Seattle-Alaska | FindPenguins

Newest first

Trip start
May 25, 2022
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Travel Day
May 25, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
Travel Day- Uber to the airport. We flew First Class- only because our rescheduled & rescheduled cruise resulted in HAVING to use all our Alaska Airline credit by TODAY. So instead of a round trip, we get one way comfort.

Landed, went to lunch & the hotel. Had a chill and early-to-bed evening.Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Mount Ranier
May 26, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
We had a foggy, drizzly day, but lovely

We drove a couple of hours to Mount Ranier National Park. Tall trees, snowy mountainsides, and a hiding 14,000 foot mountain.

We were able to see the area where the base camp is located. A nice tour guide, when asked where the mountain was, said, "You're standing on it.". And sure enough, we were, as it started about a thousand feet lower than we were.

We were excited at the prospect of lunch at the lodge restaurant- which wasn't opening til the next day. So a snack of peanut butter and jelly (from the hotel breakfast bar) spread on a leftover breadstick from Olive Garden, kept body and soul together until we get a restaurant.

On the way back, we stopped at Bruno's- good food.Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Pike Place & Seattle Aquarium
May 27, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
We went to the Pike Place Market and saw all the things, including the fish-slinging. It was pretty busy- pleased to see so many handcrafted items. I picked up some lovely hand-dyed yarn.

We went to the Aquarium which had some impressive displays. In addition to fish, there were puffins, otters, and seals, and some other maritime birds. The main tank featured a diver feeding some very hungry salmon, and answering questions from the visitors.

The high point was Julianna's arrival in the afternoon. Life is good.Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Space Needle and Underground Tour
May 28, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
We had a drizzly day, but clear enough when it needed to be.

We had reservations through City Pass, so stood in line, and eventually made it to the top. There are great viewing spots inside and outside. Great sights of the Harbor, Chihuly, Norwegian Bliss,. We knew that Mount Ranier was out there, somewhere. I walked on the glass floor- not everyone:d cup of tea.

We proceeded to Pioneer Square for our Underground tour. After floods and fires, and things too fierce to mention, the decision was made to raise the street level to the second floor. This tour tells the whole story of the roles of the flush toilet, the ladies / seamstresses who took care of morale, and some of the sketchy decisions that made Seattle what it is today.

We found Meredith Grey's house, and went to Gasworks Park to see Tom Janks' Sleepless in Seattle houseboat.Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Harbor & Chihuly-with a side of Hendrix
May 29, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
The Harbor Tour was well worth it. It was part of the City Pass package which also included options for the Space Needle, Chihuly Gardens, Aquarium, MoPop Museum, and the Zoo.

Our tour guide grew up on the boats, and had a broad knowledge of harbor ships and wildlife.

It started raining as we arrived at Chihuly Gardens. Several short films gave background on Dale Chihuly's work as a glassblower and artist. The cafe has a really good wood-fired pizza- enough for 2 at $12. Surprising for museum eats.

Then to the Jimi Hendrix statue- just hanging out on a street, because, why not?Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
On to Fairbanks/Memorial Day
May 30, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Had a lovely flight from Seattle to Fairbanks. The mountains were quite impressive. We got settled into our hotel, and set off to explore.

We were a bit outside town, but across from a shopping center that had a Sonic. We were very excited, but then very sad- there was no way to "Sonic" if not in a car. The inside was closed, and no outdoor seating. So we went to a pizza shop and sat outside a smoothie shop that was closed for the day. We walked over to Walmart and loaded up on some necessities.

It stays light. Really late. I went to bed at 1:30, and it was still light.Read more
1 like
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
A Fairbanks Day
May 31, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
We did the Hampton Inn Breakfast thing, then got a taxi to the visitor Center. The Morris Thompson Visitor and Cultural Center is well worth the visit. There is good background on the different Native Alaskan tribes.

We went for a walk through the Antler Arch, and in to town. Lunch was at The Crepery- quite good. We saw the Lend/Lease memorial. We also saw the start of the Yukon Quest dogsled race. I "bought a bootie" to donate to a team.

We went back to the hotel by Uber, and passed by the FarthestNorth Girl Scout Council. Julianna and I headed to the airport via shuttle to pick up a rental car. Dinner was at the Pump House- reindeer sausage and clams, reindeer meatballs, salmon glazed with maple and blueberries, and fried fish & chips.

And then to bed.Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Fairbanks-Reindeer and Joining Jewel
June 1, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
In the morning we dropped our bags at our new hotel (Bear Lodge) and headed out for the Running Reindeer Ranch. What a great experience. After getting bug-sprayed, we learned a lot about the life cycle of reindeer, their antlers, gestation, etc. Tyrone gave us the lowdown, as the owners were away.

