6/19-7/2 - Alaskan Cruise Adventure

6/19 - fly from Omaha to Seattle, and then on to Anchorage.  We stay at the Guest House Inn.  Forgot we are here during the Summer Solstice, and notice that it is never quite dark!  Cathy has a hard time sleeping while we are here.
6/20 - We tour the city via trolley and view the Anchorage Museum and Northern Lights show.  Cathy orders a custom make summer-weight parka (guess what color?)

outside the museum

outside the museum

6/21 - we take the train from Anchorage to Seward to board the ship for our cruise.  Meet up with friends Ken and Charlene, who have taken a pre-cruise tour of Denali National Park.
6/22 - We cruise around Hubbard Glacier in the afternoon.

6/23 - Today we are in Juneau, the state capitol.  Charlene, Steve and I take a taxi around for a couple of hours, and get to see the Mendenhall Glacier, the Red Dog Saloon, the Capitol building, and the river where the city gets its water supply.  We also get to see gold panning, and Cathy tries on a purple Lynx coat.  Our driver is a native, so we get the whole run-down.  This is the only capitol city that you can't drive to.

One of the first churches.

gold panning

State Capitol Building

Governor's Mansion

with Charlene in the state park

Mendenhall Glacier

Steve outside the Saloon

Cathy tries on a purple coat.

6/24 - We stop in Skagway, where Steve and Ken tour, while Cathy and Charlene hang out aboard ship.        

Ken and Steve by the Yukon sign

waterfall in Skagway

6/25 - we are at Icy Straight Point, one of the only stops where the Native Alaskans run the town.  We saw eagles and lots of BIG trees!

Ken

Eagles on the beach

Eagle in the nest

6/26 - we sail to Ketchican and check the place out!  We see LOTS of eagles!

one of the trees full of eagles

He thinks he is hiding.

our only bear sighting

Steve in town.

6/27 - cruising the Inside Passage to Vancouver.  It was very foggy.

6/28 - we dock in Vancouver and all take a bus tour to Stanley Park, the Aquarium, and Granville Island, where we have some lunch.  Then we all check in to the Days Inn in downtown, and collapse!

beluga whale at the aquarium

hollow tree at Stanley Park

6/29 - we all tour Chinatown (one of the largest in North America) and take a water taxi to tour the harbor.

chinese garden

Maritime Building

6/30 - Ken and Charlene fly back to Las Vegas.  Steve tours alone.  

Ken at the Raindrop on the pier

frescos on the Maritime building. 

7/1 - Today is Canada Day, and there is a parade that passes right in front of our hotel!

 7/2 - we fly from Vancouver to Seattle and then on to Omaha.  Home at last!