I woke up early this morning so I could get some shopping done in port for souvenirs. The port of Ketchikan was very quaint with little shops up and down the streets selling the typical t-shirts, mugs and postcards to all of the tourists from the ships. These towns mostly survive off the cruise industry between the shops and tours so the locals were quite nice and helpful to everyone invading their town. One of my friends asked for a postcard of a bear catching a salmon and after 5 ports, I still had not located one. You would think that would have been very easy to find, but it was next to impossible! I went in every shop in Ketchikan with still no luck. Our last stop was going to be in Victoria, so I did not hold up much hope of finding it there, so I knew today was going to be my last chance.
I gave up and dropped off several bags of goodies at the room and headed back off the ship to catch my tour at 9:20. I was heading out to go zip lining through the rainforest on the Canopy Adventure tour. After a quick bus ride, we boarded a vehicle called an umagog (not sure of the spelling there) which took us up to base camp. We had the usual safety briefing and then geared up for our adventure. We had a practice zip so anyone that felt the tour was going to be too strenuous could back out – which surprisingly several people did. There were only about seven zips on the tour and three small sky bridges, but I still had a great time. The scenery was very pretty and on the last zip, we were treated to about six bald eagles flying around us. Our guides, Jack and Shannon, we very nice and made sure everyone on the tour felt safe and enjoyed the ride. We ended the tour at a gift shop – I think they learned that from Disney. As I sipped on the hot chocolate provided, I actually found a postcard of a bear catching a salmon – what luck! The bus seemed to be a little delayed in picking us up and we were getting a little nervous about making the all aboard time. When we finally arrived at this ship (10 minutes before the boarding time), the line to get back on looked like the line to ride Space Mountain on Christmas Eve! Instead of waiting in line, I went to grab a few more souvenirs from the gift shops to let the lines wane.
I got back to the room to find Mom and Peyton left to have a late lunch at Summer Palace. I ran down to meet them and had a nice quiet lunch in the beautiful restaurant at the back of the ship. I was not very impressed with the menu, but I did enjoy what I ordered.
We headed back to the room to chill-out and Peyton begged to go to the kid’s camp. Unfortunately, he has had a couple of problems with a couple of the counselors. One of them is an older cantankerous man who just screams a lot. I don’t know how the kids even have any fun. Peyton only lasts about an hour there before he is over it. At least I was able to grab a quick nap before I had to go get him again. We relaxed in the room for most of the late afternoon watching movies and the mountains drift by the balcony. Peyton was enjoying making us battle him in an imaginary ‘Blue Dragon’ fight. If you have never heard of Blue Dragon, be grateful. Mom and I can never figure out the rules to these imaginary battles, but Peyton seems to have many that change based on whose turn it is and we never seem to pick the correct ‘attack’. At least it makes Peyton happy.
Mom took Peyton to see the show around seven and I got ready for my massage at the spa. I actually got this Romanian woman who decided to see how far she could stick her elbow into my back before I winced in pain! After which, she declared that I could not take a deep massage because she was too strong and barely used any pressure at all. It was a horrible massage. I guess the saying is similar to fishing though, even a bad massage is still good. She then droned on about how I needed to buy several of her miracle products for $150 and then my life would be stress free. I passed.
By the time I got back to the room, Peyton and Mom and returned from the circus show – which they said was great. They had ordered room service over an hour ago and were still waiting on it to arrive! We have not been very impressed with our butler at all – Jojit. I have heard several other suites complaining about him as well. You just hate to call upon him because he acts like you are imposing on his time. I must say that Karan (the concierge), Joseph (the steward) and Joe (the courtyard attendant) have all been outstanding. Joseph has a new magic trick for Peyton every day and doesn’t even mind when Peyton takes such pleasure in attacking all of the towel animals he creates.
Not wanting to wait an hour for room service, I headed down to the Blue Lagoon to grab something to go and then took Peyton down to the chocolate buffet. The buffet was delicious and we grabbed several items, but it was no where near as elaborate as Disney’s desert buffet. It seemed to only have about 8 items that just repeated themselves down the various lines. What Peyton and I did get was still very good though.
Everyone climbed into their PJs and we watched part of Inkheart before Peyton could not keep his eyes open for a second longer. Saturday would be our last day in port before we head for home and back to reality.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Day 9 - Glacier Bay
I woke up around 8:00am and we were in beautiful Glacier Bay. These are definitely the views you think of when you imagine Alaska. It seems as if we are the only ones in the State as we drift by several Glaciers and towering mountains on either side of the ship. Mom and I went up to the private viewing deck for the suites and watched the ice from one of the glaciers calve into the bay. It was really neat to watch. The funny thing was that you would see the ice tumble into the water and then hear what sounded like a gunshot in the distance as the ice crushed against the mountain. We ate breakfast in the courtyard again and then went back to the room to get Peyton ready to go to camp. We lounged in the room all morning while the exquisite mountains and tiny icebergs floated past our balcony.
I went to go gamble in the afternoon and finally lost all of the money I won earlier in the week! Oh well, easy come easy go. At least I came out a little better than even. The ship stopped at another iceberg that had less calving, but was still very dramatic against the swooping mountains and blue sky. As we were leaving Glacier Bay, the whales finally came out in droves. We grabbed Peyton from kid’s camp and headed to the Great Outdoors grill to get Peyton a quick bite to eat and someone claimed to see a whale. I went to look out the balcony and spotted a couple of whales playing in the distance. I saw a bunch of spouts and even one jump out of the water! Of course, I didn’t have a camera!
