Archive | July 2016

Trespassing in Tracy Arm Inlet and Juneau, Alaska

Jul4

 

Monday, July 4, 2016:
Tracy Arm Inlet and Juneau, Alaska:
            We put our clocks back one hour before we went to bed last night as we would be arriving in Alaskan waters and crossing a time zone line at 2. 00 am. We also set our alarms for an early start as we were told to arrive in the Crow’s Nest—the highest Observation Deck on the ship—at the crack of dawn to spy whales. Not to be daunted by the hour, we were at our stations as planned at 6. 30 am to bag good seats.
Whale-Watching at Dawn in Frederick Sound:
            At 6.30, there were not a lot of folks in situ, but as the half hour passed, the place got packed with cruise passengers and the Crow’s Nest became full. We had armed ourselves with hot chocolate and small pastries from the Café attached to the adjoining library and feeling quite content at that hour of the day, we trained our sights and our binoculars at the horizon and hoped to see whales.
            The secret to whale watching is abundant patience. We were in Frederick Sound at this time—a fertile feeding ground for whales who eat for 22 hours of the day—who knew? Since they find rich food in these waters, there is good chance of spying them. Rick, our Cruise Director, told us what to look for—a head of mist rising above the water is a clue as the mist is left by spouting water issuing from the whale’s blowholes. Even while waiting, we had views of the mountains and the little islands that dot the Sound—so there was a lot of visual interest.
            About twenty minutes later, we started to see the mist and within ten minutes, we were fully into whale-occupied territory. The spouting water was frequent and very often we saw the turns of the great mammals in the water. On at least two or three occasions, I saw their tails stick out of the water and then plunge swiftly back in. They were not too distant and in a couple of cases, we actually saw their backs glide through the shallow waters. It was a very rewarding sight and worth getting up early to spy. With humpback whales spotted, we are left with four of the other sea creature to see as part of the Big Five! (The others are Orca—or Killer—whales, sea lions, Dahl’s porpoises and otters).
Breakfast in the Lido:
            It was time to go in search of breakfast for cruising through Tracy Arm would continue for about four hours. We made our way to the Lido and since I spied the Full English Breakfast offered with the kind of tenderloin English bacon I like and the fat sausages that the English call Bangers, I decided to have one of those—both the bacon and the sausage were very tasty indeed. We also go freshly squeezed orange juice as the decaff coffee on board is not the best at all. With breakfast accomplished, it was time to go out in search of a few ship board activities that would keep us happily occupied until we disembarked.
Culinary Demonstration featuring Baked Alaska:
            Llew preferred to get back to our stateroom for a nap as he suddenly felt sleepy while I headed off to meet Alex who was demonstrating the making of Baked Alaska, the famous dessert that everybody loves but rarely makes at home. The chef happened to be Suraj who was originally from Goa. He took forever to whip up the egg whites (which made me wonder why he had not simply used a mixer as all of us would do at home!). The finished dessert was browned with a blow torch. The entire operation took about 20 minutes after which I headed off elsewhere.
Discovering the Klondike Gold Rush:
            I was keen to find out a bit of history about the Klondike Gold Rush and when Cruise Director Nick made a presentation on it, I went off to listen to what he had to say. Sadly, he was nearing the end of it and I too suddenly felt very sleepy. It was time to return to my stateroom for a nap. About 20 minutes later, feeling very refreshed, we went off to Lido Deck to participate in the Great American BBQ being held to celebrate July the Fourth—as, of course, it was American Independence Day. With breakfast sitting quite heavy in my tummy, it was time to think about more food.
The Great American BBQ on Deck:
            Long lines of other passengers, all determined to fuel up before disembarking and spending the day at Juneau, did not think so. With plates heaped with corn bread, bread rolls, the ubiquitous coleslaw and potato salads, baked potatoes with sour cream and chives and bacon, BBq-ed spare ribs, chicken, steak and lovely well-seasoned peppery salmon, they were heading to their pool side seats. Llew and I followed suit and found blueberry cobbler and red, white and blue cupcakes also offered for dessert. I could only take a very small sample size helping of a few things before it was time to head off to the Reception Desk to make arrangements to get off the ship for we had arrived at Juneau and the cruise terminus and its accompanying buildings could be easily spied across the narrow inlet of water.  
Arrival at Juneau, Alaska’s Capital:
