Alaska (2012)

Prolog

In August 2011 Tova and I planned our family vacation for 2012.  It would be the 3^rd time that we would have such a vacation where all of our family members would join us and spend time together.  After checking all of our possibilities we decided on a cruise to Alaska.  We planned it for June 2012.

I called Costco Travel and arrange for the best possible cabins.  About two weeks into the process, Gary called and informed us that it would be impossible for him to take time off in June as his boss is traveling this time of the year.  He asked if we could postpone to August.

I called Costco Travel and with the wonderful help of Jacque we found another ship, Rhapsody of the Seas for August 3^rd. 

We decided that each family will get to Seattle.  Odie & Joy decided to spend few days earlier in Portland and visit Emly, who have resided there since September 2011.  Gary & Sharone decided to drive to Seattle and visit on the way at Yosemite Park and other cities en route to Seattle.  Tova & I decided to fly to Seattle 3-4 days prior to August 3^rd and visit the beautiful city of Seattle.  I called our friend Jim & Theresa who have been living in Seattle for a couple of year after their move from Vegas.  I asked them if they could come up with an itinerary where of the four of us could enjoy a couple of days together.

Day 1 – July 31^st, 2012

We drove our own car to Long Beach Airport and after parking our car we checked in to Alaska Airlines. After a pleasant flight we arrived to Seattle at around 1:00 pm.  We rented a nice SUV and drove to Bellevue, WA where our hotel, Embassy Suits is located.

Odie, Joy, Sole, Orion, and Emly were already in the city and about an hour after our arrival they showed up in the hotel and there are not so many words that describe our joy and happiness when we greeted them.

Today is Odie’s Birthday and we decided to celebrate in a nice restaurant.  We drove our cars and arrived to Pike Street in Seattle where we had reservations in Quinn’s Pub located in Capitol Hill.  The place has a great atmosphere and an excellent selection on their menu.  The beer selection is also something to mention.  We had a great time!! After dinner we walked on Pike Street and then returned to our cars.  As Odie, Joy and Emly wanted to continue the evening on and around Pike Street we volunteered to “baby sit” Orion and Sole.  We drove back to our hotel and stopped on our way at a Dairy Queen where we consumed a delicious ice cream.

We all went to sleep at around 11:30.  Odie showed up at around 2:00 am and picked up the kids.

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Day 2 – August 1^st, 2012

We woke up at 7:30 and went down to the dining room to meet with Jim and Theresa.  Breakfast at the Embassy Suits has always impressed us with the variety of the food selection.

We hopped to Theresa’s car and took off for our first visit of the day: Pike’s Place Market.

The public market is overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle. The Market opened August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continually operated public farmers' markets in the United States. 

It is a place of business for many small farmers, craftspeople and merchants. Named after the central street, Pike Place runs northwest from Pike Street to Virginia Street, and remains one of Seattle's most popular tourist destinations.

The Market is built on the edge of a steep hill, and consists of several lower levels located below the main level. Each features a variety of unique shops such as antique dealers, comic book and collectible shops, small family-owned restaurants, and one of the oldest head shops in Seattle. The upper street level contains fishmongers; fresh produce stands and craft stalls operating in the covered arcades. Local farmers and craftspeople sell year-round in the arcades from tables they rent from the Market on a daily basis, in accordance with the Market's mission and founding goal: allowing consumers to "Meet the Producer".

Pike Place Market is home to nearly 500 residents who live in 8 different buildings throughout the Market. Most of these buildings have been low income housing in the past; however, some of them no longer are, such as the Livingston Baker apartments. Pike Place Market sees 10 million visitors annually.

We visited the Pike Place Fish Company where people from all over the world come to see the world famous crew of fishmongers throwing fish and having fun with the customers.

Other stops we made were at a huge vegetable and fruits stand, flowers shop, and Rachel the pig,the famous unofficial mascot of the market, who just turned 25 in 2011.  We watched as people inserted cash into the slot on Rachel’s back and found out that Rachel receives roughly $9,000 annually in just about every type of world currency, which is collected by the Market Foundation to fund the Market's social services.

