Melissa's Jamaica FAM

Day 1


Arrived at the airport 2hrs earlier and it was busy. Should have been there 3hrs before like I tell all of my clients, but anyways it was fine. One thing to let your clients know is that there was no Sunquest counter. I walked back and forth looking for it, until Lisa saw me and flagged me over. You have to check in at the WS counter. Lisa said it might be different for the winter months, but she is not sure. Went thru security fine, for a change no search of my bags :) and met the other 3 ladies on the FAM. Everybody is awsome and we were laughing right away with each other, like we had knowen each other for ever. Boarded the empty flight and got a whole row to myself. The plane was empty because I think people from YWG don't know about the direct flights starting so early. Fligth was good, got to see Miami, the Florida Keys, and The Caymen Islands from my window.

Another good thing to let your clients know is that there is no food served on the flight. Even though you are flying with Sunquest, no meals are served for free, like on Sunwing or transat. Cashless cabin as well.

The flight was 4hrs and 45mintues and we landed with out a problem. Customs, however, was a problem. 12 other planes all landed at the same time as us and we all had to go thru customs at the same time. About 1hr and 30 minutes later, I was thru and in Jamaica. We went to find our luggage and it was already off the converer belt and just sitting there waiting. We were met after that for our private transfer to the hotel, Sunset Beach. We landed at around 12:30 so by the time we were on the way to the hotel is was still light out and we got a good view of Montego Bay. It is hard to describe what it looks like, but it is very poor here. I have been to Varadero and in some places this is worse then there. Alot of "shacks" were along the road, and people living in them. It makes you appreciate what you have back at home. But, even with the conditions here, the people are so friendly and happy. It is very contagious, and it makes you have a very relaxed attitude. The weather is very hot, and very humid. You sweat just standing in one place. It is very windy and cloudy because we are getting the aftermath of Hurricane Tomas. You can not swim or sit around the pools, just too windy.

The hotel was nice. I had a ocean front room for the first night. The Montreal group had arrived on Fri., so they were out looking at hotels and the Calgary & Toronto groups were not arriving until later. So we looked around the resort, got some drinks, and had something to eat. By the way, I have found my new favorite drink. Move over wine, Hello Hummingbird!!!

It is soooooo goood. It tastes like a banana milkshake, and they are very dangerous. :)

Anyways, went to bed early that night.

Day 2

The bus was picking us up at 9am to start our hotel inspections. Well, I guess what they say is true. When you are in Jamaica, everything runs on island time, because the bus was 1hr late. When it came, we drove from MBJ to Ocho Rios, about a 2 hr ride. Something good to tell clients.

Riu Ocho Rios was the first hotel. Very nice, lots of people, once you have seen one, you have seen them all, so I am told because this was my first time seeing one.

Next was the Jewel, which used to be the Sandals Dunns River. This is a very nice hotel, just like what a Sandals would be. Pretty much everything is included.

Next was the Sunset Jamaica Grande. This is an okay hotel. Water slide looks very nice, but the rooms are very small. It would be hard to fit 2 adults and 2 children in 1 room.

Next was Rooms on the Beach. Basic hotel, nothing fancy to say, but expensive hotel.

Next was Couple Tower Isle. Very nice also, like a Sandals. Only couples can stay here, but they are very gay friendly. Your clients just have to let the front desk staff know, and they will make you feel comfortable. This resort also has it's own island which is "au natural", but we did not get to check that out. :(

Next was the Couples San Souci. Very nice. It is built into the side of the hill, so lots of stairs. The resort is on 32 acres of land, so it was alot of walking. And of course they make this are last hotel.

We then went to our new hotel, Breezes Runaway Bay. It is nice, but this time I got the gardenview. That night we all had supper at the Italian a la carte restaurant. It was very good. After supper we went to check out the live band that was playing and we danced alittle and then went to bed.

Day 3

So far today, we got up and went to Dunns River Falls. I did not go in the falls, but they were awsome to see. Most of our group did, so I was the offical picture taker. Let me tell you the stairs on the side of the falls, are just as hard as the falls. We are now back at the hotel and we are off to the Gran Bahia tonite for drinks and dinner.