Our first day getting off the cruise liner saw most passengers wanting to race off and explore. And although tiny with the feel of a one-time prosperous frontier town, Juneau offered a whole lot to see and do. But, as it is also popular with cruising companies and offers only a limited number of berths for disembarkation, our ship was anchored a few meters off shore.
An Experience of Tendering:
            As a result of our location, we needed to be ‘tendered’ ashore. This is the process by which passengers board small boats that then ferry them to the pier where they can disembark and begin exploration. It is not an easy task to get over 2000 passengers off a huge cruise liner and on to small boats—the allusions to the evacuation of the Titanicare inevitable. Fortunately for us, Christine, the Cruise Director, had offered to get us swiftly off the boat if we came to see her as soon as we were ready to get off.  We took her up on her offer and were ferried over to land on the very first boat that moved away from the Nieuw Amsterdam to get us to Juneau. It took no more than ten minutes and was a very smooth operation as we joined about fifty passengers on board to make the crossing past another HAL boat in the water—the Westerdam.
Exploring Franklin Street:
            One of the benefits of attending a number of the shipboard presentations the previous day, was becoming aware of the free ‘gifts’ offered by many of the jewelry stores that line the streets of Juneau. Most gifts take the form of charms which can be hung from a bracelet—and are, therefore, a sought-after perk. It also allows passengers to walk the length of Franklin Street, the busy shopping artery that leads to the bus terminus and to the Mount Roberts’ Tramway which passengers can ride to get way up high on a towering mountain that overlooks the city and provides bird-eye views. We did not think spending the $35 per head that it costs to get to the top was worthwhile.
Instead we marched into the souvenir shops to find a T-shirt for my brother, postcards and magnets—our usual fund of souvenirs—and to move on. It was interesting to note that almost all the jewelry stores are manned by Indians from India who make Juneau their home for just 3-4 months of the year (the summer cruise season) and then push off to the Caribbean Islands for the rest of the year. We entered into conversation with one of them who used to live not far away from my home town in Bombay. Their wares take the form of precious jewelry and semi-precious stones set into jewelry and once they provide you with the free charm, they turn their attention to other customers as soon as they sense that we are not the in the market to purchase.    
Off to the Mendenhall Glacier:
            Our main aim while in Juneau was to make the trip a few miles out of town to the Mendenhall Glacier which is the closest we will get to a glacier on this trip as we have not booked any of the pricey helicopter or floatplane rides that actually put cruise passengers on the glaciers themselves. Using Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor, I had discovered that the least expensive way to get to Mendenhall is by Juneau’s public transport bus that costs a mere $2 per passenger per trip. However, this bus does not get all the way to the glacier and passengers are required to walk the last one and a half mile of road leading to the venue.
The second alternative is to take one of two ‘shuttle’ bus services run by private operators from the bus terminus. One is called the Glacier Shuttle (aka the White Bus—which is the one we took), the other is called the Glacier Express (aka the Blue Bus). Both cost the same amount ($15 per person one way which makes it a pricey $30 round trip for a journey that lasts no more than 20 minutes each way). Still, it takes passengers to the very entrance of the little state park—so all said, it is the best bet.
            We entered the Juneau Visitor Information Center for maps and advice and were directed to the bus ticket counters from where we purchased our bus tickets to the glacier and headed a few meters ahead to the bus stop to board the bus. This stretch of the city was simply crawling with cruise passengers and there was a bit of chaos all around as folks tried to find their private tour operators, the public bus stops and the tram terminus for the cable car ride up the mountain.
Bus Ride to Mendenhall Glacier:
            All private bus operators are supposed to give a running commentary to the glacier and back. Ours, a young girl with little interest in her job except to see that passengers boarded the bus in a queue, said absolutely nothing except to warn us about bears and not getting too close to them. Once at the stop, we were pretty much on our way as we followed the throngs to the venue. The twenty minute bus journey is uninteresting but for the meadows filled with wild flowers that follow you throughout and the vistas of the mountains all around.
Exploring Mendenhall Glacier:
            Juneau sits at the bottom of what is known as the Juneau Icefield and one of the features of the icefield is the Mendenhall Glacier. It has been in steady recession over the past century and as global warming has melted much of it, what is left behind are icy waterways filled with glacial water. You hike about ten minutes and arrive at the very nice but very crowded Visitors’ Center that offer maps, rest rooms and souvenirs. And then you have two options: you can walk about five minutes and arrive at a viewing point that offers good photo ops against the backdrop of the glacier (which is what we did first) or you can hike to Nuffy Falls which we did later—or you can do both.
