Our next cruise is for 18 days in the North Atlantic Sept 21st - Oct 11th. I'll try to have pictures up soon afterwards. For a larger view, click the map.
Stay Tuned, Don't Touch that Dial!
Don't know if another trip will come our way before we head out again this September. So like the title says, "Stay Tuned" and continue to check in at times, cuz you just never know ...
Our next cruise is for 18 days in the North Atlantic Sept 21st - Oct 11th. I'll try to have pictures up soon afterwards. For a larger view, click the map.
And for all you that visit, I want to give a big ... 
Our next cruise is for 18 days in the North Atlantic Sept 21st - Oct 11th. I'll try to have pictures up soon afterwards. For a larger view, click the map.
Orange Lake Flordia
June 13 - 20, 2009
Have owned a timeshare in the Kissimmee area for 21 yrs now. We go down every year since it's about an 8 hour drive.
Orange Lake Country Club has grown so much over the years. There are several areas to our complex with pools, restaurants and of course golf! For more info Click Here
We are the beige circle area to the left on this map. As you can see, right in the heart of everything Disney and otherwise related!
Our condo is on the top floor center of a building much like this.
We have a grand time each year making memories and visiting with family down that way. Cookouts and watching the fireworks off the back screen porch from Disney every night.
Our children now have their own children and the memories go on from here ...
Have owned a timeshare in the Kissimmee area for 21 yrs now. We go down every year since it's about an 8 hour drive.
Orange Lake Country Club has grown so much over the years. There are several areas to our complex with pools, restaurants and of course golf! For more info Click Here
We are the beige circle area to the left on this map. As you can see, right in the heart of everything Disney and otherwise related!
Our condo is on the top floor center of a building much like this.
We have a grand time each year making memories and visiting with family down that way. Cookouts and watching the fireworks off the back screen porch from Disney every night.
Our children now have their own children and the memories go on from here ...
Alaska Tid Bits
Animals? Did we see animals ~ Oh yes we saw animals or rather mammals
We saw the black and white colors of baby Orcas, fins and spumes several times and once while I was on my own, saw several humpback whales playing in the water. Sad to say, I didn't have my camera with me! Along with seals frolicking in the water, they were much fun to watch. Here is a fin of something, it never did surface.
A pretty island out in the middle of nowhere and the sun 'setting' on the water
We disembarked in Vancouver, Canada, bussed to Seattle for an overnight and then flight home to Atlanta the next day.
Didn't witness any wild bears or calving of icebergs, time to go back to Alaska!
We saw the black and white colors of baby Orcas, fins and spumes several times and once while I was on my own, saw several humpback whales playing in the water. Sad to say, I didn't have my camera with me! Along with seals frolicking in the water, they were much fun to watch. Here is a fin of something, it never did surface.
A pretty island out in the middle of nowhere and the sun 'setting' on the water
We disembarked in Vancouver, Canada, bussed to Seattle for an overnight and then flight home to Atlanta the next day.
Didn't witness any wild bears or calving of icebergs, time to go back to Alaska!
Ketchikan
Saturday May 23, 2009
Ketchikan has an average yearly rainfall of 162 inches. It rains almost 240 days a year. The day we were here it was cloudy, the first we've seen in 2 weeks, but it never rained. We were blessed!
Because of so much rain, their baseball fields look like this. Notice what's missing? (answer is the grass!)
Ketchikan is about a half mile wide and seven miles long. There is 16 to 18 hours of daylight during the summer months. We saw many bald eagles here with their nest high in the air, but no pictures of them flying high from their nest.
Totem Poles are not of interest to either of us. Ketchikan if full of them. Along with master carver Nathan Jackson
Thought it interesting that totem poles were never worshiped as religious objects as the early missionaries believed. They were carved to honor the dead, proclaim wealth and status and support the oral traditions.
We visited The Discovery Center and found these 'babies' ~ in order, a horned owl, falcon and of course our national bird, the eagle!
Ketchikan has an average yearly rainfall of 162 inches. It rains almost 240 days a year. The day we were here it was cloudy, the first we've seen in 2 weeks, but it never rained. We were blessed!
Because of so much rain, their baseball fields look like this. Notice what's missing? (answer is the grass!)
Ketchikan is about a half mile wide and seven miles long. There is 16 to 18 hours of daylight during the summer months. We saw many bald eagles here with their nest high in the air, but no pictures of them flying high from their nest.
Totem Poles are not of interest to either of us. Ketchikan if full of them. Along with master carver Nathan Jackson
Thought it interesting that totem poles were never worshiped as religious objects as the early missionaries believed. They were carved to honor the dead, proclaim wealth and status and support the oral traditions.
We visited The Discovery Center and found these 'babies' ~ in order, a horned owl, falcon and of course our national bird, the eagle!
