HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN JIGGITY JIG....ALMOST

Well here I sit on April's comfy couch.  We arrived back in Vancouver after a day at sea and a day in Victoria.  In Victoria we were supposed to dock at 9 am.  But we couldn't dock until 1:30 due to heavy winds.

Our plan was to meet Levi at noon for dim sum in Chinatown.   We stayed in touch with him and finally we got off the boat by just after 1:30.  And of course, no taxi.  Just a massive big line up.  Jeez!!!  I just happened to spot rickshaw drivers and made arrangements to get one of them to pull all 700 pounds of us the two kilometres to the restaurant.  He was absolutely an awesome guy, very philosophical and strong!!!  It was almost the most fun we had on the whole trip!

Levi and his gal, Gina, arrived and we had an awesome lunch and visit and Levi gave us a ride home....IN GLADYS!!!!!  I don't regret selling her, but almost!

The boys dropped me off at the boat after and Monte went to Levi's for a few hours.  Later I went upstairs for dinner at the slop troughs and managed to witness a big fight between a 'Karen' (I hate that expression...shovel list....but she was) attacking verbally a sweet older couple.  What a cow!  I don't know what happened but she must have said, 'it's not okay, it's not okay,' thirty times. She was a right nasty little fat ass woman.  The couple were so dignified and very disturbed.  The older lady looked terrified and was on the verge of tears.  And that cow just kept going and going and going.  Finally the man turned to her and got right in her face and yelled, 'I just don't give a shit!' and she just yelled it right back.  It sounded like somehow he had taken her picture and she said he had no right to do that.  It was not okay!!!!  What a horrible awful person.  So I got my camera and took her picture, from behind.  I wanted to smack her.  Hard. Pic below.

Disembarkation was marginally better.  But there were probably over 300 people in the taxi line up.  And the line up just didn't get smaller.  Graeme, bless his sweet soul showed up to meet us.  He was a total godsend.  He is very familiar with that area as he worked down there at one time.  He got us to a nearby quiet coffee shop.  He helped with all the luggage.

  Eventually he tipped a bellboy who immediately got us a taxi!!!  He then helped us unload it all into the hotel room and head up to drop me off at April's, where I sit as I type this.  I did spend one night at Aryn and Bradley's. I always have such an awesome time with those two and due to their work I don't get a chance to see them that often.    

I tried to get reservations on the ferry but they were booked til next week.  So Aryn, bless her, drove me out to the ferry terminal and I bought an assured loading card...ten trips.  It adds sixty bucks to the trip but if you get there half an hour before sailing time, you're on.  I have been contemplating this purchase for a while.  And frankly, if something happened to one of my family I don't want to be sitting in a three ferry wait lineup.

So we go home today.  I want to make a stop at TNT market and get a duck and roasted pork......annnnnd. maaaaybe an extra nummers or two.  But first I have to get Monte up.  He is at the North Van Hotel.  He is packing up and coming up to pick me up.

So I had best bounce.  Have a great day or two and TTYL

'There is nothing on earth as powerfully healing as time with your family.'   Helen Price

AS USUAL BLOGSPOT HAS NOT PUT THE PICS ON IN THE ORDER I CHOSE...GRRRRR

I WOULD REMOVE THIS STUPID PIC BUT BLOGSPOT WOULD SIMPLY GO TO PIECES AND HAVE A PANIC ATTACK

OUTSIDE SITKA

NATE, OUR AWESOME RICKSHAW DRIVER

OUR DOWNLOADED EMBARKATION PIC

MR. SERIOUS

LEAVING KETCHICAN

LOTS OF THESE AROUND. AND LOTS OF DEAD CARS ON LAND.  NOWHERE TO SINK 'EM

MY SWAN DESSERT

MONTE'S PISTACHIO DESSERT

HAD TO PULL US BACKWARDS UP THE HILL.  HE WAS PRETTY PROUD OF THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT

FINALLY...CHINATOWN

DOWN THE STREET

LEVI MONTE AND GLADYS...OUR SHIP WAS ON THE LEFT

IT'S NOT OKAY. IT'S NOT OKAY.  IT'S NOT OKAY

ARRIVING HOME

 

SINGLE? NO THANK YOU!!!!!!!.