Peyton went back to kid’s camp and Mom and I headed back to the room to relax. I sat on the balcony to enjoy the view and then we saw about three different sets of whales around the boat. Luckily, I had my video camera ready to capture the show. It seemed like for about twenty minutes, they were everywhere. Every time I focused the camera on one area, a whale would come up in a different area! It was so exciting to watch though. There was even one very large, very vocal and very angry seal barking at the ship as it swam away.
For dinner, Karan got reservations to the Japanese restaurant for me. It was scrumptious! The shrimp were enormous and very tender while the filet melted in your mouth. The chefs were quite entertaining with the typical jokes and antics, but I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Afterwards, I went back to the room and watched a movie with my Mom until Peyton was ready to be picked up at kid’s camp. I think we were all asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow.
I went to go gamble in the afternoon and finally lost all of the money I won earlier in the week! Oh well, easy come easy go. At least I came out a little better than even. The ship stopped at another iceberg that had less calving, but was still very dramatic against the swooping mountains and blue sky. As we were leaving Glacier Bay, the whales finally came out in droves. We grabbed Peyton from kid’s camp and headed to the Great Outdoors grill to get Peyton a quick bite to eat and someone claimed to see a whale. I went to look out the balcony and spotted a couple of whales playing in the distance. I saw a bunch of spouts and even one jump out of the water! Of course, I didn’t have a camera!
Peyton went back to kid’s camp and Mom and I headed back to the room to relax. I sat on the balcony to enjoy the view and then we saw about three different sets of whales around the boat. Luckily, I had my video camera ready to capture the show. It seemed like for about twenty minutes, they were everywhere. Every time I focused the camera on one area, a whale would come up in a different area! It was so exciting to watch though. There was even one very large, very vocal and very angry seal barking at the ship as it swam away.
For dinner, Karan got reservations to the Japanese restaurant for me. It was scrumptious! The shrimp were enormous and very tender while the filet melted in your mouth. The chefs were quite entertaining with the typical jokes and antics, but I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Afterwards, I went back to the room and watched a movie with my Mom until Peyton was ready to be picked up at kid’s camp. I think we were all asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow.
Day 8 - Skagway
I woke up around 7:30 so I could slowly get ready and grab a bite to eat in the courtyard before my tour left. I found out a grandfather and two of his grandkids staying in the suite next to me were going on the same tour, so I followed them off the boat only to find that our tour had been cancelled due to the heavy cloud cover. The helicopters needed to be able to see the camp in order to land, so we were out of luck for the day. They offered us a glacier tour via helicopter instead, so I figured I was up for anything, but still disappointed I wouldn’t get to go dog sledding. There were about 6 helicopters in our group and I was placed with a family of 5 from Miami. The pilot looked to be about 16 years old – which made me quite nervous! The ride was incredible! It was some of the most beautiful and breathtaking sights I have ever seen in my life! The helicopter landed on the Meade Glacier and it was amazing how small everyone felt standing on the huge mass of ice. Our guide gathered everyone up and went over a few safety tips (like don’t walk backwards) and we were off on a quick hike. He pointed out a deep crevasse which seemed to go down forever! There were a couple of mulans which were small rivulets of water that flowed through the ice and made stunning little waterfalls as it cascaded through the crevasses. We hiked up towards a small pool of bubbling water that gave everyone a chance to drink the fresh glacier water – it was delicious!
The flight back was just as incredible and I took so many pictures I almost filled up my camera! I was really glad I opted for the trip to the top of the glacier because I don’t think I would have picked it and it was truly once in a lifetime experience!
I went back to the ship to find Peyton and my Mom snuggled up on a viewing bed on deck 12 relaxing to the sights of Skagway. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and went back to the room to rest before our afternoon tour.
We left the ship around 4:30 to catch the White Pass Yukon Railroad. I didn’t think anything could rival the helicopter tour, but the train ride up to White Pass summit, gave it a run for the money. The train slowly ambled up the scenic mountain providing vista after vista. We saw the Skagway River with its class six rapids broiling beneath us and several waterfalls tumbling down the mountain. As we climbed higher, more snow dotted the sides of the path and the landscape became rockier and less dense with foliage. We passed Dead Horse Gulch which was where thousands of pack animals lost their lives from the deadly trail of the gold rush. We could even see the path that the men had to climb with one ton of supplies to pass through the summit.
The top of White Pass was amazing. There were pools of melting snow and ice covering the pass that sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. The train’s engine had to move on the switchback rail which gave us several minutes to take in the surrounding views before we were headed back down the mountain again. On the way down, there was a commotion behind me with one person saying there was a bear up ahead. Sure enough, a little black bear with an adorable brown face tumbled though the trees right next to the passing train. I basically got a fuzzy black spot on the video camera, but he was just as cute as can be! I am sure if I was not safe on the train, I would have felt very different about seeing a bear.
By the time the train arrived back at the ship, we were exhausted, but Peyton pleaded with us to go to kid’s camp. I dropped him off around 8:00 and Mom and I watched a movie in the room and ordered dinner from the Mexican restaurant onboard. It was delicious! I think it was my favorite meal so far.
I went down to get Peyton around 10:00 – of course he begged to stay longer. The casino was calling me again, so I played for about 30 minutes where I won some more money and then headed back to get him so we could all get to bed.
The flight back was just as incredible and I took so many pictures I almost filled up my camera! I was really glad I opted for the trip to the top of the glacier because I don’t think I would have picked it and it was truly once in a lifetime experience!