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Our next stop was at the Starbucks Café right across the street.  It opened in 1971 and was the first such Starbucks to open.  It now has over 17,000 coffee shops all around the world.  We looked around and the unique décor and ordered our usual drinks.

Lunch was our next stop.  We entered Post Alleyand felt as we are in Italy.  The alley consists of pubs, restaurants and small shops.  We found our destination, recommended by Theresa.  Good Decision! We entered the Pink Door restaurant and right away were greeted and seated at the patio.  We ordered salads, fish and beer.  The food was excellent.

While sitting at Pink Door, the kids called and happened to be nearby.  Few minutes later they came over just to say hi.  It was also an opportunity for Jim & Theresa to meet them.

After the delicious lunch we drove to the Downtown area and climbed into a bus that looks like a boat and like a bus.  It was actually an amphibious vehicle.

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Holding the wheel of the Duck Dock and navigating the vehicle was the Coast Guard certified sea captain, who quacked us up with local history, folklore, funky music and just plain fun!

On our Duck tour, we toured the Pike Place Market, the historic Pioneer Square, Downtown Seattle and funky Fremont before we SPLASHED into Lake Union for a spectacular view of the city skyline, luxurious yachts, and the famous Sleepless in Seattle Houseboats!

After about 90 minutes we returned to 5^th Avenue and Broad Street and bought our ticket to the Space Needle Observation Deck.

When it was completed in 1962, it was the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. Located 520' above Seattle, the Observation Deck offers 360 degrees of breathtaking indoor and outdoor viewing.  We were not disappointed!

We spent over 2 hours walking, sitting, looking and taking pictures.  Thanks for a beautiful clear and sunny day we were able to see as far as Mt. Rainier. The view was unbelievable.  Float planes below us pm sparkling Lake Union, Ferries, Cruise Lines, and cargo ships cross Elliott Bay.  The city streets were abuzz with activity.  The big city was just opened before our eyes.

Our next stop was the neighborhood of Fremont.  This place used to be originally a separate city.  It was annexed to Seattle

in 1891.  A growing number of technology companies have a presence in Fremont, including Adobe Systems.

We drove under the George Washington Memorial Bridge, also known as the Aurora Bridge and arrived at one of the most visited place in Seattle: The Troll Under the Bridge.  What we saw was a colossal statue, which looks like a monster and holding a real VW Beetle in his hands, as if it had just swiped it from the roadway above.

It was time for dinner and we were happy to learn that Theresa had made reservations to a beautiful place called Ivar’s Salmon House.  We learned that the place is a beautiful cedar replica of a Northwest Indian Longhouse, complete with an open-pit Native American-style barbecue for preparing succulent alder-smoked dishes. The setting was filled with Northwest native, décor and historical photographs. We enjoyed memorable meal surrounded by spectacular views of boats cruising Lake Union and

Seattle’s skyline.

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Theresa and Jim drove us back to the hotel at around 10:00 pm.  Later on Emly joined us as we planned to spend the next day with her.

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Day 3 – August 2^nd, 2012

We woke up at around 8:00 and after breakfast we drove to Alaskan Way that runs along the Elliott Bay waterfront in the industrial district and downtown of Seattle.

We hopped on the Washington State Ferry and standing on the stern of the Bainbridge Island ferry, I watched Seattle's skyline get smaller and smaller. After a scenic 35 minutes arrived at Bainbridge Island.

We headed toward the bay and found a picturesque shore with sail boats, canoes, gorgeous birds, beautiful flowers and lovely eateries.  We then walked the streets of the island and found lovely winding roads and gardens.

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After about 3 hours we returned to the pier and embarked the ferry, which took us back to the city.  On the way we watched many sail boats, other ferries, parasailing boats and fishermen boats.

We told Emly about last night’s success at Ivar’s restaurant and decided that for lunch we will try Ivar’s Acres of Clams on Alaskan Way.