Hi Ange!!!  I can't text or message her so I am going to send her a message here before my post.  We are sure missing you.  We are having trouble finding rhubarb vodka!  I don't think they have it anymore though.  But we are bringing you something!!!!  I hope everything is going okay at home.  And I hope Ace isn't giving you too much trouble!!! Hahaha!!!  And you can always talk to Harry if you get lonely!  Love Monte and Helen

I am not sure where I left off.  I do believe we were in Juneau and we went back to the Crab Shack for dinner.  It was lovely as usual.

I checked my step counter, keeping in mind I don't always have it with me.  I am averaging between 5500 and 6500 steps per day.  This is an obscene amount of steps.  No wonder everything hurts.  For eight years I have been sitting in my chair except when making dinner.  To go from that to that is crazy.  I am damned lucky I can.

So Skagway was a bust.  That bust was due to a   relentless downpour rain, nowhere to get out of it, and enormous stupid lines and people.  And the shuttle was great to get downtown but no shuttle wasn't full coming back.  We had to walk the whole kilometre and a half.  Now that prolly doesn't sound like lots to you folks, you healthy troopers, but to a sedentary fat broad in the pouring rain?  Yeah.  Pain pain pain.  But I did it.  Monte was so kind and understood that every so often I had to park my sorry sore ass on a soaking wet bench for a couple of minutes.  He was beyond patient with me.

We were at the dock where the train station is.  Our train trip was set for 1:45.  The last loooong stretch walking we were passing an extremely long line of people.  I stopped one person and asked what that long line was for.  It was for the 1:00 train.  At that moment it was 12:45.  There was nowhere to sit or even stand out of the pouring torrential rain.  OMG!!!!!  So far this day we had:  stood in a long line on the ship to get into a lifeboat, spent 15 minutes crammed on the boat like a sardine, climbed out of it and climbed the longest ramp you ever saw that was almost vertical, in the pouring rain.  Walked quite a ways to a shuttle stop.  Waited ten mins for a shuttle,  (in the pouring rain...shovel list).  Got on and got off downtown.  Could barely walk due to thousands of people and pouring rain.  Found a pub, I needed coffee and a sammich of some sort, I hadn't eaten anything yet that day.  Went into the pub and nowhere to sit.  Finally ended up outside in a plastic covered deck in the freezing rain with no food.  Told Monte to just go look around and I would wait there.  He was gone maybe five minutes and said he couldn't do it...too many people and too much rain.  So we went out and waited for a shuttle.  Took forever and finally we realized that we weren't going to get one.  They all arrived full.  So we walked the kilometre and a half. And when we saw the line up we would likely be in, and all the windows on the train were fogged up and unheated, we made the executive decision to bail.  So we hopped into the tender lifeboat line up, eventually got back to the ship and walked the thousand steps back to our room.  (at least we were out of the relentless effing rain.)  And today our clothes we wore are still wet.  Not to complain or anything.  A most unpleasant day and a huge disappointment.

Last nite we went to Sabatini's for dinner.  This was our second trip and it was amazing, except we couldn't finish our meal.  Slowly but surely we are not able to eat as much as the first couple of days.  I will put two pics from that dinner below.  They were truly amazing.

Before our dinner appointment the other day at Sabatini's Monte was resting so I told him I would go up to the quiet bar we found, Adagio, and he could meet me there. It's next door to Sabatini's.

I was the only one in there.  It was awesome.  After about an hour a couple came in and sat.  Then two or three men, each by himself, came in.  And they eyed me up and down for too long.  If I were younger and not such a blister I would be suspicious.  But I am not so I kept on reading.  More and more people were coming in and thoroughly eyeballing me til I finally got suspicious.  I hauled out the schedule for the day and checked...5:00 Adagio....singles and solos.  OMG!!!  No no no!!!!  I got the hell out of there as fast as I could go!  Wouldn't you know?  The only lounge that was quiet and lovely...and a hunting ground.  Grrrrr.....

Now it is Sitka day and once again we bailed.  We love being in our room listening to music and reading and just drinking drinks from room service.  We love it and frig it's raining to beat hell outside. And all our coat layers are still soaking wet.  You should see my hair.  hahahaha.....staying in today.  Tonight it's the Crown Grill.  Wagu beef here we come!

