JUNEAU AND THE GLACIERS

This is Juneau. Note the wet pavement, yes, it is drizzling and about 53 degrees. Hey, that's a bit warmer than Ketchikan the day before.

I wish we had taken more pictures in the city itself, but we hopped board a bus bound for the glacier.

We are walking toward the glacier...see it ?

Did you think this is what a glacier would look like? It is dirty, but I guess since it is millions of years old, it has a right to be.

Just 50 years ago the glacier covered the green area and this rocky area.

Beautiful blue Lupines everywhere, the Alaska state flower

After looking around Juneau a bit we are back to the ship to sail to Tracy Arm Fiord and head for the Sawyer Glacier

Hmmm... the deck chairs look pretty empty!

Beautiful scenery

These ice chunks are huge, maybe 30 feet long

Sheer rock walls

This is where the very large ocean liner is going. Looks pretty narrow.

Getting narrower, see ice chunks in the water

The chunks are getting bigger and more numerous. The Captain comes on the PA to explain that he is not comfortable getting any closer to the Sawyer Glacier because there is so much ice in the water. Fine with me, whatever the Captain says, lol.

Bob took this picture of the glacier with the Zoom. He is always thinking about my adoring public! Now we turn around and move back through the narrow fiord/passage. It is just breathtaking.

Tomorrow we will go to Skagway, Alaska and Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Bundle up for Skagway; it will be cold and very windy.

HISTORIC KETCHIKAN

Sunday was a "cruise all day" day as we made our way thru Canadian waters to the Inside Passage of Alaska. I spent limited time on the deck because it was not exactly balmy. But, lucky for me I was up on the deck for this. We passed a small island (one of many) and all of a sudden this boat appears and the guy starts playing "Oh Canada", then "The Star Spangled Banner" and then "When the Saints Go Marching In" on his trumpet accompanied by lots of cheering and clapping from all the people on deck. What a hoot ( or toot, lol). You can learn all about him on AlertBayTrumpeter.com

You see these planes everywhere...how else would you get anywhere? Most of these towns/cities in the Inside Passage are not connected by roads ( something we, in the Lower 48, certainly take for granted).

First view of Ketchikan from the ship, note the clouds.

Here we are ...Alaska, the Last Frontier. It is about 9:00AM and we are only in Ketchikan until 1:00, but we have plenty of time to roam the town. Please note that we are all wearing warm clothes...the temp is about 50 and it is drizzly.

Not sure I would want to hold a BBQ on that deck...looks like the weather takes a toll on anything made of wood

Waiting for customers for the "House of Ill Repute Tour"

One of many Totem Poles. Please note the "stuff" in the yard. Nowhere else to put it.

Little street of shops; a couple cool galleries and then T-shirts and fleece jackets

These dogs are bored and provide entertainment value for the town. Pretty amusing!

The sun was actually almost out for a few minutes as we walked around town and then the rains began in earnest. We ducked into a lunch place for Halibut and Chips. This is when we learned that although this is Halibut Country it is still $18 a pop for the lunch sized portion at the counter with plastic utensils...Say What??

Off we go for an afternoon and evening cruise to Juneau. It seems, looking back, that the sun came out most days as we left town. There were only two sunsets all week for Mr. Photo to capture, so that kind of tells the weather story.

Tomorrow Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier and the Tracy Arm Fiord.

Later,

DAY 1 ....SEATTLE AND SAIL AWAY

Grab your beverage of choice, sit back and relax. This is my take on Seattle. You would never guess what interests me....food, food and flowers. They just make me happy! Click to enlarge.

Taken from the Space Needle

My favorite place to hang out as long as it is not the weekend...too crowded

Bet you didn't know Halibut had cheeks, did you? Check it out at:

http://www.fishex.com/seafood/halibut/halibut.html

More crab later in British Columbia

I forgot my camera the day I went to the Lavender Farms. Multiply this lavender many hundreds of times

$15.

The last of the local Peonies

The first Starbucks

The Norwegian Star in port in Seattle

This is an upgrade, folks! Much bigger than we have had in the past.

Bye Seattle, see you in a week. ( Yes, that really is me)

Told you the decor was gaudy. Floating Vegas, Baby.

Tomorrow we will visit Historic Ketchican Alaska


Later,