The glacier is not as impressive as the many we have seen in other parts of the world on our travels (the Columbia Icefield in the Canadian Rockies is vast and amazing and you can easily walk all over it; the Fox Glacier in New Zealand near Haas was incredible in its size and the fact that you can easily hike over it without spending a small fortune on helicopters or floatplanes). Still, the lovely bright blue that we spied at Mendenhall’s base (caused by moraine or debris that has accumulated over centuries) was a first-time sight for us and it was lovely.
            Once we took our pictures, however, it was time to decide whether or not take the mile-long hike to Nuffy Falls—a 45 minute round trip. Since we had time on our hands, we went—not really knowing what to expect. It turned out to be the most fun part of our day.
Hiking to Nuffy Falls:
            The hikers’ path to Nuffy Falls is very well marked and very well-traveled. There were scores of other walkers for company—of different sizes and ages—and they all coped well. Along the way, you pass by an abundance of wild flowers: large white daisies, purple hollyhock lookalikes, loads of unripe berry bushes. The air is cool and bracing but after a while you will find that you do not need a parka even though you are in close proximity to a glacier (a fleece is enough). About 20 minutes later, you arrive at the Falls and they are truly a spectacular sight. This is because this is the closest I have ever got to a waterfall—you are literally within a couple of feet of the tumbling water and can reach out and touch it. Needless to say, the water was ice cold. The blue base of the glacier is only a few feet away—so there are lots of good photo ops. But the place is constantly mobbed and that takes away some of the sense of being secluded in a pristine wilderness. Still, it was a fully worthwhile hike and easily recommended.   
Return to Juneau and the Ship:
            We followed passengers on the reverse journey to try to find the bus stop that took us back to Juneau. By this time, it was about 4.30 and the early tourist excitement had calmed down in the city. We spent about hour or so looking into a few more shops and landmark establishments such as the Red Dog Saloon that was once a prospector’s favorite haunt before we decided to get back to the ship. Once again, we were tendered across in a little boat and checked back into our ship.
Evening on Board:
            For some reason—and probably because we had done two really good hikes in bracing mountain air—both Llew and I were hungry. But since we had 8.00 pm reservations at Canaletto, the specialty Italian restaurant on board, we decided to try just a little of the Alaskan food being offered in the Lido. I tried the Alaskan Seafood Chowder which was delicious and the Gold Diggers’s Chilli—both of which were great—together with the Alaskan beers on sale. Alaska has some nice brewing companies that use mountain glacial waters to brew their liquors and I was keen to taste a couple while on the trip.
Time to Dress for Dinner at Canaletto:
            Back in our staterooms, we had enough time to dress for dinner and make our way upstairs again. I had tried to get a later dinner slot but all were taken. The concept at Canaletto is that of sharing and after ordering drinks (Chianti for Llew, a margarita for me), we looked at the menu. We decided to share two of the small plates (veal and sage polpettino which were meat balls in a delectable sauce—we got four which made it perfect for sharing) and the Vermouth Clams that were served in a very tasty broth dotted with chorizo sausage. Our appetizers were superb but not surprisingly, we already felt full. Still, we soldiered on towards pasta and decided to order two for sharing and to forgo a taste of the Large plates as we simply would have no room. We chose the Shrimp Papardelle which came with three tiger shrimp in a lemon infused cream sauce—very rich and very good, but we could only eat a little as we also had the special of the day—the lasagna made with chicken, beef and veal. It was also really good, but with just a few bites of the two really splendid dishes, we had had enough. It was time to order the lightest of desserts and we got the gelato—pistachio for Llew, gianduja (chocolate hazelnut) for me—both of which were splendid. We both felt really bad that our capacity is so small as neither of us did justice to the truly delicious offerings put before us.
Evening at the Piano Bar:
            I would have preferred to call it a day at that point, but Llew was keen to get to the Piano Bar to listen to Jimmy Maddox belt out a few numbers as it was Elvis Night and the baby boomers were there in full force. We had a lovely one hour listening to a truly talented man who combines the skills of a pianist, singer, story teller and entertainer quite effortlessly into a one man show.