Then they brought out the reindeer. We made friends, and were off for a walk around the Ranch. We were encouraged to pat and stroke the reindeer. They were shedding their winter coats. Our hands- and everything else- were covered with huge big wads of the hollow fur that keeps the critters warm in the 40 below. We were part of the herd as we walked- so amazing to be amongst these beautiful animals. Our walk ended, and we were treated to cookies and lemonade.

Then on to North Pole. Not THE North Pole, but the Santa and Christmas-themed town. We went to The Santa House- home of all things Christmas, and had a lovely conversation with Santa, who says he's going to run for president, and establish a position for the Commissioner of Common Sense. Sounds like a winner.

We dropped Wayne at the Bear Lodge, and checked in with our Land Tour guide, Aaron.

Dinner at the hotel, and then to bed.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Land Tour-Riverboat and Big Daddy's
June 2, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
We took the Riverboat Discovery tour on the Chena River. Don't miss it! We got some history, saw a sled dog demonstration by Susan Butcher's daughter, Tekla.
We saw a demonstration of salmon prep for drying and smoking, and found out that the chum salmon is used for the dogs. (King Salmon is the best- and we were treated to some yummy salmon snacks.) We visited Chena village which is a reconstruction of an Athabaskan people's town. There were demos on different furs, clothing, and up-close with some sled dogs, as well as more reindeer.

Then on to the Pipeline. Gained appreciation of what was involved in its construction, and its value to Alaska and the nation. A lot of features make it more environmentally friendly than it might have otherwise been.

We were bused to downtown Fairbanks, where we headed to Big Daddy's BarBQ-- another winner. Stopped at Fudge Pot for some frozen coffees.

Ordered pizza from the Great Alaskan Pizza Company.

And then to bedRead more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Wilderness Express and on to Denali
June 3, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Luggage pickup was at 6, and we were transported to the train depot for our trip to Denali.

Have I mentioned that Alaska is breathtaking? All of it!

The Wilderness Express was a great way to get to Denali. We had breakfast onboard-blueberry pancakes, reindeer sausage omelet- really good. There were coffee drinks, and scenic beauty that wouldn't quit.

We arrived at the Denali train depot, and were met by our bus, which took us to lunch. Lunch was at 49th State Brewery. I shared a huge salmon BLT with The Daughter. It was pretty amazing.

Next, a Wilderness Tundra bus tour in Denali National Park where we got our first glimpse of Denali. She was mostly covered by clouds, but the North and South summits were peeking out the top. Our guide, Peter, gave excellent commentary on geology, flora, and fauna. We saw a bear near the river, some moose, a lot of caribou, a few pterigan, and some artic ground squirrels. And again, more beauty all around.

We checked into our rooms in the Denali Bluffs resort- very comfortable, and a view of mountains through trees. Wayne and Julianna had dinner in their restaurant. I was not hungry, so had a snack.

And that was that.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Denali- Walks and Cabin Show
June 4, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Julianna and I had breakfast sandwiches and coffee, then met our guide, Alexis (Lexi). She is a naturalist/environmental scientist, and taught us lots about the habits of the local critters. The moose are BIG! We came upon a lot of moose scat. Since their diet consists mainly of bark, their poop is pretty much sawdust- which she demonstrated by picking up a piece and squeezing it. It crumbled-- dry sawdust!

We ate bluebells, fireweed, and a special treat, spruce tips. The spruce tips are very nutritious- bears love them, and the native Alaskans would eat them as they were the first "produce" available after the long, harsh winters. We also were able to identify cranberry and blueberry plants. They weren't producing yet, but with the long days, they grow pretty fast, and become quite large.

Again-- such beauty, everywhere. I am constantly grateful that we chose to do this land trip.

After we completed our walk with Lexi, we decided to do another walk on our own, so started the trail to Horseshoe Lake. We did take one wrong turn, but got ourselves back on track. The view was spectacular. A bonus was that we found a shortcut back along the railroad tracks.

We checked out the gift store, and I picked up a copy of Granite- written by Susan Butcher about one of her lead dogs. Lunch at the Morino Grill, then shuttle back to the Denali Bluffs.

Dinner was at the Camp Show- a dinner theater focused on the history of the area. Lots of fun, great ribs and salmon.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Huskies, Views, River Float & Talkeetna
June 5, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
We all got loaded into the bus and proceeded to DogGoneIt Kennels. It's a family-run dog training place for Alaskan huskies. The husband has completed the Iditarod twice. We got really good descriptions of training techniques- and best of all, we got to hold puppies! There was a film about the Iditerod- what a challenge. The have the best outhouse ever!