I went back to the ship to find Peyton and my Mom snuggled up on a viewing bed on deck 12 relaxing to the sights of Skagway. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and went back to the room to rest before our afternoon tour.
We left the ship around 4:30 to catch the White Pass Yukon Railroad. I didn’t think anything could rival the helicopter tour, but the train ride up to White Pass summit, gave it a run for the money. The train slowly ambled up the scenic mountain providing vista after vista. We saw the Skagway River with its class six rapids broiling beneath us and several waterfalls tumbling down the mountain. As we climbed higher, more snow dotted the sides of the path and the landscape became rockier and less dense with foliage. We passed Dead Horse Gulch which was where thousands of pack animals lost their lives from the deadly trail of the gold rush. We could even see the path that the men had to climb with one ton of supplies to pass through the summit.
The top of White Pass was amazing. There were pools of melting snow and ice covering the pass that sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. The train’s engine had to move on the switchback rail which gave us several minutes to take in the surrounding views before we were headed back down the mountain again. On the way down, there was a commotion behind me with one person saying there was a bear up ahead. Sure enough, a little black bear with an adorable brown face tumbled though the trees right next to the passing train. I basically got a fuzzy black spot on the video camera, but he was just as cute as can be! I am sure if I was not safe on the train, I would have felt very different about seeing a bear.
By the time the train arrived back at the ship, we were exhausted, but Peyton pleaded with us to go to kid’s camp. I dropped him off around 8:00 and Mom and I watched a movie in the room and ordered dinner from the Mexican restaurant onboard. It was delicious! I think it was my favorite meal so far.
I went down to get Peyton around 10:00 – of course he begged to stay longer. The casino was calling me again, so I played for about 30 minutes where I won some more money and then headed back to get him so we could all get to bed.
Day 7 - Juneau
I finally got a great night’s sleep. I stayed in bed until 9:00am! Mom and I headed to the Courtyard again for a quick breakfast while Peyton begged to go over to the kid’s club. We are docking in Juneau around 2:00pm and have a full day’s adventure planned. I went to the casino again and cashed out when I was up about $20.00, not much, but better than losing money. J
Juneau looked like a little town carved out of the mountainside. We were able to by-pass all of the lines to disembark since we were staying in a suite, so we quickly got off the ship and headed for the Mt. Roberts Tram. After a 5 minute line, we were heading up to the top in an enclosed car that carried around 15 fellow cruisers. The top of Mt. Roberts was stunning. We could see eagles circling above us and all different variety of birds chirping in the woods. We took a small hike up to two different observation platforms that afforded us beautiful vistas of the mountains and the harbor. We tried to hike the circular loop, but the path was covered in snow that seemed to drop off into the abyss, so we opted for a snowball fight instead. We watched a short film about the native Tlingit Indians that once inhabited the area which was really informative. We had to quickly head back down to the ship because our whale watching tour was going to be our next adventure!
A short bus ride took us around Juneau – where we even got a glimpse of the governor’s mansion. I don’t think Sarah Palin was there, but it was still very pretty to see.
The boat that took us out to Auke bay was around 40 feet and had an upper and lower deck. Due to the wind and cold weather, we opted to stay inside and staked out a nice corner view. The boat quickly zoomed around the harbor where we caught a far away glimpse of a whale diving in the distance. The boat took us to several different locations around the bay and we did have several sightings of the whales diving and even one good view of a fluke. One the way back, we stopped to watch about five sea lions frolic in the bay. They were quite animated. They jumped and put on quite a show for us for several minutes. Even Peyton found them interesting enough to stop play his DS and watch! The boat provided some delicious fruit, cheese and the best meringue cookies I have ever tasted. As evening approached, we slowly made our way back to the dock and boarded the bus once again for the ship. We let Peyton go back to kid’s camp while Mom and I got in a good workout. I had to get up early the next morning for my dog sledding adventure, so I got Peyton at 10:30 and we all crashed!
Juneau looked like a little town carved out of the mountainside. We were able to by-pass all of the lines to disembark since we were staying in a suite, so we quickly got off the ship and headed for the Mt. Roberts Tram. After a 5 minute line, we were heading up to the top in an enclosed car that carried around 15 fellow cruisers. The top of Mt. Roberts was stunning. We could see eagles circling above us and all different variety of birds chirping in the woods. We took a small hike up to two different observation platforms that afforded us beautiful vistas of the mountains and the harbor. We tried to hike the circular loop, but the path was covered in snow that seemed to drop off into the abyss, so we opted for a snowball fight instead. We watched a short film about the native Tlingit Indians that once inhabited the area which was really informative. We had to quickly head back down to the ship because our whale watching tour was going to be our next adventure!
A short bus ride took us around Juneau – where we even got a glimpse of the governor’s mansion. I don’t think Sarah Palin was there, but it was still very pretty to see.
The boat that took us out to Auke bay was around 40 feet and had an upper and lower deck. Due to the wind and cold weather, we opted to stay inside and staked out a nice corner view. The boat quickly zoomed around the harbor where we caught a far away glimpse of a whale diving in the distance. The boat took us to several different locations around the bay and we did have several sightings of the whales diving and even one good view of a fluke. One the way back, we stopped to watch about five sea lions frolic in the bay. They were quite animated. They jumped and put on quite a show for us for several minutes. Even Peyton found them interesting enough to stop play his DS and watch! The boat provided some delicious fruit, cheese and the best meringue cookies I have ever tasted. As evening approached, we slowly made our way back to the dock and boarded the bus once again for the ship. We let Peyton go back to kid’s camp while Mom and I got in a good workout. I had to get up early the next morning for my dog sledding adventure, so I got Peyton at 10:30 and we all crashed!