 

As our ship slowly pulled out of Juneau, Jimmy regaled us with stories about The King as well as sing-along numbers that had our feet tapping, heads shaking and lips moving. A truly lovely end to a very eventful day.

Until tomorrow…                        

Cruising the Inside Passage En Route to Alaska

Jul3

Sunday, July 3, 2016: At Sea—Sailing to Alaska

            We had the kind of day today of which people think when you say the word ‘cruise’, i.e one on which you eat too much, drink too much and overdo everything.

Sunday Mass on Board:

I awoke early (as is my wont) leaving Llew to lie-in while I showered and got dressed. He followed right after and we were able to make it to 8.00 am Mass on board as it was a Sunday and we wanted to start the day right. In the Hudson Room, over 150 people had assembled so that there was only standing room although we managed to find seats. The priest was an Irishman but we did not get his name. Later on, we discovered that he is Fr. Tim McCarthy from Vancouver.

The sea was choppy and for the next two hours, we were off  balance. Father, therefore, suggested we sit down throughout the service which was very inspiring. By the time Llew and I made our way to the Manhattan Dining Room for brekkie, it had calmed down somewhat—but, apparently, several cruisers on board were sea sick and actually had to see the doctor on board for a shot. But here is how we spent our free sailing day on board:

Sit-Down Breakfast in the Manhattan:

The Dining Hall was packed when we entered but we were seated with three other folks right by the window—we kept our eyes peeled on the water for whales but none revealed themselves to us. We are still probably too far south. Breakfast for Llew was the Full American: eggs over easy with sausages, hash browns, brown toast. Mine was a custom-made omlette: I chose ham, mushrooms and Gruyere cheese with smoked salmon on the side. Both of us had freshly squeezed orange juice—which is always a treat on Holland America Line ships. We both declined the trays of baked pastries that came around as we can do without the carbs.

Setting Up Internet:

At 10.00 am, I returned to our stateroom to set up the Internet on my mobile phone. For some reason, I am unable to get on to network connections on my laptop when I am traveling unless I use a dongle. I am not carrying one with me, so there is nothing I can do now. Anyway, set up was very simple and because Llew was keen to watch the UEFA match between Iceland and France that was being screened live in the Casino Bar, we split up and off he went.

Cookery Demonstration:

I headed off to the Culinary Arts Room to watch a live demonstration of three dishes that are served in the three specialty restaurants: Dungeness Crab Cakes (Pinnacle Grill), Rigatoni with Sauteed Vegetables (Canaletto) and Penang Red Curry (Tamarind). We were given samples of the pasta and it was very good. An hour later, I left to join Llew for the next item on our agenda.

Champagne Art Auction:

Our next stop was the Art Gallery where a glass of Champagne was offered to each person who participated in the Art Auction. Although Llew and I had no intention of bidding on any of the works, it was fun to watch the proceedings while sipping bubbly.

Lunch at Lido:

We intended to head off for lunch next to the Manhattan but when we saw that the line for a table was so long, we decided to get to the more casual Lido Buffet style restaurant where the menu is identical to the one in the Manhattan and the choices more plentiful. Before long, I picked up a small plate of Middle Eastern appetizers (hummus, babaganoush, feta cheese, one dolmas—vine leaf wrapped rice—and an olive) which I ate with focaccia bread which was great. For my main course, I went to the salad bar and ordered the Asian Sesame Salad with Seared Tuna which was simply great and made me feel virtuous. Llew chose the Roast Lamb Au Jus from the carvery and the Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Veg. Since the salad made me feel good, I opted for a small ice-cream sundae made with chocolate and biscotti ice-creams, a splash of chocolate sauce and nuts and I tried something I had never eaten before—Holland-America’s signature Bread Pudding with Sauce which was every bit as delectable as other bloggers say it is. I had a tiny sample portion as I was already beginning to feel I was eating too much. I hate this Gourmet Remorse with which cruising tends to leave you.

A Short Nap and Some Surfing:

It was time for a short 20 minute nap which I enjoyed thoroughly in my stateroom as the sea was back to feeling as calm as a mill pond. Half an hour later, I was dressing to head out again while Llew decided to shower and relax some more. Iceland had lost the match and he was disappointed. Together we watched a program on TV in our room about London’s Food Scene that was great fun.

High Tea in the Manhattan:

I went off for High Tea on my own as Llew was too full to eat another morsel, he said. The place was packed and I wondered how I would cope on my own (as eating alone is not my favorite thing to do) when I spotted Kathleen, another cruiser who was also sipping tea alone. Her husband had also decided that High Tea was not his thang! She had a daughter named Rochelle who was exactly the age of mine! How was that for coincidences? We had a lovely cozy conversation over delicious finger sandwiches (I had smoked salmon on mini bagels and roast beef with tiny cornichons), the fluffiest scones with cream and strawberry jam and bite- sized pieces of chocolate cake which were all washed down with decaff Earl Grey which made for a really wonderful tea.

