Docked where I can touch the trees

It is very weird to wake up, look out one’s window (these are true windows and even if I have an “obstructed view”: read – a lifeboat in front of my nose – it is a full-sized window and not just a porthole) and see trees close enough to touch! We had arrived in Skagway, docking before anyone was awake to see it.

We had rented a car for the day, but the first thing we noticed on our way into town was that the busses had double license plates: American and Canadian. They travel across the border so often that they need to have both. The second thing were the painted and inscribed rocks along the cliff where we were docked – we never did find out the why’s for this, but most seemed to be dedicated to captains and perhaps it was simply more visible this way, as well as being more durable, because although we are enjoying a spate of good weather, this is definitely not the case normally. Another thing I finally took a picture of was of one of the numerous espresso huts. Starbucks has made its' way everywhere, but the Alaskans still have their huts around most corners: walk up, order and take away - no room for sitting.

Dock in Skagway

double license plates

rock inscriptions

espresso hut - with gifts

At the beginning we had thought that Whitehorse was an easy destination of about 65 miles, but we found throughout the day that nothing was as it seemed and that every bit of information gleaned from phones, maps and road signs was conflicting! Of course the problem of having miles on one side and kilometres on the other didn’t help, nor did the changing from Alaska time to Pacific Standard time: another day and we would have been so confused that we would have attempted nothing!

As it was we headed for Whitehorse over the summit on the South Klondike Highway, stopping in every turn out existing. The terrain was high altitude although the summit was only 2’865 feet (873 m). The history of the building of the wagon trail, the railroad (funded by British backers Michael Heney using 35’000 workers – finished it in 26 months!) and the road is a saga.

Train tracks on the opposite side

Trestle bridge for the train

 We crossed into Canada and were for a bit in BC (British Columbia) before entering the Yukon territory: along the way water falls too numerous to count and – for want of a better description – alpine lakes by the hundreds of all sizes and mostly deep blue as well as granite mountains.

One of hundreds of waterfalls

One of hundreds of alpine lakes, each one prettier than the last

Peaks playing with the clouds

Lake Tutshi

Windy Arm

Windy arm

Bove Island

We stopped in Carcross, which was originally called Caribou Crossing due to the immense herds of caribou: there we visited the train station, discovered the totems of Keish – a native to Carcross – as well as the world’s smallest “desert” an area of sand dunes caused by the find grinding of glacial rocks then continued on to Emerald Lake – one of the world’s most beautiful as due to silt, the sun and various other elements it has rainbow colors that my photos couldn’t capture in their entirety.

 

Carcross and the only caribou we saw.

Train bridge at Carcross with the White Pass & Yukon train.

Abandoned structures disintegrate quickly

One of many Keisha Totems

The world's smallest desert

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake

We traveled on to Whitehorse – a name attributed to this city as the natives thought that the rapids just out of town resembled a white horse’s mane: the rapids no longer exist having been turned into a source of energy. There we had a quick lunch and picked up e-mails (I had been off-line for 72 hours at that point – unheard of!) before heading back.

On the way we stumbled across a bear right at the side of the road: as he was young and intent on eating the grass we rolled down our windows and this photo was taken about 3 feet from him!

about a meter (yard) from our car!

After turning in the car we walked back to our cruise ship and watching them cast off (a process in itself) before leaving Skagway and returning back down the Lynn canal.

Truly a memorable drive and day: oh, did I mention – the thermometer hit 80°F (27°C) in Whitehorse!

The Lynn Canal

Leaving Skagway

And on to Glacier Bay

A full day of cruising and we are promised wildlife galore!

The National Park rangers were brought on board around 10 a.m. and from now until this afternoon our accompanying naturalist has handed over the microphone. The way into the Bay is 65 miles (approx. 100 km) and the weather before turning into it was rather more “normal” Alaskan weather, i.e. grey although we are fortunate not to have any drizzle.

Princess is one of a select few cruise lines permitted to cruise the pristine waters of Glacier Bay, the highlight of our 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. Not surprisingly, Glacier Bay National Park and its epic ice giants are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Alaska's magnificent park system. As it is a National Park no paper or Styrofoam or plastic was allowed for fear that it could blow overboard.

As we entered we saw several whales – however difficult to photograph!

Our first glacier was Margerie Glacier with to its side the Grand Pacific Glacier, which is not at all as beautiful being covered with the moraine. Also at this point Canada is just over the top of the Grand Pacific Glacier.

I love the shades of grey

Humpback whales but not breaching

Margerie Glacier

Margerie Glacier, close up

The layers of Margerie Glacier

The Margerie Glacier is 250 ft. high, 21 miles long and 1 mile wide. We were able to get within a quarter of a mile to it. It is known for calving and we saw several small ones with a couple of medium size – none of which I caught in a photo. Beautiful though. 

 

Saw the John Hopkins Glacier but couldn’t go in close as seals and their pups are there and we shouldn’t disturb the peace. Got lucky and saw some on an ice float right near the boat. The John Hopkins Glacier is the one most often used in photos of Alaska’s Glaciers and has very limited access. 250 feet tall, it is one of the rare advancing tidal glaciers in Alaska.

