ALASKA TO VANCOUVER AND LAST OF TRAVEL LOG

HEADING HOME

Before we head home, just a few more pictures I wanted to include.

This is a mural in Ketchikan, right beside the pier. I thought it was kind of neat.

This funny looking building was in Skagway was the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, built in 1899 and is now a visitor center. It's constructed of more then 20,000 pieces of driftwood and arranged in basket weave pattern with the date and brotherhood emblem. The AB on top is a pan full of good nuggets.

You've heard that it's cheaper to live on a cruise ship then go into a retirement home? Well this is Mamma Lu, as known by everyone from the Captain to every crew member. She lives on the ship. I heard she has children but had a fallen out with them, and disappeared. They finally found her on one ship and as soon as they did, she switched ships. On Holland America, she has 700 trips racked up to her name! A bit of an eccentric, she walks around and toots her little horn on her walker and I guess crew from time to time give her little animals she totes around in the basket. Quite a character!
Up in the Crow's Nest having our last drink...or two.... See that mug there? I was drinking hot water and lemon!! Honest!!

However, from this picture, you wouldn't know it. This is another crew from the Crow's Nest that remembered us from the Hawaii trip. Another real nice fellow, as all the crew are! I wanted to take them all home with me!Patrick saying goodbye to Joan. Patrick loved to kiss the ladies

Pictures of a few of the most memorable crew in the dining room, that always greeted us with a big smile, remembering our names and just how we liked our food. It's truly amazing!!

Goodbye for now, to cheerful Delores, Boni and to Joan, a most elegant and lovely lady that we just fell in love with and hope to keep in touch with emails for a long time! Thanks for the great times!These two people had us laughing for the first whole week and we love them. Thanks to Linda and Ken (Ken doll) for a great friendship that we know will continue. Thanks also for the lovely gift you surprised us with and had us in stitches. I'm not sure if we should display that or not!!

Lucky, you are the best!! We will always be in touch. We have a special friendship with Lucky and his family now from two cruises now. Good Luck with your promotion! xoxoxoxo

Vic and Bruna, who live here in Vancouver...we'll see you SOON!!! So glad we have met you!!

This is Moses from very far north into Alaska, who kept me company at 5:30 am , while I watched for whales. He told me some funny stories of where he's from over a couple of cups of coffee.

To all the crew on the Zaandam, it was a blast!!!

Beautiful Sunsets as we sail South.

The Celebrity Cruise Ship that followed us home all the way.

The scenery is starting to look more like Vancouver's.

Memories of a great time, and also looking forward to home as Tom looks out over the wide ocean.

We arrived in Vancouver just a dawn, and Tom was excited to see us go under the bridge. He missed it by seconds, being stuck in the john. Those darn prunes!!! We are looking back at the bridge here!

Along comes our following ship!

The Sails or Canada Place where we tie up!!
These two pictures of a woman and dog is the K9 Drug Detections Unit. The dog was sure doing it's job and checking everything out.

Already the Zaandam is loading new supplies onto the ship, which will set sail at 5pm for another trip to Alaska.

Tom and our luggage, waiting for our friend John to pick us up in the confusing port. We finally found one another. We are home!!

It was a wonderful trip. We loved it! I loved my new camera, although, I'm not intelligent enough, to set the dial on the INTELLIGENT AUTOMATIC. The pictures could have been better, but I get excited and forget everything I learned about the camera.

I hope you enjoyed travelling through Alaska with me, and would love if I'd get some comments to let me know if you enjoyed coming along on our trip.

Now to get some work down around here!! Put all my papers away and get ready for my two weeks in Ontario. Let me know if you want a travel log of that!!!

THE END

RETURN TRIP TO VANCOUVER

GOING HOME AND PHOTOS ALONG THE WAY

Floating chunks of ice can only mean one thing, the melting glaciers are nearby! I don't know how these seagulls can stand the cold on their feet. Lots of them around the ship but it's an instant $500 fine for throwing anything off or feeding them. I guess they just hope!
I liked taking these framed shots from the promenade deck.
I'm actually in our cabin, taking a picture of the Glacier. I came in to get something and took a few shots from inside. Good view we had eh?

Goodbye Glacier Bay

Another great couple we met and enjoyed on the cruise. This is Vic, Bruna Tom and me. Where did my teeth go..looks like I have none in the shadows!! Vic and Bruna were a few cabins down from us, so they were often out on the back deck watching the view with us. They live in Vancouver, so we hope to see more of them soon.

Above, the Casino, taken on a day while in port when it and all the stores on the ship close. I gambled twice on the 1 cent machines. In it went and game over! I hate gambling! The slots are on the other side of the pole.

Above is a picture of a picture that hung in the hallways. Tom worked in the engine room of a ship during WWII at the age of 15! Everytime we'd go by, he'd say "there's little Tommy",meaning the guy second from the right, at the bottom of picture. We were on the Zaandam twice now and in the very same hallway, so we've looked at that picture, with me hearing the same comment dozens and dozens of times. So, I took a picture in case we were to see it again.

Lucky, bought me a beautiful flower arrangement when we first got on the cruise. They lasted right though the 14 days, but I couldn't bring anything into Canada such as plants from the US, so had to sadly leave them behind. Lucky is such a sweetheart!

The OLD BEAN, as my cousin Dorothy calls me!

Coming back in Juneau, we are the 5th ship in port! I have to say, although, I know all this tourism is fantastic for the people of Alaska, I do have a concern, when I see all these ships, thousands a year, travelling the waters to Alaska and they sit in port with smoke coming out of the stacks and you just can't help wondering about the environment and what damage it's doing and also to those poor glaciers. There's a big price to pay for things we enjoy. Is it worth it?

Back in rainy Ketchikan Oh the sales, as the season draws to a close for tourists!! 50% off and some places 75% off. I thought of home and buying gifts, but then remembered the 50 lb. limit when I fly! My clothes alone just make it under the limit! Sorry everyone!!

Above was the Red Dog Saloon. Like stepping into another world. A sawdust floor, packed with people, stuffed animals everywhere, a piano player tinkling tunes, a wall full of business cards and another bear chasing a miner up a pole. A few naughty pictures of naked ladies and just a place that is fun and has a ton of atmosphere!

Which ones the moose??

Tom and Linda having a great time, and Joan and Tom having a spin on the dance floor.

Ketchikan, built on pilings

Found myself a new boyfriend!!

Also, another one!! This is Reg from the Lido, that was always so friendly and terribly cute!

Lucky gets some time off and we take him for lunch in Ketchikan. He's a sweetie!

Lucky has his own show on board, showing how to make the delightful little animals we find when returning to our room each night. Always something different and so very cute! At the very end of my Alaska blogs, I will add a movie I took of him doing an elephant. So much fun!

Our home away from home...The Holland America ship 'The Zaandam"

We are leaving Ketchikan here, and all the other ships have left except one, which will trail behind us on the way back to Vancouver. The streets are nearly empty and we are ready to roll! Here they untie us to be on our way.

Heading into the narrows from Ketchikan heading south.

WEll, we are on our way home. I took over 700 photo's and it was fun sharing them with you. The next blog and the last will be our journey to Vancouver. Stay Tuned!!