Final Frontier - Alaska

Our trip to Alaska started a short 2 weeks after the Caribbean.  It sure was a different climate though!  We flew into Seattle the night before which gave us the morning to go around Seattle.  I haven't been there for a few years so it was fun to go back.  Most of my family hadn't ever been there before either.  It was fun to take Zoey around and on my must-do list was hitting up Potbelly's - a sandwich shop I haven't been to since D.C. in 2005 - almost 10 years!  It was the highlight of my day that day and it was so yummy and did not disappoint.

We boarded a Princess Cruise ship and settled into our room.  We had the rest of the day and then Sunday at sea.  Sunday was really rough waters.  I hadn't experienced much sea sickness on either cruise but I did pop a Zofran on Sunday.  My poor mom and brother were almost over the toilet it was so horrible.  Once we got out of the open sea and into the Inside Passage it was much calmer.  Laying in bed that night it was almost like being on the Tidal Wave at Lagoon.



Humpback whale

Princess didn't have many activities for children (mainly for older people - knitting classes, how to use your smartphone classes - no joke, and journal making) so we kept Zoey entertained by walking around the ship and my mom had a bunch of new toys for her.  Zo had just learned how to walk that week and already walked like a drunken sailor and the boat exacerbated that a bit and even a few days after until she got rid of her sea legs.  It was too cold to go swimming and unpotty trained kids weren't allowed in the pools anyway so luckily she was content to eat constantly and people-watch.  One night we did go to a British Invasion singing show and got there late and sat on the very front row.  She was enthralled the whole 45 minutes.  They sang to her, they danced, she danced, and there were even fireworks.  

Our first stop was Juneau.  We went whale watching and saw about a half dozen humpback whales.  You spot them by finding their spout then they would barely surface then dive.  The one picture is of the very end of the whale tail.  We didn't see any Orcas which was sad, but we did see some sealions playing and tons of bald eagles.  I've always wanted to see a bald eagle in real life (not just at the zoo) and they were so pretty flying around.  Dallin got super seasick on this excursion and almost passed out.  He was literally green; but luckily, survived.  We decided to eat at a restaurant in town instead of the boat and went to a place called the Twisted Fish which was recommended by our bus driver - from Utah.  I HATE seafood.  I try it and try it and have never found any I've like, no matter how fresh.  But at this place my sister and brothers had halibut fish and chips which was FANTASTIC.  Dallin also had clam chowder which was AMAZING.  The only fish I've ever liked.

Our next stop was Skagway.  We took a bus up the Yukon Gold trail into Canada.  It was FREEZING.  The train ride was so pretty and the scenery in Alaska almost made me want to camp.  LOL  We took a bus ride back down where we could get some pretty pictures.  When we got into town they took us to this old saloon and my sister and I walked in and there were actual pictures of topless women on the wall!  So we ran back out and our family decided to just shop.  I was so disturbed the rest of the day that they didn't even give us any warning, that to the "real" world, it's just common-place and no big deal.  I mean, there were children in there!  It just made me really, really sad.  That night Dallin and I watched Captain Phillips on the deck in the outdoor theater wrapped up in blankets as it lightly snowed.  SO COLD!  But it was fun because we hadn't seen a bunch of movies and we got to watch lots of the ship for free!

The next day was a day at sea but we stopped in Glacier Bay National Park where the boat just sat next to the glacier and we could watch it calving, which is where chunks of the glacier fall into the ocean.  We saw a bunch of sea otters playing and my brother even saw a moose swimming about 200 yards off the shore.  We thought they were full of it but the park ranger saw it too.  I guess moose are good swimmers.

Bald eagle

The next day was a stop in Ketchikan.  We took a tour to a totem pole park then a drive around the cite and then a lumberjack show.  It was entertaining.  We were there too early in the season before the salmon is really running so we didn't get to see a bear - ever.  Also, big bummer.

It was a fun trip though!  Totally different than the Caribbean but relaxing none the less.  I felt like I was able to escape "real life" and it was nice.  I've liked cruising because by the end of the week, you really feel like you've been gone a week and are ready to go home.  Some trips go way too fast but with a cruise, I feel like I get my time's worth.  While we did enjoy the food and service tons better on Carnival, Princess was nice in its own right.  Now we're home for a couple weeks before we head to Sun Valley for a few days, busily working on our new house so we can move in - eventually, haha.