September 3, 2012

• A Volendam good time

   

  1) the 34KM long tide water Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay with Mt. Root in background

  I'm currently in Michigan - a long way from Alaska I know - and am uploading what is a mother lode of photographs with little narrative ... apologies for that. We cruised the standard ports of call for Alaska - Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan (Salmon Capital of the World, apparently ... though I saw but one dead salmon the entire day there ... go figure). This trip was with Holland America Line's Volendam, a mid-sized ship that holds about 1,400 souls. It's a nice size and having cruised this same route previously on Princess' Dawn Princess (considerably larger), I must admit I prefer the smaller ship and Holland America for that matter - the service is that much more refined; there are fewer young folks; next to no children; and the food - notably at their pricier Pinnacle Grill - is outstanding; we ended up taking four meals there.  Plus, with HAL's Mariner Society status we get a few perks that make a difference (a Mariner's luncheon before sailing and lunch with the Captain, who this time out was Peter Bos). On top of this, HAL permits you to haul on board as much of your own wine/champagne as you wish, which we certainly did. HAL's wine list is good - and I must admit very reasonable (with lots of Oregon and Washington State wines) - but it is nice to bring on board some of one's favourites. There is but an $18 corkage fee for bottles opened at table. Interestingly, HAL is not currently offering any British Columbian wines. I spoke with their sommelier about this deficit and advised that they are very keen to do so but HAL purchases centrally for the entire fleet and, as yet, BC producers' stocks are assigned elsewhere. HAL hopes to have BC wine on board during the next round of sales contracts meaning you should see some of the brilliant wines by Blasted Church, Hester, and Nk'Mip on HAL ships by 2014.

  The reality whilst cruising is that there is no reality. Reality is suspended purposefully by the cruise line to create a dreamlike world where money (the gaming tables aside) is useless and one roams the ship and shore signing this and that chit, blissfully unawares of the true costs being debited to your shipboard account. In a fashion, cruising is like Las Vegas - a postcard-sized fantasy where you can indulge yourself across all seven of the deadly sins ... sans guilt.

  As I sit and write this, I realize I spent an entire week eating three ridiculously-sized meals each day quaffed down with more alcohol than is morally or otherwise healthy, and, aside from an 8-hour hike out to, on to - and ultimately, under - the Mendenhall Glacier (no sizeable feat for the faint of heart true), I did well, nothing. But perhaps that`s the point.

  Our proverbial ship came in one morning and by 11:30AM we were on board. We are fortunate that unlike many cruisers our travel to the ship involves but a 5 minute walk from home to Canada Place Pier.
  

  

  2) the Volendam comes in (this is taken from our condo); 3) we like Holland America as the ships are smaller (this one holds about 1400 passengers)
  

  

  4) G scopes out the view from the balcony; 5) on the gang plank
  

  

  6) goodies await my folks on board; 7) our veranda suite before we asked our stewards to reconfigure the bed back to a king
  

  

  8) ma and papa toast their bon voyage; 9) our table was .... 22
  

  

  10) HAL logo on the Volendam; 11) mandatory lifeboat drill before setting sail
  

  

  12 & 13) us practicing putting on the lifejackets
  

  

  14) mine fits ... sort of; 15) balloons marked the entrance to ma and papa's cabin
  

  

  16) Mariner's luncheon before setting sail; 17) the obligatory shrimp cocktail but of course
  

  

  18) tuna tartare; 19) mussels
  

  

  20) touring the Crow's Nest; 21) the aft pool ... suitable for Polar Bear dips
  

  

  22) we walked a mile each morning after breakfast; 23) our ship was made in Italy

  

  24) the Captain toasts our departure; 25) the main gallery
  

  

  26) goodbye Vancouver; 27) under Lions Gate we go
  

  

  28 & 29) northward we go through the Georgia Strait
  

  

  30 & 31) more of the Georgia Strait
  

  

  32) so pretty from the bow of the ship
  

  

  33) two fishing trawls head south; 34) G looks north
  

  

  35) no photographia!; 36) another trawler
  

  

  37) such pretty scenery
  

  

  38) how'd you like to live here 3 months at a time; 39) our lifeboat is No. 4
  

  

  40 & 41) G explores the ship
  

  

  42 & 43) a stroll around the Promenade Deck on the first night out
  

  

  44) ma and papa check out the menu at the Pinnacle Grill; 45) atop the ship
  

  

  46) decisions, decisions; 47) beautiful sunset on the first night out

  

  48) the 2nd morning dawns dark but still beautiful in its own way
  

  

  49) a smaller day trip boat heads south
  

  

  50) G taking our morning walk; 51) Orcas!

  

  52) Alaskans welcome? the Volendam with Coast Guard boat complete with gunner (rolls eyes); 53) this is a better welcome
  

  

  54 & 55) I watched the Princess ship dock right behind us in Juneau ... it is such an art
  

  

  56 & 57) the longshoremen prepare to moor the ship
  

  

  578 & 59) the crew leads out the main line
  

  

  60) Juneau's cruise ship dock
  

  

  61) along the Juneau shoreline; 62) the Mt Roberts Tramway
  

  Arriving in Juneau G and I hired a guide and took a private 8-hour hike out to the Mendenhall Glacier. Once there, we donned crampons and ice axes and spent an hour and a half exploring the glacier before entering a glacial cave, which I must admit was oh-my-god cool. A real highlight!
  

  

  63) the Mendenhall Glacier seems so far away at this point!; 64) G and Dawn chat as we hike out to the Glacier
  

  

  65 & 66) before reaching the glacier, you have to scramble up and over a small escarpment
  

  

  67) on the other side the glacier appears; 68) nearing the ice
  

  

  69) mountain goat skin and hair ... was it a wolf or bear me wonders; 70) this is a telling marker Dawn is standing in front ... it marks the limit of the glacier in August 2002 ... 10 years later in August 2012 the ice had receded near a kilometer
  

  

  71) putting on our crampons; 72) and heading onto the glacier
  

  

  73) G negotiates his way onto the ice ... it`s SO cool!
  