Talk to you all later,

Part 3 of My Trip to Portugal Nov 1-4

Today is a beautiful day and everyone in the town is getting ready to go to the cemetary for All Sanints Day. Some people will gather at the chappell first for a church service and then they walk through the village following the priest to the cemetary that is much different from our tradition in North America. The grave sites here are all marble and above ground with pictures of the deceased. The families put candles and beautiful flowers on the family graves. The priest walks through the cemetary and prays for all the deceased and their families which takes about an hour in Portuguese.
This afternoon we visit with family and friends in the Portuguese style.
Nov 2
Today is market day in Espinho that is about a 45 minute drive from Vale Maoir where there is everything you need to buy there. Flowers, fish, meat, vegetables and more important to me was the clothing, jeans, leather botas, shoes etc. We spent most of the day there shopping, stopped for a cod fish lunch and bargained with them to get the best deal.
We get back home and then visit family for a traditional Sardine Supper at Oscars Aunties and there is a table full of wood oven, roasted Sardines on home made bread and of course homemade vinho tinto and you are not allowed to leave the table til the sardines are all eaten.
Nov 3
Today it is another beautiful sunny day about 24 C and we go to the Praia (beach)
about 30 minute drive to Praia Vagueira. We have a delicious seafood lunch and then walk the beach where the waves are so powerful I dont dare to go in the ocean but Oscar ventures in eventhough it is not quite as warm as the meditteranian.
After a beautiful day at the beach we visit friends on the other side of the village for a octopus dinner.
Nov 4
Another beautiful day as far as the weather goes about 25 C today we stay close to home and walk the village visiting cousins and friends that Oscar has not seen for many years. Tonight we are at good friends Casa enjoying fresh caught fish from the river and sharing life experiences. Til tomorrow Obrigado

Part 2 of My Trip to Portugal Oct 29-31

Friday there has been lots of rain, very stormy one minute and then the sun comes out for a while, the wind blows and it rains again. Lisbon has had lots of flooding, but here in the village in the mountains, the rain runs down the streets into the river so there is no flooding here. Went out for a very nice dinner of Roast Pork and did some shopping in Aveiro which is quite a big city about a 45 minute drive from Vale Miaor. We are back home this evening and the rain is coming down hard and pounding on the rooftops.
Oct 30
This is Saturday morning and today there is a market in the town. There is all kinds of fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, lots of fish, and beautiful flowers to buy very cheap! Oscar bought me a nice pair of boots as I did not bring any with me and it has been wet. Because of the rain we opted to stay home tonight and watch some TV.
Oct 31
Today the weather is still wet but getting better and not as much rain. We walk the village and check out the gardens, orchards full of manderina, orange, lemon, fig and olive trees. We then drive to Bussaco, where we tour the gardens and grande hotel as well as the nunnery and chappell that is famous for over hundreds of years. We then take a short drive to Luso that has a famous drinking fountain where people take there water bottles and fill for free. Oscar has mentioned all over Portugal there are drinking fountains where people get there clean drinking water as well as there are still public washing holes where woman from the village take their washing to clean in the fresh water. Tonight we are visiting an old friend of Oscars, who was very surprised to see us.They have a beautiful home as well and we are enjoying a drink and a laugh tonight.
Eventhough it is Halloween in North America it is not really celebrated here like we do at home.
Tomorrow is a holiday here- All Saints Day where families, relatives, friends come together at the cemetary so I will write more tomorrow.

