Sorry, this is a rather long blog.

Sometimes when you think about places to visit, you pick one or two in the back of your head as a one day, just maybe we can go. An opportunity came up a few months ago when my next-door neighbors told us about their planned adventure to drive via motorhome, to Seattle and then take a cruise to Alaska. They asked if we would be interested in joining them on the cruise part. So, we did just that and booked it relatively last minute and now a bucket list moment was satisfied.

We flew across country the day after my son Joe's HS graduation just over a week ago. We got to Seattle at midnight and got on the cruise ship later that day. Nothing was more stunning than waking up the next morning cruising up through Canada and seeing the horizon of snowcapped mountains. We took a path through Glacier Bay at 5:30 AM the next day and it was worth getting up for the most beautiful sights. The ship stopped awhile and spun around so all could see the glacier. It was cold but we had warm clothing and a blanket. Binoculars helped get in close to see some beautiful waterfalls and snowcapped peaks.

Our first port of call was in the town of Ketchikan where we booked an excursion on the former Deadliest Catch crabbing vessel (that was turned over onto its side on season two by a 70 ft rouge wave and then righted itself due to being filled with crabs they caught and water in the lower deck). Now converted for guests to go out to see how the crabbing was and is still done. We passed an area where several humpback whales where bubble feeding. The whales surrounded the fish with pockets of bubbles in a circle and the then went to feed. This led the whales to the surface to blow out and show their tails. Just an amazing sight. We passed by an island filled with American Bald eagles, in an area owned once a gain by the original natives that allowed this boat to come in and feed the eagles with fish (not legal in other parts of this country). They swarmed the side of the boat to catch the fish and give a memorable sight I never could believe. Seeing 50 or more eagles in one area fling close by was a wow experience. We then caught some crabs, got to hold them and then tossed them back in (yes they also served snow crab on the boat and it was the best we ever had). It rained the entire time on the crab boat, and we got very wet in our rain gear, but no one minded as it was just so much to take in. Quaint shops in town were full of local art and culture. Plus a ton of jewelry and hand crafted items.

The next day, we stopped at the very small town of Sitka. Riding in on the free shuttle busses into town where besides the consistent rain, we saw more hand-crafted carvings out of walrus tusks, whale baleen, and moose antlers. No corporate or cruise ship owned shops here. It was all local owned and operated shops and art galleries. All were sourced by the native tribes that only use the remnants of what they eat to make the carvings. The Russian Bishops House Museum was very interesting and had many artifacts found when it was renovated in the 1970’s. In town, I also had some of the best fudge I have ever had. Soft and rich. Yum.

The next port was in Juneau where there were there were more shops (but mostly jewelry and larger international branded items) plus the famous Tracy's Crab shack (good, but not as good as the day before on the crabbing tour boat). We did do an excursion to visit an Alaska Sled Dog and Musher’s camp. The rain was a bit much as it was very cold, but the dogs were great and really enjoyed pulling us on modified wheeled carts (no snow on the paths this time of year, just a lot of mud and puddles). The dogs average about 60 miles of running a day and are in amazing shape. Best part was interacting with the young puppies who get handled by hundreds of people a day and become quite friendly as adults because of this conditioning.

We finally ported for an evening in Victoria Canada which had pristine streets of flower lined homes, gardens and the amazing Parliament building. We sampled some Halibut Fish and chips on the Warf (amazingly fresh) and had dipped soft ice-cream in real dark chocolate (not the heated oil-based stuff you get at most shops where we live).

When we got back to Seattle, we had a late-night flight, so we decided to rent a car and check out Mt Rainier in Washington State, a little under a two-hour scenic drive from the airport. This may have been one of our favorite stops and post cruise, the most recommended. The national park had many viewing points to take photos and videos. From the peaks to the valleys to the waterfalls. Absolutely breathtaking drive. We were glad to spend over six hours driving around and seeing the views, thousands of feet above sea level. Don’t bother with the Space Needle in town, make the time to see this amazing mountain and park instead.

So as I finish this blog, tired from lack of sleep and some time zone changes, I fondly look back at this wonderful experience that I would highly recommend. Just realize you will get wet in spring and summer as you are in the largest rain forest in the world up there. But the sights were breathtaking.