Live, Terry/Ohio, Silver Muse: Alaska, Canada/Rockies, Pix’s

[TLCOhio]

7 hours ago, Lois R said:

I have been on 3 Alaskan cruises in the last 16 years but not 1 of them had Denali on it. Think I need to go again WITH Denali😁

 

Just arrived at Denali.  Have had some rain to "greet" us.  As we have found out, weather forecasting for this part of Alaska is not perfect, nor easy!!  Supposedly, there will not be rain tomorrow morning when we are heading into this massive park for our major visit there.  Clearly AccuWeather was off in their forecast for today.  Hopefully, what Weather.com is predicting will be more accurate for tomorrow. 

 

We are staying on the eastern edge of the park at the Grande Denali Lodge.  As Silversea warned, hotels in this area are fairly limited due to their very short season and challenges with staffing for such a narrow period of time.  It's not the Ritz or Four Season, but that's fine with us.  It's the scenery and nature that we are seeking here.  Not expecting or needing "luxury".

 

Appreciate the kind and nice comments, follow-ups, etc., from TSUmom, Silver Spectre, Lois, J.P., etc   After tomorrow, I can give more background as to whether going to Denali was worth it.  

 

This morning, we stopped en-route at Martin Buser's home/training facility for an visit to "Happy Trails".  This is where we were charmed, educated and entertained by the four-time Iditarod Champion.  This is all about the famed race that covers 1,049 miles between near Anchorage and Nome in early March.  This "Great Race" has historic significance and background.  We met some of his wonderful championship dogs that he raises and trains for "mushing". He became fascinated with sled dogs while still a teen growing up in Switzerland. He came to Alaska in 1979 to enhance his knowledge of care and training of sled dogs. He began working and training with long-time Alaskan mushers and ran his first Iditarod race in 1980.  Below are some pictures featuring him and another one of his racers, Tim.   Loved these dogs and all of the science involved in preparing the dogs and drivers for such a challenging contest under extreme weather conditions.
 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For late last year's live/blog, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

 

First, you see my wife and Ken, from our Silversea group, greeting one of the dogs after a training demonstration.  Second is one of the training practices.  The dogs are not dragging this large vehicle.  It is part of the process to condition the dogs to maintain the best speed for proper endurance.  A fast speed is not the objective.  The goal is for gaining the right pacing and balance for "burning calories" at the most efficient rate.  Third is Marin Buser as he is answering questions about this process and the history of Alasks's famed race.  His personality is so warm and outgoing.  Great experience for us in doing this visit.:

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Here is Tim, who also does these races, explaining all of the details as to some of the protective gear for the dogs, plus how the sled are set-up and have evolved with the changing and improving technology.  Third is my wife talking with Tim.  In the fourth picture is one of the retired racing dogs who is displaying some of the items worn by the dogs. Some of these "seniors" are a key part of the training process for the young pups.   Cute dog??:

 

 

 

 

 

During our tour, we had some "puppy time" with the young dogs who will later commence training for these races.  Second is one of the metal signs used to mark the trails for these races.:

 

 

Finally when I asked the four-time champion to pose for a picture with my wife, he looked around and reacted: "I don't see your wife, only your daughter."  Cute and quick!!  Such a fun, interesting guy who works very hard to care for the dogs and loves this race that symbolises much about Alaska's heritage.    Martin is now age 61 and wants to keep racing as long he is living. During the eight or so days of this race, he as a driver must care for and feed the dogs, etc., etc. Such drivers might only get 1.5 to two hours sleep each night.:

[JohnGinPBG]

9 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

Such a fun, interesting guy who works very hard to care for the dogs and loves this race that symbolises much about Alaska's heritage.

 

Martin is a gem! So glad you got to spend time with him and his dogs. I think this is a great addition to SS's Denali trip. Tip : sit on the right side of the bus tomorrow. Not so great on the way out but on the way back you'll have the best view of the park.

