Thursday, June 16, 2016

Alaska!

What a Week!  Thank you all for the Bon Voyage and Birthday messages and comments.  Alaska was just as I had hoped.

Mainly I loved the majesty of its natural unspoiled beauty.
Here is an IG collage of our funny start.  A flight on a Beechcraft prop plane to Toronto to catch our flight to Vancouver. 

No services at all - in fact the bathroom is right behind Hanna's seat, lol!  I did have nice natural stitching light as we flew by Niagara Falls.
Here is a few photos of our floating home:  The Volendam.
After a day at sea, I had a fabulous 54th Birthday Aboard.  It was the first of 2 Gala nights.
Most people hate the the funny photo opps....not us!   We had to buy coats on the ship as it was a lot colder than we expected.
I was very excited to see my first glacier: Mendenhall in Juneau.
It is very hard to capture the size and scope of the glacier.  It is about 12 miles long.
We also went Whale watching in Juneau.  If you have ever gone whale watching you know there is more "watching" then "seeing".

Here is a baby humpback trying to breach.
We watched a Mama and baby for a long time.  While the Mama was below feeding, the baby was fooling around and kept trying to breach.  

Mama came back and showed the little one just how to do it!  The ranger on board said this was very rare and he was thrilled to see it.
I won't bore with a million that look the same, but it really was a life's dream to see this in wild.
I also was thrilled when we got a peek at her flukes.
In Skagway we boarded a narrow gauge train for a ride through the White Pass & Yukon.
How fun!  This is family camping in this old rail car.  They came out and waved.    I must get dropped off and picked up.
I have to thank my friend, Shaula, in Clyde, Tx for recommending we not miss this incredible ride.  The views were stunning.
 Here we are at the top of the pass - our train looks like a toy.
Our excursion stopped at Liarsville - I can't recommend it, but we had some laughs.
Here is an IG at the Canadian/US border and Liarsville.
Back in town we met these 2 huge dogs.  A Tibetan Mastiff and a Leonberger.   That is a full grown man standing behind Dervish....
Most photographed building in Skagway.  It is covered with driftwood.
It rained the day we visited Glacier Bay National Park.  We saw 3 different glaciers.  It was rainy, cold, rainy and did I mention the all day rain?
The boats in the foreground give you an idea of how big that glacier actually is.  It is huge.
 A panoramic view from our stateroom balcony.
We saw lots of birds and some eagles, but no whales.  We heard other people did.  Isn't that always the way?

We celebrated Hanna's 23rd Birthday aboard on June 6th.  What a fabulous double birthday week we had.
We graduated from a Grey Goose Mixology Class learning recipes for 4 different Vodka cocktails.
We took 2 of our drinks to Bingo where I finally hit it big.  I won $260. on very last bingo game of the cruise (a coverall on the yellow card).
Last stop
We took a Cultural Tour in Ketchikan which was fascinating.   I loved seeing the Totem poles and learning more about them.
 Did you know that each one tells a story?
 they are such great examples of regional folk art.
As we sailed slowly through the inside passage, we saw many hauntingly beautiful views like this one.
Back in Vancouver we spent the afternoon in Stanley Park.
 Roses just love that climate.
 This rose had about a dozen different shades on one bush.
The air was scented with roses.
Before leaving for our trip I told Hanna I hoped to find a nice Inuit Dolly and I sure did.
I've named her Bird Song.  Isn't her fur costume cute?  At some point I'll make her a special doll quilt.
 Yay!  I also pressed 2 pennies.
I stitched almost all the stems and berries on this trip and will share progress next week for sure!
If you are still with me, thanks for letting me share my trip.

I went very far from home and found what I was looking for:
Wonder.
xo

47 comments:

shaulap said...

I'm so happy you had a wonderful trip! I enjoyed your photos and clever commentary. Shaula

Janet O. said...

This was a great glimpse of your double birthday trip. I have never taken a cruise, but the only one that really tempts me is Alaska. Loved seeing what you saw. Glad it was all you hoped for!

