Next up-Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos

We've been back on the island for a week now.  We have two more weeks to enjoy our time here, and of course our time with NaNa.  She had a great 90th birthday celebration that lasted over several days.  As a matter of fact, it's still going on.  We should put the finishing touches on the carrot cake sometime today.  There are enough "treats" left to take everyone into 2019.
Two weeks from today we'll be heading out again.  This time our travels will be taking us to Southeast Asia to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.  This region of the world is gaining popularity with travelers from all over the world.  At the present time it is an area that is considered safe, inexpensive and welcoming.
Obviously this area of the world, especially Vietnam conjures up many different memories.  Over 58,000 young American men and women lost their lives in the war.  In addition there remain over 1,500 listed as "Missing in Action".  The total loss of lives of both civilian and military vary widely but is generally estimated at over two million.  Additionally, we can never forget those who returned who suffered and continue to suffer the psychological scars of the war, as well as those who suffered under cruel regimes in Cambodia and Laos.  As we tour around and enjoy the sights and sounds we will be keeping in mind the tragic past, while enjoying the beauty and emergence of the region.
Over the next two weeks I am looking forward to learning and sharing some additional information about all three countries.

If you were looking only in the direction of the sunset last night you would have missed this interesting and colorful cloud.

The Big 9 - 0!

Us and the Birthday Girl!

One thing that I've often heard through the years is never divulge a ladies age.   I think that's good advice,  to a certain point.  There comes a time when divulging a woman's age and celebrating it is appropriate.  That's certainly the case today.
Today is my favorite mother in law's ninetieth birthday!  Event's like this don't come around very often.  We started the celebration yesterday with a family luncheon that included great food, decorations, cake, ice cream and a tremendous rendition of "Happy Birthday".
Later today there will be more cake and ice cream, presents, laughter and stories from 90 years well lived.  There may even be a rummy or rook game at some point.  Of course if there is, NaNa will come out on top.  It wouldn't be right to beat her on such a special day...………..like I could beat her on any day!

Happy Birthday NaNa!  

Oh my goodness!

Good Stuff!

Unless there is an earthquake, mudslide, fire or some other natural or manmade disaster, the San Francisco area is always a fun and beautiful area to visit.  Obviously it's a whole lot more fun to visit now that Sarah, Joey and James are living here.  The last time we were here was the end of July.  At that time the Martin family was in the middle of moving to a home more appropriate for James.  The new place is in Novato, which is just a few miles north of where they were living in San Rafael.  They've settled in quite nicely and are certainly enjoying the large space, as well as a fenced in back yard.  We've been here since Monday afternoon and it's been a whole lot of fun.  Beth and I are in agreement with that common statement about you need to be young to be a parent.  By the end of the day we're pretty whipped, but it's with a big smile on our face.
Sarah and Joey know we love them and have graciously accepted their seats a little further back on the bus.  Oh my goodness, that Sweet Baby James is something else!  He's now attending pre-school four days a week.  He is enjoying his new friends and teachers.  The facility is just a few blocks from their house and the typical routine is Joey dropping him off in the morning.  If the weather is nice, which it usually is out here, Sarah walks down and picks him up in the afternoon.  Beth and I were able to walk down with Sarah a couple of times this week.  It was fun to see him playing and enjoying himself before he saw us.  It was also a blast to see his face light up when he saw the three of us.

Our Ice Cream Buddy!

Doing a little trick riding

Showing off his new Mickey PJ's

Two great artists at work!

I guess we're becoming "regulars" to this area because we haven't even gone into the city or over to the wine country during this visit.  We have enjoyed finding a couple of nice areas to hike.  One that is flat and along a wetlands area and the other through some shaded woods in a nature preserve just a few minutes from their house.  Muir Woods is always a good choice also.