[TLCOhio]

13 hours ago, JohnGinPBG said:

 

Martin is a gem! So glad you got to spend time with him and his dogs. I think this is a great addition to SS's Denali trip. Tip : sit on the right side of the bus tomorrow. Not so great on the way out but on the way back you'll have the best view of the park.

 

Excellent and timely tip, follow-up from John in Florida.  Very helpful!!  Just getting up this morning in Alaska and starting to ready ourselves for our big day within Denali National Park.  

 

Below are some "bonus" visuals from the wonderful train ride from Seward going to Girdwood after exiting the Silver Muse.  Many more visuals to be shared.  It helps to be having better and faster Internet access for uploading pictures to the Cruise Critic website.  As evidenced by the number of pictures posted from the Silver Muse, the Internet works on the ship.  You just need to "right-size" these visuals before uploading and have reasonable patience.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 248,217 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Below is the Alaska Railroad Conductor and its lead engine.  Liked the colorful look and quality of their equipment. Not quite at the super high Rocky Mountaineer level, but very good and they provided us a great experience.  Much superior to a long bus ride.  Also, you can see some of the added sights from tour train ride, including many mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, etc.:

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[TLCOhio]

22 hours ago, TSUmom said:

Great pictures and as always plenty of information!  We are planning on a Rocky Mountaineer trip post cruise next year.

 

Great strategy to do some "creativity" in planning and having added land, etc., arrangements either or both before and after you cruise.  That has worked well for us.  The cruise is wonderful, but there are usually "OPPORTUNITIES" to do fun and interesting efforts prior to and/or after your cruising.  

 

For our last dinner on the ship, it was at Indochine.  Normal was our excellent server, again, and the menu was changed for the second half of our cruise.  YES, it was family-style again and below are some visual "food porn" examples for those who like that type of visual excitement.   

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 236,753 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

On the way to our dining, here is Faye who had met Mark and Chris on a Silversea cruise last year.  Great staff experience during this cruise.  Below starts just a small sampling of the eight main dishes that came out for our group of five at this family-style dinner in their Asian-speciality venue.  Loved the lobster (and its sauce), the beef, fish, curry, etc., etc.  In all honesty, the pictures do not do justice to the quality and variety of taste treats we enjoyed during this final evening on the Silver Muse.  Also shown is the noodle dish served, too.:

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Here is Norman who served us so well, including his great suggestion for doing "family-style" ordering and sharing.  He's a super experienced pro and helped make our cruise so enjoyable.  In background, you get a sampling for the decor in this dining area.  Shown is my wife, Penny, on the right and Liz from Huntsville, Alabama on the left.:

 

Dessert?  Did we enjoy it here, too?  YES!!  Of the three shown, the cream brûlée was the top winner, helped by its special hint of lime flavoring.  Second is the rice pudding.  Third was a banana treat.  No cases of malnourishing on this seven-day cruise.:

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Getting ready for our tour day inside the park.  Below is one quick visual from the Denali area.  

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 223,492 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

 

From our Grande Denali Lodge location, here is the view out the window from where we had breakfast.  Yes, fairly cloudy with some showers probably later this afternoon.:

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[TLCOhio]

Getting ready to depart Denali National Park.  Had some cloudy and later afternoon rain.  But, FORTUNATELY, we were able to enjoy so very much nice wildlife action.  See below a few items of "visual evidence". 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 84,546 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

 

In approaching Denali, here was the view from our coach while traveling in this part of Alaska.  Mid-day today, on Sunday, we will be boarding the rail to head south towards Anchorage. Second is a view as we started to head into this famed park.:

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Here was one of our first wildlife view.  Yes, those are big, BIG racks!!  Next is an example of the big, wide rivers here.  These bears do have almost a blond color to their fur.  The mother bear was looking after the young cubs.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Much more to share from Denali.  Can provide more details and answer any questions later.  Ready to depart for the train adventure.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 64,286 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

 

Like this series as they are busy living their daily lives?.:

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Here is an example of the "school bus" type of vehicle used to tour Denali.  Plus, a large herd of wildlife and a large sample of the colorful fire weed wildflowers.:

 

 

 

 

Another final view of the drama at Denali.:

[Lois R]

Hi Terry....beautiful pictures.  My condolences to all those in Dayton (I know you are very active in Ohio)…….

