Category: USA

Homeward bound. Darn, the holiday is over. Great memories created.

Highlights

• Stunning Alaskan scenery with literally at times, a glacier around every corner. The fjords are beautiful as the mountains plunge into the sea. Yes, we have a little bit of this in NZ but not on the same scale! The easy access in Alaska is great too,  particularly to the tidewater glaciers.
• Float plane ride -standing on the float in the middle of a cold deep fjord, stunning view and staying upright!
• Going backcountry and appreciating the remoteness of some communities ( and there was still internet!)
• Alaska Rail -yeah for great trains and views.
• Sea life. Whales, porpoises, orcas, otters, jellyfish, sealions –  a delight to spot and watch especially in the inlets and bays.
• Expanded minds and greater understandings of history and culture, colonisation and struggles to retain traditional old ways and native languages.  Reflecting on the changes in our lifetime and similarities the world over. Dinnertime discussions.
• The weather. We did have rain but only when we were either in a train, bus or boat and it always stopped when we needed it to. Cold at the glaciers but otherwise mild and we were generally overpacked for the cold we experienced… it could have been so different. Some bluebird days and tee shirt times and a very warm finish.
• People. Met some wonderful new friends, one of the joys of travel. Some fabulous people out there.
•  The extensive first aid kit and medical insurance not needed.
• A few good coffees ..be pleased to be home for more!

Nice walk this morning around part of the 4.2 mile track around Lake Hood before our flight to LA.

Over 1000 floatplanes are based here, 500 on slips and 500 on tie downs and they look quite a sight around the lake edge. Apparently a 10 year waitlist for a floatplane slip and approx 300 people pay $25/year just to stay on the list.

 

70,000 aircraft operations /year averaging 439/day so plenty to watch from hotel and on walk. 25 remote lodges are served by the planes either dependent or partially dependent on the flight services. Flights support hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing plus mining exploration activity and oil and gas production. 24,000 flightseeing tours each year.

Base also for Iditarod Air Force-40,000 odd volunteer pilots who move hundreds of dropped or scratched dogs, over 120,000 pounds of dog food, hundreds of bales of hay for dog bedding and other materials to support the 1,049 mile sled dog race from Nome to Anchorage. And that is a fascinating story in itself and especially the use of dog sleds to deliver serum to save Nome from the diphtheria epidemic in 1938. Google it!

Link to photos

Slow start today after early start yesterday. Nice breakfast including reindeer sausage. Hopefully not Santa’s! Love the way food is presented when travelling.  My poached eggs came in a little bowl this morning, sitting by my fruit. Initially I thought it was yoghurt.

Enjoyed a visit to the Anchorage Museum today. Great space and especially enjoyed  exhibits showcasing Russian/Alaskan links and history and also the Native Peoples exhibition, excellent. There are 20 different languages and many are still actively spoken today. The displays of the various peoples focussed around Living from the Sea, Land and Rivers;   Ceremony and Celebrations and Community and Family. Clothing, accessories, instruments, art, culture and rituals gave great insight into their lives and experiences then and now. Interesting parallels to NZ with retaining language and culture. I was especially taken with the rainwear exhibit made of gut and of course the furskin parkas.

The museum also has an amazing Discovery Area for kids, very hands on and a large range of activities supported by Smithsonian Institute. I think the grandkids would love it.

The flowers and gardens in Alaska are very impressive particularly the begonias. Known as teh City of Lights and Flowers – they go all out in summer because not much will be seen in winter. Moose wander freely in teh city but we did not see any!

Russia “settled” Alaska in 1784, wanting to access lucrative furs and sold to America in 1867…600,000 sq miles approx for 7.2 million (about 4c/acre). At that point the gold and oil resources in Alaska were largely undiscovered! There is still a strong connection between the native peoples of Alaska and Russia. While only 2.4 miles separates the 2 countries at the narrowest point in the Bering Strait and family ties are strong,  it is difficult for people to pass freely between countries. Some things remain strong though like the love of vodka and caviar.

Our hotel fronts Lake Hood, the largest and busiest floatplane base in the world. The lake is adjacent to the main airport and the control tower is shared. Lots of activity but it’s not too noisy. Great casual dinner on the deck tonight. Sun still shining at 10.30pm and warm. Loving these evenings.

Lots of taxidermy animals around hotel foyer so interesting to look at these up close but hard to photograph. See here Dall Sheep and a few heads!

Link to Photos

 

 

 

Truly awesome today. Denali showed itself completely in all its glory. First time in 2 weeks. So the top we saw yesterday was just the prelude.

The weather is amazing. Sunblock on. Sun on Alaska Range and snow truly magnificent and photos don’t do it justice.

Mark climbed Quigley Ridge this morning behind the lodge while I went back to Wonder Lake hoping to see Mr Moose again (no luck) as well as get Denali photos.

Link to photos

 

 

Relaxing afternoon beside the fast flowing Moose River, sun glinting on the water, bird life and a cheeky squirrel. Only a few of us in the lodge at present so very quiet and retreat like. 2 buses arriving later tonight and 4 for lunch tomorrow for their busiest day so we will escape the rush on the 6am bus in the morning in time to catch the train to Anchorage.

 

Sunset tonight is 11.43pm and sunrise tomorrow is 4.35am! Overcast now but last night we still had bright sunlight at 11pm. This photo taken then.