Brisk Three Mile Walk Around the Deck:

It was time to find a way to work off all those accumulated calories and since we can get to a gym at home anytime, it made sense to enjoy a more unique experience—walking around the deck of a moving ship. And that was exactly what we did. The air was bracing so we bundled up well in our hooded parkas and began our brisk walk. Three rounds make a mile and within half an hour, we did three miles. No marks for guessing how much we wanted to pat ourselves on our backs. But not for long as food beckoned again.

Invitation to a Wine and Cheese Reception for Returning Mariners:

With barely ten minutes left before the Wine and Cheese Reception ended, we rushed off to meet Tina, one of the PR people on board, who had invited us to a very cool reception to meet other returning mariners like ourselves to try to get us to sign for their frequent cruiser program. Each of us was given a goodie bag with a very neat gift—a selfie stick! How appropriate for a cruise that promised to offer a lot of opportunity to pose. We each picked up a glass of wine (red for Llew, white for me) and after chatting with Tina for a long while, we carried our wine glasses out with us and rushed off to our next venue of interest.

Sip and Savor in the Explorer’s Lounge:

One of the most loved dishes on board this ship are the Dungeness Crab Cakes (served in the Pinnacle Grill). Earlier in the day, I had watched chef Felix prepare them. Since Alex, our Culinary Hostess, had informed us that they were sampling the crab cakes at 5.00 pm, I was keen to take Llew along to get our tidbits. And how fabulous they were! They really are among the best crab cakes I have ever eaten. We had two each—served with a very light Sauce Marie-Rose (mayonnaise lightened with a bit of tomato ketchup) and as we continued sipping our wine, Alex began a Foodie Trivia Quiz—Llew and I formed one team. We called ourselves the Almeida Allies—and though we did not do too badly, we did not win. However, participating in the quiz was a great deal of fun and we had a really good time.

Meanwhile, we watched people dressed to the nines making their way to the Main Dining Room to begin the first sitting on what HAL calls one of tis Gala Nights—a formal night which most people take seriously. It was grand to see how well everyone was dressed and as they began to troop through the ship, it was a delight to take in the fancy clothing.

Time to Dress for the Captain’s Cocktail Party:

It was time for Llew and me to dress for a very special event—Llew and I were invited to the Captain’s Cocktail Party in the Silk Den, the Asian bar on the 11th floor’s Observation Deck. On our last cruise to the Baltic Sea, we had received a similar invitation and we were delighted by the sense of deja-vu. I ordered a margarita (as I had done the last time) while Llew got some more red wine. We met some of the more important members of the officer strata and as we nibbled on Asian eats such a shrimp tempura and spring rolls, we got to know them a little better. As we were already togged out in our own formal gear, it seemed like a very special party indeed.

Dinner at the Manhattan:

And on to the next item: if one has a cocktail in hand, dinner cannot be far behind. We were seated a good half hour later but we enjoyed every bit of our meal. Both of us started with the Escargot Bourguignon—which was absolutely scrumptious—served with a toast point. I then moved to an Arugula Salad with apples and peaches (also very good) while Llew chose the Roasted Artichoke and Carrot Soup. For a main, I got something I had really enjoyed on the Baltic cruise—Maple glazed Duck Breast with Cranberry-Corn Stuffing and Candied Figs (divine) while Llew got a version of Surf and Turf (Steak and a large grilled Shrimp). For dessert, I had the Black Forest Cake while Llew had the Chocolate Souffle with Warm Chocolate Sauce. Overall, it was a very good meal and we enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Marquee Show at the Showroom on the Sea:

It was time to race off again—this time to see the stage show called The Marquee—which is a song and dance extravaganza—with a number of really talented young people who performed all sorts of circus-style acts including juggling, gymnastics as well as well-choreographed dance routines. The quality of the show was quite amazing indeed and we had a grand time. Just when I thought it was time to call it a day after what had been a most eventful 12 hours, we got side tracked again.