[TLCOhio]

20 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi Terry....beautiful pictures.  My condolences to all those in Dayton (I know you are very active in Ohio)…….

 

Appreciate Lois' nice comments and follow-up.  Yes, very sad what happened in both Dayton, Ohio, plus in El Paso.  Fortunately, the police acted very quickly and saved many lives in that situation in Dayton that is about 90 minutes west of where we live in Central Ohio.   

 

From Alaska, had several interesting updates from yesterday.  As mentioned, the August rains were busy in Denali yesterday.  When, near noon, we were at the Denali train depot, we found out that there had been a rock slide affecting the track for our Alaska Railroad train come down from Fairbanks to take us to near Anchorage.  Then, the bigger news came that some of the track had been damaged and would need to be replaced.   No rail adventure in their "Golden Dome" train cars.  So, it was Plan B of continuing south in our roomy motor coach and then doing an added stop in Talkeenta.  More pictures and details below.  Any other beens to Talkeenta?

 

Most important, we had our first Moose sighting.  Fun and close!!  See the visual "evidence" below.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 48,547 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

 

 

Here are a sampling of sights as we traveled by coach south from Denali.  THEN, the big surprise of our first MOOSE SIGHTING!!  Very big and close, right along the roadside.  Fun to see these large creatures.  Plus, being located with the colorful Fire Weed plants.:

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YES, here's the MOOSE!:

 

 

Here is a small sampling of the cute, quirky charm and style from Talkeetna.  Lots of interesting places in this town, including a dining place where we enjoyed some of their local beer.  It was not the planned dinner on the train, but it worked for us.:

 

 

 

 

[QueSeraSera]

Glad that Plan B worked out so well!  

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, QueSeraSera said:

Glad that Plan B worked out so well!  

 

Yes, that Plan B did work.  It was not our first choice.  BUT, as we were told by our guide, Jacob, a middle school science teacher who grew up here in Alaska, the month of August can be fairly wet in and around Denali.  In June, Denali was very, very dry.  Weather changes , but, overall, our conditions during these three weeks of travel worked out fairly well.  

 

More visual samples below and later.  Getting ready to head to the Anchorage airport for our flight to DFW and then to Columbus. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 46,485 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

 

Here are a few more fun visual samples to provide the "flavor" of Talkeetna.  The Fairview Inn is where in 1923 that President Warren G. Harding from Ohio stayed and had his last meal.  Harding became ill and ended up passing away down in San Francisco after being the first President to visit Alaska.  There is much debate about the exact details of his death.  This "historic" and somewhat run-down establishment is now for sale.  Great business opportunity??:

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Here is the colorful look of the license plates here in Alaska.:

 

In front of our coach, on the left is Jacob, our tour guide for the four days and on the right, our experienced driver, April.  April gets credit for spotting that Moose and stopping the bus to be able to capture its image.:

[MHF]

I will be going next August with 2 friends.  One is asking about the Denali school bus...are there adequate bathroom stops for the long road tours into Denali?  I would assume the school bus does not have bathrooms like a motor coach.

 

Thanks, M in M

[QueSeraSera]

Hi Terry, what a great chronicle of your trip!  Truly appreciate your inclusion of Dr. Lawson's role in the cruise.  I'd like to add a question to MHF's above- we sail on the Muse out of Vancouver 9/5.  Did you pick up any hint that Dr. Lawson might be on board our cruise as well?  Also, just let me know, are these type of specific questions best handled by direct messaging?