Jan said...

Looks like a fabulous, memorable trip for both of you! Thanks for sharing it with us ~ I love going along for the ride, even if only virtually!

Janet said...

It looks like you had a marvelous time! So cool to see mama whale and her baby :0) I wish I could have joined you for the Rose garden stroll. How fun to go on a trip with Hanna! I look forward to another peek at your stitching :0)

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful trip for the two birthday girls! Thanks for sharing your photos. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Lovely quilt project. The colors are fabulous. Kelley Secrest

Chris said...

Stunning! I've seen lots of folks' Alaskan travel photos, but yours are the best by far! And I love your stories, looks like you had lots of fun! Congrats too!

Amy said...

Wow, I've been to Alaska four times (all for work with one vacay sidetrip), and didn't hit any of the spots that you and Hanna did! What a vast and beautiful state. Thanks for sharing!

OT Quilter said...

This was certainly Fun with Barb and Hanna! (Honestly you look like sisters!) Happy Birthday BV! Happy Birthday HV!

Kim said...

It really is a magical place, thanks for letting me relive my trip of a few years ago.
We kayaked out to the glacier and man was that water cold!
Happy Birthday and many many more :0)

Nifty Quilts said...

Looks like a fantastic trip! So glad to know there are still huge glaciers out there. Happy birthday to you and your daughter. Great way to celebrate together.

Lori said...

It looks so aweseom and BIG and Amazing! We have booked a trip for summer 2017! You'll have to give me some tips....other than bring warm clothes!!
Welcome home and happy birthday!

CecileD said...

Ohhh happy birthday for you and Hanna my dear friend !
I'm glad you have had a wonderful trip even it was winter...uhhh no Summer ....really ? Summer ? Ah ah !
Thank you for sharing with us all these beautiful photos and souvenirs !! ;)))

Ruth said...

What an amazing trip!! Congrats on your double birthday celebration and your big bingo win! I'm hoping to get to Alaska dometime. The beauty of nature is unbelievable!!

Ruth said...

What an amazing trip!! Congrats on your double birthday celebration and your big bingo win! I'm hoping to get to Alaska dometime. The beauty of nature is unbelievable!!

Quilting Babcia said...

What an amazing trip! So happy you had a chance to experience Alaska and the Inside Passage.

Debra said...

Your photos are awesome. What a wonderful trip with your daughter! Happy birthday to both of you! Thanks for taking us along.

Kyle said...

What an amazing way to celebrate. Your photo story gave us just a glimpse of how majestic Alaska must be. So many wonderful memories to treasure. Incredible whale photos!

Pinkadot Quilts said...

It looks amazing and breathtakingly beautiful! Glad you two had such a fun time!

Chantal said...

Happy to see you're having so much fun and found what you were looking for. Wonder is hard to catch after a certain age. lol. Glad you shared your photos with us. Annie and Kit and all the others from the CT group will welcome Bird Song with open arms, I'm sure. She looks so sweet and nice. Bet there's a few quilts brewing in your brain with names like Alaska and Whale Watching. Oh and Rainy Day too! Enjoy! ;^)

Thimbleanna said...

WOW! Looks like you two cuties had a fantastic trip Barb. And it looked like you were doing more SEEING than watching on the whale watching trip -- certainly more than most people see! Thanks for sharing your great trip ... I LOVE LOVE LOVE the last line of your post ... Wonder indeed!

Anonymous said...

Wow! Gorgeous pictures! Such a wonderful trip this must have been. So happy for you both that you could go!

Chantal said...

Thanks for sharing some terrific photo's of your holiday. You girls got to do and see a lot! Glad you had time to add a few stitches to your project. Such a beautiful part of the world.

Wendy Caton Reed said...

Oh what fun! So glad you had a super time. I love the driftwood facade and the deep blue in the glacier. Along with everything else of course. Although I'm not sure about he mixology lessons, doesn't that come naturally when the vodka is placed in front of you? You can't go wrong with Grey Goose!