Hamilton Wetlands Trail

Indian Valley Preserve Trail

From the top of the Indian Valley Preserve Trail

One adventure that we did make Thursday was when we went to Oakland.  Now I'm sure that there are some really nice parts of Oakland.  We've actually been to the Oakland Zoo which we did really enjoy.   We ventured into what could easily be described as "no man's land" to go to the Oakland A's game.  Let's just say it's not in the nicest part of town.  I told Beth that it reminded me of the area around the old Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami.  You sort of take your life into your own hands when you venture in there.  Fortunately it was a day game and we found a parking lot close to the stadium.  I tipped the guy who claimed to be the parking lot attendant an extra dollar hoping that when we returned the car would still have tires and windows.
We were planning to buy tickets at the game, which ended up leading to additional excitement.  Beth and I were approached at the same time by different "independent ticket brokers".  Realizing they had two good prospects an argument soon broke out between the two of them.  Thankfully no weapons were drawn.  When they found out how little we were willing to pay they quickly lost interest in us or in beating each other up.  Shortly thereafter we found another guy who was willing to sell us two tickets at our price point and we were on our way.
Once safely inside, it was a surprisingly nice ball park.  Ballpark number 24 of 30 is now in the books.  Still to be checked off are; Pittsburg, Cleveland, Detroit, Toronto, Los Angeles (Angels) and Miami.  With only a week left in the regular season, there will be no more checked off this year.  Once we made it back to the rental car, we breathed a sigh of relief that the car was still there with all tires and windows in tact.

I'm NOT flashing gang signs.  That's a 24!

Friday was our last full day and we covered lots of ground, literally.  We enjoyed visiting Muir Woods National Monument which is part of the National Park System.  We hiked for close to five hours.  According to my I-phone we covered over nine miles and around 1000 feet of elevation change.

That's the Muir Woods Trail...……….right there!

Beth wearing a Redwood Tree on her head

I'm not sure what that is coming out of my head but it hurts!

The end of the trail

Muir Woods National Monument
We finished off the day attending a high school football game.  Joey is a volunteer coach at one of the local high schools.  He helps with the defense, and was quite proud of the 19-0 shut out.  They're 3-1 on the year, so they're doing pretty well.
It's now around 5:45 AM on Saturday morning.  We quietly left the Martin house around 3:45 and hopefully didn't wake anyone.  It was a great visit and we're already looking forward to seeing all of them again soon...……..especially one of them! Soon we'll be on our way back to Florida.  We're looking forward to celebrating a very special birthday!

There might be a little too much "government" in California.  This sign is posted in every restaurant and even movie theaters!  If I get cancer from eating at Chick-fil-a, so be it.

Alaska Wrap Up!

Denali on a clear day (we were probably 60+ miles away)