Day 6 - The Inside Passage
I woke up early again this morning and tried to get some more work done before the day got too crazy. Unfortunately, the Internet was not cooperating and the NCL internet ‘expert’ insisted that there was something wrong with my Internet Browser and insisted that it needed to be re-installed. Ugh – not very impressed with the technical staff. She finally figured out that there was an issue on their side and gave me 30 minutes free of internet usage – which I quickly used up for the office.
Mom and I went next door to the private Courtyard and ordered a nice breakfast next to the little pool. The courtyard has a glass enclosure and is kept nice and warm. Peyton was able to run between the room and our table which gave us both what we wanted. Peyton got to watch the Clone Wars on TV while Mom and I enjoyed a quiet breakfast. Afterwards, Peyton begged us to go to the kids club and I went back to the room so I could finish up with work.
Mom got Peyton in the early afternoon and we went to play the Wii on the huge 2 story screen they had set up. Peyton loves to beat me in Boxing on Wii sports! He was laughing the entire time! There is a great place for a quick bite right next to the screen and there was a nice selection of ‘comfort food’ for us to choose from.
We let Peyton go back to the kid’s club in the afternoon while I gambled a little at video poker and Mom watched a movie. We both took long naps and then got Peyton for dinner. We had reservations at Cagney’s and Peyton got some chicken fingers delivered to the room. Again, he begged us to go back to the kid’s club and Mom and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the steak place – Cagney’s. The food was very good – crab cakes, lobster bisque, filet mignon… delicious!
Once we were fully sated, I headed back to play a little more video poker and Mom went back to the room. I cashed out when I was up about $35 and went back to the room to change for a workout. Way too much relaxing/eating and not enough exercise was making me really sluggish. I had a great 3 mile run and then I headed back to get Peyton. He was FINALLY ready to go back to the room! I finished up the rest of my tasks for work and drifted off to bed.
Mom and I went next door to the private Courtyard and ordered a nice breakfast next to the little pool. The courtyard has a glass enclosure and is kept nice and warm. Peyton was able to run between the room and our table which gave us both what we wanted. Peyton got to watch the Clone Wars on TV while Mom and I enjoyed a quiet breakfast. Afterwards, Peyton begged us to go to the kids club and I went back to the room so I could finish up with work.
Mom got Peyton in the early afternoon and we went to play the Wii on the huge 2 story screen they had set up. Peyton loves to beat me in Boxing on Wii sports! He was laughing the entire time! There is a great place for a quick bite right next to the screen and there was a nice selection of ‘comfort food’ for us to choose from.
We let Peyton go back to the kid’s club in the afternoon while I gambled a little at video poker and Mom watched a movie. We both took long naps and then got Peyton for dinner. We had reservations at Cagney’s and Peyton got some chicken fingers delivered to the room. Again, he begged us to go back to the kid’s club and Mom and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the steak place – Cagney’s. The food was very good – crab cakes, lobster bisque, filet mignon… delicious!
Once we were fully sated, I headed back to play a little more video poker and Mom went back to the room. I cashed out when I was up about $35 and went back to the room to change for a workout. Way too much relaxing/eating and not enough exercise was making me really sluggish. I had a great 3 mile run and then I headed back to get Peyton. He was FINALLY ready to go back to the room! I finished up the rest of my tasks for work and drifted off to bed.
Day 5 - The NCL Pearl
Unfortunately, I woke up around 4:30am – total bummer. I tried to fall back asleep, but eventually gave up around 5:30am and logged in to get some work stuff done. My Mom and Peyton woke up around 6:30 and we just lounged around the hotel room for the next couple of hours. We had breakfast for the final time up at the Top of the Hilton and then finished packing our bags and headed down to Pier 66 to board the ship. I think we got on around 11:30 where we had a special ‘tour guide’ take the people staying in the suites to by-pass all of the lines. She introduced us to our butler who then escorted us onto the ship and took us to Cagney’s for lunch. For all of us, lunch was the LAST thing on our minds! My Mom took Peyton over to the kid’s club to register and look around where he quickly found a friend.
We sat around Cagney’s until 2:00 when they finally announced that our rooms were ready. Grabbing all of our carry-on luggage, we headed up to find our room for the week. It is definitely the nicest cruise ship suite that we have staying in! There are two separate bedrooms and the bath had a full tub with a huge window that allows you to sit in the tub while watching the mountains drift by. It does not feel cramped at all and Peyton quickly staked out his favorite areas and informed us that he will not mind at all to take a bath in the big tub!
After dropping everything off, we wandered around the ship to see where everything was located. This ship does not seem as big as the RCCL Freedom, but it is certainly just as nice. We took tours of the spa and fitness center as well as quickly walking through the stores so I could buy a razor – for $19.00! The cruise may be cheap, but everything else costs an arm and a leg!
For dinner, we just grabbed a quick bite at the Garden Café with Peyton and then let him go to the kid’s club while Mom and I watched a chick flick on TV. At 10:30, I had to drag Peyton out of the kids club to go to bed – I think he could have lasted another 12 hours there!