[TLCOhio]

4 hours ago, MHF said:

I will be going next August with 2 friends.  One is asking about the Denali school bus...are there adequate bathroom stops for the long road tours into Denali?  I would assume the school bus does not have bathrooms like a motor coach.  Thanks, M in M

 

Great follow-up questions.  Correct and correct are the responses.  There are no bathrooms on these slightly-upgraded "Blue Bird" type of school buses.  BUT, the drivers are very good and dedicated for stopping about every 90 minutes to allow such "potty time" for those traveling along this route.  Those "bathrooms" out in Denali National Park are not the flush-type.  Fairly "basic", but they work (by gravity) and allowed us to "take care of business".  

 

As an added note, another part of our Silversea group doing this excursion were scheduled to do an airflight over Denali.  They had to leave at 6:30 am.  Really early.  They went ALL of the way out to the 92 mile point at the very end of this one road into the park.  BUT, their flight back got scrubbed.  Long day, but, they, like us, got to see lots of wildlife and were tired at the end of that long day.  But, happy and they felt like they got a "REAL ADVENTURE" given the weather challenges and long distances traveled.

 

ALASKA SALES TAX??:  Just paying our late lunch bill now before going to the airport for our flights home.  It reminds me of this question as to the size of the sales tax in Alaska for hotels and meals.  It's ZERO!!!  That's a nice bonus from being here in the 49th State.  Can explain more later as to why and how.  Plus, their income tax rates in this state.    

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Dubrovnik!  Nice visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic location. Over 46,256 views.    

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

[TLCOhio]

2 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

Hi Terry, what a great chronicle of your trip!  Truly appreciate your inclusion of Dr. Lawson's role in the cruise.  I'd like to add a question to MHF's above- we sail on the Muse out of Vancouver 9/5.  Did you pick up any hint that Dr. Lawson might be on board our cruise as well?  Also, just let me know, are these type of specific questions best handled by direct messaging?

 

Am not set-up for "direct messaging".  Just as easy to respond here on the Cruise Critic boards.  Plus, then others can share in the question and added info, etc.

 

My understanding is that Dr. Larson is headed back to Pepperdine University in southern California to get ready for his fall teaching.  Early next year, he has a major new book coming out on George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.  You might check with Silversea and their special service people as to your speaker for your trip.  

 

Keep the questions coming.  Happy to share more 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Kotor/Montenegro:  Exciting visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 46,194 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

[TLCOhio]

Just arrived a little after 5 am at the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport.  Got here nearly a half hour ahead of schedule.  Our flight to Columbus goes out at 6:58 am, arriving home late morning.  The night before our flight, American Airlines switched their type of 787 equipment.  That dumped us out of our tenth row, extended-leg-room seast that had been booked eleven months ahead.  They put us in regular coach seats at the back of the long airplane. Was not happy.  Such are the airline challenges these days, especially for companies such as AA that have had their 737 MAX planes grounded.  Finally got us moved back up to the better seating we original had and for which we paid.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

Athens & Greece: Many visuals, details from two visits in a city with great history, culture and architecture.  Now at 31,731 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

 

 

Here was the view of our routing from Anchorage to Dallas-Ft. Worth.  Getting closer to being home in Central Ohio.:

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[Lois R]

Hi Terry, sounds like a messy flight situation.  Glad they got you back to your better seats! Happy you made it home safely. And as usual, the review is outstanding......

[spinnaker2]

Ouch Terry, 

Awful when they change planes and you lose that extra leg room.

but you did get it back.

Looked like a terrific trip!

Now back to reality, and such a harsh one at that.

[JohnGinPBG]

Thanks for "taking us along" on your great adventure. Enjoyed it all!

 

Looks like you didn't get to see the "big mountain" in Denali - but your great caribou and bear sightings hopefully made up for that. And that's a spectacular bull moose shot from Talkeetna! We've seen many a moose but never a bull up close. 

 

Hope getting home is not too much of a letdown.