I am probably missing a day but oh well.  It rained.  That much I can guarantee!!!!  TTYL

'I always love walking in the rain, said no one EVER!!!! '   Helen Price

PONZANELLA  SALAD

OSSO BUCCO SAFRON RISOTTO

COMING INTO SITKA

SITKA TAKEN FROM THE TV BRIDGE CAM...SO FUZZY

FOOD FOOD FOOD

Talk about eating and eating and eating.  We only eat three times a day but I am used to eating only once a day and maybe a snack.  My jaw is actually getting tired.

Last night we went to Sabatini's, a beautiful amazing Italian restaurant.  It was 39 dollars each.  The food was not pronounceable and totally delicious.  Pics below.  Monte had some weird martini..vespers or something like that and I had apple juice.  I simply cannot drink anymore.  I would make a lousy, or cheap drunk.

We did go into the perfume store and we each bought a scent.  I don't know what he got but it was in a bright red box and smelled divine.  I bought Eternity.  I have been wanting to buy it since Luz left umpteen years ago.  I love the smell of it.  

I have to be honest here and admit that I am having trouble walking any distance.  My hip, tailbone, knee and feet hurt like the dickens.  I don't like taking pills but I think today I am going to load up.

We floated into Juneau this morning in the early morning mist.  There are a couple of other ships in town too.  That means an average of 12,000 or more tourists will be roaming about this tiny town.  We didn't book any excursions for this town.  It's enough to walk about and do a little shopping.  I am on the lookout for rhubarb vodka for Ange.  Tonite we go back to the Crab Shack, Monte's choice.  Just between you and me I am getting tired of prawns.  I was already tired of them before we left but I don't have the heart to tell him.  I think I will get lobster this time.  Unfortunately he wants that bucket for two so I don't know.  

Tomorrow we are in Skagway.  I absolutely love Skagway.  We did book a train excursion up to White Pass Yukon at noon tomorrow.  It is stunningly beautiful.  

The next day may be a sea day, I am not sure. We have a reservation at the Crown Grill...an amazing steak and chop house.  They also offer lobster.  Monte is super looking forward to this particular dinner!

We have finally found a lounge called the Adagio.  It looks like and old gentleman's club, wood panelled walls, muted carpet, comfy overstuffed chairs with wooden accents.  And best of all the music they play very softly is NOT ghastly pop or country.  We plan to spend a little more time up there sipping and reading!  It's a scotch kinda place.  Also the odd foursome playing bridge.  In other words an old people lounge.  Suits me!

Well it is now ten am and Juneau awaits.  Monte is showering and then we will be off to get breakfast and head into town.  On the hunt...rhubarb vodka!!!  Dinner isn't until 6:30 tonight and the ship doesn't leave until 8:30 so we can mosey to our hearts content.  Have a great day!!!  TTYL

'I come from a family that considers gravy a beverage.'  Erma Bombeck

'My doctor told me I had to stop throwing dinners for four unless there are three other people.' Orson Welles

THE GORGEOUS DINING ROOM

MISSING TWO SCRUMPCIOUS HUGE PRAWNS, HUSH PUPPIES AND SAUCE

SERVED WITH AMAZING BREADS

CALAMARI AND PRAWN APPETIZER

MY DINNER OF EGGPLANT PARMEGIAN

MONTE'S BRANZINI...HE LOVED IT

THE NEIGHBOURS OSSO BUCCO ON SAFFRON RISSOTTO

THE DESSERTS.....ZABILOGNI, TIRAMISU, PANNA COTTA, A HAZELNUT BALL ON GELATO AND MORE ZABABLAH BLAH...I HAVE MORE RED LINES SHOWING UP IN THIS POST THAN EVER BEFORE!!!!

 

DAY 1 & 2 & 3 BOOZE TRIP THIS ONE

 Hokey Dinah!!!  We are drinking.  And drinking and drinking.  I bought a package that paid our gratuities, gave us wifi, fitness classes (yeah right), two specialty desserts per day,  specialty coffees, free unlimited juice/smoothie bar and fifteen alcoholic drinks per day each.  Monte, mimicking Uncle Kerry, worked out that if we each drank four 15 dollar drinks per day, it would pay for the package.  So we have read all the menus and we are going to make our way through them.  Today, the first day, it isn't even twelve yet and we are drinking two very strong unusual cocktails.