Juneau
Friday May 22, 2009
Juneau is the capitol of Alaska and is the largest capitol in the USA by land size (3,248 square miles). There are no roads in our out of Juneau, it's only accessible by ship, plane or birth canal :)
The most visited Glacier in the world and quickly shrinking is here, the Mendenhall. I was impressed with the amount of decent sized icebergs in the lake nearby.
The Macaulay Salmon Hatchery was very interesting with a 5,000 gallon salt water aquarium filled with colorful and unique fish. Some aquatic can be touched and that is my specialty. Like this sea cucumber, he looks sharp but actually felt like jello. The star shaped one was soft as well.
On to the Mount Roberts Tramway and the view of our ship down below.
The town of Juneau
Juneau is the capitol of Alaska and is the largest capitol in the USA by land size (3,248 square miles). There are no roads in our out of Juneau, it's only accessible by ship, plane or birth canal :)
The most visited Glacier in the world and quickly shrinking is here, the Mendenhall. I was impressed with the amount of decent sized icebergs in the lake nearby.
The Macaulay Salmon Hatchery was very interesting with a 5,000 gallon salt water aquarium filled with colorful and unique fish. Some aquatic can be touched and that is my specialty. Like this sea cucumber, he looks sharp but actually felt like jello. The star shaped one was soft as well.
On to the Mount Roberts Tramway and the view of our ship down below.
The town of Juneau
Skagway and the Yukon
Thursday May 21, 2009
We took the "Experience the Yukon" excursion from Skagway and I would highly recommend this!! It was by bus and not the popular White Pass Train. A few words to always remember ... Trains are great BUT they do NOT stop for pictures!
Some of the scenery on the way to the top of the Mt.
At the top. This is how thick the ice still is in late May
Final destination was Caribou Crossing for lunch and sights to see. Then the town of Carcross which is short for the former. We had our passports stamped here since we are in British Columbia, Canada. Next we visited the "World's Smallest Desert" yes in Alaska! The Carcross Desert is 642 acres and has been recognized by Guinness.
Got our pictures taken at each of the 3 signs ~ Welcome to Alaska, Yukon Larger than Life and Welcome to British Columbia, Canada. Remember IF you take the train, you do not stop for these signs!
The history and pictures behind the Gold Rush is fascinating and much to much to go into here. So visit Pictorial History of the Yukon by Carcross Community School You won't be sorry!
And Skagway by it's self?
We took the "Experience the Yukon" excursion from Skagway and I would highly recommend this!! It was by bus and not the popular White Pass Train. A few words to always remember ... Trains are great BUT they do NOT stop for pictures!
Some of the scenery on the way to the top of the Mt.
At the top. This is how thick the ice still is in late May
Final destination was Caribou Crossing for lunch and sights to see. Then the town of Carcross which is short for the former. We had our passports stamped here since we are in British Columbia, Canada. Next we visited the "World's Smallest Desert" yes in Alaska! The Carcross Desert is 642 acres and has been recognized by Guinness.
Got our pictures taken at each of the 3 signs ~ Welcome to Alaska, Yukon Larger than Life and Welcome to British Columbia, Canada. Remember IF you take the train, you do not stop for these signs!
The history and pictures behind the Gold Rush is fascinating and much to much to go into here. So visit Pictorial History of the Yukon by Carcross Community School You won't be sorry!
And Skagway by it's self?
Glacier Bay
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Much of Glacier Bay is over 1,000 feet deep and does not freeze in the winter due to the tides and wind. It was discovered by Captain George Vancouver in 1794.
The Margerie Glacier shown below is about one mile wide and 250 feet high with a base around 100 feet below sea level. It extends for 21 miles back into the mountain range.
Picture is blue because it was taken thru the ship window. Smaller boat gives better size comparisons.
Nearby is the Grand Pacific Glacier. It is 2 miles wide and is dirty because of the avalanches, rock slides etc causing an accumulation of dirt and rock.
The view around the both of these glaciers while we were idling is magnificent! Very serene. We were not fortunate to witness the calving of an iceberg. Was told it sounds like a gunshot when it cracks.
Glaciers form when the snowfall exceeds the snow melt. Huge icebergs can last up to a week or more and they provide perches for many animals and birds.
Much of Glacier Bay is over 1,000 feet deep and does not freeze in the winter due to the tides and wind. It was discovered by Captain George Vancouver in 1794.
The Margerie Glacier shown below is about one mile wide and 250 feet high with a base around 100 feet below sea level. It extends for 21 miles back into the mountain range.
Picture is blue because it was taken thru the ship window. Smaller boat gives better size comparisons.
Nearby is the Grand Pacific Glacier. It is 2 miles wide and is dirty because of the avalanches, rock slides etc causing an accumulation of dirt and rock.
The view around the both of these glaciers while we were idling is magnificent! Very serene. We were not fortunate to witness the calving of an iceberg. Was told it sounds like a gunshot when it cracks.