A Beatles Sing-Along at the Piano Bar:

Passing by the Piano Bar on our way out from the theater, we simply could not resist popping in there to enjoy the singing and piano playing of Jimmy Madox who had a faithful band of fans around him joining vigorously in the sing-along. It was a 60’s special night and he played a lot of Beatles, Rolling Stones and other 60’s artistes. Needless to say, Llew and I joined in lustily and had a really fabulous time.

At almost midnight, we finally decided to call it a day. We headed to our stateroom and passed out after what had been a truly amazing and most enjoyable day for me.

Until tomorrow…

Ahoy There! Let Our Cruise to Alaska Commence

Jul2

Saturday, July 2, 2016: Setting Sail from Vancouver to Alaska

             As usual I awoke at 6.00 am and while Llew had a lie-in, I managed to get some blogging done. I was also excited to discover that my internet connection on my laptop actually worked and I managed to get and send email (unlike the last time I had traveled to Canada when I could not even find any internet connections). However, it was a good job I did everything I wanted for my joy was short lived. Within 20 minutes, it was gone. A little while later, after I had done some blogging, Llew awoke, showered, shaved, dressed and got ready. I followed swiftly, then went down to get us coffee and Nutella croissants from the local Tim Hortons downstairs and,  not too long after, we were on the airport shuttle to get to the Skytrain that took us back to the Waterfront. The fact that it was a holiday weekend in Canada and a Saturday meant that trains were empty—this made it really easy for us to load and remove our baggage from the train. From there, we easily found our way to the cruise piers in the basement of the Convention Center.

We thought we’d be one of the first to embark as 2.00 pm is given as Embarkation Time; but by 11.30 am, the place was already crawling with people and the Hall was filled. Everything was super organized with European precision and we were soon finding our way to the check-in counter where we were given our boarding cards by Holland-America Lines—HAL–(our baggage had been taken earlier) and then we were off and away. I was quite excited by this point especially at the thought of having a few hours to explore the ship and find our way around it. We had an ocean view room on the 4th floor which was very well located for the Reception Counter, main shops, etc. were just a floor below. In no time, we were aboard but went directly to Reception to try to make a lunch reservation on one of the two days it is usually offered in the pan-Asian restaurant called Tamarind—about which I had read on the internet—but was disappointed to find that it has been discontinued. So off to our stateroom we went and found that it (and the rest of the ship) is an exact replica of the Eurodam on which we had sailed through the Baltic Sea in 2013. There was a sense of comfort in the familiarity of it all but it was also a trifle predictable. Perhaps it would have been more fun to discover new horizons!

We did not lose much time in our rooms, however, as our bags had not yet arrived. Instead, as it was almost 1.00 pm and as we only had a croissant and coffee for brekkie, we went off to the Manhattan, the Main Dining Room—for lunch. It was our first meal on board and I looked forward to something really special. Only a few people were in the restaurant—most were still embarking. Both Llew and I chose the Cream of Broccoli Soup for starters—it was thick and very delicious. I avoided the bread as I am still trying to limit carbs. For our main, I had the Apricot-Glazed Salmon served with zucchini and carrots and steamed potatoes (which I avoided). Once I got over the sweetness of the apricot sauce that was poured over the salmon, it actually turned out to be quite good. Llew had the Pulled Pork Sandwich served with Red Cabbage Slaw which was really good. For dessert, the two of us had the Biscotti Ice-Cream—I ordered mine with a few strawberries. So that was it. It was a good meal, but not outstanding, but the cruise had not even begun yet.

It was time to get to our stateroom where we found that our baggage had been delivered together with a whole lot of delicious goodies—a tray of tea-time sandwiches (smoked salmon, brie, ham and cheese, prosciutto—all fab), a tray of sweets (truffles, cake, a chocolate tower), a tray of cut up fresh fruit—together with a basket of fruit and a lovely flower arrangement. We felt very special indeed! It was time to unpack and we found spacious closets with room enough for all our needs (I certainly travel very light and had no difficulty accommodating all my things). Unpacking done, we stashed our bags under our bed and went off to Reception again to made reservations for 8.00 pm dinners at some of the specialty restaurants on board at a time that would also allow us to attend the shows in the theater each night. All that done, we made our way to the theater for an introduction to the facilities and amenities available on board as well as to take a walking tour of the main areas of the ship and the areas we intended to use—such as the gym, the pools (indoor and outdoor), the hot tub, the Crow’s Nest which is the enclosed 11th floor Observation Deck, etc.