Cathy said...

What a wonderful trip. Thank you for sharing all the photos. What wonderful memories you and Hanna have. Hugs

Julierose said...

Fantastic journey and adventures--good for you all... thanks for sharing the gorgeous pictures what wonders you saw....hugs, Julierose

Beth said...

Happy Birthday and Happy Birthday to both of you. What a fantastic way to celebrate. Thanks for sharing all the pictures, it looks gorgeous. I am not sure that I will ever get there, (the hubs does not fly) but I sure would love to go.

cityquilter grace said...

what an amazing trip of a lifetime...thanks for sharing

Barbara said...

Wow! What a memorable trip. The scenery is amazing and the roses are beautiful! Glad you got some sewing done, too. That Tibetan mastiff is a favorite of mine :)

Karen said...

We watch so many of the shows about Alaska on television. It is beautiful country. My son lived and worked for a while in Dutch Harbor where the Deadliest Catch captains take their crab catch in for processing.

pandchintz said...

Wow!! what an amazing trip. Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous experience. So happy you and Hanna had such fantastic birthdays. The whales and glaciers are just astounding.

Charlotte said...

Glad that you and Hannah had such wonderful birthday celebrations. Yes, Alaska is beautiful. Did you get to any of the quilt shops?

Charlotte

Louise SS said...

Looks like you had a wonderful trip and time! Thanks for sharing!

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

What a wonderful and unforgettable double birthday trip you had. The scenery is just breathtaking and such a nice variety of photos and activities in this post ! :)

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

What a wonderful and unforgettable double birthday trip you had. The scenery is just breathtaking and such a nice variety of photos and activities in this post ! :)

Me and My Stitches said...

Happy birthday - glad that you were able to celebrate it in style! What an amazing trip and extra special to be able to share it with your daughter. Thanks for sharing with us!

Diane said...

I've looked at this post several times, I never get tired of these photos! what an experience you two had. So happy that you were able to make some amazing memories with your daughter. That's a great way to celebrate your birthdays!

darlynn said...

My 3 boys and their respective beloveds are making this cruise in August! I cannot wait. It too has been a life long dream of mine. Thank you for the insight.

Sue said...

Lovely for Hannah and you to share your Birthday week together. It looks like it was fun albeit cold, oh and those gardens look absolutely gorgeous.

Rachaeldaisy said...

Truly a Wonder filled post!! Big happy Birthday to both you and Hanna. You certainly know how to celebrate in style. The scenery from your trip is breathtaking and I love that you were able to join in cocktail classes and win bingo. Thanks for taking us along on your trip.

Phyllis said...

Wow, such a wonderful trip and congratulations on the birthdays, what a fabulous way to celebrate! The cruise, to see those animals in the wild is one of my dreams, I think if I ever get a chance to see it I may cry, I find them so majestic and what we do to their environment.... Seems like you had a lot of fun too, I would definitely have partaken in the cocktail class!

Angie said...

Thanks for sharing all the FUN from your trip! What wonderful memories you and Hanna will share!

Shilpa said...

Such beautiful pics . Loved it blue jacket

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Mayleen said...

It sounds and looks like you had a wonderful trip. Happy belated birthday!

Linda in NC said...

What a great trip you had! It was fun to see photos of the spots I had visited soooo long ago when my sister taught one year in Juneau - Skagway, Mendenhall glacier, the train.... Thanks for reviving some great memories by sharing yours.

I'm looking forward to seeing your applique progress!

Rose Marie said...

Thanks for the memories ... I couldn't pick what my favourite part of our trip was ... there is just too much wonder in Alaska.

Jan said...

Wow - such a memorable birthday for you both. I've only been to Fairbanks, with a day trip to Denali, which was lovely. Would love to see the glacial, prettier areas.

O'Quilts said...

See, see...I missed so many posts from folks having surgery and being in that nursing home and whining...I found this one now...once again..you make me smile!!!