The place has been a tradition since 1938. Seattle’s most historic full service seafood restaurant is poised on Seattle’s colorful waterfront at Pier 54.

 This attractive yet informal restaurant has a wharf-like feel which showcases stellar waterfront views of Washington State ferries.  The food was delicious and the service impeccable.  We were seated next to a window and enjoyed a full view of the bay and seagulls enjoying seeds, provided by kids and adults.  It was just perfect

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After the delicious lunch we headed toward Pioneer Square, which marks Seattle's original downtown, dating back to 1852. The district is characterized by late nineteenth century brick and stone buildings, and one of the nation's best surviving collections of Romanesque Revival style urban architecture.

We learned that it was once the heart of the city: Seattle's founders settled there in 1852.

We kind of tagged along a group and listened to their guide as she was standing in front of a beautiful totem, in the middle of square: On October 18, 1899, a 60-foot totem pole from Fort Tongass, Alaska, was unveiled in Pioneer Square and "greeted by cheers of a multitude of people." The totem had been stolen from a Tlingit village several weeks before and was presented to the City of Seattle by the Chamber of Commerce "Committee of Fifteen" -- the group of Seattle vandals (who were prominent citizens) that had taken the totem.  When the Indians found out about the theft they demanded $20,000 for the stolen totem, but settled for $500.  In 1938, an arsonist seriously damaged the totem. It was removed and in 1940 replaced with a replica carved by the descendants of the carvers of the original totem.

Our next stop was at The Blue Trees of Seattle.  This is the perfect place to stop and admire this work of art paid for by the city of Seattle.  We learned that Artist Konstantin Dimopoulous, an artist from Austrailia, wants to make people aware of global deforestation as 32 million trees are estimated to be lost yearly, according to the UN, to other uses. The super cool part is that the bright blue is not a paint but a mixture of blue rock and water that is non- toxic and will wash off with the rain. It was so amazing because trees, being blue, are not normal. The blue trees helped make you aware of how many trees are being taken down by acts of nature or people.

 
We walked to Pine Street and found the new Target store and Macy’s where we bought few clothing to Emly.  We then walked back to Alaskan Way where Emly took us to Post Alley to view an extra ordinary landmark: The Gum Wall.   We found a brick alleyway wall covered in used chewing gum. Parts of the wall are covered several inches thick, 15 feet high.

 The wall is by the box office for the Market Theater, and the tradition began around 1993 when patrons of the Theatre stuck gum to the wall and placed coins in the gum blobs. Theater workers scraped the gum away twice, but eventually gave up after market officials deemed the gum wall as a tourist attraction around 1999.  Some people created small works of art out of the gum. It was named one of the top 5 germiest tourist attractions in 2009!!!

We returned to the hotel, after having dinner at a local diner in Bellevue and packed for our upcoming cruise tomorrow.

Day 4 – August 3^rd, 2012

We woke up at 8:00 and joined Jim & Theresa for breakfast.

After returning our car to Hertz we drove to pier 91, where the Rhapsody of The Seas docked.  We checked our luggage and drove to our next destination: The Seattle Locks.  Hiram M. Chittenden Locks is a complex of locks that sits at the west end of Salmon Bay, part of Seattle's Lake Washington Ship Canal. They are known locally as the Ballard Locks after the neighborhood to the north.

I talked to the guide at the locks and he had told me that the locks and associated facilities serve three purposes:

• To maintain the water level of the fresh water Lake Washington and Lake Union at 20–22 feet above sea level.
• To prevent the mixing of sea water from Puget Sound with the fresh water of the lakes.
• To move boats from the water level of the lakes to the water level of Puget Sound, and vice versa.

The complex includes two locks. The complex also includes a spillway with six gates to assist in water-level control.A fish ladder is integrated into the locks for the migration of the salmon.

The grounds feature a Visitors Center as well as Botanical Gardens. 

Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the locks were formally opened on July 4, 1917.  The locks were named after U.S. Army Major Hiram Martin Chittenden, the Seattle District Engineer for the Corps of Engineers from April 1906 to September 1908. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

We watched about 10 boats making their way to the Puget Sound.  The process took about 25 minutes and was spectacular.

We spent about a couple of hours there and then returned to Pier 91 and to our awaiting ship.

We checked in and headed to our cabin (8078) to leave our carry on luggage.  The time was around 2:00 and we found ourselves climbing the stairs a couple of decks to the Windjammer Café’ where we met with the rest of the family.

The reunion of all of us was one of the highlights of our trip.  Yaara, Elan and Nadav have not seen Orion & Sole for about a year and a half but that did not make a difference as they were hugging and kissing and then bonded.

Sharone, Gary and the kids told us about their fabulous trip from L.A and Emly, Odie & Joy told them about their fantastic trip.

After lunch I climbed to the 11^th deck as someone mentioned that the Blue Angels (The United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron) were performing their acrobatic aerial act above the city of Seattle.  As I was arriving to the open deck I saw them: Six Hornet jets were hovering not far from the ship.  My camera was with me (thank God) and I started to shoot in a continuous mode.  In one of the picture I was able to capture the jets as they were approaching Mount Rainier.

In the meantime the whole family was at the poolside.  The kids (plus Odie) were swimming in the pool and having a great time.

 

At around 6:00 we all met at the main dining room for our first dinner together.  Our waiter name is Bugar (from Indonesia) and his assistant is Jeffrey (from the Philippines).

After dinner we all enjoyed a beautiful sunset and then went to the theater to watch Rod Long, a jokester from Los Angeles, who is now residing in Seattle.  We also watched the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers and met for the first time our cruise director: Casey.

We met at the 5^th deck and played Remy until after midnight and then retired to our cabins.

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Day 5 – August 4^th, 2012

Day at Sea!

We woke up at 9:00.  Odie & Emly showed up in our room and along with Tova started, what became a Yoga routine throughout the cruise, which lasted for about an hour.

I spent the morning time, after breakfast, reading at the poolside and enjoying the nice warm day.

After lunch I went to our cabin and napped for about 2 hours.

The attire required for tonight was formal.  We all looked so elegant when we met and posed for few pictures.

As we were sitting for dinner something happened to my right eye as floaters started to shoot up.  A “Spider Web” was accumulated on the right corner of the eye.  Ten days earlier I had a mild concussion, when I bumped my head into a closet door.  I assumed that what is happening was related to that incident and promised myself I will see a doctor as soon as we return home.

Tonight’s show was a tribute to the Temptations. It was very enjoyable.

When we returned to our cabin we found out that Michael Phelps had won his 22^nd Gold Medal at the Olympics and that Missy became a sensational at the 2012 London Games.

We turned our clocks one our back.

Day 6 – August 5^th, 2012

We woke up at 8:00 as Odie & Emly picked up Tova and went to the gym for their Yoga routine.

 

At around 11:00 we arrived at Alaska’s Capital: Juneau

We hired a van with a guide-driver (His name is Gene) and all of us headed to our first attraction of the day: Salmon Spawning.

Gene had taken us to a river, seldom visited by tourists and a popular spot for locals, and we witnessed one of the well known activities in nature: The salmon run is the time when salmon, which have migrated from the ocean, swim to the upper reaches of rivers where they spawn on gravel beds. After spawning, most Pacific salmon (and Atlantic salmon) die, and the salmon life cycle starts over again. The annual run can be a major event for grizzly bears, bald eagles and sport fishermen.  We did not see any bears but many birds, including a bald eagle were hunting the fish.  There were a couple of fishermen there as well but they did not come for the hunt, only for the sport, as they returned their catch back to the river.

