Alaska Trip: Politically incorrect signs.

Signs

We were impressed with the sense of humour in Alaska, I suppose if you can live in minus forty and dark for months at a time you need one.  Here are some we found particularly good:

 The following is my favourite.

NOW CLOSED.

Alaska Trip: Chicago. Day 18

Chicago

We stayed at the Palmer hotel; one of the oldest and architecturally most interesting.  We knew we were back in the big city by the signs everywhere telling you what you couldn't do in the hotel such as don't put your own water and snacks in the fridge in your room, instead you are expected to pay three times the price for the hotels own stuff.  We were back in hard sell land, where you have the distinct impression that you are there to grease every palm that's outstretched.

The ceiling in the entrance hall of the Palmer.

The city of Chicago was quite a surprise when you get down to the front as there are wide parks, beautiful fountains and interesting statues.  

The Bean

The best thing we did was a boat tour into the city to see the buildings.  Most of the famous architects have had a go at one building or other here.  The only building that announced who owned it was Trumps, the rest were obviously content with not having to blow their own trumpets.

You would not want to get the gears wrong in this car park.

Alaska Trip, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois. Day 17

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois.

Not too much sleep as the engine driver really loved to use the horn of the train, for a minute I thought I was back in Norfolk as we have the same disturbance there.

As we came to Minnesota we noticed that trees started to appear in abundance once again.  Nice to see, but made photography from the train very difficult.

Buildings get bigger and bigger, and more numerous as we came into Chicago.

Alaska Trip: Amtrack. Idaho, Montana, North Dakota. Day 16

Amtrack. Idaho, Montana, North Dakota.

We slept through Idaho, and picked up more carriages which had come from Portland.  We were soon in Glacier National Park and admiring the tree covered mountains.  A wild looking place of Scots pines and glades cone shaped wild flowers (probably bear grass)

White tailed and Mule deer grazed in the clearings oblivious to the train going past.

 It looked a good place for fishing!

Our sleeper cabin was small but comfortable, with a loo at the end of the carriage and a dinner car where we had all our meals.  On the whole the food was good.  We we sat with other travellers and on the second night we sat with a retired banker who was from a village 20 miles away from Nicola's home. No coke just Pepsi. Travelling is hard.

As we travelled through Montana the land got flatter and more open, they call it the land of big sky and you can see why.  We passed small communities that looked like they were struggling to survive.

Into North Dakota where we started to see oil wells and the farms which looked prosperous.

Alaska Trip: Empire Builder Day 15

Seattle / Empire Builder

Stopped at a great hat shop before collecting luggage and taking a taxi to the station. Amtrack have impressive stations but very little information available.

We managed to book in two big cases. One we had gained during the trip, to accommodate what we had bought.  Including a hat.

All packed and waiting

Union station is, architecturally impressive, but no cafe!  good job we had brought bottles of water with us.

Alaska Trip: Seattle. Day 14

Seattle

We flew in from Fairbanks, landing at 0500! We took the light railway from the airport to our hotel down town and dropped our bags off, before going in search of Breakfast.  Thankfully we found a small place open at 0700 and settled in there.  Rain had started and would continue for most of the day, so we planned accordingly.

First stop after breakfast, the Space Needle.

After the needle we went to the Aquarium, which was full of over excited children but roomy enough for everyone.

Wierd Jellyfish in the light

Sea Otters, which we had seen so many of from the cruise ship, but not this close.

Alaska Trip: Fairbanks, Day 13

Fairbanks

We had a laundry morning in [reparation for the next stage of our trip.  We have found that most of the hotels have this feature and in the future we will take a lot less clothes with us, as it is easy to wash and go.

Into town to explore the sights of Fairfax.  And shop at BIGRAYS!  So much fishing and hunting gear.

Every Year in March they hold an ice sculpture competition, competitors come from all over the world to take part.  In town is an ice museum which has various displays, great fun even if Nic had put on shorts and in the ice museum it was very very cold.

About to go down the ice slide.

They also have an excellent sledding museum which was free and on the edge of town a pioneer village.  While walking there a State Police car pulled up besides us and asked if we knew where we were going and did we like Fairbanks and had we come on the Princess Package.  We answered positivity to all. 

The Pioneer park was good fun, with lots of good stalls and exhibits, and Nicola's favourite, Crazy Golf.

I 'let' her win!

Alaska Trip. Fairbank, River Boat. Day 12

River Boat.

A trying journey by bus to Fairbanks due to a party of obnoxious Americans, of the middle class show off variety.  One of whom insisted on having his seat reclined thus squashing Nicola who was seated behind.  This was the first time on the trip that we encountered truly tiresome people.  On the whole we had met with interesting people from a vast area of backgrounds.

