We spent 2 nights here, went to see Santa at the North Pole see photo. the men did a trip to see the Great Alaskan Pipeline. We all had a great paddle boat ride stopping to see the sleigh dogs training and also stopping at an Indian reservation to go back in timeto see how they lived. Had 2 great meals... still waiting for tomorrow to come so can start diet. We have had to buy more suitcases... must be buying too many pressies, off again on the train to Denali. Has great seats 1st class carriage in the bubble dome on the top. Trip was 3 and half hours before we got off to our cabin accommodation.
Next day we did a great trip into Denali National Park...was a 13 and half hour day...saw bears grizzlies moose caribou eagles all in their natural habitat. The bus trip was hairy in places when trying to pass other busses on tight corners, with a big drop on our side of road... no wider than Galston Gorge. Our Lovely cabins were right on the edge of a river ...see pictures. 2 Days in Denali then on the train again to Anchorage...about 6 hours ride this time travelling through great scenery. Not much time to explore anchorage as we had to be on the train again ...this time to Whittier where we board ship.... Pete bought a jacket at Alaskan Railroad station good job we bought the extra suitcases.... this note is being written sitting in the railway station..hopped on train...ummm not going anywhere...we waited and waited...told the train had a hole in the brake compression chamber....then was unable to start as no power...we had only gone 100 yards....so had to return to the station and catch a bus.. this took about 2 hours the bus came quickly and the bust trip only took an hour and a quarter compaired to 2 and half by train so we caught up and boarded the Ship at Whittier.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
VANCOUVER
Off to Vancouver to meet the Aussy gang....we have to do it in 2 stages..first to Dallas 3 hr flight temperature thereabout 100F ...lucky we didnt have to spend any time outside. Next leg 4 hr flight...was about 7pm when we landed. Met up with the others and had a great dinner. Next day sightseeing... tour in an open bus, up the round tower and had great view see pictures. Next day back on the plane heading north to Alaska and Fairbanks via Anchorage.
Friday, September 21, 2007
NEW YORK
The last 2 extra days we spent in New York before heading to Vancouver.
Thes were special and gave us the opportunity to live and experience the non stop culture of New York... We saw all the key buildings and sights ...see photos. We were again fortunate as many of the tour people also stayed on so whilst we did our own thing much was still done together.
NEW YORK NEW YORK..... by night in Times Square is something u dream about and is SIMPLY AWESOME. (Eat ya heart out Rita)
Was very busy time we wnt out for a meal with the tour group... the Empire State Building was just a block awy from our Hotel... what a sight to look up to!!
The tour ends::: now on the Vancouver and to meet up with the Aussies
WASHINGTON
Now for the capital... Washington DC.
The first night all 41 on the tour on the bus went to dinner at a seafood restauraunt, on the water, the scollops and crabcakes high on the foods we have. (clothes tighter)... saw all the big buildings that the americans like to build.
The White house is smaller than expected but everything else is bigger, The war memorials..statues to the dead and the Arligton national Cemetery where JFK is buiried. Dying for their country is really glorified and we found creepy and everyoneseemed to be praised for someone dying for their country.
2 days in Washington was nearly 100 degrees F was a bit of a challenge, trying to see 1 or 2 things properly and lots things quickly. We did art museum, dinasaur show and national archives.... this building houses all the major documents written hundreds of hears ago...... Bill of Rights... Abolition od slavery..decalartion of Independence to name just afew.... Ice Ceams in the park between the White House and the Capitol Building ..just a few highlights.
The last night we all spent together so we had a dinner at the hotel and a few drinks ...a noisy and fun night... one one wanting to bring it to an end. But the thought of the early morning wake up eventually brought us to our senses... goodbye to Washington and on to NY via Philladelphia and the Liberty Bell and Rocky....
The first night all 41 on the tour on the bus went to dinner at a seafood restauraunt, on the water, the scollops and crabcakes high on the foods we have. (clothes tighter)... saw all the big buildings that the americans like to build.
The White house is smaller than expected but everything else is bigger, The war memorials..statues to the dead and the Arligton national Cemetery where JFK is buiried. Dying for their country is really glorified and we found creepy and everyoneseemed to be praised for someone dying for their country.