 

Gene elaborated: Salmon spend their early life in rivers, and then swim out to sea where they live their adult lives and gain most of their body mass. When they have matured, they return to the rivers to spawn. Usually they return with precision to the same river where they were born, and even to the very spawning ground of their birth. In Juneau, salmon is a keystone species, which means the impact they have on other life is greater than would be expected in relation to their biomass. The death of the salmon has important consequences, since it means significant nutrients in their carcasses, rich in nitrogen, sulfur, carbon and phosphorus, are transferred from the ocean to terrestrial wildlife such as bears and riparian woodlands adjacent to the rivers. This has knock-on effects not only for the next generation of salmon, but to every species living in the riparian zones the salmon reach. The nutrients can also be washed downstream into estuaries where they accumulate and provide further support for breeding birds.

We spend about an hour there and continued to our next stop: The Mendenhall Glacier.

 

We walked on a trail and were able to watch a mama black bear taking a morning nap with her two cubs.  They were hiding in the dense forest, so taking pictures of them was impossible.

We continued the trail, passed the Visitor Center and arrived to a panoramic spot in front of a lake and a full of the glacier and the water fall: It is 12 miles long and is named after the valley where it is: The Mendenhall Valley, which is part of Tongass National Forest.

We found out that the glacier has retreated since 1958 approximately 1,900 feet. The glacier has also receded 1.75 miles since that year, when Mendenhall Lake was created. The end of the glacier currently has a negative glacier mass balance and will continue to retreat in the foreseeable future.

 

Our van was waiting for us when we returned to the pickup spot and we headed to another side of the lake where we view the glacier from another angle.  The view was amazing as the reflection of the glacier in the lake made it picture perfect.

Our next stop was at The Shrine of St Therese.  We learned that it was named after St. Therese, the patron saint of Alaska, and this shrine is dedicated to her memory. The small stone chapel and retreat house sit on a small island and are tucked among a grove of trees, surrounded by the river. Many fishermen, picnickers, and hikers stop here, drawn by the beauty of the scene. The chapel is open year-round.

After about an hour we were picked up by Gene and headed back to the city.  When we arrived we split into two groups: Odie, Joy and their kids plus Emly went to a Crab Shack to have lunch while the rest of us toured the downtown.  We even entered the historical Alaskan Hotel & Bar, the best-preserved and oldest operating hotel & bar in Southeast Alaska (1913).  The hotel was built in the late Victorian “Queen Anne” style. The atmosphere was as taken out of a western movie, as a band of four (long) bearded musicians were playing some country songs.  The local beer was delicious and pretty reasonable.  When I closed my eyes I imagined how the gold-diggers came to this town in search of fortune and how maybe some of them were sitting in the same bar, drinking the same kind of beer…

We returned to the ship and went straight to the dining room for an Italian dinner.  The dining room staff was helping us celebrate Odie & Gary’s birthdays.

As we left Juneau, the ship was cruising through the Inside Passage and the view was spectacular. Shaped by the staggering force of massive glaciers million of years ago, the passage boasts wild life-filled fjords and lush island scenery.  It is home to Tinglit, Haida and Tsimshiam Indians whose history is reflected in towering totem poles.

Day 7 – August 6^th, 2012

We woke up at 7:00 and as I walked to our balcony I was watching the ship arriving to Skagway. 

We met at the Windjammer Café’.  After breakfast we prepared sandwiches, etc. for our next excursion.

At 9:00 we disembarked the ship and our guide Mike was waiting for us.  We met Mike a couple of years ago when we cruised to Alaska with the Chisick’s.  He made such a nice impression on us that I made reservations with Frontier Excursions in one condition: Our guide must be Mike.

We stopped at the Frontier Excursion office in town and then continued with our trip.  Mike told us some facts about this city: For centuries, the Tinglit Indians lived in present-day Skagway, hunting, fishing and enjoying the tranquility of it all.  Everything changed once gold was discovered in the Klondike region.  The rush of 1898 was officially on.  Thousands of hopeful prospectors set up camp in the city, the perfect base for the 500-mile trek to the gold fields.  Those that stayed behind opened up supply stores and saloons.  Meanwhile Dyea (where we were headed to), offered yet another route up the Chilkoot Trail, and by the time the Gold Rush fizzled out – a mere two years later – the town of Skagway had developed enough to become the first incorporated city in Alaska.  There are 1,000 permanent residents who call Skagway HOME.