By this time, it was close to Embarkation Time and we had the mandatory Emergency Drill procedure to attend on deck. Having gone through this before, we knew exactly what to do and in no time, we were on the deck, participating in Roll Call, listening to evacuation and other instructions and chatting with a few other passengers. When it was over, it was time for departure so we made our way to the Lido Deck on the 9th floor at exactly 4.45pm to attend the Sail Away. This included drinks on the deck, the opportunity to grab one of the deck chairs that we positioned at the very front of the ship (it helped to get there early–but this turned out to be the aft or back) and to enjoy views of Vancouver as we departed. Going under a great big bridge was an additional treat as we listened to music, chatted with a few of our companions, enjoyed the complimentary nibbles—salmon, beef steak in horseradish sauce and spoons of baked brie with cranberry sauce and nuts–as we saw Vancouver recede in the background and the islands of the Archipelago that we had seen en route to Whistler by road come into view. Llew enjoyed lying on the deck chair while I left at 5.30 to pick up the complimentary ship’s charm that was offered to anyone who arrived at the Main Shopping Desk. I then reconnected with Llew as we returned to our stateroom. I ordered a cup of tea from Room Service and we began nibbling on our savory goodies in our room as Llew sipped some wine.

It wasn’t long before we dressed for dinner and went in search of the complimentary glasses of champagne offered by the jewelry showroom and art gallery on board and with that in hand, we made our way back to the Manhattan to have dinner before we could attend the live show in the theater. Only we discovered that our wait for dinner would be 20-25 minutes and, rather handily, since the Explorer’s Bar was just next-door, we sat down to enjoy a violinist and a pianist do wonderful soft classical chamber music. We were hugging the coast of Canada throughout our sail and the movement of the sea could barely be felt at all.

Very shortly, we were seated for our first dinner at sea in the Manhattan, a massive dining hall, where we found the menu for the evening was devised by chef Elizabeth Faulkner of whom I have never heard. I started with the Broiled Scallops with Bacon, Avocado Mash and a vinaigrette—but my scallops were tiny, the mash was bland and I found no interest whatsoever in the dish. Llew had the salad of mixed greens with caramelized apple which was far better. Since I was dying to also try it, I asked for a tiny portion of the Ketchikan Fisherman’s Chowder in a sample serving (it was served in a bread bowl as a regular portioned starter) and found it to be simply delicious and filled with tiny scallops. For a main, Llew had the Shrimp and Chorizo with Grits which was served with okra—a typical New Orleans dish—while I chose the New York Strip Loin done medium rare. Llew got three very large shrimp and I got an outsized piece of steak. We split our entrees and while they were both good, there was nothing to shout about either one of them. For dessert, Llew got the Mango Mousse while I got the Klondike Gold Rush Baked Alaska which was a brownie, topped with Vanilla Ice-cream and Meringue with a chocolate sauce poured over. Again, it was good but not outstanding. Since we needed to rush off for the show, we grabbed our things and left right after dessert.

In the theater, we found ample room. Nick, our Cruise Director, was holding forth, calling out a few raffle numbers and giving out prizes before the main act of the evening arrived—a stand up comedian called Chad—who entertained up for about 15 minutes. His jokes and his acting were pretty lame and by that point in time, my eyes were closing. It was 10.00 pm and any hopes I had of sitting in a Piano Bar and singing along were wiped off as we decided instead to get back to our stateroom and call it a night. But after changing and getting into more comfortable wear, we headed to the Crow’s Nest to see what it felt like to enter the Seymounr Narrows, a tiny inlet just past Vancouver Island. However, it was very dark and while we could see land on one side close to us, we saw nothing on the other side. We did see—literally—a ship pass us by night. It was a Holland America ship returning to Vancouver—which is where we will be a week from now. It was time to well and truly get back to our staterooms to sleep.

It had been a packed first day and we did not have a dull moment.

Until tomorrow…

A Wonderful “Canada Day” in Vancouver

Jul1

A Wonderful “Canada Day” in Vancouver

Friday, July 1, 2016: Pemberton-Vancouver

            Awaking in our hotel in Pemberton, we showered and got ready quickly as we were supposed to return our car to Budget by 10.00 am. Bluebird Bakery was just opposite our hotel and there we picked up coffee with almond croissants and pain au chocolat and were off. The day was cool and drizzly and the mountains were shrouded with rain clouds that hung low upon them. As we zipped back down the mountains, we enjoyed the repeat journey that seemed much different as it turned out that we were in Canada on their national holiday—Canada Day—when the locals were enjoying a lie-in. This made it super easy for us to drive through the two downtown areas that had been chocobloc the previous day. We returned our car to Budget, took the shuttle bus to the Travelodge where we had another night’s booking and once we stashed our baggage safely in their store room, took the shuttle to the Skytrain station to begin our day long exploration of Vancouver.