My Trip to Portugal Oct 24

Arrived into Faro on time at 710am on Sunday morning. We had good flights from Winnipeg and Toronto and came through a short line up at customs. Everything went smoothly and English is spoken in Faro by just about everyone. We picked up our Toyota Yaris from the Guerin Auto which is the car company JM Vacations uses just outside the airport.
Driving is a little different here with the smaller roads, cars and round abouts but even though it has been a few years for Oscar his driving was pretty good eventhough we missed our first turn off the highway!
Drove to Albufeiro easily on the A22, about 25 minutes away. We had to stop and ask about the location of the hotel, Solaqua as it was not on the map we had.
We were tired from travelling but washed up and went to the beach as it was about 27 C. The beach is about a 15 minute walk from our hotel but worth every step. The beach called Monica beach was beautiful and lined with white aparthotels. Oscar went for a swim in the ocean while I sun tanned and took a nap.  On our way back to the hotel we picked up a few groceries and stopped for a couple of cervasas.
After a long first day we had a good night sleep. The apartment hotel is quite spacious with a separate bedroom, living room and full kitchen.
Our second day we drove to Portimao and spent half a day on the Praia De Roche. It also was a stunning beach with the rock formation from the ocean we had to go down about a hundred steps to the beach.
After the beach we drove to the marina and had a seafood and rice lunch very delicious and continues to a open square with cafes and had our afternoon expresso and capuccino.
After a good day we drove back to our town of Albufeira for one more night until we drive north to Aveiro the next day. We managed to find ourselves a couple of bars to have a drink and talk with some locals that most of which were British people that own apartments by the beach.
October 26
Packed up and drove for about 4 1/2 hours on the super highway A2, where you pay a toll to travel on. We bypassed Lisboa and on to Santarem and then through some villages until we arrived in Oscars home town on Val Mioar in a valley. Oscars mom was in the garden when we arrived and even though she does not speak much English everyone kisses you on each cheek the portuguese way! And she said welcome to the Old Country.
I have to admit it is the old country and a simpler way of life for most people here. Where you feed your chickens and rabbits in the backyard until the day you want to have them for dinner! We walked around the village after dinner and stopped in at a few relatives who were surprised to see Oscar!. Of course lots of home made wine and his cousins were making sausage! Everyone has a fireplace in their kitchens to cook and to keep the homes warm.
The streets are very narrow and you have to watch for the traffic as they still like to go  fast!~
October 28 Thursday
It is a beautiful day woke up and had a good cafe and toast, had some washing to do in the big wash tub with the well water from the pump. I have a picture to show the old way.
Drove around to a few small villages and Oscar has been showing me his old schools, waterfalls, fishing holes and places he used to go as a boy.
We are in town with his mom and then will go home for dinner. So far Portugal is beautiful and definately people live a different lifestyle. I will talk again soon of our travels...Chow for now!

Welcome to Orlando

Note to Self:  Pre-Purchased Seat Selection whenever POSSIBLE!

My journey began at 315 a.m. with the ear-piercing shriek of my alarm clock.  I stumbled from my warm bed into the dark morning, showered, dressed and finished packing my bag.  Yes I managed to fit all into one suitcase weighing in at only 43 lbs.  My pre-ordered cab was on time and I arrived at the airport to be checked in by a friendly and most helpful Westjet agent.  The flight left only a few minutes past the scheduled departure and it was a smooth restful flight to Toronto.  Thanks to the male flight crew on board (at least that's what they told us) we arrived 15 minutes early.  This was my first time connecting through Toronto to the US and I have to admit I was a but worried about the whole process but with the hour and 45 minutes in between flights we made it with time to spare.  There was a bit of panic felt by all when after having retrieved our luggage from a special transit area we were met by a line-up of about 100 people or more waiting at US customs but they moved us through very quickly.

This is where my journey took a turn and hence the note to self above.  Being cheap myself I had never thought about purchasing seat selection.  Why pay when you can get it for free 24 hours in advance.  However if one forgets to go on-line 24 hours in advance and attempts to check-in only 7 hours prior to departure there are more than likely not going to be any great seats left available.  I was left with the choice of 2 middle seats, I chose 4 E.  A very large man boarded the plane and proceeded to sit beside me, or should I say on me.  I find it terribly unfair that even though we more than likely paid the exact same fare, he received 1.25 seats and I only .75 of a seat.  Not only was I forced to squeeze these child bearing hips into 3/4 of a seat but the man had obviously not showered in a week.  It was almost unbearable and I prayed for a quick flight.  I was never so happy to get of a plane and breathe fresh air after this excruciating 2.5 hour flight. 

Once of the plane you follow the signs to the shuttle tram and once on board are taken to a different terminal where you will await your luggage.  From the luggage carousel we were only about 100 feet from the Meats Transportation desk where I picked up my transfer to the hotel.  The cost of round trip transportation was only $33 and for us it was a pleasant 20 minute drive to the Beautiful Hyatt Grand Cypress.  Our driver was friendly and shared some interesting area information with us on the way, including a recommendation for the Mexican restaurant next door where we enjoyed a delicious Steak Fajita on Tuesday night at a very reasonable cost.