We sat around Cagney’s until 2:00 when they finally announced that our rooms were ready. Grabbing all of our carry-on luggage, we headed up to find our room for the week. It is definitely the nicest cruise ship suite that we have staying in! There are two separate bedrooms and the bath had a full tub with a huge window that allows you to sit in the tub while watching the mountains drift by. It does not feel cramped at all and Peyton quickly staked out his favorite areas and informed us that he will not mind at all to take a bath in the big tub!
After dropping everything off, we wandered around the ship to see where everything was located. This ship does not seem as big as the RCCL Freedom, but it is certainly just as nice. We took tours of the spa and fitness center as well as quickly walking through the stores so I could buy a razor – for $19.00! The cruise may be cheap, but everything else costs an arm and a leg!
For dinner, we just grabbed a quick bite at the Garden Café with Peyton and then let him go to the kid’s club while Mom and I watched a chick flick on TV. At 10:30, I had to drag Peyton out of the kids club to go to bed – I think he could have lasted another 12 hours there!
Day 4 - Snoqualmie Falls
We tried to sleep in today, without much luck! We slowly got dressed and had breakfast again at the Top of the Hilton. Afterwards, we walked a few blocks over to the Hertz rental place and picked up a car.
The drive to Snoqualmie only took about 30 minutes and was interstate most of the way. Although the hotel was not much to look at from the road – looks can be deceiving! We easily found a parking space and began the hike to the first overlook. The falls were really pretty. The day was fairly overcast, so between the mist from the falls and the gentle rain, we got damp pretty quick! After the overlook, we found the trail down to the falls and strolled down the scenic path. The hike down was a little over a mile and quite an easy walk. They built a very nice boardwalk along the river that afforded us great views of the bottom of the falls as well as the river. The hike up was a little more strenuous, but we just took our time. We decided to have a nice brunch at the Salish Lodge – which is really beautiful. The restaurant overlooks the waterfall and the food is outstanding! My Mom had the cinnamon and vanilla infused waffles and I had the roast chicken stuffed with spinach and cheese – which I shared with Peyton. Everything was delectable. After picking up a few items from the gift shop, we were quickly heading back to the city to try and catch a quick nap.
We left the hotel again around 4:30 and walked down to the movie theater a few blocks away. Peyton had been begging us to go see the new Disney movie “Up”. I must say, it was awesome! I laughed every time the dog came into the scene. When the movie was over, we walked over to Crepe Voilla. I read on the Internet that they had the best Crepes outside of Paris and I had to agree. My Mom had the dark chocolate crepe with raspberries and hazelnuts and I had the bananas foster crepe with vanilla ice cream – yum, yum!
Everyone was exhausted between the hiking (and all of the sugar), so we were to bed quite early again! We are leaving for the cruise in the morning, so I know Sunday is going to be exciting.
The drive to Snoqualmie only took about 30 minutes and was interstate most of the way. Although the hotel was not much to look at from the road – looks can be deceiving! We easily found a parking space and began the hike to the first overlook. The falls were really pretty. The day was fairly overcast, so between the mist from the falls and the gentle rain, we got damp pretty quick! After the overlook, we found the trail down to the falls and strolled down the scenic path. The hike down was a little over a mile and quite an easy walk. They built a very nice boardwalk along the river that afforded us great views of the bottom of the falls as well as the river. The hike up was a little more strenuous, but we just took our time. We decided to have a nice brunch at the Salish Lodge – which is really beautiful. The restaurant overlooks the waterfall and the food is outstanding! My Mom had the cinnamon and vanilla infused waffles and I had the roast chicken stuffed with spinach and cheese – which I shared with Peyton. Everything was delectable. After picking up a few items from the gift shop, we were quickly heading back to the city to try and catch a quick nap.
We left the hotel again around 4:30 and walked down to the movie theater a few blocks away. Peyton had been begging us to go see the new Disney movie “Up”. I must say, it was awesome! I laughed every time the dog came into the scene. When the movie was over, we walked over to Crepe Voilla. I read on the Internet that they had the best Crepes outside of Paris and I had to agree. My Mom had the dark chocolate crepe with raspberries and hazelnuts and I had the bananas foster crepe with vanilla ice cream – yum, yum!
Everyone was exhausted between the hiking (and all of the sugar), so we were to bed quite early again! We are leaving for the cruise in the morning, so I know Sunday is going to be exciting.
Day 3 - Seattle Tours
Since we went to bed so early, we have been waking up quite early as well – I guess we have not quite adjusted to the 3 hour time difference yet. We lounged around the hotel and then grabbed a quick bite to each at the hotel before walking down to Pike Place Market.
When people kept telling me to head down there, I really could not understand what the excitement was all about. Once I got there, I finally understood. There were hundreds of flower shops lining the stalls. They were in the most beautiful arrangements I have ever seen. There were bins filled with fresh seafood that looked incredible – crab legs bigger than my arm. The fresh produce that looked as if it was plucked from the fields only minutes before we arrived. There was even a stall selling fresh raspberry honey and a bakery selling doughnuts bigger than Peyton’s head! It was incredible.
We then strolled along the waterfront and headed to the Pacific Science Center. This was basically a children’s science museum similar to Tampa’s MOSI. Peyton had a blast running around looking at all of the exhibits and Mom and I just tried to keep up! I think my favorite part was the butterfly exhibit that had about a hundred butterflies floating around us – most of which I had never seen before. My Mom even had one land on her finger!
Afterwards, we headed out to the park surrounding the Space Needle where Peyton grabbed some popcorn. We sat on the grass and relaxed – snapping a few shots of the Space Needle against the bright blue sky.