Then on to Talkeetna. There were views of Denali and continuing amazing beautifulness.

Talkeetna is truly a quirky little town. The honorary mayor is a cat. A lot of climbers hang out there. We had lunch at the Denali Brew Pub- delicious pulled pork and brisket. We checked into the Talkeetna Lodge- a large lodge with an impressive great room, huge fireplace, and panoramic views of Denali and surrounding mountains.

Julianna and I went on a river float-more beauty and nature-- and we didn't have to work! We just sat in this big rubber raft and Kai rowed us down the river. He had a wealth of knowledge about the mountains, history, plants, animals, and of course, the rivers.

Dinner was on the patio at the Lodge with a great view of the mountains.Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Cubby's, Covid Test, Wildlife & Jewel
June 6, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
We got to sleep in! Luggage pull at 7 am.

Denali was absolutely clear this morning- in all its glory. We had coffee on the back patio of the lodge and basked in the beauty.

We loaded onto the bus, and headed to Cubby's- an IGA store. On to Anchorage, where we underwent COVID testing at the conference center.

Lunch was at the Fat Pterigan- steak and Stilton pizza for Julianna and me, and Italian sub for Wayne. She also had a cider flight which was quite beautiful and appeared to be delicious.

We took a walk to find an ATM- success! Then to Wild Scoops for unusually flavored ice cream. I had Spruce Tip- it was strange at first taste, but really grew on me.

We reloaded onto the bus, and headed for the Alaska Wildlife Center. We saw it on Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet, when she treated bears, Muskox and an Eagle. We saw all those plus black-tailed deer, foxes, coyotes, moose, and a bunch of other injured/rehabilitating critters who can't be released into the wild.

Then back aboard enroute Seward, where we boarded Norwegian Jewel. One problem before boarding: we had purchased an Ulu- a rounded-blade implement used by Native Alaskans. We were informed that we couldn't take it through security and that it would be confiscated and disposed of. Our luggage had already been sent onto the ship. Yikes!!! One of our tour-mates came to the rescue. His luggage had not yet been loaded, and he offered to put our Ulu in his bag. Problem solved (and he was kind enough to bring it to our stateroom.)

We bade farewell to our tour guide, Aaron, and driver, Bob. They made our land tour truly memorable.

Being aboard Jewel is like coming home. This is my fourth voyage in her- New England/Canada, New York->Los Angeles via Panama Canal, Sydney->New Zealand->Sydney, and now this Alaska cruise, Seward->Vancouver.

She's had some remodeling done. Looks spiffy, and lots of upgrades, but a few changes include less small shelf space for incidentals and a light that pops on-quite brightly (minor shout-out to Mellow Yellow) with no means of shutting it off (at least that I could find)

Our mini-suite (now redesignated as "Club Balcony") is very appropriate for the three of us. The fold-out couch, which is prepared nightly by our wonderful steward Aquillino, is reported to be comfortable. The room is a bit larger than a standard balcony, and the shower is the full footprint of the bathtub that was replaced during the upgrade. I'm a fan- as I almost killed myself getting over the side of the tub to take a shower during some rough weather on a previous cruise.

Dinner was in the Azura Main Dining Room. Norwegian food is good.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
At Sea- Hubbard Glacier
June 7, 2022, Gulf of Alaska ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
We started the day with coffee and pastries delivered to the room. How very civilized.

After a very busy land tour, we were very happy to have a sea day, be able to sleep later, and have a chill day.

About 3 pm we began to cruise along Hubbard Glacier. There just aren't words...

In addition to the enormous glacier, we saw Sea lions basking on ice chunks, and an otter out for a swim.

We had dinner at the French Bistro- Scallops, Goat Cheese croquettes, Fruits de Mer, and Poire Helène for me, Escargots, Fruits de Mer and Maron Clementine for Wayne, and Scallops Duck a L'Orange, and a Chocolate mousse log with a lovely Pinot Noir for Julianna. The waiter also brought us a Floating Island that was quite delicious.

Julianna and I went to the "Rock You Tonight" show featuring music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Something for everyone. Then at 10:15 we went to watch sunset. It was the first sunset I'd seen while in Alaska, since the sun set at almost 2 am when we were in Fairbanks. This was a Very. Long l. Sunset- and then it still didn't get very dark for a long time.