John Hopkin's Glacier from afar

John Hopkin's with the telephoto zoom

John Hopkin's

More John Hopkin's Glacier

However, we were lucky enough to see some seals on a patch of ice.

Moms and pups

there were about seven in varying sizes

Coming back from it we topped at the Lamplugh Glacier, which is only 150-180 foot tall.

Lamplugh Glacier

Love the striated blue of the Lamplugh Glacier

Also saw a Bald Eagle, but not quickly enough to take a picture.

Then it was sail back out, leaving Glacier Bay behind us. A very full day – impressive as well when the rangers told us that many of the mountain peaks are not even named, that the air is the purest in the world in this vast untamed, untrammeled and wild land. Only two cruise ships per day are allowed in!

 

The National Park Rangers disembarking

A playful porpoise as we headed back up the chanel

Parked in front of a glacier

Hubbard Glacier, or a huge hunk of ice.

St.Elias

 

We cruised down passing St. Elias peak on the way – the second tallest in Northern America to enter Yakutat Bay and one truly has to have seen it to believe it – as trite as that may sound. The immensity: 200 meters high, 73 miles long and 6 miles across the portion that was visible to us. Hubbard Glacier is one of 8 in the Northern Continent that is still progressing instead of receding like Travis next to it. They predict that it will cut off Russell Fjord sometime in the near future.

Hubbard Glacier from a distance

Hubbard Glacier coming closer

The Holland America parked in front of the Hubbard Glacier

Hubbard Glacier closing in

Travis Glacier to the left of Hubbard Glacier

 

sesmic measuring insturments

Hubbard Glacier closer in but still about a quarter of a mile away

Hubbard Glacier

We were there in the afternoon so there was a bit of “calving” activity where bits break away from the face of the glacier into the bay. What with the time lag in between seeing and hearing, one brother reckoned that we were about 10 miles away – and it looked like if we just moved a few yards closer that we would be able to touch it! Everything about Alaska is BIG and distances are very deceiving.

We went to dinner as the boat was leaving Yakutat Bay. After dinner K and I had intended heading for the library whilst my brother went to watch a game on the big screen, but got side-tracked watching the “beautiful people” getting their official cruise pictures taken and participating in the “Champagne Fall”: a bank of champagne glasses built into a tree then filled with champagne from the top cup in such a manner that it overflowed towards the lower ones: a stupendous sight.

"Memo" pouring the champagne onto the champagne tree

Champagne tree

Our Captain

Leaving St.Elias behind

The day’s temperature: 22°C!

And it is sailing into the sunset or…

The beginning of a glorious cruise.

Worn out from all the driving of the day before, we went rather low key for our last half day in Anchorage. Leisurely breakfast, into town for souvenirs (none of us purchased anything as we keep saying – there will be more) then off to find the Kincaid Park, which turned out to be a bit farther than the Garmin or iPhone said. Just enough time to admire the view of Denali and accompanying mountains across the bay before we needed to check out of the hotel, drive to the airport, turn in the rental car and wait for our transfer to Whittier.

Denali from Kincaid Park

Our bus driver was a seemingly very young, but surely she was at least 25, woman. Delightful in her explanations along the 90 minute route and a good driver as well. We enjoyed a very brief stop at Portage Glacier before lining up for the 2.5 mile Anton Anderson Memorial tunnel where busses, trucks and cars take turns driving along the train tracks separating us from Whittier where our Princess Island was awaiting. To be noted is the fact that this tunnel is the longest highway tunnel in North America – when I, as a Swiss, have just seen the opening of the new Gotthard train Tunnel of some 35 miles – the longest in the world.

Cook inlet

Entrance to the tunnel on the Anchorage side

Inside the tunnel

Boarding ship was similar to airport check-ins, just less stringent on the security checks and then we were on board and guided to our home-away-from-home for the next 7 nights on deck 8 (of 14). A steep learning curve to figure things out and my luggage wasn’t in my cabin (thanks to my brother as the tags had come off) until just 20 minutes before sailing! All on deck as we left through a lovely fjord: my camera will wear out at the rate I am recording beauty.

Home for the next 7 nights - Princess Cruise's Island Princess

Dinner in the “Provence” restaurant and now I see how my father always put on 10 pounds every time they took a cruise! We were going to be good, but the desserts were simply too attractive. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Did I mention that we were all on deck in short sleeves? 

Along the way

Along the way

We left sunny California…

To arrive in sunny Alaska, where the weather and temperatures are a great deal better than back home – it’s topsy-turvy world: still 21°C here in Anchorage at 22:00

It was touch and go in Portland when they informed us that 20 passengers weren’t going to make the flight as they had had to change to a smaller aircraft, but we three held seats so were o.k. – slightly late, but at least on schedule so to speak.

After checking in to our hotel we still had time to do a bit of exploring and took one of the main highways westwards towards Seward, stopping for every pull over or layout.

On the way back to Anchorage we walked the boardwalk at Potter’s marsh.