After one last pass through the buffet this morning, we disembarked the Norwegian Jewel.  We took the train from the cruise terminal (Canada Place) to the airport.  We have a few hours to kill before our flight to San Francisco, so I thought I would do a quick blog with a couple of reflections, as well as a few potentially helpful hints.
Alaska is big, bold and beautiful.  The people who live in Alaska (as well as the seasonal help) are very friendly and helpful.  They are happy to share information on where to eat and what to do.  They also enjoy sharing stories about living in what is regarded as the "Last Frontier".  As an example of how friendly folks can be here's a true story.  We met a nice young couple in the pool/hot tub area at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood.  They actually live in Girdwood and have a membership to the fitness center for them and their daughter.  He is an ER doctor in a small hospital near the Bering Sea.  He flies over for 10 days at a times and lives in a yurt while there.  We talked for about an hour about living in Alaska, families, being an ER doctor in Alaska (he sees some nasty stuff) and mission work that he does in India.  As they were leaving they gave us their phone number and told us that we could borrow their extra car anytime we wanted it!  Now that's true hospitality!
One of the many other stories we heard that is worth sharing is how the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage got started.  The easiest way to share the story is by the link below:
Annabelle the Alaska Zoo Elephant
Here are what may be a few helpful hints (in no particular order) if you're going to be visiting this amazing state:
If you are going to be cruising to Alaska you will most likely start in Seattle or Vancouver.  If you fly to either Seattle or Vancouver there is a train from the airport in both cities.  It's the most affordable way to get into the city center.
Vancouver is an awesome city.  If it's possible give yourself a few days to explore it.
The same can be said for Seattle.
Hotwire is a great tool to use to find affordable hotels in Vancouver (it's a fairly expensive place).
The weather in Alaska can always be tricky.  Even though you may get them, don't expect sunny skies and warm temperatures. Remember you are in Alaska, not the Caribbean.  Don't judge the day by the weather.
If at all possible, avoid June, July and August.  These months are the "high season" months.  This means bigger crowds and bigger price tags.  The summer months also tend to be some of the rainiest months.
Cruises start in late April/early May and run through September.  We've done early and late season cruises and they're both great.
If souvenirs are your thing, wait until the end of the season.  A week or so after Labor Day you can buy practically anything you want with "Alaska" on it for around 50% off!
Rental car rates drop dramatically after Labor Day!  One way rentals typically have large "drop off" fees.  Hotwire works great for rental cars also.
The Alaska Railroad is a great way to get around.  The routes will take you through some incredibly scenic areas.
Services around Denali pick up around the middle of May and start shutting down pretty quickly after labor day.  There are a few places open all year but not many.
Although it's huge, there aren't many roads.  If you spend some time on land you'll most likely be visiting Seward, Girdwood, Anchorage, Denali and possibly Fairbanks.  They are all great!
The Alaska Tour Saver booklet offers some great discounts (mostly buy one, get one free) on attractions, rentals, etc.
Alaska Tour Saver
As for the Traveling Idiots...….it's on to San Francisco for us.  We're looking forward to visiting with Sarah, Joey and Sweet Baby James for a few days.
We're putting the finishing touches on our next adventure, but that's for another blog!
I've added a few additional pictures to the two previous blogs if you're interested.

"Put your hands up and slowly walk backwards"

Ward Lake Trail-Ketchikan

It's Sunday, the last full day of the cruise.  When we wake up tomorrow morning we'll be back in Vancouver, where we started this 28 day Alaska Adventure.
Yesterday we were in Ketchikan, which is known for it's salmon and excessive rainfall.  It's was a pleasant, sunny day so thankfully no rain.  The salmon were plentiful, especially upstream.  It's that time of year where the "circle of life" plays out right before your eyes.  The stream was so full of fish you could practically walk across to the other side on their backs.  While most were still alive, a large number had completed their miraculous journeys back to where they were born.  After spawning, weakened, bruised and battered they die.  It's certainly a surreal scene, but definitely a "must see".

Salmon in the stream in Ketchikan

Beth asked a young man in the visitors center for suggestions on hiking trails.  He pointed us in a direction we hadn't taken on prior visits to Ketchikan.  A short city bus ride (North Silver Line) took us to Ward Cove.  From there it was about a mile to the Frog Pond Trailhead.  The Frog Pond Trail took us into the Tongass National Forest to a beautiful trail around Ward Lake.  The lake trail was a little over a mile through dense forest surrounding the lake.  Round trip from the bus stop was probably four miles.
As we were finishing up we had a sphincter tightening experience.  Out of the woods, on the left side of the road, no more than fifty yards in front of us, a momma black bear and her two cubs suddenly appeared.  Mom stopped in the middle of the road and started doing a "bear stare" right at the only two tasty looking humans anywhere around...……..us!
Beth immediately remembered her "bear safety training" from Denali National Park and said "put your hands up in the air (to make yourself look seem big, bad and mean) and "slowly walk backwards".  I don't always listen or pay attention as well as I should.  Thankfully I was paying attention and soon I was doing my best Michael Jackson Moonwalk with my hands high in the air.  Either we intimidated that mom or she just took pity on us.  Either way she soon directed the cubs on across the road where they quickly disappeared into the thick brush.  As soon as I realized our lives had been spared, I pulled out the phone and got one picture as cub #2 heads into the bushes.  The whole incident probably lasted less than 20 seconds.  I'm sure it would have been an entertaining 20 seconds to witness!
One side note to the bear story worth mentioning.  About five minutes prior to the encounter I made a quick pit stop behind a tree.  Without that pit stop we would have been about 50 yards further along the trail.  This would have put us and the bears "face to face"!