With memories of another spectacular day, we turned in.Read more
3 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Icy Strait Point, Hoonah, and Whales
June 8, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Icy Strait Point is a port that was established by Norwegian Cruise Line with the advice and cooperation of the Native Alaskans who live in Hoonah. The village is tiny, and is a mile and a half from the port.

We took the trolley shuttle into Hoonah, and Julianna and I saw the sights on our walk back to the ship.

Totem poles are everywhere. Along the way we saw a petroglyph on the side of a rock wall, depicting 2 men in a canoe. We got back to the port, which has lots of shops and some restaurants, as well as a couple of fire pit areas. I had reindeer chili, JC had a brisket sandwich and fries. All tasted wonderful, and the fries were noticeably crunchy and yummy.

There is also a tram to the top of the mountain. We didn't have time to do that. Because...

We boarded a boat to go whale watching. We saw a bunch of them, including a couple of soundings. Got pictures of a bunch of blows and a couple of flukes.

Back to the ship, and Chin Chin, the Asian restaurant, for dinner. Pot stickers, orange beef, and the yummy bean curd triangles and green tea ice cream. Julianna had calamari, , and the same dessert. We enjoyed the chicken corn wonton soup, spring rolls,
sweet-sour pork,, and coconut tapioca.

JC and I sat in one of the lounges and listened to a guitarist, then headed back to the stateroom.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Skagway
June 10, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 8 °C
Civilized breakfast-y salmon Benedict and the works.

We took a Trolley tour of Skagway with Tabitha. The town is pretty small- 4x27 blocks. We went to an overlook of the town and fjord (apparently the second longest fjord in the world.) We had some drizzles as we heard tales of the inhabitants of the Gold Rush cemetery.

The town has a lot of shops with artisan handcrafts. There's a fantastic quilting store with beautiful Alaskan fabric. I'm not a quilter, but appreciate it. I purchased some antler buttons for a future sweater. We found the needlecraft store where I purchased a crosstitch pattern/kit of an eagle superimposed on a native Alaskan image of an eagle. And best of all, a skein of qivuit and another of a qivuit/silk blend.

Then to lunch- king crab- a treat for us from Julianna. We were at the Skagway Fish Company, owned by a former Chicagoan. Go Bears!

She and I went back into town, and picked up some local brew k-cups. As the train returned to town, we saw the Skagway high-tech train warning system.

After Sail-away, we attended a Latitudes reception (for the NCL loyalty program members.). We were graced by a rainbow.

Dinner at the Asian restaurant.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Ketchikan
June 11, 2022, Coastal Waters Of Southeast Alaska And British Columbia ⋅ 🌧 10 °C
We had a leisurely morning with coffee in the room and breakfast at O'Sheehan's. We then headed down to the gift shop, as JC saw a tote and duffel that intrigued her. After procuring those and a couple of on-sale t-shirts, we went back to the room to discover that our much-anticipated excursion was cancelled. An hour and a half before it was scheduled. We high-tailed it to the excursion desk and found a substitute that looked good: Wilderness Exploration and Crab Feast.

Approaching Ketchikan we saw lots of little islands with houses. The common boats right now appear to be single-motor inflatables.

We boarded a bus for a ride through Ketchikan to the George Inlet Lodge where we boarded boats for a nature ride. We saw a lot of eagles. We stopped to pull up a crab pot. It had a bunch of Dungeness Crabs. We learned about the crabs, got to hold them, and I tossed one back in the water. The vendor has an ecotourism license, so all the crabs need to be tossed back.

Returned to the lodge for LOTS of crab. So good! Omigosh! And cheesecake.

Bused back to the ship where we were greeted with hot chocolate. Yum. The hits just keep on coming.

On return to port, we entered the building with souvenirs and crafts. One that caught our eye was Ketchi-Candies-- a company run by KIDS! We got some truffle squares and a HUGE krispie treat.

Dinner- Cagney's!Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Sea Day- Narrows
June 12, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
We had a lovely, restful sea day. We ended up spending a lot of the day in The Spinnaker watching the water. The senior officers had a Q&A. The ship is at about 55% capacity. It's apparently not a mandated ceiling, but rather a result of natural rebuilding and slowly increasing passenger booking.

There was a whale sighting, (but no pictures.)

We saw a lot of ships that I hadn't seen before- not the least of which was a lumber ship.

We had dinner in La Cucina, the Italian restaurant. I had osso buco. It was huge.

Then- the absolutely worst part of any cruise-- packing and bags out by 10.Read more
1 like
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Vancouver Arrival
June 13, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Debarkation and customs- easy Peasy- then the wait for a taxi- took awhile, but no problem. We went to the Holiday Inn Downtown on Howe St. We asked if we could store our bags til check-in, and the nice man at the counter had a room (an upgrade!) for us to go to immediately. Color me happy!