The hotel itself is magnificent and if it wasn't for all the wonderful attractions available in Orlando there really would be no reason for leaving the resort.  There is a large atrium for the lobby, with small ponds, exquisite carvings and statues and 2 lovely tropical birds to greet you as you walk by.  The grounds are immaculate, with lush greenery, colorful flowers and lakes and waterways meandering throughout.  The pool is large and framed on my side by a man made rocky outcropping.  You can actually swim into these narrow caves through water falls.  The sound of the water cascading over the rocks is quite soothing.  They have towels available at their activity hut where you can also rent paddle boats or bicycles.  The rock climbing wall looks like a real challenge, perhaps we'll try it this weekend.  Supposedly there are alligators living in the man made lake on the property so I am not sure about the boats.  But I definitely either want to rent bikes or take a walk around the 5 miles or so they have of trails around the property. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find out Disney World is located next door and I can clearly see Epcot Center from my balcony as well as the nightly fireworks display at about 9pm. I am looking forward to some free time so I can take advantage of a few of the attractions in and around the area.

Stay tuned for more from Orlando.

The key to a relaxing vacation

I think the key to a relaxing vacation is to plan nothing!  We have made no major plans thus far and have spent a heck of a lot of time just lounging around the house and yard and if we do end up going out it's a last minute decision and therefore causes no stress.  We do what we feel like when we feel like it.  The kids seem to enjoy themselves no matter what is going on.  They are content playing water balloon wars ($1 for 1000 at Dollorama) or just running through the backyard sprinkler.  I discovered this on my recent cruise where we had chosen open dining and chose not to pre book our excursions.  Again we ate when we were hungry and we took out time exploring each port on our own terms.  We did end up booking a few excursions but did so the day before and knew we were up to it.

So now that I have discovered the secret I am enjoying myself much more. We are loving Sarnia so much that we have informed the grand-parents that we will purchase their home when they are ready to move into the retirement home.  No rush though. The weather here has been fantastic this week, sunny skys, warm winds and the humidity has been relatively low.  Today and tomorrow it is supposed to creep back up to 31 with a humidex bringing it to 40.  We plan to keep cool at the water park and pool down at Tecumseh Park, the local swimming quarters, $3.75 for the whole family.  It also has a skate park and play park attached. 

Canada Day was a fantastic celebration here in Sarnia.  The day began with a short drive and long hike down to Cantera Park where we grabbed a great spot under a big tree and set up camp for the morning.  The Canada Day Parade came right by us and ended in the middle of the park at around 12 noon.  I couldn't get over how many of the town folks came to watch, the streets were lined for blocks!  In the park they had a large field set up with booths selling crafts, clothing, jewellery and more as well as a wide variety of foods from around town.  We wandered a bit until the kids came across a Henna Tattoo booth and we ended up waiting while they all got temporary tattoos by a local artist.  Cantera Beach is right in the park so we headed over to play in the sand and surf.  The waves are HUGE and the kids enjoyed body surfing for the remainder of the afternoon.

They ended the day with fireworks down on the shores of the St Claire River just after the sun had set over Port Huron.  I hadn't planned on going as I was more than exhausted from our day in the sun but I am so glad we did as it was an spectacular display of lights.

Last night we took a walk down by the Bridge.  It's a lovely park with a winding path along the river banks and under the Blue Water Bridge (takes you to the USA).  You can plant yourself on one of many park benches and watch the sunset, or the kids can let loose on the playground, feed the Trout at the fish hatchery or indulge yourself with an order of famous "chips" from the chip truck.  If you are feeling really gutsy you can join some of the local youth and take a swim up river.  They jump in at the opening to the river and the very strong current carries them quickly down the river where you must swim hard to get yourself back to shore.  Perhaps next visit I'll try :)

That's all for today, remember less planning, more relaxing.

Summer in Southern Ontario

Complete and utter relaxation.... ah this is the life.  Yesterday we took it easy with a trip to the local play ground in the morning and a visit to the charming downtown area in the afternoon.  The kids enjoyed shopping at the local mall too.  We are quickly becoming adept at getting around this lovely town. 

Today we spent the morning at the Mike Weir Beach Park just north of town.  The temperatures have been really mild since we arrived and I thought the kids quite brave when they ventured into the lake.  I made an attempt but it felt like someone had thrown a bucket of ice cubes over me!  But when the sun came out it was beautiful and we all had a great time.

One of the best things about being on vacation at Grandma and Grandpa's is that free babysitting is provided.  We took advantage of this fantastic amenity and my husband and I had a romantic date night tonight.  Our gift card from East Side Mario's was put to good use finally.  We've been hanging onto this birthday gift for over a year as there are no East Side Mario's in Winnipeg.  It was a delicious dinner, Chris had ribs and I the scallop fettucini carbonera and then we finished off with the Chocolate Vesuvius (lave cakes with ice-cream).  It was a clear and warm evening so we headed down to the Bridge for a relaxing stroll along the St Claire River and Lake Huron. 