Wow. We joined the club this morning. It is said that only 30% of visitors to the Park get to see Denali. Super lucky to see  mountain top this morning during our walk to Wonder Lake and Blueberry Hill. Also the very large bull moose we saw yesterday was still in the area and showed himself off for us. Very impressive beast ( not so the photographs in the rain yesterday and he was moving too fast today).

Lots of very pretty wildflowers along the trail. Also many types of edible berries including wild blueberries that were ripe and sweet. Wonder Lake is a lovely area formed by the retreating Mulgrowe Glacier. Watched a family of loons on Wonder Lake and admired Denali through changing cloud patterns.

Afternoon walk through bush nearby ( with bear spray) and down to Fanny Quigley’s cabin. Fanny was a pioneer woman who lived alone out here for many years offering hospitality to people seeking gold and passing by. Reportedly an amazing and formidable woman. Her blueberry pie recipe is hilarious.

We also checked out the airstrip and went to the end of the road in Denali! 3 planes took off and clearly a busy little operation albeit with no fancy facilities. They do have an awesome lodge up on the hill above us though so business must be good. Seems a few people bus in and fly out to avoid the long ride in/out twice!

Link to photos

Has been great weather, most of the day in a tee shirt with slight skiffle of rain at the end of our walk. Not much rainfall here generally but weather can close in quickly with low cloud and cool winds.

Well fed and watered! so to speak. No trouble getting the supplies in.

Met a good little bunch on the bus on our way into lodge- turned out we made a formidable team in the Denali Jeopardy Quiz tonight which we won. Great fun.

Relaxed morning packing, chinwagging and saying farewells. Trained into city for late lunch and boarding the Silver Shadow. Had such a good time with previous cruise mates,  hard to believe it was two years ago. Planning for 2019 in progress.

 

 

 

 

Cruised out at 6pm. Stunning weather. Stunning sunset. Great views of Vancouver and enjoying millpond waters in the Salish Sea. Appropriate drinks to celebrate departure and dined well (although they need a lesson in cooking NZ lamb-perhaps I can get a job here and cruise longtime).

I think we will be very comfortable in our cabin and the butler seems very likeable.

“We’re going on a bear hunt, We’re going to see a big one”

Today we did see two grizzly bears up close on Grouse Mountain. Both orphaned and now living in 5 1/2 acres on the mountain above Vancouver. Bears named Coola and Grinder who have been there since 2001. They are regarded as a “keystone species”, critical in regulating the forest eco-systems in British Columbia.

A very hot day and they were pretty much just chilling.. one sitting in the pond (Coola as it happened) and the other foraging in the swamp and dandelions. There are also bears around the area where we are but fortunately not seen up close on our walks.

The trip up/down Grouse Mountain was via by gondola with views out over the city and even some remaining snow on the mountaintop and ice on the side of the trails. Very hot day so will be melting fast.

Link to photos

A toast tonight to 37 years married and another great evening celebrating with friends.

Another early start but plenty of time to admire the recommissioned King Street Station. A grand waiting hall.

A nice little trip up the coast today from Seattle to Vancouver. The early part of the trip reminded me of the drive up the Thames Coast of NZ..close to cliff edge, land either side of water, random fishing boats, beach walkers, flotsam and jetsam, driftwood and houses hugging the hills. Lots of trees but no pohutukawa!

Nice little bit of farmland also and of course there were a few of the less salubrious bits where train tracks always seem to go.

Link to photos

Lovely afternoon walk around top of inlet at Port Moody to the Golden Spike Festival. Late lunch fish and chips and a cider..its hot here.

Great to catch up with friends from out Vietnam cruise. One of the joys of travel is the people you meet.

Early start to see the Chihuly Garden and Glass. Located at the foot of The Space Needle built for 1962 World Fair, Dale Chihuly’s exhibition is amazing. In fact, stunning. See the photos (more to come). Incredible colour, detail and design. All sorts of shapes- flowers, sea creatures, chandeliers, balls and forms.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to Chuchilly photos

Also very cool are some of his collections displayed in glass tabletops in the cafe. Best way of showcasing memorabilia from shaving brushes to fishing flies, tin soldiers to toy cars!

 

Afternoon visit to the Boeing Factory. Sorry no inside photos allowed, in case items were dropped from viewing platforms! Saw airliners in various stages of assembly and outfitting including the advanced 787 Dreamliner, 777 and Jumbo 747 plus the 767. Apart from painting work takes place in the largest building in the world by volume. Also saw the Dreamlifter used to transport the Dreamliner’s large parts from 5 different locations around the world to Everett for final assembly.

186 aircraft are produced each year at Boeing factories. The first Boeing aircraft ever sold were to NZ and so was the first Dreamliner. We saw one 777 on the production line bound for NZ.

Interesting Future of Flight exhibition that we only had time to gloss over. Would be great for big and little kids – hands on displays and exhibits including 777 engine and a section of carbon fibre fuselage  of new 787 Dreamliner.

 

Nice view of snowy Mount Rainier on the way back but hard to take the picture from a moving vehicle. and another lovely dinner and sunset.

If you remember the Jetson’s, apparently the Space Needle, inspired the animator when he designed the Jetson family’s skypad (1962).