Cook Inlet

McHugh Falls

Boardwalk at Potter Marsh

Bald eagle nest, but the eagles didn't stay visible long enough

After a leisurely breakfast and having discussed possible routes we chose to go up Alaska 1 – or the Glenn Highway, that is until we looked out or windows and realized that the huge mountain we could see in the distance was Denali and that contrary to all weather apps it was visible and a glorious day: we promptly switched to Plan B and Highway 3 or the Parks Highway. 

Down the road towards Denali

Denali closer

Floater planes

After taking pictures from a distance we then proceeded to take a side trip toward Hatcher Pass Road, knowing that the pass itself would still be closed. Such splendor, we were extremely lucky in our choice in that we even saw a mother moose and her calf near the river. We finally turned around at the Lucky Chance mine and enjoyed the whole thing over again.  By the time we were back in “civilisation” we were starving so had a late lunch at Krazy Moose.

Old Bridge along Hacher pass road

Mother moose, baby hiding in front: I wasn't quick enough!

Looking towards Denali in the distance from Hatcher's Pass

A very friendly and photogenic marmott

As we still had time – and daylight, the sun doesn’t set until 23:38 tonight – we took the Palmer-Wassila Highway and still did a bit of our original plan, driving up the Glenn Highway until we could see the Matanuska Glacier.

Sunny, warm, gorgeous – a day of superlatives.

Family and Friends

The most important people in the world.

Many months ago in one of our regular skype sessions K and I got to talking about her upcoming “big one”. Now to the outside world she is known as my sister-in-law, but within the family she is our sister and as such was going to enjoy the tradition started when I turned 60: the possibility of choosing the weekend getaway or activity.  This was even more important in light of the fact that we didn’t get to do this for my “little” sister.

She had always wanted to take a cruise, my brother less so. I had not been able to take a cruise the year we went to Alaska so that was my first choice – one with which she readily agreed – now to sell it to her husband. Persistence and the fact that Alaska is much more of a “natural” destination with sightings of wildlife and beautiful scenery led him to agree.

Important however to also visit my other sister in California so we all met here for a weekend.  Bless my sister as she organized for us – me in particular – to see some of her best friends and people to whom I have become close over the years. Yesterday was a day of sun (we are in California in June), of friends, of family, of laughter along with a few tears, of remembering, of bonding, of strengthening our spirits.

Today we played tourists and went to “the city”. Brunch with my nephew and his wife and the, to me, grand-nephew dog, outside in the sun, then on to a part of the shore that I had never explored “Shore Point” and the fort built there in 1861. Wisps of fog, a slight breeze, more fun and laughter – family and friends: the best part of one’s life!

Golden Gate Bridge, June 12, 2016

In a “French” mood

Although I tend to write mostly in English, my moods can be anything but: German if I’m feeling organized and business-like or French if I’m feeling melancholy.

The latter sure prevailed in my mountain village today: everyone that I know or ran into complained of lethargy, of not being able to do anything, of sadness. Well, we all know who to blame – the weather!

And melancholy – at least in poetry – has never been done better than by the French.

I was just 19 when I arrived in France the first time, had a crush on someone during the first two weeks of the bus tour of Europe before the start of school: as he went to another school I got over that one fast and when asked me for a date back in California I really couldn’t figure out what I had ever seen in him – didn’t even accept the date.  I also experienced my first more serious love that school year – one that wasn’t necessarily happy nor good for me. I learned enough French to start reading the poetry and discovered that whilst the literature wasn’t to my taste (I’m sorry I still can’t finish the “Red and the Black” and Proust’s descriptions of the famous “madelaines” is enough to make me never want to eat one), the poetry really was me. To this day the poems that I remember best are in French and I tend myself to only write poetry in French.

So when the day was so miserable what did I find myself thinking of a poem I learned over 50 years ago…

“il pleut dans mon coeur,

Comme Il pleut sur la ville,

Quelle est cette langueur qui

Envahit mon coeur?”

Turns out that my memory wasn’t all that bad – here is Verlaine’s “Romance without words” written in 1874 but one which still suits.

Il pleure dans mon coeur
Comme il pleut sur la ville,
Quelle est cette langueur
Qui pénètre mon coeur?

O bruit doux de la pluie
Par terre et sur les toits!
Pour un coeur qui s'ennuie
O le chant de la pluie!

Il pleure sans raison
Dans ce coeur qui s'écoeure.
Quoi! nulle trahison?
Ce deuil est sans raison.

C'est bien la pire peine
De ne savoir pourquoi,
Sans amour et sans haine,
Mon coeur a tant de peine!

Loosely translated (very loosely but probably more correct than Google !)

It rains in my heart

As it rains on the town,

What is this languor

Which penetrates my heart ?

Oh soft sound of the rain

On the earth as on the roof !

For a heart that is bored

Oh the song of the rain !

It rains without reason

In this sickened heart

What ! No treason ?

This mourning is with reason.

It is the worst grief

To not know why

Without love nor hate

My heart aches so !

early morning fog along the Danube