Peyton then caught a glimpse of a small Ferris Wheel and we ventured over to ride a few carnival rides that were set up in the shadow of the Space Needle. We played on the various rides until it was time for a late lunch at the top of the Space Needle. The view was spectacular. We were promptly seated and were treated to an incredible lunch while taking in the 360 degree view of Seattle. After lunch we ordered the ‘Lunar Orbiter’ which was basically a hot fudge sundae sitting in a bowl surrounded by dry ice. It came to the table ‘smoking’ – this of course freaked out Peyton. :)
Our excursions for the day were still not over. We read on several websites that the Duck Tour of Seattle was not to be missed. Although the tour was ‘cute’ and informative, I would not suggest it unless you have kids. Of course Peyton loved it! My Mom bought Peyton a duck whistle which he found great joy in using over the next hour! It was fun taking the amphibious vehicle out into Lake Washington – Peyton did not understand how a ‘car’ was suddenly able to turn into a ‘boat’.
Once the tour was over, we hopped on the Monorail to downtown and walked back to the hotel. We skipped dinner in favor of snacks from the Concierge lounge and watched a kid’s movie to fall asleep. Another day of adventure came to an end.
When people kept telling me to head down there, I really could not understand what the excitement was all about. Once I got there, I finally understood. There were hundreds of flower shops lining the stalls. They were in the most beautiful arrangements I have ever seen. There were bins filled with fresh seafood that looked incredible – crab legs bigger than my arm. The fresh produce that looked as if it was plucked from the fields only minutes before we arrived. There was even a stall selling fresh raspberry honey and a bakery selling doughnuts bigger than Peyton’s head! It was incredible.
We then strolled along the waterfront and headed to the Pacific Science Center. This was basically a children’s science museum similar to Tampa’s MOSI. Peyton had a blast running around looking at all of the exhibits and Mom and I just tried to keep up! I think my favorite part was the butterfly exhibit that had about a hundred butterflies floating around us – most of which I had never seen before. My Mom even had one land on her finger!
Afterwards, we headed out to the park surrounding the Space Needle where Peyton grabbed some popcorn. We sat on the grass and relaxed – snapping a few shots of the Space Needle against the bright blue sky.
Peyton then caught a glimpse of a small Ferris Wheel and we ventured over to ride a few carnival rides that were set up in the shadow of the Space Needle. We played on the various rides until it was time for a late lunch at the top of the Space Needle. The view was spectacular. We were promptly seated and were treated to an incredible lunch while taking in the 360 degree view of Seattle. After lunch we ordered the ‘Lunar Orbiter’ which was basically a hot fudge sundae sitting in a bowl surrounded by dry ice. It came to the table ‘smoking’ – this of course freaked out Peyton. :)
Our excursions for the day were still not over. We read on several websites that the Duck Tour of Seattle was not to be missed. Although the tour was ‘cute’ and informative, I would not suggest it unless you have kids. Of course Peyton loved it! My Mom bought Peyton a duck whistle which he found great joy in using over the next hour! It was fun taking the amphibious vehicle out into Lake Washington – Peyton did not understand how a ‘car’ was suddenly able to turn into a ‘boat’.
Once the tour was over, we hopped on the Monorail to downtown and walked back to the hotel. We skipped dinner in favor of snacks from the Concierge lounge and watched a kid’s movie to fall asleep. Another day of adventure came to an end.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Day 2 – June 4, 2009 – Mt Rainier
We woke up around 8:00am and got ready for a full day at Mt. Rainier. I had stumbled across a website that offered private tours of Mt. Rainier that could be tailored to do whatever interested the party. Having a child diagnosed with Autism, the thought of going on a bus with 30 strangers just did not appeal to me at all! We had a quick breakfast at the Hilton’s restaurant and then headed down to meet our tour guides. The name of the company is Evergreen Escapes and I cannot recommend them highly enough! We had two guides that picked us up promptly at 9:00am – Tyler and Alice. The ‘car’ that they picked us up in was some kind of Mercedes excursion van that looked like it belonged in a National Geographic commercial for spoiled adventure seekers! It had an incredible navigation system and HUGE windows on every side that offered great views. Since we had the van to ourselves, we were able to spread out and really enjoy the trip to Mt. Rainier. Tyler and Alice told us all about downtown and pointed out several sights along the way. About halfway to our destination, we were offered delicious energy bars and scrumptious cookies. Since I was such a picture aficionado, Alice stopped for a photo opportunity at a beautiful dam. After several pictures and a quick stretch of our legs, we were offered delicious bottles of ice cold water and we were off again to Paradise – literally!
Tyler kept insisting that we were going to get to ‘touch’ some snow. Of course, since it was about 80 degrees outside, I found it really hard to believe! Once we arrived at Mt. Rainier National Park, the scenery really changed dramatically. It is very hard to describe, but it just seemed like the greens were ‘greener’. It was as if everything was ‘cleaner’ or ‘fresher’ in the beautiful forests that we gazed upon. The trees – which Alice and Tyler knew everything about, were HUGE and simply stunning. Our first stop was a quick two minute hike to a river bed that looked up to a misty Mt. Rainier. Tyler pointed out the cones that fell from the indigenous trees and the various fauna that surrounded us. After a few more pictures we were off again climbing higher into the mountainside.