After some regrouping in the room, we had brunch at The Templeton Restaurant. A long wait- but worth it. Salmon Benefict-- yeah!

We got 48-hour Hop-on-Hop-Off (HoHo) passes, and used it for most of our transportation in Vancouver.

We went to the Harbor ('scuse me- Harbour) Tour and saw some lovely Vancouver sights, including our NCL Jewel, which was still inport, taking on new passengers for THEIR wonderful week. (Turns out the cruise ships have very narrow windows for arrival and departure. They can only go at High Tide because the water is really shallow- we're talking mud-flat shallow at low tide.) We saw Viking Orion again.. anchored out- again. There is an Exxon gas station in the middle of the harbor for boats to refuel.

Dinner was at Speakeasy Bar & Grill. It sounded so promising... We got nachos- a huge plate of chips & cheese. Wayne & Julianna ordered French dip sandwiches. No servers in sight for a long time. W's sandwich arrived. A very long time- then a server stopped by the table and asked how we were doing. I asked about J's sandwich. She'd get right on it, she said. Another long wait. Then our original server stopped by. "How's everything?" I asked again about J's sandwich. A moderate wait, then it materialized, and apparently tasted ok.

Then back to the room.Read more
1 like
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Vancouver- Stanley Park & Horse Carriage
June 14, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
We had breakfast at the hotel- really nice, but I wasn't feeling great, so I went back to the room for a nap while W & J ate. After a bit, they returned, and we decided to go to Stanley Park and take the horse carriage tour.

Stanley Park is a lovely gem. There's a lot to see- giant western cedars, totem poles, statues, and people. There was a family from India behind us on the carriage, and the little boy kept repeating, "We are in Stah-ne-ly Park." I definitely recommend the horse carriage for seeing the park.

We took the HoHo back to the hotel, and found a nice place for dinner. I had poutine- yum!Read more
1 like
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
Vancouver- Flyover Canada/Granville Is.
June 15, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
I still wasn't feeling great, so did a COVID test- relieved to see it was negative. I had already decided to keep masking up, as I had for the whole trip, to protect others from my cold. Had breakfast at the hotel, then onto the HoHo.

We went to Canada Place, where we had tickets for Flyover Canada. While waiting, J and I had Tim Horton's iced coffee. (My first Tim's of the trip!). We saw the Olympic Torch, and at the port, Holland America's Vuirdam- looks like a lovely ship.

Flyover gave a breathtaking view of Canada-from the Maritimes to the Yukon. I'm glad we did it.

We HoHo'd to Granville Island, did some shopping, and had lunch at the Bridges Brewery. I had some calimari, W had a burger, and J had fish & chips with halibut. I had a taste and it was a winner. It started raining- our first rain in Vancouver, but didn't keep us from having ice cream.

We had small plates in the hotel restaurant, and then again, the dreaded packing for our departure in the morning.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
And Home
June 16, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We got a taxi to the airport, and caught our flight from Vancouver to Seattle. They have a really neat thing going on there- US Customs is in Vancouver!!! You go through Customs, and that half of the international airport is considered US. So when you get to Seattle, you just get off the plane and carry on. The only disadvantage is that W and I had planned to do our Global Entry interview in Seattle. So we need to schedule that.

The line for Tim Horton's was much longer than Starbuck's, so the Mermaid won out.

The ride to Seattle was short and uneventful.

Then- waiting for our flight to DCA. We were initially scheduled to leave at 1, then rescheduled to 3, then a rolling reschedule until we finally left the gate at 5:20. The flight was fine- arrived @1am and home @2, so to bed around 3.Read more
2 likes
Seattle-Alaska Traveler
At Home
June 17, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Woke up- I still felt crummy, so took another COVID test. Yep. +. So I will spend the next few days locked in- and it will be fine.

Sadly, I had to cancel a platelet donation, and a short stint at the Girl Scout resident camp. Hoping to test negative before a scheduled trip to Minnesota later this week.Read more
Travelerrest up and feel better soon :)
6/18/22Reply
Travelerthanks, Bro
6/18/22Reply
Ugh … hoping for a quick recovery and a fun visit to Winona!! [Jim Folk]
6/19/22Reply
Well, hell!!! At least it waited. I was thinking we had some sort of magic... you are the first of the 9 to fall. So, we all lie in wait I guess! Feel better soon! Love you [Liz]
6/19/22Reply
0 likes

Trip end
June 17, 2022