We were debussed at a 'riverboat discovery' experience.  For the first time on this trip I felt we had entered a true tourist gouging event.  A large shed housed a basic food hall, which we were expected to buy our lunch in, the rest of the place being filled with tourist tat made in China.

Like cattle we were loaded onto the paddle boat (with bow thrusters) and sailed down the river to a series of staged 'experiences'  A bush plane taking off and landing, a sled dog training place and a mock up off a native fish camp.  Of these only the last was worth seeing.

We finally got into our hotel in Fairfax, and headed into town in search of food.  We found Soapy Smiths Bar and Diner.  Being one of the few places to eat it was busy and the servers were run off their feet.  Our server, a tall thin gay 40 something, had decided the way to cope with the evening was to ensure he was chemically enhanced, and as well as serving food and drink he dolled out weed to a very surprised retired couple in the corner.  He was best antidote to a tiresome day.

Alaska Trip: Denali National Park. Day 11

Denali National Park

0600 found us up and breakfasted, before boarding a small school bus to go into Denali Park.  Our Bus driver was one of the many summer workers who return year after year to work here.  He was informative and incredibly patient with those who asked the most ignorant of questions.

After a drive through the park we had managed to see two snow shoe hares disappearing at speed, and we heading back disappointed we had not seen more; when Out of the brush at the side of the road stepped this moose.

Looking quite rough after a long winter he was feeding himself up on willow which abounds in the area.

Later that day, feeling a little cloistered by the Princess Machine we crossed the road to the wonderful Salmon Bake Bar, the picture does not quite do justice to the alarming angle of this floor.  How one would know when one had drunk to much with the floor at this angle is any ones guess.  But at least if you fall over you will roll out of the way.

Alaska Trip: Mount Mc Kinley Lodge. Day 10

Mount Mc Kinley Lodge.

A slower morning, which was much appreciated after a long day, yesterday.  There is just so much to see and do up here in Alaska the temptation is to pack the days full.  This morning we went for a quiet stroll around the lodge, taking in the incredible scenery, bird life, and amusing signs.

We were blessed with really good weather.  Apparently it is rare to see the Top of Denali, but we saw it for three days in a row.  Later in Seattle we we talking to a chap would had just come back from a similar tour and it rained the whole time.

Denali in the background and me holding my stomach in in the foreground.

Dangerous and Tasty!

Alaska Trip: Talkeetna and Rafting. Day 9

Talkeetna and Rafting.

The town of Talkeetna, is where old hippies go to spend the summer.  It is fairly unspoilt by tourism and has many fine features including one of the original old boarding houses.  This town is the starting point for anyone who is going to climb Mount Denali.

Says it all really.

After enjoying one of the best pizza's we have had anywhere, we got ready to go rafting, not the white water, white knuckle ride, but a relaxed float down a tame river to enjoy nature.

Ready for anything

Beaver Dam.  All around us the banks had been felled by Beavers who were obviously doing very well in this part of Alaska.

The raft was a goof way to sneak up on animals and birds, it silence helped a great deal.

A Bald eagle was nesting near by.  Here he is keeping an eye on us, or waiting for one of us to fall in the water.

Alaska Trip: Whittiker to Mount McKinley Day 9

Train Day

We got of the ship first thing in the morning and went up through Alaska.  A very bossy ex headmistress was the tour guide, and quickly irritated me with here endless stories.  However I was in the minority and others thanked her profusely for her wittering.

As she was telling us that hardly anyone sees bears from the train, someone shouted bears!  Two black bears were rambling over by the woods.  Bad picture as It was quite far away.

Then a little further on we came across this grizzly, very annoyed we had caught him out on the mud flats.

After a four and a bit train journey we arrived at Talkeetna, one of my favourite places on the whole trip.

Alaska Trip: College Fjord Day 8

College Fjord  Glaciers

Going through Prince William Sound and into Colllege Fjord the scenery was mangnificent.  Sea otters once again abounded in the surrounding waters.

You can see how massive this Glacier was by the size of the balconies on the ship.  While we watched the glacier was cracking and groaning and large chunks falling of into the water.  I am reliably informed this is known as calving.

Alaska Trip: Fashion Model Day 7

Fashion Model

While in the little general store on board one evening Nicola was pounced upon by an enthusisatic shop assistant who was looking for models to appear in her fasion show on the 1st of June.  After a lot of begging and pleading Nicola gave way and agreed.  She was given the dress to wear and 'runway pointers'; five different moves and poses before being escorted onto the red carpet by the Captain of the ship.

I think she scrubbed up well.

The Dress

 A natural, as Nic ditches the Captian and takes to the runway.

Nicola and the other models line up at the end.  Something she never thought she would do, and probably won't be ever talked into it again.  Great fun though, as most of the ladies and gents were clearly mortified to be up there; more worring were the few who were well practiced and took it very seriously!