I am excited about the festivities planned for tomorrow, Canada Day.  The day begins with a parade from downtown to Cantera Park where there will be ethnic foods and goodies served and crafts for sale and rides for the kids. 

Safe Journeys everyone.

Summer Vacation in Sarnia

I rode an elephant today, right here in Southern Ontario, no need to even leave Canada! We are having a great time here in Sarnia, arrived after a 4 1/2 hour drive from Mackinaw City yesterday.  And I have to say there is just nothing like home cooked meals after a few days on the road!  Grandma Ellis is such a good cook, homemade jams, fresh apple cake, yummy chocolate chip cookies...I am going to have to get up early each morning and take the dog for a 10 mile hike to keep the weight off!

We had to drive into Burlington this morning, about 2-3 hours by car, to pick up the children.  And after googling attractions in Southern Ontario we decided the African Lion Safari Park between Burlington and Cambridge.  It was a bit pricey, $30 per adult and $24 per child plus $5 each to ride the bus around instead of taking our new van.  Monkeys tend to take souvenirs such as wind shield wipers and bumpers from your vehicles.  But it was totally worth it as you can see by the pictures.  There is a 45 minute drive through the wild animal park where we saw lions, giraffes, rhinos, monkeys to name a few.  We also managed to take in the miniature train ride and a boat ride to visit various monkey species on these islands through out the park.  Time didn't allow us to see the Elephant Show (they supposedly play soccer) or the Birds of Prey show, but we did get to ride the elephants and that was a highlight.

We are back now at Grandma and Grandpa's and have just finished a delicious meal of chicken fajitas and apple cake with ice-cream.  The weather has cooled down and we are now able to sit outside without melting.  The humidity is over the top here most days! 

Tomorrow....the Beach!

Road Trip Adventures - Day 2

We were able to get out of Duluth fairly quickly this morning, not alot of traffic to deal with on a Saturday morning.  The terrain became much more hilly and the forests denser as we head East along the number 2.  We decided to cut an hour of our original route (thanks to Google for letting us know about this) and took the 28 along the shore line of Lake Superior.  I find it hilarious that these quaint little towns all seem to have a claim to fame landmark, like the Giant Ox in Bemidji Minnesota, or others like the largest running chain saw in the world, the largest hat, the largest Santa, etc.  I can't count how many we passed these past two days.

After two Barbie movies, 3 pages of picture find, 10 games of eye spy, we stopped for lunch in Bruce Crossing, a town of 600 people.  The food was delicious and the waitress very pleasant. A quick walk with the dog and we were back on the road.  One thing we didn't take into consideration was that we jumped ahead one hour as we passed into a different time zone.  We didn't arrive at our destination until after 7 p.m. 

The weather improved as we drew closer to Mackinaw City though and by the time we arrived it was a beautiful sunny evening!  After spending a few minutes tracking my reservation down (they accidentally made it for September not June) they found us a lovely room on the second floor over looking the lake.  The Days Inn Lakeside is nice enough, great location, close to the main street which is so pretty.  The rate is $150 for the night, again they allow dogs, we have a balcony overlooking the water and this too will provide a complimentary breakfast in the morning.  I just wish we could spend more time here as we really didn't get the chance to see it all and it really has a lot of charm.  We walked two blocks to a great little Italian Restaurant called Nonna Lisa's where I had a gigantic bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo for $15.99.  Wish I could have ordered half but it was very good none the less.  I also was delighted to find out the adjoining coffee shop serves Starbucks!  Guess where we are stopping before we begin our final leg of this fun-filled road trip to Sarnia?

We will continue on in Sarnia tomorrow night!

Day 1- Head Out on the Highway...Lookin for Adventure

I was magically transported back to my childhood as we packed the van and headed down Highway 59 into the good ol' US of A.  The only thing missing was my older brother tormenting me in the back seat and my mother threatening both of us that she was about to "turn this car around" and the vacation would be over before it began.  But I did always love our family road trips over the border growing up and was excited as my family now departed for our first 3 day driving trek to Sarnia Ontario. 