[TLCOhio]

On 8/6/2019 at 9:37 AM, spinnaker2 said:

Ouch Terry,  Awful when they change planes and you lose that extra leg room.

but you did get it back.  Looked like a terrific trip!  Now back to reality, and such a harsh one at that.

 

Back home, safe and sound!!  Just got about 10.5 hours sleep last night to catch up, little, from our red-eye flight from Anchorage.  Not only did our flight to Dallas-Ft. Worth arrived ahead of schedule, but our American Air plane was ahead of schedule into Columbus by about 20 minutes.  AND, most important, all four of our checked pieces of luggage were there to take home.  Picked up our yellow lab, Rudy, last night and now out on our screened porch enjoying the wooded views, sunshine and nice temperatures.  This return to "reality" is not too bad, so far.  Have a couple of TV programs to do later this week and then later this month, we head down to Charlottesville, Va., to be with our grandsons, etc.  Then, college football starts late this month.  All busy and active.  That helps in the "TRANSITION" back to life off of the ship.  

 

Have many more pictures and details to share from our very successful and enjoyable adventure in western Canada and Alaska, plus the great time on the Silver Muse.  Have many more ship details and visuals to post.  As always, open to any and all questions, comments, etc.  Keep it coming.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast.  Now at 29,393 views.  Many interesting pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

[TLCOhio]

ANCHORAGE INSIGHTS??:  Much to share.  Below is a detailed background summary I had prepared earlier about Alaska's largest city.  Earlier, enroute up to Denali, we had sampled a little of this town's suburban "sprawl".  Much around Anchorage is typical for cities that had much growth in the 1980's and 1990's.  Nothing too special or different.  After coming back from Denali and staying in "downtown" Anchorage, this is not a dramatic 21st Century City like we saw in Calgary, Vancouver, etc.  Fine and a little interesting, but nothing too dramatic to merit scheduling too much time in this city other than gaining a small sampling before boarding your aircraft to return home.  

 

We and many cruise ship passenger, either before or after your cruise ship sailing will stay at the Hotel Captain Cook.  As for its history, It is named for Captain James Cook who helped define Alaska in the 18th century by mapping its jagged coastline for the first time. Captain Cook was a British explorer and cartographer whose three major voyages took him around the southern tips of Africa and South America, to Easter Island and, on his final voyage, along Alaska’s majestic coastline. On these voyages, he and his crew documented the people, animals, and flora and fauna that many had never seen before. In June of 1778, while looking for a Northwest Passage to Hudson Bay, Cook and his crew on the HMS Resolution dropped anchor in Turnagain Arm - within sight of the spot where this hotel stands now.  Walter J. Hickel, a Kansas native who arrived in Alaska in 1940 at the age of 20 with only 37 cents to his name, was a longtime Alaskan, entrepreneur, hotelier, author, and served twice as Alaska's governor.  He left as Governor to become Secretary of the Interior under President Richard Nixon and served from 1969 to 1970. Hickel was a real estate developer, building and operating hotels, business and shopping centers for decades in Alaska. In 1964, an earthquake leveled much of downtown Anchorage, and many were hesitant to rebuild. Hickel reacted to the earthquake by pledging to build Alaska's biggest and best hotel in devastated downtown Anchorage. The first tower of the hotel opened in 1965; the second and third towers followed in 1972 and 1978.  Today, there are 546 hotel rooms.  We stayed in the newer, third tower, but much is somewhat "DATED" back to the 1970's.  You can especially see "it" in the bathrooms.  BUT, to their credit, their kitchen was very, very good in the food quality and timing from our breakfast there, plus a pre-flight dinner in the the nicely-styled "Fletcher" dining/bar area.  Hickel's son now is listed as President of this hotel.  

 

For hotels in Alaska, we stayed at two of the best in this state, but nothing is "five-star" or close.  Why?  The business model is fairly "seasonal" and the Alaska economy has slowed recently due to the drops in oil prices.  Much of the "politics" can be tense in Alaska due to the fact that the oil money is not flowing at as high of a level as had previously happened.  BUT, this state has no sales or income taxes.  The cost of living can be higher here as most goods, even gasoline, must be "imported" in from the lower 48 states.  

