Our next stop was Skagway and we took one of their most popular excursions, the Skagway White Pass Railroad Summit Excursion
You board the train in Skagway and travel 20 miles from tidewater to the Summit of the White Pass – a 2,865-foot elevation.
Traveling in vintage passenger coaches you retrace the original route to the White Pass summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point, and Dead Horse Gulch. We enjoyed viewing mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles, and historic sites along the White Pass Railroad. The railroad cars are each heated with a potbelly stove and we were comfortable.
Beginning Great restaurant for lunch – food & service were superb We were at the back of the train
Our first stop was Ketchikan, Alaska where we took a Waterfront & Wildlife Cruise. We saw a lot of eagles and these are some of my favorite photos from the day.
It started off cool but by the time we returned to the ship I was barefoot on my sunny balcony sipping prosecco!
Can you spot the eagle? Can you spot the eagle? Discovery Princess our homeLife is good
My two week Alaskan cruise embarked from Vancouver, a city I’ve never been to. After a long day of flying across multiple time zones, I had a fabulous meal then crashed out. I wanted to show up for my first day on the Discovery Princess well rested.
Pre-flight at the Delta Sky Lounge in DetroitApproaching Vancouver Free birthday drink from the hotel staff Prosecco please! This dinner was fresh and delicious.Corner suiteMy corner suiteCrab Scotch EggsJust on board, I stopped at Crooner’s for a welcome drinkLeaving Vancouver
And just like that we sailed away at sunset, the first of many sunsets……
For a foodie, cruise food is always a treat and this trip was no exception. From hearty breakfasts to salads, appetizers and dinners, the offerings were beautifully plated and delicious while the desserts were decadent and (almost) too pretty to eat.
It’s difficult to choose the “best of the best” photos from my cruise but I did it! The sea is ever-changing from daybreak to sunset, at sea and in ports. It’s magical.
While in Vegas I had the opportunity to go to the festive 32nd Annual Holiday Cactus Garden Lights. I’ve been to the cactus garden during daytime on a prior visit to Ethel M Chocolates and a few years ago, tried to attend this event only to arrive during a power outage.
This year, no power outage and an unseasonably mild December evening allowing us to stroll through the lovely, lighted cactus garden with Christmas music playing…..
There are more than a few options in Kauai to attend a Luau – no surprise. That said, my sister Lisa deserves kudos for always finding the best and most fun things to do and see when we travel. For Luau’s she compared reviews, details of what’s included, location, viewing websites and knew Smith’s was the hands down the choice for our Luau experience.
Started fifty years ago and spanning four generations, the Smith family has curated more than a Luau experience for guests.
At 5 p.m. we boarded a tram for a narrated tour of their 30 acre botanical and cultural garden in the heart of the historic Wailua River Valley. We learned about the many types of trees, plants, flowers, fruits, and nuts growing in abundance on the property. After that, we were free to wander the meandering paths surrounded by tropical splendor, a small lake with mountains as a backdrop and peacocks, chickens, roosters and other birds roaming about adding to the atmosphere.
At 6:00, the Imu Ceremony was held explaining the cooking method called Kalua. Photos are courtesy of my sister.
At 6:30 began the Luau feast and remarkably for someone who photographs her food, (particularly whilst traveling) I literally took not one photo. I can only attribute this to my overwhelming appetite and anticipation. It was DELICIOUS.
At 8:00 we moved to the spacious open-air, torch-lit Lagoon Amphitheater for the Rhythm of Aloha Show which incorporated music and dance performances from Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Philippines, New Zealand, and Japan.
Around this time last year, my sister and brother in law were planning to visit Hawaii again and asked if I’d like to join them. And just like that the plans were set in motion.
Known as the Garden Island, Kauai is lush with vegetation and flowers, mountainous with waterfalls, beaches and the ocean….in short, stunning. This will be the first of several posts as I will share the best of many photos taken along the way.