It is so remarkably easy now to plan your route and I am at a loss as to how we use to do this pre- Google.  When I first began planning this a few weeks ago, I used Google Maps to plan the easiest and quickest driving route and then evenly distributing this route over three days was able to decide which towns we would be staying in each night. Duluth, Minnesota was a our first over night stay and again using Google I was able to find a decent and cheap hotel with an amazing water park for only $124 CAD (at par) for the night and they allow dogs (as most hotels do down here).  The Edgewater Hotel and Waterpark was everything we needed to keep us entertained for an evening. That low nightly rate included entrance to the waterpark, discount coupon for dinner by the pool (pizza) and a lovely continental breakfast the following morning.  Duluth is not the prettiest town I've ever passed through but it was pleasant and the people were friendly.  Traffic was a bit of a nightmare as it seems every bridge and street we needed to take was under construction and we felt like we were in a maze at time! 

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there was a delightful coffee shop directly across from the Edgewater Hotel called Dunns Bros Coffee.  Day two began with a delicious Decaf Caramel Machiato to take with me on the road as we head to our next stop, Mackinaw City, Michigan.

Stay tuned for more for road trip adventures!

Day 7 – Ketchikan, Alaska

I did it!! I went zip-lining and it was exhilarating. They picked me up at 7:30 am and we drove the 5 minutes to the base of the Bear Creek Mountain where we boarded a Uni-Mog to take us up the steep incline. We were suited up with our harnesses and helmets and had to walk about 100 feet up to the first tree platform. Once you are hooked up the rig it’s easy, I never feared for my safety at all. You feel very secure and it really was fantastic zipping through the 6 lines down to the slide. We crossed one suspension bridge and ended it all with a 250 foot slide to the bottom.

I would say that Ketchikan was definitely my favorite town on this cruise. It is incredibly quaint with loads of shopping available. We stopped at the Good Coffee shop and had a tasty Latte to keep us warm as we walked around Creek Street. It was a charming part of town, formerly the Red Light District, built on stilts. The area is full of history and culture. We were able to complete our souvenir shopping, with half price Jade and Bamboo T-Shirts. I would love to have spent more time in this port.

Alas we left at 1:00 pm and are headed for Victoria where we arrive tomorrow at 6:00 pm. It’s hard to believe our 7 day cruise is almost over. It’s been an amazing time and I am definitely going to cruise again. Thanks to Holland America, this has been a wonderful experience.

Day 6 - Stika, Alaska

We awoke this morning to the most spectacular scenery and the day only got better as it went on. We had a delicous fruit crepe on the Lido Deck for breakfast and then headed out on our private tour. The boat picked us up right from the ship as we were tendered in the bay. Within minutes of taking off, we stopped to watch as 2 hump back whales rolled in and out of the water, amazing! We continued on to Silver Bay, along the way saw starfish coating the rocks along the shore, a bald eagle on it’s nest, supposedly there were eaglets in the nest, and then onto the Salmon Haterchy. I never expected to be so facianted by this process. We saw another bald eagle family at the hatchery and watched as they tagged and then release the baby salmon into the ocean. On the way back to town we were again entertained by another 3 hump back whales within about 50 feet of the boat. The team on board were so informative and we all had a great time.

We were taken to town to the community center where we had a wonderful boxed lunch and learned about the two different tribes in the area, Raven Clan and Eagle Clan, and about there culture and heritage. After lunch we were off to visit the Russion Cathedral and then had the afternoon to explore the town and do some more souvenier shopping. I much prefer the town of Sitka to Juneau, a little prettier and abit more to see and do.

Tonight was the last formal dinner and they don’t dissapoint. I had escargot to begin the meal, then a spinach salad with mushrooms and bacon, main course was steak and Lobster (right in the shell) and finished off with the Baked Alaska (I can’t get enough of it!). We walked it all off though, doing 4 laps around the lower promenade. It was a windy and cold night but we were able to spot atleast 20 hump back whales around the ship, truly amazing.

Tomorrow is the big day in Ketchekan and our Zip Lining Adventure. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow night!

Day 5 - Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

We had a great day at sea today, arriving at Hubbard Glacier at approximately 12 noon. It truly was spectacular, and I am not sure I can find the words to describe it’s beauty. This tide water glacier is 7 miles wide, 350 feet above water and 250 below the water. We were lucky that for one we are on a smaller ship , the Rotterdam, and secondly they refer to our captain as Captain Courageous. It manouvered our ship to about 2 kms from the glacier face where it feels like you can reach out and touch it. You actually lose all perspective when you are near this giant wall of ice. And the calving was incredible, it sounds similar to thunder on the prairies. There would be an explosive sound and then you would see a chunck of ice break off the glaciers face and crach into the water creating a huge wave. We were there with a park ranger and native elder on board to tell us all about the area and it’s traditions.