2 days in Washington was nearly 100 degrees F was a bit of a challenge, trying to see 1 or 2 things properly and lots things quickly. We did art museum, dinasaur show and national archives.... this building houses all the major documents written hundreds of hears ago...... Bill of Rights... Abolition od slavery..decalartion of Independence to name just afew.... Ice Ceams in the park between the White House and the Capitol Building ..just a few highlights.
The last night we all spent together so we had a dinner at the hotel and a few drinks ...a noisy and fun night... one one wanting to bring it to an end. But the thought of the early morning wake up eventually brought us to our senses... goodbye to Washington and on to NY via Philladelphia and the Liberty Bell and Rocky....
LANCASTER COUNTY
This is a beautiful County...... and home of the Amish people. We saw and experienced their way of life by visiting an Amish village. They have a busy and fruitful life without using many of the modern day conveniences.
We had a dinner eatinf food that they would have and it was good, friend chicken glazed ham corn and potatoes with shoe fly pie and cream. The products they make are sold to the public, by a thrird party as they dont deal direct to the "outside" world but they do live in the normal community, they dont have any cars or bikes but they use tractors but they must have metal wheels.
Our hotel in Lancaster had a 4 poster bed about 3 feet high, rocking chair and a nice country setting.
Seeing the Amish families in their horse and buggies with little kids in the back was wonderful.
We had to leave after anan hour at a wonderful craft and food market in Intercourse. (clothes getting tighter)... food hal lots of free tastings.
Teh bus ride through the farmland and the town of Intercourse was one the best rural scenes imaginable... we passed many Amish people travelling in their horse and buggies.
We had a dinner eatinf food that they would have and it was good, friend chicken glazed ham corn and potatoes with shoe fly pie and cream. The products they make are sold to the public, by a thrird party as they dont deal direct to the "outside" world but they do live in the normal community, they dont have any cars or bikes but they use tractors but they must have metal wheels.
Our hotel in Lancaster had a 4 poster bed about 3 feet high, rocking chair and a nice country setting.
Seeing the Amish families in their horse and buggies with little kids in the back was wonderful.
We had to leave after anan hour at a wonderful craft and food market in Intercourse. (clothes getting tighter)... food hal lots of free tastings.
Teh bus ride through the farmland and the town of Intercourse was one the best rural scenes imaginable... we passed many Amish people travelling in their horse and buggies.
NIAGARA
This place is another highlight with the Maid of the Mist tour under the Falls..... the pictures posted dont give it the full justice.... simply special.
TORONTO
We arrived late into Toronto.......our Hotel had the most horrendous elevators.......
Went to dinner at the CN Tower couldnt see much as the clouds were low .....see gurgling fish on the window in photos.
One of the key highlights here was the ball game....Toronto Blue Jays played the New York Yankees....whoo hooo the atmosphere was electric... had the necessary hot dogs....was an awesome last night in Toronto before heading to Niagara.
Went to dinner at the CN Tower couldnt see much as the clouds were low .....see gurgling fish on the window in photos.
One of the key highlights here was the ball game....Toronto Blue Jays played the New York Yankees....whoo hooo the atmosphere was electric... had the necessary hot dogs....was an awesome last night in Toronto before heading to Niagara.
1000 ISLANDS
We enjoyed a boat tour round 1000 Islands.....wow the beautiful island homes
Had a traffic jam which held us up for an hour and we were late into Toronto... was a double rig truck overturned.... we saw the new 10 lane highway into Toronto
Had a traffic jam which held us up for an hour and we were late into Toronto... was a double rig truck overturned.... we saw the new 10 lane highway into Toronto
OTTAWA
Well its happened at last the rain has caught up with us, the heavens opened and boy did it come down at 9 oclock it was still looking like night time the clouds so low and dark real errie. This is the capital of Canada and where all the money is spent. We had the ususal local guide who was very good and made you want to go back and see everything... he talked and showed us.
Will have to get band aids out of the suitcase as when the sun came out with avengence thats exactly what we did ...walked and walked through the market place round parliament square, then what seemed miles down to the new museum of natural art.. This is another magic city, the builodings and streets all so clean, everyone eats out on the sidewalks, no one in a rush, just content to let the world go by. Tonight we are going out with some of the bus friends to watch a laser display at parliament house........ Absolutely brilliant.... they used the Parliament building as the backdrop, about the size of a soccer field. I think we have been the luckiest group around as the last 4 cities we have been in a celebration or Public Holiday so everything was on in a festive mood.
