a grape (I cannot stand olives). She is a sweet old lady, and the olive was in her mouth before I could stop her. I tried so hard not to burst out in laughter when she jabbed her fork into the same three holes my fork had created just minutes before. The same lady told us the story of Lemonjello and Orangejello over dinner, and it had us all laughing for quite some time. Ask me about it for a good laugh, because typing the story will not do it justice. It is, however, a true story.

After dinner, I went into the hot tub for more than an hour. While bathing, I saw a single whale. I got out of the hot tub just long enough to watch the cruise ship’s version of “The Newlywed Game” (highly entertaining!!), and afterwards I went back in the hot tub for a bit.

I got out of the hot tub just before midnight, and went back to my room to jot down some notes on here before bed.

This leads me to write now, and we are deep in the fjord. I still cannot get over how beautiful it all is. I have a long, but exciting day ahead of me, and will write all about it later!!

June 08 at 11:30 AM

Juneau, Juneau, Juneau! Yesterday and today were absolutely incredible, two days filled with some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen in my life. In fact, I found the city of Juneau to be unparalleled in its picturesque atmosphere. After giving it much thought, I am going to have to say that it is the most beautiful place I have ever been. For most of this cruise, I have felt as if I were living in a postcard, but in Juneau I felt like I was living in a ten dollar postcard. I really hope that the pictures I took can say a thousand words about how I felt while I was there. It rained our entire stay, sometimes the water was coming down as just a continual mist and at other times it was near torrential downpour, but for some reason the rain did not seem to matter one bit.

Juneau is a town of 30,000 people, and it is also the state capital. Juneau receives approximately 100 inches of rain AND 100 inches of snow a year, causing it to be one of the lushest places in the world. In 2006, Juneau got 200 inches of snow. Juneau has one high school, and sports players have to travel by ferry or plane to get to all of their games, no matter what grade they are in.

Backtracking, the Tracy Arm Fjord ended up being absolutely majestic. We cruised in her waters for about four hours, and saw all sorts of icebergs and glacial chunks, as well as a plethora of different birds and other wildlife. I saw lovebirds for the first time, and they truly never strayed from each other’s side. It was quite a show. After we turned around, I went in the boat’s highest hot tub so that I had an aerial view of the snow-capped mountains while in triple-digit temperature water.

Anyway, once in Juneau we boarded our bus for the half-hour trek up a mountain to the dog sled camp. Our bus driver, Christy, was fantastic. This ride on a narrow one-lane road was absolutely breathtaking. I saw the most fantastic array of foliage anyone could imagine. Once at the dogsled camp, we were given a tour of the camp, and also found out a bit of the Iditarod’s history from the guy that runs the camp, an Iditarod dogsledder himself. This camp is home to well over one hundred dogs during the summer months. Each of these dogs is on a three foot chain and has a little blue doghouse about three foot by three foot in dimension. This may sound cruel, but these dogs are taken very well care of, and they live for racing. When it came time for us to race, the dogs got so excited, and the dogs who did not get to pull us were barking at the dogs that did like crazy. The ride was a lot of fun, definitely something I am glad I did while in Alaska. After the ride we got to play with puppies who were only eighteen days old, some of the cutest little dogs I have ever seen. They were shivering a bit, but the other dogs were actually very warm in the forty degree rain. Ideal conditions for them are snow and temperatures between -20 degrees Fahrenheit and 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

The ride back down was equally as picturesque as the ride up to the mountain was. After thanking our driver emphatically, we explored town for awhile. It was quite charming. I purchased souvenirs for the first time on the trip, and I also restocked my Aqua di Gio supply because I finally found the size bottle I have been looking for since I ran out. We walked a mile or so back to the ship, and I just marveled in the world around me, stopping every few minutes to snap a picture or two.