As we headed back out from the glacier the skies cleared and it was the most beautiful evening. Chris and I hosted the Ensemble Cocktail party which was a lot of fun. Then 14 of us had dinner again at the main dining area. And again the meal was delicisous. I just can’t get over how incredible the food and service is on the ship. We met the captain and the hotel manager both of whom were down to earth and pleasure to speak with.

We spent the rest of the evening dancing in the Ocean Bar where they had a delightful jazz band playing.

Tomorrow of to Sitka for our Ensemble hosted shore excursion!

Day 4 - Juneau, Alaska

I awoke this morning with good intentions, I had signed up for a spin class ($12 per class) in the gym for 8:00 a.m. thinking this would ease the guilt I have been feeling about the abundance of desserts I have enjoyed thus far. Now to get to the gym I had to walk through the Lido Deck where the most magnificent breakfast is served every morning. I was so hungry and it all smelled so wonderful that I in the end decided to skip spin class and and have my favorite eggs benedict, one with mushrooms the other spinach, accompanied by freshly squeezed orange juice and a bowl of fresh fruit. I have to say I think I made the right decision. I did however manage to partake in a yoga class later in the morning which I am feeling now 24 hours later.

We had a great day in Juneau, where we stopped from 12 noon until 9 pm yesterday. All though there are numerous shore excursion to be taken, all looking very interesting, we decided to take a day off and just enjoy wandering through the town and it’s shops. We stopped for a bite to eat and a drink at the famous Red Dog Salon and did a lot of our souvenier shopping. Our feet began to feel it after a couple hours so we came back on the boat and enjoyed the sunny afternoon up on deck reading and relaxing.

It’s nice sometimes to stay on board when everyone else is gone, you have the whole place to yourselves. We ended up dining at the Caneletto Italian restaurant, no extra charge for that one, and had a lovely dinner overlooking the port of Juneau as the sun sank slowely behine the mountains. As we pulled away from port that night we relaxed in a hot tub on the Lido Deck. There were a total of 4 other ships in the harbour that day, which is about what you can expect daily according to a local merhcant.


I tried to make it to the midnight buffet again last night with no luck, the days are just to long and action packed to stay awake that long.

Stay tuned for more from Hubbard Glacier tonight!

Day 3 - Alaska

I awoke this morning to the feeling that I was going to roll right out of bed. We had run into rough water conditions overnight and can still feel them now as we get ready for bed. Supposedly this is not the norm and they have advised us it should settle down some time later tonight. Luckily I was not affected adversely by the rocking motion, took a little getting used to, especially walking in a straight line, but overall not bad at all. We also had gained a wave pool on the Lido Deck and you had to be careful not to get soaked as the water gushed over the edges of the pool as the boat rocked to and fro.

Today we were at sea all day as we passed the Queen Charlotte Islands, land was nowhere to found until late this afternoon. We spent the day relaxing and exploring the ship. I believe we finally have our bearings and can move about the ship with ease. I took in a seminar on Detox for Weight Loss this afternoon and then rode the elliptical for about half hour. I didn’t fell as guilty for all the delectable treats I have eaten throughout the day. I have also discovered the Explorers Café and am very impressed with their lattes and even purchased a coffee card today, 10 lattes for $26.00, not bad at all.

The ship is filled with the most amazing art work and historic pieces. You could spend days just taking it all in. We came across Chinese sculptures dating back to 220 A.D. and Japanese Samurai armor from the 1700’s. There was the most fascinating cabinet from 1700 century Italy, with parquet inlay. The detailing is beautiful. Everywhere you look they have stunning paintings with some available for purchase.

Tonight was the formal evening and 14 of us in my group met for dinner in the main dining room, La Fontaine for a late meal at 8:00 pm. I just love the serving staff on board; they are such a pleasure to be around, witty and so friendly, they do make the meal such fun. I started off with Jumbo Shrimp, Yukon potato and yellow tomato soup, fresh Alaskan King Crab legs soaked in butter and ended off with the Baked Alaskan with caramel toffee sauce. I can see why the average person gains 7-14 pounds on a 7 day cruise. I have decided that I am going to try and take advantage of the complimentary gym, and take the stairs as much as I can and also eat a light lunch so we can treat ourselves at supper time!