Our first stop was at a spot was at a top of a hill where the entire bay area with the white mountains above was in front of us.  We then continued to a spot where bald eagles were nesting.  It was amazing how close we were to them and they seemed cool with this.

Twenty minutes later we arrived to Taiya River.  Mike told us that this 17 mile river actually starts in British Columbia, Canada and passes through a number of different ecosystems over this short distance. The river got his name from the Indians as Taiya means in Tingit “a body of water”.

We were divided into 2 groups.  The small kids plus Tova and Joy hiked in a very easy trail and the rest of us joined Mike and started to hike The Chilkoot Trailhead.  Mike told us that this is a 33-miles trail through the Coast Mountains that leads from Dyea, to Bennett in British Columbia. It was a major access route from the coast to Yukon goldfields in the late 1890s.  He added that Tlingit Indians used the trail as a vital trade route to trade for resources available in the interior.

Our plan was to walk a two miles stretch that will take us back to the bank of the river where the other group would wait for us.

The hike, in the rainforest itself, was pretty easy and we saw many species of berries and mushrooms.  Mike warned us not to touch or taste any of them as some of them are known to be poisonous and are known to cause an immediate death to the curious tasters.

 

It took us about an hour to reach the spot where the other group was waiting and after wearing the life vests we used two rafts to float in the river.  It was an amazing experience and the kids were so happy, especially when they had their turns to navigate the raft.

We arrived to a picnic area, where the van was waiting for us.  Mike treated us with Smoked Salmon, cheese, crackers, and juice.  What a delicious treat!!  We then walked to the nearby picnic area and consumed the food we had prepared earlier on the ship.

 

Our next excursion was to the majestic White Pass Summit.  The summit is at 2,864 ft and is a mountain pass through the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains on the border of Alaska and the province of British Columbia.  We passed through some great water falls, including the Bridal Veil Falls, at 3000 ft, in the Tormented Valley.  To our right we saw the railroad.  Mike told us that the railroad was built in 1898 to transport miners from Skagway to the gold. It was in service until the early 1980s.  It is now used to take tourists from the city to Yukon.

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We crossed the border to Canada and stopped at a lake where we found handcrafted rocks’ made by travelers, who have stopped here.

The weather was getting worse as heavy rain started to fall and we decided to drive back to Skagway.  We stopped at some attractions on Main Street, including a surprising Starbucks inside a Jewelry Store.   Other attractions were the Red Onion Saloon (built in 1897), The Arctic Brotherhood Building (one of the most photographed building in the USA), and the old train station.

We stopped at the local Brewing Company and then headed back to the ship.

At dinner we celebrated the anniversary of both Gary & Sharone and Odie & Joy.

We skipped the show tonight as we were all exhausted and went to bed early.

Day 8 – August 7^th, 2012

I woke up at 5:00 AM as our ship entered Tracy Arm Fjords.  I climbed up to the upper deck and to my surprise, I found about 20 passengers, “crazy” as I was, who were already positioning themselves on the deck.

We were not disappointed: The scenery was absolutely breathtaking from the glaciers to the waterfalls and wildlife.  I was truly amazed at the beauty of what I saw. Ice in the water, frozen waterfalls, seals floating on icebergs: beauty at its best. The peacefulness, as we cruised through this clear blue paradise, was second to none. The clouds meeting the mountains made for picturesque photo opportunities and of all the wonderful things and places I have seen in my life this would have to be in the top five.

I had breakfast at around 8:00 and then returned to the cabin to catch up on my sleep.  

I woke up at around 11:00 and had lunch with Odie, Joy and Emly.  I then checked my email on the internet and then lay at the poolside, reading.

In the afternoon, when I returned to my cabin, I found it busy when all of the five grandkids were taking a bath in our room.  I felt so happy to be around the little ones.