Skytrain to Canada Place:

The Skytrain is one of the most convenient ways by which to get around Vancouver. It is new, clean, speedy and cheap. We took the Canada Line intending to get off at the Waterfront stop—which is Canada Place, a huge convention center–and the spot from where cruise ships take off. Well, on the train itself we got an idea of the patriotic spirit of the Canadians. We have never seen more red and white in our lives. Seas of people made their way to the spot and once we got there, we realized why. There was a stage set and live music was being offered. The Convention Center is the setting for the Citizenship Swearing Ceremony and loads of people who had taken the oath earlier that morning were on the pier taking pictures, their garb sporting their patriotic enthusiasm and their faces painted with Canadian flags! It was amazing. Absorbing all the energy around us, to see the rainbow hues that comprise the Canadian populace today, to imbibe their spirit—made it simply infectious.

We walked to the north end of the pier intending to look at the possibility of taking in Vancouver’s newest attraction, Fly Over Canada—a virtual show that is 4-D (it offers movement, sights, sounds, smells) as you fly across the country from the West coast to the east for approximately 25 minutes and $25. However, since the wait for the next show was about an hour, we decided to pass on it and move on. Instead, we feasted our eyes on a unique exhibition of Canadian war vehicles that were assembled in the main hall of the Convention Center for children to pose on. It was poignant as today is the 100th the anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel, one of the battles of the Somme, at which about 700 ‘Newfies’ (Newfoundlanders) lost their lives. It is a Memorial Day of mourning in the province.

Lunch in Chinatown:

Walking, through the use of a map that we found at the Visitors’ Center, we made our way to Chinatown to get away from the chaos of downtown Vancouver on their holiday. As expected Chinatown was tranquil and offered some relief. Since it was lunch time, we asked a local for a recommendation and they directed us to Our Town which CNN’s Food Critic says is a “Must-Visit”. The place was full of locals which is a safe bet that the food would be good. As most of these places are, it was a little hole in the wall but packed to the gills. As recommended by Lonely Planet, we ordered the spicy pork steamed bun which we split—very delicious—followed by the Shrimp Dumplings—served dim sum style, four in a little steamer basket. They too were very good. Our main was a Shrimp Mongolian Hot Pot which had the most shrimp we have ever seen in a lunch order—good job we shared it as we had at least a dozen large shrimp each. And because I actually found it on the menu, loved it when I had last had it in Manilla in the Philippines in January and had adored it then, I ordered a Halo-Halo that we also split. You will remember that this is a very filling dessert served in a glass. It is layers of sweet red azuki beans, preserved fruit such as jackfruit (in this case), preserved coconut, a variety of noodles, loads of ice-cold milk and a big dollop of vanilla ice-cream. Of course, Llew loved it too and we realized that we would be skipping dinner after what had been a really inexpensive and most scrumptious meal.

Visit to Sun Yat Sen Garden:        

            We ended our visit to Chinatown by making a quick pop into Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens, one of the best classical Chinese gardens in North America. There usually is a steep entry fee that includes a guided tour, but since it was Canada Day, there was no fee and we had a lovely stroll around which brought us memories of the time we had visited this place on a previous trip to Vancouver. We were also able to see a really superb Chinese opera show in the adjoining Museum where the costumes and the makeup were simply spectacular and reminded us very much of our time studying about Noh Theater when we were in Kyoto, Japan, a few years ago.

By this time, both Llew and I were showing the effects of jetlag and an overlarge lunch! It was time to find the Skytrain station to take us back to the Waterfront and from there on the Canada Line again to get to the Airport from where we caught the shuttle bus to get us to our hotel. We checked in, picked up our stored baggage and made our way up to our room. It was still only about 6 pm, so we spent the rest of the evening catching up with world news on TV and watching a couple of TV shows. It was a very relaxed evening to a rather full day.

It was time to call it a night after checking email one last time through Wifi. And then it was time for bed. Tomorrow, we board our cruise ship to Alaska—we will make our way once more time to Canada Place. It has been a good start to our travels and we are very excited.

Until tomorrow…