Tomorrow is a full day as I have signed up for spin class at 8:00 am and Yoga at 9:00 am and we will be arriving in Juneau, the Alaskan Capital, at 12:00 noon. We plan on exploring the town on our own in lieu of a shore excursion.

We’ll tell you all about it tomorrow night 

Day 2 - Alaska

Still being on Winnipeg time I was up at 6 am today, looked out the window to see a new ship had arrived in port right across the street from the lovely Marriott Waterfront. I slept like a baby; the beds were large and incredibly comfortable. After a quick shower we headed downstairs to the deli in the lobby for a deliciously simple breakfast of sausage and egg muffin accompanied by a bowl of fresh fruit. For the two of is it cost $16 which wasn’t bad in comparison to the bistro and surrounding area diners.


We decided to head over to Pike’s Place Market after finishing our meal for my morning Caramel Macchiato. To my surprise it turns out that this particular Starbucks was in fact the first Starbucks to open, ever! What a special treat, the staff put on a real show, with one in particular standing on a platform basically entertaining all of us with interesting Starbucks trivia. The building itself was over a 100 years old with the original flooring. And they still use the original machines, not the automated ones you see in all the other stores. This requires them to make each espresso shot individually, takes about 10 times as long but was well worth the wait. Chris and I both picked up travel mugs emblazoned with Pike’s Place, The First Starbucks Store.

It was a fairly easy process getting over to the boat; we paid $7 each for a shuttle to Pier 91. And I have to say that I could get very used to the service you receive everywhere you go here. It seems almost everyone you come across from the hotel staff, serving staff and cruise line employees are so incredibly friendly and seem genuinely happy to see you. Our luggage was collected directly from the shuttle and magically appeared in our cabin by about 2:30 pm. We boarded the ship at about 1:00 pm and grabbed a bite to eat on the Lido Deck, what a choice of foods there were. I can see why most folks gain weight on these trips! Thank goodness for the all the stairs you can climb getting from deck to deck.

An afternoon nap and a hot shower revived us and we were off to dinner in the Main Dining Room. We opted for the Open Dining plan and I’m really enjoying it. You can eat anytime from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm. We showed up at about 7:00 pm and were given a beeper and sent to the lounge to wait for a table to come available. We were seated by 7:30 pm in this very elegant dining room. Our servers were so charming, and dinner was fantastic! I started off with Scallop Ceviche, then barbeque pork ribs with buttermilk mashed potatoes and finished off the meal with Apple Strudel with vanilla cream sauce. We decided to skip the show tonight and went for a walk on deck instead.

It’s 10:00 pm and I am totally exhausted. Our cabin is spacious and comfortable and I am looking forward to a good night sleep so I can take advantage of all the activities tomorrow for our day at sea. Perhaps Tai Chi on deck or a digital photo class.

I’ll let you know what I decide tomorrow night 

Paula's Journey to Alaska

Our first day of this dream vacation is coming to an end as we unwind here in our beautiful room at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront.

We began the day with an hour delay in Winnipeg due to the intense lightning storm that blew through the city at 5 am this morning.  Our flight was smooth once we did get off the ground and the amazingly friendly and very witty flight crew on board Westjet 307 made our two and a half hour flight a pleasant one.  We arrived in Vancouver, retrieved our luggage and had enough time to grab a quick Bacon'n'egger and Decaf Caramel Machiato before boarding the Quick Shuttle headed for Seattle Washington. I was unsure whether this was the best way to get here but the motorcoach was very comfortable and not having to fight the holiday traffic in the Seattle area was a blessing.  We also breezed through customs in about half the time it would have taken had we driven ourselves.

The Marriott Waterfront is a lovely hotel, directly across from Pier 66 (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Norwegian all cruise from  here) and about one block from the famous Pikes Place Market.  We spent a couple of hours wandering through this open air market taking in all the wondeful handmade artifacts being sold here.  The fresh cut flowers were amazing and so inexpensive. We stopped in at Kells Irish Pub for a delicious meal, traditional shepherds pie and a freshly baked apple tart, made with Washington Apples, and fresh whipped cream.  I was able to work off this big meal walking up and down some of the steepest hills I've come across.

  We are looking forward to an early start in the morning and hope to get another good walk in (to Starbucks!) before we head to Pier 91 (Holland America and Princess use this one) to board our ship, HAL's Rotterdam, for our 7 day Alaskan Cruise.

Stay tuned for more on my journey to Alaska.