We were dressed formal in the evening and went to the Captain Gala.  The Captain is really unique: He is extremely personal and charming.  He told us about his early career and willingly answered all questions asked by the crowd.

After dinner we all went to the theater to watch Al Gaucho, sizzling on stage with a whip and his guitar.  He was awesome!

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Later, we joined others to play The Battle of the Sexes.  It was so much fun!!

On the way out of the theater we were stopped by a piano player, who asked Sharone to sing-along with him.  Sharone did a pretty good job and was applauded by all the particiants.

We went to sleep at around midnight.

Day 9 – August 8^th, 2012

A day at sea.

Tova loves those days where there are absolutely no commitments whatsoever.

Emly, Odie & Tova met in the upstairs gym to practice some Yoga, as I was reading in the room.

After lunch we all went to watch the kids perform at the Shall We Dance Lounge.  Yaara and Sole did the hula hoop and Orion was dancing away.

 We were dressed in jeans and black top in the evening, and after taking some photos we met with the Captain, Rick Sullivan, who we had sailed with in 2002, while taking a The Legend of the Seas cruise in Australia.  We found out that Elan made the request to meet with the captain and it was all arranged with Sharone & Gary.

After dinner we entered the theater to watch the kids performing.  They were all dressed as pirates and the show was great.

Tonight’s main event was a production Showtime, starring the Royal Caribbean Singer and Dancers, performing Ballroom Forever.  The variety included salsa, tango & cha-cha.

After surfing the internet we all met to play some card games and then retired to our cabin.

Day 10 – August 9^th, 2012

We woke up at around 7:00 as the ship was approaching Victoria, British Columbia.

This attractive “City of Gardens” is the provincial capital of British Columbia.

A mild pleasant climate welcomed us as we disembarked.  We serrated into two groups.  Sharone, Gary, Odie & Joy along with the grandkids went on their way, while Tova, Emly and I went to our own way.

We walked along the shore and arrived to Beacon Hill Park, which was named after the two beacons on Mount Beacon.  It is ranked number 3 in all of Victoria’s attractions.

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It was a great place to stroll in the morning. We enjoyed the peacocks, turtles, squirrels, and ducks. The fountains and bridges made this a fun place to take a walk.  The grounds and walkways were very well kept and clean.  We took a path that connected us to Victoria Harbor.

A sign at the exit of the park caught my eyes: “Day is For Resting, Night is For Sleeping”.  This probably sums up the way of life in this beautiful city.

At the exit of the park we saw some huge Totem poles. Right in front of us we saw the magnificent building of the Capitol.

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We walked up the main street and to our left was the harbor, while on our right we spotted the world famous The Empress Hotel, (most commonly known as The Empress). It is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Victoria. Located on Government Street facing the Inner Harbor, the Empress has become an iconic symbol for the city itself. It has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada due to its national significance. The hotel has 477 rooms, with most either overlooking the Inner Harbor or the hotel's rear courtyard gardens.  The hotel is well known for its classic Victorian afternoon tea service.  We of course did not have the time to do so, as our day was packed and the ship was schedules to leave Canada at around 6:00.

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After a short break at Starbucks we found Chinatown.  It is the oldest in Canada and second in age only to San Francisco’s; with its beginnings in the mass influx of miners from California to what is now British Columbia in 1858. Its history goes back to the mid nineteenth century. It remains an active place for Chinese-Canadians, Victoria residents and tourists. We found it surrounded by cultural, entertainment venues as well as being a venue itself.

We found a small little place and had lunch.

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We started to head back and stopped at Bastion Square Public Market.  This lively area, which looks out on the Inner Harbor, is full of historic charm, restaurants and pubs, and the Maritime Museum of BC. 

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As we approached the Harbor, we spotted the rest of the family and together we walked back to the pier and back to our ship.

After dinner we went to the theater to watch Matthiew Disero plus the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers, followed by the Goodbye party, hosted by the captain.

We packed and went to sleep at around midnight.

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