 

During our free day before our 8:15 pm flight out, we walked around their downtown.  Much is "dated", including their downtown mall.  BUT, we enjoyed their Anchorage Museum and some nice outdoor flowers and gardens.  Below are some visual samples.   

 

 

ANCHORAGE BACKGROUND:  With approximately 40 percent of Alaska’s population living in Anchorage, this city of nearly 300,000 includes a large military population, Native Alaskans and workers connected to the oil industry.  Many living here are also adventure-seekers who desire getting away from the more conventional “Lower 48”.

 

During the colder winter months, Anchorage offers the northern lights—aurora borealis—on a clear dark nights.  During the summers, the city plants thousands of flowers to celebrate the arrival of days that last as long as 19 hours from dawn to dusk.  With its location, almost equidistant from New York City, Frankfurt and Tokyo, Anchorage lies less than ten hours by air from nearly 90% of the industrialized world.  Their airport is a refueling stop for many international cargo flights and is home to a major FedEx hub.  Its Ted Stevens International Airport is the world's third busiest airport for cargo traffic, surpassed only by Memphis and Hong Kong.  The Port of Anchorage receives 95 percent of all goods destined for Alaska.

 

Unlike all of the other large towns in Alaska south of the Brooks Range, Anchorage, was neither a fishing nor mining camp. Incorporated in 1920, construction of the Alaska Railroad continuing to Anchorage was completed in 1923. The city's economy in the 1920’s and 1930’s centered on the railroad.  Between the 1930’s and 1950’s, the city experienced significant growth as air transportation and the military became more important.  Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson were constructed in the 1940’s, serving as the city's primary economic engine until the 1968 Prudhoe Bay discovery that shifted the economy toward oil.

Several attempts have been made to move Alaska's state capital from Juneau to Anchorage.  Why? The "railbelt" between Anchorage and Fairbanks contains the majority of the state's population. Various statewide votes have gone back and forth for making this change, but the billion-dollar cost created a pause, per Wikipedia. Anchorage has over twice as many state employees as Juneau, and is to a considerable extent the center of state and federal government activity in Alaska.  Some in the rural areas and Fairbanks did not want to make Anchorage more powerful and important.

 

At 61 degrees north, it lies slightly farther north than Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki and Saint Petersburg,  For July and August, the average high is 64.5F and a low of 51F.  This past summer, Anchorage made major news with a warm streak hitting a single-day record of 90F.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

Panama Canal? Early 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through Panama Canal.  Our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Now at 27,422 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

 

The mountains are not just around Denali.  Here are a couple of samples of what we observed near Anchorage as we returned south.:

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In walking Anchorage's Fifth Avenue, it is not quite like in New York City, but there are a few nice garden areas, including what is shown below.  We enjoyed many nice flowers in Alaska.  Their growing season is short, but the days are long and that added sunshine helps to provide nice floral displays.  Second is a view of one of the Hotel Captain Cook towers.  Much there at this hotel is 1970's, but the service was good and the food tasty.:

 

 

We visited the highly-recommended Anchorage Museum and it worked well for our interests.  They had much in native items and exhibits and a special program called "Death in the Ice".  This was about the 1800's and earlier British exploring to try to find a Northwest Passage. This exhibit focused on the mystery behind Sir John Franklin’s tragic and deadly expedition. Leaving Britain in 1845 to chart the Northwest Passage through the Arctic, the expedition’s two ships and 129 men never returned. There were other exhibits about how the native/original population was depicted in the media in earlier times.  About 20% of the current population in Alaska is native or tribal-related.  This includes seeing a portion of the 600 objects from the Smithsonian's collections that were selected and interpreted with help from Alaska Native advisers. To understand fully Alaska, it is important to learn more about these various native populations in this region, plus their interesting culture and history.  This includes about how Madison Avenue and Hollywood would depict and twist their images. Remember, rightly or wrongly, the merchandising of "Eskimo Pies"??:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

On 8/6/2019 at 10:32 AM, JohnGinPBG said:

Thanks for "taking us along" on your great adventure. Enjoyed it all!  Looks like you didn't get to see the "big mountain" in Denali - but your great caribou and bear sightings hopefully made up for that. And that's a spectacular bull moose shot from Talkeetna! We've seen many a moose but never a bull up close. Hope getting home is not too much of a letdown.