Then, all of a sudden, we saw it! There it was, it was everywhere! Something my son had never seen before and I had not seen up close in twenty years! SNOW! True, it was just in small patches hidden in the shadows along side the road, but it was there. It was certainly snow. We stopped at another overlook with a breathtaking view of the mountain which afforded us the opportunity to actually TOUCH the snow. In about 10 seconds, Tyler had already taught Peyton how to form and throw a snowball. Of course, there is no target more fun than Mom, so I suddenly was the target of all of my son’s snowballs and the ensuing laughter was infectious! Please remember however, that it was 80 degrees when we left and we were in shorts and t-shits! When a snowball runs down your back – it is REALLY cold. This, of course, just made Peyton laugh even harder.
We still had not yet arrived in ‘Paradise’, so we climbed back into our ‘adventure limo’ and continued our climb. We passed several waterfalls along the way which Tyler and Alice explained just came from the snow melting from the top of the mountain and would no longer be there in a couple of months.
When we finally arrived at Paradise, I just could not believe my eyes. There was snow EVERYWHERE! Our hike through the woods left out one very exciting adjective. Our hike was going to be through snow-topped woods. We very carefully bought gloves, hats, rain pants, hiking boots and more gear than any ‘normal’ person would own and promptly left everything back at the hotel when the forecast said it would be in the mid-eighties! I was in total shock. There was snow EVERYWHERE! It was still a warm day, so I am not sure what good all of that gear would have done anyway. We put on some light jackets and began our trek THROUGH the snow. It was incredible! Tyler and Alice pointed out every bird that flew by us and even some that we could just hear.
We hiked up to a beautiful ridge and peered through binoculars up the mountain to the base camp. We even spotted some hikers that looked to be planning their trek to the top. On the way back, Tyler found a small hill and talked Peyton into sliding down in the snow. Mom had packed her rain pants, so we poured Peyton into them while Tyler gave him a piggy-back ride up to the top! I don’t think I have ever seen a smile so big on a child! I tried to climb up the hill only to find myself buried up to my knees in snow! Peyton must have slid down about 10 times before we finally conned him into heading back down for lunch!
We had a very short walk over to the Paradise Inn where we dined al fresco in the beautiful mountain air. Evergreen Escapes planned an incredible picnic. There we several people around us that could not believe the spread we were feasting upon! It tasted even better than it looked. We began our meal with an incredible spring salad with a balsamic dressing. Next, there was a selection of sandwiches taking both hands just to lift! I had a turkey sandwich with the most delectable cranberry relish. Every morsel was a sensory delight! A variety of drinks were offered to us, but I selected a Pomegranate Lemonade that was delicious. We were all SO full, even the wide selection of pastries that they offered could not tempt us. I walked around the inside of the Paradise Inn and purchased a handful of postcards for my coworkers back home. We even got a few minutes to lounge by the fireplace before we headed for more adventures.
Our next stop was a huge roaring waterfall. The sound of the thundering falls was deafening. The view was awe-inspiring! Alice snapped several pictures of Peyton and I with the water cascading behind us. We walked across a stone bridge to view the falls and the air was about 20 degrees colder coming off the waterfall. It is hard to describe the sweet smell that it had caused by the freshly melted ice surging behind us.
We quickly jumped back into our van and headed to our last stop. After a short ride, we were hiking once again through the woods towards another breathtaking view. This time, our destination was a small footbridge that traversed another picturesque waterfall. The waterfall swirled and pooled in a small eddy before falling down another set of rocks below. There were exquisite views in every direction and the path was quite easy to navigate.
After quite a full day of adventure, we headed back to Seattle. The culinary delights were still not over as Tyler and Alice had us stop for some delicious hot chocolate and scrumptious pastries to enjoy on the ride home. Tyler suggested one more stop once we arrived in the city to enjoy the quintessential view of downtown and the Space Needle. It was a lovely small park nestled in the Queen Anne district that offered breathtaking views of downtown and the Puget Sound.
I could not recommend a tour company more highly than Evergreen Escapes. They truly made this day as memorable as could be and went out of their way to make sure Peyton enjoyed every second. We could not have imagined a more perfect day!
We were simply exhausted from all of the adventures we had and it was just pure willpower that kept us awake to see the season premier of Burn Notice! I could barely stay awake until the end, and only seconds after it was done did I fall asleep.
Then, all of a sudden, we saw it! There it was, it was everywhere! Something my son had never seen before and I had not seen up close in twenty years! SNOW! True, it was just in small patches hidden in the shadows along side the road, but it was there. It was certainly snow. We stopped at another overlook with a breathtaking view of the mountain which afforded us the opportunity to actually TOUCH the snow. In about 10 seconds, Tyler had already taught Peyton how to form and throw a snowball. Of course, there is no target more fun than Mom, so I suddenly was the target of all of my son’s snowballs and the ensuing laughter was infectious! Please remember however, that it was 80 degrees when we left and we were in shorts and t-shits! When a snowball runs down your back – it is REALLY cold. This, of course, just made Peyton laugh even harder.
We still had not yet arrived in ‘Paradise’, so we climbed back into our ‘adventure limo’ and continued our climb. We passed several waterfalls along the way which Tyler and Alice explained just came from the snow melting from the top of the mountain and would no longer be there in a couple of months.
When we finally arrived at Paradise, I just could not believe my eyes. There was snow EVERYWHERE! Our hike through the woods left out one very exciting adjective. Our hike was going to be through snow-topped woods. We very carefully bought gloves, hats, rain pants, hiking boots and more gear than any ‘normal’ person would own and promptly left everything back at the hotel when the forecast said it would be in the mid-eighties! I was in total shock. There was snow EVERYWHERE! It was still a warm day, so I am not sure what good all of that gear would have done anyway. We put on some light jackets and began our trek THROUGH the snow. It was incredible! Tyler and Alice pointed out every bird that flew by us and even some that we could just hear.