Unfortunately for many people, the dense fog and rain caused many tours to be canceled. But I do not think we could have chosen a better shore excursion. Once back on the boat, we ate dinner—late because we missed our seating. I had fantastic Fettuccine Alfredo and Raspberry Crème Brule for dessert that was outstanding. Because we missed our seating, we sat with the boat naturalist and his wife, a couple from southern Illinois, and another couple from China. Dinner was great. I went to bed just after midnight, exhausted.

We woke up at 6 AM yesterday, because we were to meet on the dock at 7:20 for our shore excursion. I grabbed a piece of gouda cheese and some pineapple for breakfast, then disembarked the boat into Skagway, another beautiful town. There was some sun in the sky, and visibility was excellent, but it was by far the coldest port town we got off at. With wind chill, it could not have been much more than ten degrees…and this was before we ascended three thousand feet into the mountains.

Our tour guide in Skagway was Lucky Lizzie, and she was highly entertaining and very knowledgeable. The train ride toward the Yukon was very picturesque, and I took a number of pictures along the way. We learned a lot about the gold rushes of the 1800s that occurred in this area. We also learned a lot about Skagway over the course of our three and a half hour train ride that took us over the Canadian border. Skagway only has 400 permanent residents. They have one school, K-12, and the last two graduating classes have been four and seven, respectively. The class of four had one guy and three girls. He took all three of them to the prom. In the year 2006, Skagway only got 12 days of sunshine, so we were very lucky to have the weather we did.

At the beginning of the train ride, we saw a baby black bear, hugging a tree RIGHT outside the window. Our tour guide was even shocked, and said she had never seen one so close before. We saw another bear on the way down, but it was much farther up the mountain. We also saw a few mountain goats. A ridiculous amount of dynamite was used in the rail’s creation, and we passed by a number of interesting memorials and monuments on the way up the mountain. The railroad was an incredible engineering feat, and is in some historical register with the likes of the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and the Panama Canal.

By the time we reached the top, there was snow piled ten feet high on either side of us. There was a beautiful lake on the Canadian border, and it is tradition that first-year staff of the train jump in the lake at the end of the season each year. Brrr.

After the train ride, we went to a dredge and panned for gold. We got a tour of the facility, and were each given a chance to pan for gold flakes. Unfortunately, the materials we had access to had been pre-panned, and there was no way anybody would be able to get a nugget. I panned $8.75 worth in gold, in just about a half hour. It was a lot of fun.

Back on the boat, I ate, went in the hot tub, gave trivia another go, ate some more, and went to a comedian who was a riot, although his entire show consisted of making fun of audience members and he really pissed some people off. I felt bad for some of the people he picked on, and couldn’t bring myself to laugh at a number of his jokes. After the comedian, I did some Wordoku on the muster deck and then went back into the Vista Lounge for the Liar’s Club (aka Balderdash). My sisters and I tied for second with a myriad of other people. After this, I stayed in the Vista Lounge for another event, a 50s sock-hop dance party. It was interesting.

Over the night we lost an hour, and as a result I didn’t wake up until after nine this morning. Over the night, we entered in the open Atlantic, and as a result the boat is shaking like crazy. I was just on the top deck, and looked down on the pool as the water spilled over one side and then the other. I love the rocking, but it is not much fun to try to sleep in these conditions. Right now I am off to the gym and the hot tub. It is an at sea day, so I will be doing quite a bit of relaxing today. J

Sunday, June 10 at 12:00 PM

Right now I am sitting at the Sea-Tac Airport, looking out the window at what I believe may be a typical Seattle sky. The clouds, however, truly look like they are in a painting. And the beautiful green backdrop completes the picture perfectly. Alas, my trip has reached its inevitable end, and, as always seems to be the case with vacation, it went by much too quickly.

The last two days were great, but a bit less eventful than the preceding days, so this entry should be a bit shorter. Friday was spent at sea, and it was a myriad of trivia sessions, hot tub visits, and of course, food. I did get to the gym again though, which was definitely needed. Dinner was great, and the show was half the comedian from the night before and half some multi-talented singer. After the show, we went to the Shooting Stars Nightclub to watch our dinner mate, Trevor, win the Princess Popstar competition. He sang “What a Wonderful World” and it was incredible. It was very exciting. After that, the dining team built a champagne waterfall on the bottom floor of the atrium, and it was incredible. The night was great fun, filled with laughter and dancing and, for almost everybody else, champagne.