Will have to get band aids out of the suitcase as when the sun came out with avengence thats exactly what we did ...walked and walked through the market place round parliament square, then what seemed miles down to the new museum of natural art.. This is another magic city, the builodings and streets all so clean, everyone eats out on the sidewalks, no one in a rush, just content to let the world go by. Tonight we are going out with some of the bus friends to watch a laser display at parliament house........ Absolutely brilliant.... they used the Parliament building as the backdrop, about the size of a soccer field. I think we have been the luckiest group around as the last 4 cities we have been in a celebration or Public Holiday so everything was on in a festive mood.
Montreal
Left early for the journey to Montreal, home of the 1997 Olympics...we had a photoshoot at the big O stadium (see picture)... this is a funny looking structure as the end that slopes 65 degrees angle...stopped at Notra Dame church, beautiful....dont think the photos give it justice. Each city we travel we have loca guides, to suppy all the local history of the place. They get us to the front of the ques etc. Last night we walked the streets enjoying another special day of celebration not sure what it was but it was noisy, think it was scottish day.
The Tourists Prayer
Heavenly Father look down on us your humble, obedient tourists, who are doomed to travel this earth taking photographs, mailing postcards, buying souvenirs, and walking around in drip-free underwear.
We beseech you Lord to see that our planes are not delayed, our luggage is not lost & overweight baggage goes unnoticed.
Give us this day your divine guidance in our selection of bed 'n' breakfast.
We pray that the toilets work and the telephone operators speak our tongue, that there are no emails from our children which would cause us to cancel the rest of our trip.
Lead us to good inexpensive restaurants where the wine is included in the price of the meal and local taxes are not added on later.
Give us the wisdom to tip correctly in currencies we do not understand. Make the natives appreciate us for the loving people we are, and not for what they can extract from our purses.
Grant us the strength to visit museums, the cathedrals, the palaces, and if we skip an important monument to take a nap after lunch, please have mercy on us as our flesh is weak.
Dear God please protect our wives from "bargains" they don't need, can't afford, and can't fit into their suitcases anyway. Lead them not into temptation, for they know not what they do.
Almighty Father, keep our husbands from looking at foreign women and comparing them to the vintage domestic model. Save them from making complete fools of themselves in nightclubs. Above all, do NOT forgive them their trepasses for they know exactly what they do. And worse, enjoy it.
When our journey is over. grant us the persistence to find someone who will watch our home movies and listen to our stories, so our lives as tourists will not have been in vain.
This we ask you in the name of Conrad Hilton,Thomas Cook American Express, Visa, & Mastercard.
AMEN
We beseech you Lord to see that our planes are not delayed, our luggage is not lost & overweight baggage goes unnoticed.
Give us this day your divine guidance in our selection of bed 'n' breakfast.
We pray that the toilets work and the telephone operators speak our tongue, that there are no emails from our children which would cause us to cancel the rest of our trip.
Lead us to good inexpensive restaurants where the wine is included in the price of the meal and local taxes are not added on later.
Give us the wisdom to tip correctly in currencies we do not understand. Make the natives appreciate us for the loving people we are, and not for what they can extract from our purses.
Grant us the strength to visit museums, the cathedrals, the palaces, and if we skip an important monument to take a nap after lunch, please have mercy on us as our flesh is weak.
Dear God please protect our wives from "bargains" they don't need, can't afford, and can't fit into their suitcases anyway. Lead them not into temptation, for they know not what they do.
Almighty Father, keep our husbands from looking at foreign women and comparing them to the vintage domestic model. Save them from making complete fools of themselves in nightclubs. Above all, do NOT forgive them their trepasses for they know exactly what they do. And worse, enjoy it.
When our journey is over. grant us the persistence to find someone who will watch our home movies and listen to our stories, so our lives as tourists will not have been in vain.
This we ask you in the name of Conrad Hilton,Thomas Cook American Express, Visa, & Mastercard.
AMEN
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