We are having an enormously great time.  It is so relaxing, and Monte is so funny, has me in stitches, and we are eating.  And eating. And eating.    And telling people how tall Monte is, and thanking people for telling me they like my hair, and drinking, and avoiding insanely stupid loud games people are playing and did I mention eating?  Hamburgers, fries, hot dogs, crazy good buffet lunch, desserts, ice cream, lattes, capuchinos, smoked salmon on bagels with all the trimmings, corn grits, corned beef hash, bacon to the power of infinity.....etc.....And now Monte has gone for a regroup nap and I am sitting in a very noisy bar typing on my lappy.

The boat is heading into a storm.  In fact they have postponed the stop in Sitka tomorrow to the way back.  You have to tender into Sitka and they don't tender in storms.  The tenders are the lifeboats.  I don't see what's so bad about tendering in one!  Should be safe I'd say.

Okay I started this post with the positive.  Now for a negative.  Embarkation.  I have cruised 22 times and this embarkation was a complete nightmare.  The worst one I have ever done took approximately an hour.  This one was nearly two hours and I only wish I had my step counter on me.  Actually my phone did a count.  Keep in mind I average 12 steps per day.  (just kidding but I don't log very many). Yesterday it went over ten thousand, just getting from the taxi to the ship elevator.  We lined up back and forth and back and forth through three different massive areas and when we finally got through to the boat part we had to walk from the front to the back to get on....three football fields worth.  I thought my right leg was going to disintegrate from the haunch down.  It was so completely unnecessary.  I'm not sure if that is Princess of Vancouver dock responsible.  I don't care, I am going to lodge a loud and long complaint.

But as soon as we finally got to sit we found ourselves at the Salty Dog...a fantastic hot dog and hamburger spot on one of the pool decks.  I was starving by then so I got a hamburger and it was amazing!  We finally were into our stateroom by about three.  At four thirty, sail away time, we went out onto the very back, found some chairs, drank three or four crazy strong drinks and stayed til we sailed under the Lion's Gate bridge.  We stopped at the slops trough for more food on the way back to our stateroom.  Dinner was really good.  Rare roast beef, mashed spuds, gravy and a lot of other unnecessary things like delicious buns and cold chunks of butter, a myriad of salads, four pastas, roasty potato wedges, lamb stew, Chinese dishes, cheeses, soups, appetizers, weenie sandwiches and on and on.  The desserts were kind of sucky but we ate them anyway. You know...can't help it.

Now, Monte has been regrouping in the room since noon and it is now 1:30.  I am hungry.  I think I will go up and eat.  He will find me...or not.

It's been an awesome trip so far.  We are on day four now, which is the Hubbard Glacier.  It is either 7:25 or 8:25.  We lose an hour on the 2nd day so I think it is 7:25.  We have entered the Yukatuk (sp?) Bay and in an hour we will be parked in front of the magnificent glacier.

We have been having so much fun.  I think I mentioned that I bought a drinks package that allows us 15 alcoholic drinks per day and boy have we been taking advantage of that!!!  Monte, due to his size, just never gets drunk or even that tipsy thank goodness and I can only drink a small amount.  Any more than that I get nausea, my number one hate in life so I don't risk it.  It has been a lot of fun testing out the various drinks you hear about but have never ordered.  Monte orders them and taste them.  So far my fave is Bourbon and blood.  It's a blood orange drink.  Delicious!

We have been eating our meals at the slops trough.  And by day three I was tired of what they put up there.  It's good, just tired of the mediocre offerings. And there are barely any vegetable dishes.  We don't go to the dining room.  Too peoply and you have to share tables and you have to talk and be friendly.  Not either one of our's cup of tea.  So last night I made a reservation at the Crab Shack and we had a fantastic meal in that specialty restaurant.  Pics below!  We have also been ordering room service, part of the package I bought.  To me that is the ultimate 'holiday'.

Yesterday we stopped at a place called Icy Point Strait.  It's tiny and quaint and touristy, which appeals to me.  I love touristy.  But it involved a huge amount of walking so I stayed behind.  Not to complain but I am still recovering from embarkation.  My hip and tailbone are mighty sore.  I am living on an aspirin and Tylenol combo.  I am saving up for the four towns I don't want to miss.