This massive tree along the Ward Lake Trail had tumbled over many years ago.  The trunk is now facing down and new trees are growing up from what was at one time the roots.

Along the Ward Lake Trail

Cub # 2!

Southbound

Reid Falls-near the Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway

We left Seward Monday evening and are sailing southbound towards Vancouver.  It's Friday afternoon now and we are enjoying a nice afternoon in Skagway.  Along the way we have visited Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point, Sawyer Glacier and Juneau.  We don't have a big internet package and I have not downloaded all the pictures yet, but here is a sample of what we've been up to this week.

Salmon Fishing from the shore in Seward.  They "snatch hook" them

Sunset as we cruised out

Hubbard Glacier from our balcony

The face of Hubbard Glacier

We saw the Northern Lights on two separate nights...………….you have to stay up late to see them

Iceberg from the Sawyer Glacier

Tree carving on Mount Roberts-Juneau

Along the Mount Roberts Trail

Mount Roberts Trail

The Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway is the resting place for many who went to Alaska seeing their fortune.  Some died due to the harsh conditions while others got in the way of a bullet.  One of the most interesting graves was marked "unknown".  According to the story, the fella went into the bank in Skagway with a gun and dynamite under his coat.  When he showed the teller the gun she went to the back of the bank.  The gun discharged which set off the dynamite...…….they buried what they could find of the guy.  He went out with a bang...……… literally!

Some of the tombstones in the Gold Rush Cemetery-Skagway

Smugglers Cove Trail-Skagway

Smugglers Cove-Skagway

The Thirty Percent Club!

Denali on a clear cool morning

We were up early Saturday morning for the 235 mile drive back to Anchorage.  When we went to the car we were greeted with a thin coating of ice on the car.  Not enough to require an ice scraper, but just another reminder that winter comes early up here.  The skies were clear which made for a great treat.  For most of the drive we had a great view of Mt. McKinley.  First in front of us, then along side and finally in the rear view mirror.  It is is called "Denali" by the Athabaskan Indian, which roughly translates to "the tall one".  It certainly lives up to it's billing.  Even yesterday after we got back to Anchorage we had a view of the mountain.  We had great views on three separate days.  That's a little unusual.  Because of clouds and fog it can be hidden from view for weeks at a time.  It's estimated that only thirty percent of the people that visit Denali National Park actually see the mountain.  They even sell t-shirts for those who are fortunate enough to see it (and want to plunk down $20 or so) proclaiming membership into the thirty percent club.  
We also saw a young bull (male) moose grazing on the side of the road.  So far our moose count is three.  One adult male, one adult female and her calf.  Moose, whales, bears, harbor seals, river otters, bald eagles...…….it's been quite a safari!

Young bull moose enjoying breakfast on the side of the road

The weather here in Anchorage over the weekend was fantastic!  The highs both Saturday and Sunday were in the 60's.  The great majority of residents and visitors seemed to be outside enjoying the pleasant, sunny days.  Of course we joined right in.  There is a downtown weekend market during the summer.  Booths offered local handmade products and a wide variety of foods.
We also enjoyed hiking a bit of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail on Saturday.  This trail is just under 20 miles in length so we only did a small portion of it on foot.  It's a very nice shared path (pedestrians and bikes) that follows along the Cook Inlet.  It was so nice that on Sunday we rented bikes and were able to cover a bit more of it, although we didn't come close to biking the whole trail.

The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
The bikes were "rent one get one free", thanks to the Alaska Tour Saver Booklet.  We also used a coupon to visit the Alaska Zoo.  The zoo is fairly small and serves as a rehabilitation facility for injured animals. It has a number of nice displays of various animals including brown, black and polar bears, caribou, moose and much more.  It's certainly a nice place to spend an hour or two if you get a chance.

The Alaska Zoo!

