Bucket List #209 - Alaska 2022

Where have I been, you ask?!?!

Recognize this building? 

It's the Space Needle! 

Our vacation started in Seattle, Washington!

Arnold's cousin, Carol picked us up and took us to Pike Market

With his Aunt Mary and cousin, Rose! 

Seattle was incredible.

We watch fish being thrown all over the place at the market.

If you have never been - check out this video...

The flowers at Pike Market were so cheap 

and beautiful.

These colors get me every time!

We stopped for a drink at Rose's favorite Ginger Beer joint

called

Rachel's Ginger Beer

My Moscow Mule was mighty fine! 

We explored the Space Needle

 and 

toured the town thanks to Carol! 

We could see our ship in the port as we were boarding a cruise to Alaska for 8 days! 

We hopped on Carnival Spirit the next day.

Our first stop was Icy Straits Point, Alaska

Our excursion to go ATV was cancelled due to lack of workers

so

we hopped the gondola and rode it 6 times! 

You could see whales and eagles way up there!

Most people were up there taking advantage of the first cell signal since we boarded! 

Arnold loves fish and I am willing to try it once.

So we lined up to try some fresh crab legs! 

Our luck...

we were nearly at the front and they shut the kitchen down for 1 1/2 hours.

Probably just as well...

A woman needed the Heimlich maneuver after choking on  a piece of shell!

She lived to finish her legs!  

There was an old singer in the old Cannery building! 

Beautiful misty sunrises and sets! 

Next Stop.. Juneau, Alaska!

We were off to try our hand at gold panning and a salmon bake!

Kai was an excellent tour guide! 

He really helped us try to find bits of gold! 

I have my little vial of gold... Memories! 

The salmon was delicious cooked over applewood! 

We had time to check out the town.

We hunted down the quilt shop

Changing Tides Quilt Shop

I tried to do a FB Live to show you but there was such poor internet

The owner, Jan has a fabulous jam packed shop

I purchased this little bear....

Went all the way to Alaska..

 never saw a moose till I came back to my house! 

So I had to buy this guy as well! 

We stopped for a pint at the Red Dog Saloon

Sawdust on the floor and busy as can be! 

Nest stop - Skagway! 

We planned a E-Bike and Brew day.

We have e-bikes and I presumed we would bike the town…

Check out the sites…

Little did I know a professional racer was taking us out for an endurance race of our lives! 

He had done a 100 mile race the day before

Whaaat?!?! 

OMG…I am going to die!

The bikes had 3 settings…

Econ, touring, and TURBO

I started it touring but as he was doing 25 MILES an  hour!!

I was in turbo the whole time and could barely keep up! 

We did nothing in town….

It was out to a country cemetery 

and 

over to a look out point up hills and valleys

The ‘walk’ to the waterfalls was beautiful but I am a flat land girl! 

The size of the plants and trees in the Alaska forests is mind blowing! 

Short season, long days  so they grow fast! 

I was laughing as I tried to keep up.

I am sure he thought I was crazy but I could not believe I had signed us up for a race! 

I was pretty happy when he handed us off to the Skagway Brewing Co.

But I had to chuckle again when I saw these shooters of taste testers! 

I was going to need a little more than this after our endurance race!

The owners of this bar and restaurant are serious entrepreneurs! 

They thought of everything! 

They make the best fish and chips and have lineups around the block! 

They take the used oil and change it into bio diesel to heat their building.

And on the third floor,

 they created their own hydroponic gardens to grown produce for the restaurant 

Totally makes sense as lettuce on a barge for a week would not be tasty! 

I love to see ventures like that! 

There were only 5 of us on this adventure. 

Simona was a Carnival Ship employee and had joined us for the day. 

We really enjoyed our time with her and this was her last days with Carnival.

She was from Romania and was going home when we all did. 

She hopes to come to Canada one day to work. 

When we got back to our room we were surprised by a little gift…

Simona had sent us chocolate strawberries! 

How sweet was that! 

We  thanked her 

and 

gave her our info to look us up if she ever gets to Saskatchewan! 

We did manage to swing by the Rushin Tailor Quilt Shop 

as 

we walked back to the ship

(Ok….limped)

I have purchased from this shop in past years online! 

And yes….

I had this bear pattern in my hands for a long time before I put it back…

I may need to order it….

I love when you walk into a shop and you know their personality right way! 

I did buy this bear though! 

I loved this shop so much! 

Next stop was Tracey Arms Forge 

We started to see little ice bergs as we headed up the interior 

They were solid blue chunks of natures beauty 

They were like massive pieces of a puzzle that were floating out of the inlet 

We could see the glacier in the distance and even saw it calve a bit! 

We boarded a smaller vessel and got to go right up to the glacier

Those black dots on the bergs were momma and baby seals.

This is where the seals come to give birth and look after their little ones! 

There were waterfalls every where through this area

Next stop was Ketichikan, Alaska 

We had to take a Tender in as there was no dock space left at this stop! 

I told Arnold he might want his rain jacket….

Nope …he was good…NOT! 

The amount of rainfall here I measured in FEET not inches! 

Our stop was short here so we got Arnold under some shelter at the Great Lumberjack Show

It was the USA against Canada…yup…the Canadians won! Lol

Our food, room and entertainment was great on our ship 

I took this pic and sent it to my sisters! 

They had DIY kiosks for beer and red wine on the Lido deck.

You just swiped your ship card and filled your glass! 

WAAAAYYYY TOO HANDY!!

Our last stop was Victoria, British Columbia 

This stop was at 8pm till 11pm so we just hopped on a horse and buggy ride as nothing was open 

Many Americans asked us what they should do at this stop.

I figured there would not be much beside sight seeing. 

It’s an evening in CANADA…we are pretty low key people. 

Loved seeing the famous Empress Hotel 

Apparently, it was built on a garbage dump and has sunk 1’ in 100 years

 and 

is estimated to sink another 1’ in the next! 

The ride was lovely until we were yelled at by some PETA peeps.

They screamed at us about animal abuse. 

These horses were treated very well. 

I live on a farm and would know abused animals. 

This owner loved her horses 

and 

talked about them more than the things were were seeing! 

It pretty fitting that I finally got this post finished this morning! 

It’s Canada Day which in farmer terms means haying time! 

Let the sun shine…there is work to be done! 

Happy Canada Day!