We hiked up to a beautiful ridge and peered through binoculars up the mountain to the base camp. We even spotted some hikers that looked to be planning their trek to the top. On the way back, Tyler found a small hill and talked Peyton into sliding down in the snow. Mom had packed her rain pants, so we poured Peyton into them while Tyler gave him a piggy-back ride up to the top! I don’t think I have ever seen a smile so big on a child! I tried to climb up the hill only to find myself buried up to my knees in snow! Peyton must have slid down about 10 times before we finally conned him into heading back down for lunch!
We had a very short walk over to the Paradise Inn where we dined al fresco in the beautiful mountain air. Evergreen Escapes planned an incredible picnic. There we several people around us that could not believe the spread we were feasting upon! It tasted even better than it looked. We began our meal with an incredible spring salad with a balsamic dressing. Next, there was a selection of sandwiches taking both hands just to lift! I had a turkey sandwich with the most delectable cranberry relish. Every morsel was a sensory delight! A variety of drinks were offered to us, but I selected a Pomegranate Lemonade that was delicious. We were all SO full, even the wide selection of pastries that they offered could not tempt us. I walked around the inside of the Paradise Inn and purchased a handful of postcards for my coworkers back home. We even got a few minutes to lounge by the fireplace before we headed for more adventures.
Our next stop was a huge roaring waterfall. The sound of the thundering falls was deafening. The view was awe-inspiring! Alice snapped several pictures of Peyton and I with the water cascading behind us. We walked across a stone bridge to view the falls and the air was about 20 degrees colder coming off the waterfall. It is hard to describe the sweet smell that it had caused by the freshly melted ice surging behind us.
We quickly jumped back into our van and headed to our last stop. After a short ride, we were hiking once again through the woods towards another breathtaking view. This time, our destination was a small footbridge that traversed another picturesque waterfall. The waterfall swirled and pooled in a small eddy before falling down another set of rocks below. There were exquisite views in every direction and the path was quite easy to navigate.
After quite a full day of adventure, we headed back to Seattle. The culinary delights were still not over as Tyler and Alice had us stop for some delicious hot chocolate and scrumptious pastries to enjoy on the ride home. Tyler suggested one more stop once we arrived in the city to enjoy the quintessential view of downtown and the Space Needle. It was a lovely small park nestled in the Queen Anne district that offered breathtaking views of downtown and the Puget Sound.
I could not recommend a tour company more highly than Evergreen Escapes. They truly made this day as memorable as could be and went out of their way to make sure Peyton enjoyed every second. We could not have imagined a more perfect day!
We were simply exhausted from all of the adventures we had and it was just pure willpower that kept us awake to see the season premier of Burn Notice! I could barely stay awake until the end, and only seconds after it was done did I fall asleep.
Day 1 - Travel Day!
View of Seattle!
Vacation is FINALY here! After planning this trip for almost a year, our Alaskan Adventure has finally arrived! This trip morphed into something completely different that its original intent due to some unplanned changes in our family unit, but we decided an adventure was just what we needed.
Our cast of characters for this trip is my Darling Son Peyton (now 8), Darling GeeGee (my Mom) and me. Luckily, my Mom and I are extremely ‘type A’ planners for every trip which allows us to really research our options and pack as much fun or downtime on each trip we embark on with the goal of just making wonderful memories. This particular trip was definitely on ‘her’ list of dreams. Alaska was not my idea of a great vacation, but I am always up for an adventure so I plan to make the most of the trip!
I woke up fairly early so I could finish packing and get some final items taken care of at the office. We had the car packed and ready to leave around 10:00am, so we took our time getting to the airport. The flights to Seattle were luckily very uneventful, no delays and no lost luggage. My iPhone and my iPod Touch were not able to keep up with 8 hours of playing movies, but Peyton kept busy with his DS and a nap while I read some magazines.
Upon arrival in Seattle, my Mom hired a driver to take us to the Hilton Seattle. He was very nice and arrived on time. Seeing the Space Needle and downtown was really exciting, but after traveling all day, all we really wanted to do was get some rest! After checking in, we picked up some snacks from the club level and all of us were asleep by 10:00pm!
Our cast of characters for this trip is my Darling Son Peyton (now 8), Darling GeeGee (my Mom) and me. Luckily, my Mom and I are extremely ‘type A’ planners for every trip which allows us to really research our options and pack as much fun or downtime on each trip we embark on with the goal of just making wonderful memories. This particular trip was definitely on ‘her’ list of dreams. Alaska was not my idea of a great vacation, but I am always up for an adventure so I plan to make the most of the trip!
I woke up fairly early so I could finish packing and get some final items taken care of at the office. We had the car packed and ready to leave around 10:00am, so we took our time getting to the airport. The flights to Seattle were luckily very uneventful, no delays and no lost luggage. My iPhone and my iPod Touch were not able to keep up with 8 hours of playing movies, but Peyton kept busy with his DS and a nap while I read some magazines.
Upon arrival in Seattle, my Mom hired a driver to take us to the Hilton Seattle. He was very nice and arrived on time. Seeing the Space Needle and downtown was really exciting, but after traveling all day, all we really wanted to do was get some rest! After checking in, we picked up some snacks from the club level and all of us were asleep by 10:00pm!
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