One of five wolves at the Alaska Zoo

Brown Bear-Alaska Zoo

 The Alaska Zoo
Tomorrow morning we'll be up early again.  This time to catch the train back to Seward.  Tomorrow afternoon we'll be back on board the Norwegian Jewel starting our seven day journey back to Vancouver.  We'll be passing back through Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.  We'll also be visiting Icy Strait Point, which over the past couple of years has become a favorite Alaska cruise stop.
When we tell people about our travels one of the first questions we hear is "what's your favorite place"?  Every place is special so we really don't have favorites.  If we did, we'd have Alaska high on the list!  

The end is near, and too much money in the street sign budget!

September 7 and according to Denali ATV winter is just two days away!

Yes, it's true.  The end is near.  It won't come all at once, it'll happen over a period of about two weeks, beginning this weekend.  Not the end of the world, at least not as far as I am aware.  However, it is the end of the season up here in Alaska.
The changing leaves and dipping temperatures happen quickly up here.  Just as quickly, the tourist season comes to an end.  As we made our way through this area last Sunday most of the lodges and cabins displayed "No Vacancy" signs.  Today the "No" has been removed from every one of them that we saw.  It's Friday afternoon and if you need a room for the weekend around Denali there are plenty available.
 Tuesday night we ate at the Creekside Café here on the property.  Our friendly server not only went over the specials for the evening,  but he also told us what they were out of for the season.  I would imagine that list has grown considerably over the last two days since they will be closing Sunday.  One of the great things on the menu at the Creekside Café are their cinnamon rolls.  They come in two sizes.  Texas size and Alaska size.  Maybe not everything is bigger in Texas.  The "Alaska size" cinnamon roll is twice as big.  As they say, "it ain't bragging if it's true"! 
Last night we went to the Cabin Nite Dinner Theater in Denali Village.  It has been running for thirty years (of course we used a coupon from our Alaska Tour Savers booklet)  Throughout the summer they do two shows a night and I'm sure most shows are sold out, or at least near capacity (it looks to seat around 150 people).  We went to the 5:00 PM show last night and there were 15 of us in the theater.  As we walked towards the door the hostess said "you must be the Tucker's".  When I told her I was impressed with her skill of knowing our names before we arrived she confessed we were the last two guests to arrive so we had to be "the Tucker's".  In spite of the audience almost outnumbering the cast, it was a great show with lots of energy.  The good news for them, they were expecting around 75 for the second show.  Their last performances will be Saturday night.

Cabin Nite Dinner Theater

The very talented cast from the Cabin Nite Dinner Theater!  It was practically one cast member for very two audience members!

We've been in the National Park Visitors Center three days in a row.  The crowd today was about half as big as it was just two days ago.  A small portion of the park and even one campground stays open year round, but I would imagine that it's pretty lonely in there after another week or two.
Today we went into the small town at the entrance of the park.  This is where you can find all the Alaska themed t-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, hats, coffee mugs, pens, pencils, coloring books, post cards, etc., etc., etc., that money can buy.  Almost all the overpriced merchandise they have is now on sale for anywhere from 30 to 70% off.  If you're a shopper, it's the most wonderful time of the year up here.  We're not, although we did plunk down a few bucks for a sticker book of Alaska animals for Sweet Baby James (don't tell him).
As we drove around, we headed up a side road to the Grand Denali Lodge overlooking the town and the park.  I guess there was a little extra money in the budget for road signs as well as some creativity.  We were amused by these signs as we drove along.

The mosquitos are big up here!

You have to watch out for those moose!

Here at the McKinley Creek Cabins we're quite possibly the last guests that will be staying in cabin 14 this year.  We check out tomorrow.  Everyone will be checked out by Monday.   They will start "winterizing" everything for what's quickly approaching...……..winter...………...not a Florida winter or a Texas winter, but a real bone chilling, rip roaring winter.  20 hours of darkness, winds howling, snow blowing, temperatures well below zero, winter.
I'm sure it's a winter wonderland to behold up here.  I think I've said this before, as crazy as it sounds, I think it would be fun to see it ...….as long as I can get out quickly!
A few parting shots from Denali;