North To Alaska

Just got back from our family vacation to Alaska and everyone is clamouring to hear how it went.
Happily, I have this habit of writing a journal on trips like this, so I will type out this journal here for all of you waiting for details.

Be warned it is a little disjointed....that is what you get when you are having fun on vacation.

AUGUST 22, 2015-Our first day of traveling was long. We made it to Seattle, to the hotel around 11 PM. Midnight home time. We were all very tired and cranky. We drove to the airport parking, took the shuttle to the airport, checked in, and hung out at the lounge. Great food, great soft chairs, and even computers.

Flew to Vancouver with no issues. Two sky trains to the Amtrak station.

Five hour ride on the train. It started very, very slowly, but once we crossed the border, it sped up a lot. The scenery was quite interesting until the sun went down.

A quick taxi ride and straight to bed with the A/C going. We all slept well.

Today we had a nice big breakfast at the hotel. Holiday Inn Express is good for that.

Off to the EMP museum. Took pictures of the cool architecture and the Space Needle. Tried finding a geocache but no luck. Maybe we can find something tomorrow morning.

The museum was really cool. Got some good pictures. Tried to go to Pike Place Market, but the crowds and prices were NUTS!!! $10 for 4 apples!

We ate lunch at a grill a few blocks away instead. It was nice...cool, dim, and I had fish and chips with a peanut coleslaw.

Went to a mall, then relaxed at the hotel for a bit.

The boys went to a Mariners game, and the girls went to Jurassic World. Good movie. Freaky. U.S. snacks are HUGE!!!

Spent a bit of my money. Bought a storm trooper T-shirt, Darth Vader keychain, an EMP pin, a colouring book, and pencil crayons.

Had a huge headache all day, but bought ibuprofen in the bathroom at the theatre and feel MUCH better.

Thought I lost my wallet, but it was in my jacket pocket the whole time.

AUGUST 23, 2015- Ruby Princess is big...not as big as Freedom of the Seas, but big enough. Still very lost. A bit rough seas tonight.

Never did manage to find a Seattle geocache...too many muggles.

Got on the ship, got our room keys, and headed to the buffet. My son lost his key in the 30-second walk from the table to the buffet.

The food is good, and so is the staff. Very attentive.

For supper, I had artichoke bisque, a roll and a breadstick, rice and vegetables with crawfish in a tomato sauce, and a chocolate hazelnut souffle with an amaretto sauce.

My drink package allowed me today to have 2 Coke, a gingerale, a virgin pina colada, and a virgin strawberry daquiri.

Watched a comedian, stood out on the deck after, and then watched a woman spend at least $40 trying to win an adult arcade game, to no avail.

At the shop, I bought a Ruby Princess pin, a Skagway pin, a Ketchikan pin, and a Ruby Princess keychain.

Bedtime snack at 10PM ended up more like another meal. Oh well.

AUGUST 24, 2015-After a bumpy night on the high seas, we got up and had a nice breakfast at the buffet. Ate such things as smoked gouda, smoked salmon, biscuits and gravy. Very nice.

Kids headed off to their youth programs. I wandered the ship, played mini golf, watched a movie by the pool. I took pictures and a few videos of the massive swells and the subsequent waves in the pool.

Hubby took a penny whistle class. Had a pub lunch with him and Son. Fish and chips with mushy peas.

Joined the Pop Choir. I have a solo in Doe A Deer. Eek!

Bought a T-shirt of the Inside Passage today.

Son saw a pod of whales by the ship this evening. I am jealous! All I have seen so far is little jellyfish and one eagle.

The sea has calmed down a lot, thankfully.

Formal night tonight. Wore my long yellow dress and sparkly jewellery. Ate duck terrine, porcini cappuccino soup, veal ravioli, salmon, a blueberry mojito sorbet, and a raspberry chocolate mousse heart.

Had another bedtime snack with Son. Didn't need one- supper was at 8:30PM.

AUGUST 25, 2015- Since I wanted to keep track, yesterday I got a Coke and a virgin drink at the bar, and today I got a Coke and a virgin strawberry daquiri.

Up at 7:30. Ate at the buffet. Ketchikan was beautiful.

Shopped on the dock...2 T-shirts, a Christmas decoration, and a pair of earrings.

The lumberjack show was cool. They sat us on the side cheering for the U.S., but we cheered for Canada instead. (Author note: And for screaming really, really loud, Son got a postcard signed by ALL the lumberjacks)

Ate too much, as always. Supper was a goat cheese souffle, ginger lemon orange sorbet, lamb, veal, and chicken skewers with potato croquettes and spinach, a french vanilla creme brulee, and a trio of mini desserts (raspberry panna cotta, apple crumble, and a chocolate mousse...thing).

Had Pop Choir practice and saw the evening music show and watched the 2015 Cinderella.

Sat by the pool when Son was swimming and sat in the hot tub, too.