It has been cold out.  And it has steadily been raining.  But today it is gloriously sunny out.  We leave this bay by noon and Monte and I will be on the hunt for a quiet spot.  I must admit that the staff try too hard to entertain the guests.  Jeez they have egg toss races, bean bag races, all kinds of trivia, quiz games, bartender entertaining by throwing bottles around, races involving toilet paper, Switch Nintendo races, Name that Tune...and craft classes, Zumba, spin classes, beer tasting led by the most loud tiny Filipino girl with a grating voice, like stop already!!!  There is nowhere to quietly go to read or just veg.  There is always some jumpy loud exuberant pushy staff member hooping and hollering with some game they are trying to get everyone participating in.  It gets really annoying.  And for so many at sea days, there is never anywhere to sit.  So we do spend a fair amount of time in our stateroom.

Tomorrow I do believe we will be in Juneau.  I am going to pop some pills, load up my ten pound camera and hit the streets.  We will probably leave the main touristy area and walk some back streets.  We want to get some funky pics.  Monte is using an old camera.  It even has that accordion stretch out part.  It attracts a lot of attention.  But then so does his 6'9 height.  People used to comment all the time on my hair.  Not anymore.  They don't even see me when I am with Monte!  Hahahaha!!!!

I see ice approaching and I am starving and needing coffee.  Time to boot Monte out of bed and get this awesome day going.  Sunshine!!!!!! TTYL

'A man who keeps company with glaciers comes to feel tolerably insignificant by and by.'  Mark Twain

I NEVER EAT HAMBURGERS BUT BY THE TIME WE GOT ONTO THE BOAT I WAS STARVING!!!!  WE STOPPED AT THE SALTY DOG AND ATE

AND UNDER THE LIONS GATE BRIDGE WE WENT WITH EVERYONE HOOTING AND HOLLERING

MY FIRST DRINK

MR. NONCHALANT...I TOLD HIM TO SUCK HIS STOMACH IN AND GAZE OFF INTO THE DISTANCE

MR. DAPPER HEADING OUT FOR FUN TIMES

WITH OUR DRINK PACKAGE COME TWO SPECIALTY DESSERTS PER DAY EACH.  CAN YOU IMAGINE EVEN EATING ONE OF THESE LET ALONE TWO?  BARF

A FIVE DOLLAR CHEESE PLATE FOR SNACKERS.  FREE

ONE DAY WE ORDERED TWO DRINKS AND COFFEE.  IT DIDN'T COME.  TWO HOURS LATER THREE DIFFERENT WAITERS SHOWED UP WITH OUR DRINKS.  I THINK WE ENDED UP WITH NINE.  ONE, THAT RED ONE, WE HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IT IS.  TASTED LIKE CELERY.

CRAB SHACK....FIRST WE HAD MASSIVE PRAWNS AND HUSHPUPPIES, I FORGOT TO TAKE A PIC.  THEN THIS CAME.  CLAM CHOWDER IN A BOWL.  AWESOME DELISH

MONTE POLISHING IT OFF

A BUCKET OF CLAMS MUSSELS AND ENDLESS CRAB WITH THREE AMAZING DIPPING SAUCES

DELICIOUS DESSERTS

I CAN'T BELIEVE I WENT LOOKING LIKE THIS.  THIS MORNING I HAVE DONE MY HAIR AND SPRAYED IT AND MADE IT LOOK NICE.  A WOMAN CAME UP TO ME AND SAID 'OH I CAN SEE YOU HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE WIND.'  JEEZ!!!

UP UP AND AWAY...NO NO...THAT ISN'T RIGHT

 When Spod and I were doing three big trips a year I would usually name this post on leave day Up Up and Away.  But this time we aren't flying.  And not flying is for a very good reason.

Over the last couple of years I have watched that TV show Mayday many many times.  First a plane crash is shown then the whole hour is about sleuthing into minute details trying to discover the cause of that crash....that inevitably killed umpteen people.

I stopped watching it a couple of months ago. I noticed that the more I understood how planes functioned, the more terrified I became to fly again.  So ridiculous, as Spod and I spent umpteen hours flying in exactly the type of planes on that show and never even lost a piece of luggage.  So I stopped watching...and flying.