Saturday I slept in a bit, until about nine or so. I went to breakfast and the captain made an announcement about sixty mile per hour winds. He cautioned all on board to use the handrails and suggested that going outside may not be the brightest of ideas. So of course I walked outside and circled deck 14. It took me five times as long to walk against the wind as it did with the wind. The rain coming down was sharp and fierce. The boat was rocking so much that the water in the pool created full-size swells as it crashed from one end of the pool to the other. It was beautiful. We had entered the stormy weather at around 4 in the morning, so unfortunately it had been a pretty sleepy night for me. After circling the top of the boat, I went to a trivia session with my family. After that, I wandered around and did a bit of Wordoku before lunch. We decided to eat in the dining room instead of at the buffet, and it was a very smart choice. I had some great tortellini, and we sat with a very nice group of people, two from Chicago and one from India. I ate some Port Salut for dessert, mmmm. I spent the next few hours in the fitness center, hot tub, sauna, steam room, and shower. I was bummed when I got out of the hot tub and realized it would be quite some time before I got into a Jacuzzi again. After another session of Trivia, we arrived in Victoria.

In Victoria, we just walked from the port to the city’s downtown. We saw the Empress, the legislative building, and the Royal British Museum, all from the outside. The wax museum’s marquis read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNY DEPP!” We all got a kick out of that. When we were at the downtown harbor, my dad wanted to grab a beer. My older sister and I went in with him, and since the drinking age in Canada is nineteen, I sat down at a bar for the first time. It was a strange experience. I had a honey lager that was really quite good. After a little bit of souvenir shopping (I didn’t buy anything), we headed back. We passed the condominium that we stayed in for a couple of nights six years ago—my dad’s friend owns one there.

When we were almost back to the ship, I realized that I no longer had my favorite beanie with me. I went back to look for it, and walked the two kilometers back to the harbor area while my family waited on the coast. While back at the harbor, I paused for an elderly man to take a picture of something, and when I started walking again, he said “danke schoen.” I quickly muttered in response, “bitte.” He immediately did a double take. I don’t think he expected me to respond in German. That was exciting. As I was walking back to the port empty-handed, I was somewhat bummed that I had lost my beanie…until I found it sitting atop some nicely trimmed hedges, only a few hundred meters from the point I was at when I realized I no longer had it in my hand. I was pretty excited to have found it.

We finished the walk to the ship, stopping at a pier so that I could go touch the ocean water. We got on the boat and ate one last five-course meal. Martin was a great waiter, and we were all bummed he would not be serving us any more. After dinner, I went to the talent show. There were only five acts, but they were all surprisingly very good. One guy played the bagpipes, and he was great. He was the same guy I had seen wearing a kilt at formal night much earlier in the week. After the talent show, I hung out with a few people I had met on the boat for a little while, and then I went up to get some midnight tea one last time. While I was getting my tea, I could not help but grab a few chunks of pineapple and a slice of Pecan Pie. I went downstairs to the Muster Deck, to work on some Wordoku and enjoy the cold one last time before the end of the trip. While I was puzzling, a small boat (some government boat) came directly toward me. I thought it was going to crash into the ship. The boat ended up extracting somebody from the fourth floor. I assumed it was an emergency. When I was done with my Wordoku, I went to the edge of the boat to watch the water trail and was excited to see my breath.

I finally walked inside at around 3 o’clock, and I got a couple hours of sleep before waking up at six. We ate one last buffet breakfast, and waited until it was our turn to disembark. We then got our bags, took a bus to the airport, and now we are just waiting to take off. It was a great vacation, and it was so good to get to spend some time with most of my family. I will sure miss the frigidity of Alaska (as well as its sheer beauty), but I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to go on this cruise and am very excited that I get to travel again in just over a week’s time.