 

YES, not being able to see the actual Denali mountain might be a good reason to return to Alaska??!!   BUT, picking the right timing would be an important factor to consider in planning.  From what our guide, Jacob, told us, late May and June might be the best timing opportunity.  Maybe, also early to mid July.  Clearly August gets more into the "roll of the dice", rain and cloudy challenge period.  Still we enjoyed so much that we saw and experienced in and around Denali.  

 

Overall, our "luck" was especially great for our two super weather days doing the Rocky Mountaineer rail trip, plus in dodging rain during the key stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and Hubbard Glacier. 

 

Just got all unpacked and did in my first shower since Anchorage.  Super great to be in and using my "home shower". Plus, using some of that round, green soap brought back from the Silver Muse. Using that nice-smelling soap brings back great memories from our cruise.  Some of the showers during our travels were a little "iffy", especially needing to climb over and get into a tub set-up. Fortunately on the Silver Muse, they have BOTH a tub and fairly roomy shower.  

 

What has been the biggest down-wise from bing back home?  It's those crazy and bothersome robo calls on our land line and cell phone.  Hate those calls!!

 

This thread is now over 5,000 views and appreciate all who have dropped by, made comments, asked questions, etc.  Don't be shy with any info needs, observations, sharing of your experiences in these scenic areas, etc. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, you can see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

 

 

From the Grande Denali Lodge, some aspects of the rooms are dated and/or a little marginal with the construction quality, but the food there was very, very good.  Great service in the dining area, etc.  Love the sausage gravy that was a part of their morning breakfast buffet.  Below are a couple items of evening proof as "evidence" for what we enjoyed during the rainy evenings at this hotel.  Our server in the evening was a Colorado teacher working here during the summer.  Both he and his wife were preparing to travel later in the year to Napal as they wanted to explore and experience the world before settling in and starting a family.  First was a halibut dish with extra lemon butter sauce and nice veggies, etc.  Second was perfectly-seared scallops.  Both were excellent.  Prices were a little higher here in Alaska, but not too bad compared to what we had expected.  These two dinners were $40 and $38.  Plus, the benefit of not having to pay any added sales tax on our meals in Alaska.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

 

 

Here are a couple of the colorful wild flower examples from in and around Denali.:

 

 

Here are a couple more visuals from within Denali.  First is one of the streams that were widened by the rains right before and during our stay in this part of Alaska.  Second are a couple of female Dali sheep inside the park.. Sorry, we did not see any of the male Dali sheep with their famous curved horns.:

 

 

From Talkeetna, here are a couple of added visuals.  Yes, the beer was good there.  Finally, here is one of the couples from our cruise and this Denali excursion.  Do they look happy???  YES!!   He's enjoying the local ice cream.  The Walters are from Texas and Louisiana.  Big LSU fans!!  They rode with us on the Alaska Railroad trip from Seward to Girdwood.:

 

[Stumblefoot]

Welcome home Terry!  And, as always, thank you for sharing your excellent pics with us all, as well as your informative reporting.

[QueSeraSera]

Glad you made it home safe and on schedule.  Thank you for all the posts and the great pictures.  We are also staying at the Captain Cook post-cruise so your insights were appreciated on that as well.  We are so much looking forward to this trip.  Your blog and the kind comments of others here have replaced any apprehension we had with anticipation!

[MicCanberra]

Thanks Terry, wonderful photos and a great read. Love your work.