When I was mapping out our current trip we are going on I made sure that there was no flying involved.  And that is solely because of the hours I spent watching that show.  It has scared the bejeepers out of me and I need to get over that.  Somehow.  I ain't there yet.  Soon.  I hope.  (shovel list)

In the meantime cruising is a nice alternative.  So today we are off to Alaska for an eleven day cruise.  It is on Princess, the cheapest line of cruises, and a really smokin' hot deal.  I don't think I would have done this one if it hadn't been for a certain email that came from Princess offering this cruise super cheap, our dollar at par.  Holy doodle!!!  650 bucks per person at par for a balcony room and the cruise, which is normally 7 days is four days longer than normal.

And of course we are doing Alaska.  I have been there umpteen times but Monte hasn't.  This is an easy cruise.  There are just enough sea days to make us happy (we would do a cruise that was all sea days if we could) and easy places to visit for culture and shopping.  We signed up for one excursion.  That involves a steam train in Skagway that takes us up to White Pass in the Yukon.  It is the most beautiful three hours you can spend.  I have done it every time we have gone to Alaska and it never gets old. We did  it in the rain.  We did it in the snow and we did it in super hot weather.   Other than that we are not doing any other shore excursions.  I went over them with Monte and we decided we would walk and shop.

So today is the day.  It's early and I am sitting in a comfy bed at the North Vancouver Hotel.  Monte is snoring away across the room and I am drinking pissy weak but hot, coffee I made when I got up.  I could go over the parking lot to the breakfast room and have some free breakfast.  They always had eggs, sausages, a waffle machine, all kinds of muffins and buns and toast, cereals, lots of juice choices etc...but I am too comfy right here and not hungry enough.

Yesterday was such a special day for me.  We picked up April at 7 o'clock and she managed to glide into the car so easily.  I was so impressed.  She still can't move her arms very much and she has bandages and drains etc...and pain.  But she is an amazing trooper.

She and I went to her appointment and it went super well.  She is healing so nicely but the drains weren't quite ready to come out which was disappointing.  But she handled everything so well.  I am so glad I could be there with her.  It hasn't felt quite right not being near her through all of this.  She still has a bumpy road over the next three months but she is proving to be a tough cookie and can handle it.

Later that day Aryn and Bradley came over.  This was pretty special for me.  I was in a place with three of my kids.  That never happens!  I was so happy.  We ordered Indian food and sat around the table and ate and visited.  It was so special.

My stupid tailbone has flared up.  This is so annoying.  After the initial couple of very painful months a year and a half ago, the pain died down to a very quiet ignorable roar.  Most the time I forgot about it.  But over the last week something changed.  It hurts and especially when I bend over and stand up again.  So try not bending over when you are doing laundry, packing a couple of suitcases and cleaning a house.  I will have to try really hard on this trip to not bend over.  I thought about bringing my walker but discarded that idea. 

 I remember when Spod started to use a cane and not only did it mean I had to pack around the bag he normally carried in that hand, it super slowed him down even more.  Well walkers are even worse.

  Additionally the way they are built forces you to hunch over them, they are so low.  You take a look at people with walkers, they are all hunched over, leaning on their arms.  I already have a hunchy back due to double scoliosis.  I don't need to make it worse by hunching over even more.  And I have bad arms, like a lot of older people.  Walkers don't help.  So no walker.  I might regret it but I don't think so.

Well I am getting excited!  My favourite part of cruising is that moment when you enter your stateroom, shut the door and you are there.  I love it!!!  Now I need to repack and organize and get ready to call a taxi soon.  Apparently I said in my sleep night before last, 'Carpe diem!'  What the heck???  So I shall use it here but in English.  I shall sign off with...seize the day and go make it count!!!  TTYL

'To move, to breathe, to fly, to float.  To roam the roads of lands remote, to travel is to live.'  Hans Christian Anderson

LAHAINA

ONLY IN JAPAN

PICTURE TIME

LOVES FOREIGN FOOD

COOKIE AND BRIAN IN LAHAINA

YANGZEE RIVER GORGES

THE GORGE

TERRA COTTA WARRIORS

ALL THINGS YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU TRAVEL