Saw 3 or 4 humpback whales today. Very cool. The just spouted and came up a tiny bit, but it was something anyway. Early morning tomorrow to try to see more in Tracy Arm Fjord.

AUGUST 26, 2015- Well, Tracy Arm never happened, thanks to a medical emergency. So we arrived in Juneau almost 5 hours early. I got to see a few whales though. Too bad I couldn't get good pictures.

After Pop Choir, we ate and then left the ship. I had issues with my card both ways. Hopefully it is fixed for tomorrow.

Took a taxi to the Mendenhall Glacier and a gold mine. $130. Nice guy, though.

Saw a black bear run across the road in front of us. Also saw an eagle in a tree.

Bought a Del Sol T- shirt, a Juneau pin, a bandana...I think that was it.

Vegging this evening because everyone is so tired. Hope I sleep well tonight since I have had heartburn for 3 days and nights now.

Supper was shrimp cocktail, a salad, fettucini alfredo, a bun, and creme brulee. And a virgin pina colada.

AUGUST 27, 2015-Today we landed at Skagway. Rented a car and drove out to Carcross (Yukon Territory). It was raining, so part of the way was nearly zero visibility on the mountains. A bit stressful to say the least. The bits we COULD see were gorgeous.

Stopped at a little glacier fed lake. Felt the water and tasted it too. So good and clean!

Caribou Crossing was nice. Goats, ponies, chickens, alpacas, horse, donkeys, a mule, and lots of huskies.

We held a puppy. It was so sweet and so tired.

Nice museum there, too. Bought a pin. Ate BBQ chicken, potato, a bun, coleslaw, and homemade donuts with hot tea.

Stopped at the Carcross Desert on the way back. Interesting place. Lots of sand.

Son bought another matryoshka for a good deal less today. (Author note: he had bought one the day before...the first set was three cats, this one was five girls)

King crab lags for supper. Ate way too many. Got an anniversary cake piece.

Watched the illusionist then part of Tomorrowland before bedtime snack with Son. Had venison tonight. Not bad.

Hot chocolate and a virgin pina colada on the card today.

AUGUST 28, 2015- Today we all slept in. The kids slept in a whole bunch.

Ate lunch in the dining room. Had clam chowder and eggs benedict. Played the slots a bit. Lost all I played. Got 2 tokens I will keep as souvenirs.

Supper at the Crab Shack was good. The crab anyway. Did not like the crawfish.

The sea is extremely bumpy and choppy today. Nobody can walk straight or stand still. A combination of too much food and the sea made me feel awfully sick this evening.

Went to a music and dance show with Son, then to the buffet for a chocolate tapioca and a peppermint tea.

My card got me a Coke and a no-jito today.

AUGUST 29, 2015- Last full day on the ship. In some ways I want to stay. In others I am ready to be home. I miss my bed, my pets, and my own cooking.

Today was the performance of the Pop Choir. It went really well, AND it was John's birthday (the director), so we surprised him by singing Happy Birthday at the end of our set. He was so happy he cried.

We all got souvenir pins for being in the choir. Very cool.

Said goodbye to Ion in the dining room (Amazing, wonderful, funny Romanian). We will miss him. He was an amazing head waiter.

Victoria was okay. A bit away from the good shopping, but we did manage to get to the Empress. Good memories.

Used the card today for 2 Cokes and a virgin pina colada.

The magnetic stripe died because my key card was near my magnetic phone case, so Hubby and Daughter had to let me into the room for the rest of the trip.

The waves were really bad today, so we bopped around A LOT! (Author: It turns out there was an awful storm in Vancouver the night before, and then a big storm out by Hawaii, so we were catching the dreadful swells from those two)

Saw a whale at breakfast, slapping its tail at us.

AUGUST 30, 2015- Off the ship this morning. had to be out of our room by 8AM, but were not scheduled to be let off the ship until 10. Had a hearty, drawn out breakfast at the buffet, wandered around awhile, then finally just settled into the lounge we were to leave from. Everyone else snoozed while I coloured in my colouring book. We ended up being let off at around 9:30, and then stood waiting for our shuttle bus until 10:30. But it was a nice morning.

Took the bus from the ship to a casino near the Vancouver airport, took a skytrain to the airport, checked in, and hung out at the lounge. They had pasta and cold cuts and cheese and all sorts of nice stuff to eat. I ate some, but as we waited at the gate for our flight to board, I slipped off and grabbed a guacamole burger from Carl's Jr to take on the plane. Yum!

A bit of turbulence on the plane, but after the up and down we went through on the ship, we could handle anything. After hitting a big bump in the air, I jokingly told Daughter we had just run into a sky whale. :)

Arrived in Edmonton, got our stuff, called the shuttle, and rode back to the van. Discovered a low tire. Drove a block to the gas station and filled it up. We will see if that fixes it, or if I am talking to the lovely people at Kaltire in the morning.

Home at about 10PM. Everyone is just beat. Glad to be home again. It was a good trip. Next cruise: 2019. Destination: Unknown.