Glaciers form when the snowfall exceeds the snow melt. Huge icebergs can last up to a week or more and they provide perches for many animals and birds.
College Fjord
Tuesday May 19, 2009
We slept in to 7 am and missed the main attraction here shown at 6 am. Oh well ...
Located on the northern edge of Prince William Sound in south central Alaska, College Fjord is home to a multitude of large and small glaciers, including 5 tidewaters that calve icebergs into the fjord. It was discovered in 1899 by the Harriman Expedition and the professors on board named all the glaciers after top East Coast colleges: Harvard, Wellesley, Vassar, Williams, Yale, Bryn Mawr, Holyoake, Radcliffe, Smith, Dartmouth and Barnard.
Did catch some of the ice littered water at 7 am.
Later that afternoon we passed by Bligh Reef where the Exxon Valdez ran aground on March 24, 1989 spilling 10.8 million gallons of oil. About 1300 miles of Alaska coastline was polluted.
We slept in to 7 am and missed the main attraction here shown at 6 am. Oh well ...
Located on the northern edge of Prince William Sound in south central Alaska, College Fjord is home to a multitude of large and small glaciers, including 5 tidewaters that calve icebergs into the fjord. It was discovered in 1899 by the Harriman Expedition and the professors on board named all the glaciers after top East Coast colleges: Harvard, Wellesley, Vassar, Williams, Yale, Bryn Mawr, Holyoake, Radcliffe, Smith, Dartmouth and Barnard.
Did catch some of the ice littered water at 7 am.
Later that afternoon we passed by Bligh Reef where the Exxon Valdez ran aground on March 24, 1989 spilling 10.8 million gallons of oil. About 1300 miles of Alaska coastline was polluted.
Whittier and Tunnel
Monday May 18, 2009
We had to wait just a short bit for our 1:30 time to go thru this tunnel. The cost for our bus was $125.00, cars are $12.00 each one way.
The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel is a single lane tunnel that was used by trains since 1943. In 2000 it was paved allowing passage by either train or cars. Because it's only one lane, the traffic switches direction every half hour. Trains are given a 2 hour window with no auto traffic allowed.
This is the longest combined rail and highway tunnel (2.5 miles) and the second longest tunnel in North America. By the internet "it's the first US tunnel with jet turbine and portal fan ventilation and the first designed for -40*F and 150 mph winds. The portal buildings are designed to withstand avalanches."
Just out of the tunnel we get our first view of our ship, "home" for the next 7 days.
This was the view from our balcony
In researching Whittier online I find "During World War II the United States Army constructed a port and railroad terminus near and named the port Whittier. The spur of the Alaska Railroad to Whittier was completed in 1943 and the port became the entrance for United States soldiers into Alaska. The port remained an active army facility until 1960."
Whittier has no direct sunlight from Nov to Feb as the sun does not rise above the mountains behind.
We had to wait just a short bit for our 1:30 time to go thru this tunnel. The cost for our bus was $125.00, cars are $12.00 each one way.
The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel is a single lane tunnel that was used by trains since 1943. In 2000 it was paved allowing passage by either train or cars. Because it's only one lane, the traffic switches direction every half hour. Trains are given a 2 hour window with no auto traffic allowed.
This is the longest combined rail and highway tunnel (2.5 miles) and the second longest tunnel in North America. By the internet "it's the first US tunnel with jet turbine and portal fan ventilation and the first designed for -40*F and 150 mph winds. The portal buildings are designed to withstand avalanches."
Just out of the tunnel we get our first view of our ship, "home" for the next 7 days.
This was the view from our balcony
In researching Whittier online I find "During World War II the United States Army constructed a port and railroad terminus near and named the port Whittier. The spur of the Alaska Railroad to Whittier was completed in 1943 and the port became the entrance for United States soldiers into Alaska. The port remained an active army facility until 1960."
Whittier has no direct sunlight from Nov to Feb as the sun does not rise above the mountains behind.
Seward Hwy from Anchorage to Whittier
Monday May 18,2009
Just south of Anchorage, the Seward Highway hugs the dramatic shorelines of Turnagain Arm, arguably one of the most beautiful stretches of highway in America. Jaw dropping scenery but no stops along the way. These were all taken out of the bus window by my little camera. Just remember ~ pictures do not fully portray what our eyes see. To see a map Click Here
The mud near the railroad tracks is like quicksand. Ones have died here thinking otherwise.
Sit back and enjoy the ride
Just south of Anchorage, the Seward Highway hugs the dramatic shorelines of Turnagain Arm, arguably one of the most beautiful stretches of highway in America. Jaw dropping scenery but no stops along the way. These were all taken out of the bus window by my little camera. Just remember ~ pictures do not fully portray what our eyes see. To see a map Click Here
The mud near the railroad tracks is like quicksand. Ones have died here thinking otherwise.
Sit back and enjoy the ride
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