  

  74) G and I exit a very large ice cavern; 75) I`m last out ... you can see an ice pick above my head I was using to pull myself up and out
  

  

  76 & 77) heading further up the glacier to re-fill our water bottles with glacial water
  

  

  78 & 79) got it! ... it tastes like ... well, water! hehe
  

  

  80) G picks his way down
  

  

  81) Dawn heads down to the entrance to the glacial cave; 82) in G and Dawn go ... you do not want to linger very long at the entrance as the glacier continues to melt and move
  

  

  83) inside is a surreal world ... here is G. It sort of reminded me of something out of an Alien movie
  

  

  84) Dawn moves out ahead of us in the cave
  

  

  85) G and Dawn pick their way deeper into the cave
  

  

  86) there is G with the entrance further back past him
  

  

  87) here we are at the entrance .... it truly is another world
  

  
  

  88) a short video from inside the cave so you can see and hear what it was like

  

  89) leaving the glacier behind now
  

  

  90) ... and hiking back to the car taking the alpine route ... this was very similar to hiking Quirpon Island (in Newfoundland) I thought
  

  

  91) Dawn and G ahead of me
  

  

  92) way up now with the waterfall on the left
  

  

  93) a wary sign; 94) my only injury from the hike is an abrasion I received sliding down a rock face
  

   

  95) lifeboat drill for the crew; 96) welcome to Skagway - during the Klondike Gold days this town had some 30,000 people ... today, 895 live year round
  

   

  97) I was going to mail stuff but the office was closed!; 98) I`m staying here next time
  

   

  99) at the faux Starbucks in Skagway you can order this; 100) an Alaskan State ferry pulls into Skagway from Juneau
  

   

  101) my folks took the White Pass & Yukon narrow gauge railway to the Yukon and said it was amazing; 102) Starbucks and jewelry store all in one in Skagway
  

   

  103) where you want to go... ; 104) me with nitwit Sarah in town
  

   

  105) here`s the train they use to clear snow from the track; 106) the original railway building
  

   

  107 & 108) the (im)famous Red Onion Saloon (read: brothel) is still in operation today
  

   

  109) G among the poppies... poppies with make them sleep
  

   

  110 & 111) Glacier Bay touring morning dawned very foggy but slowly cleared as we arrived at the glaciers
  

   

  112 & 113) eerie and beautiful I thought
  

  

  114) G admires the view from the stern; 115) up on top I watch the last of the fog disappear
  

  
  

  116 & 117) the stunning Lamplugh Glacier - 13km long
  

  
  

  119 & 120) a large sail boat is dwarfed by the glacier
  

   

  121) the Fairweather Range of Mountains in Glacier Bay here so-named by none other than Captain James Cook
  

  
  

  122 & 123) the 40-km long Great Pacific Glacier
  

   

  124) watching the Glaciers from ma and papa`s balcony; 125) Great Pacific Glacier
  

   

  126) in Tarr Inlet; 127) we SO wanted to see a puffin and lo and behold ... there he was!
  

  

  128) the marvellous Margerie Glacier
  

   

  129) moi with Margerie in background
  

  
  

  130) leaving the Tarr Inlet
  

   

  131) we even were lucky to watch the Margerie Glacier calf whilst there ... the sound when this happens is amazing
  

     

  132) this humpbacked whale was right beside the ship; 133) if you look close, you`ll see a sea otter lying on his back eating
  

   

  134) Captain Bos sees whales
  

   

  135 & 136) humpback whales breaching just for us
  

  

  137) and large harbour seals sunning themselves on the rocks
  

   

  138) this was a whole pod of whales ... I counted 5 blow holes at one point; 139) ma and papa enjoy the view on a formal night
  

   

  140) moi getting ready to head down to dinner; 141) we were chasing the Sea Princess this evening
  

   

  142) random picture of the lights in the lounge; 143) ma readies herself for dinner
  

   

  144) steak tartare; 145) beef wellington
  

   

  146) salmon appetizer; 147) leg of lamb
  

   

  148) dessert art; 149) celebrating the anniversary in the Amsterdam dinning room with Chef
  

   

  150) celerbating the anniversary again in the Pinnacle Grill
  

   

  151) a short video of the anniversary celebrations in the Amsterdam dinning room
  

   

  152) our room stewards - Ughi and Suruya- left animals for us each evening - a turkey; 153) an elephant
  

   

  154) a dog; 155) a monkey which scared the hell out of me when I opened the door
  

   

  156 & 157) taking a tour of the kitchens
  

   

  158) one night each cruise the Pinnacle Grill transforms itself into Le Cirque ... which is of course THE restaurant in NYC ... complete with the china used by the restaurant; 159) appetizer
  

   

  160) probably the best Caesar salad I`ve very eaten; 161) I ordered steak
  

   

  162) ma`s salad; 163) we all received this amuse of fois gras and rhubarb
  

  

  164) rack of lamb; 165) fois gras and salmon starter
  

  

  166 & 167) desserts including a lime panna cotta
  

  

  168) ma and papa at dinner at Le Cirque; 169) a wonderful little touch is this box of chocolates left in your stateroom after dinner
  

  

  170) G strolls after dinner; 171) wow, what a lovely evening
  

  

  171 & 172) dessert buffet night! ... need we say more
  

  

  173) doing laundry on board
  

  

  174) Alain prepares our dinner table-side; 175) the appetizer
  

  

  176) filet mignon for me; 177) surf and turf for G
  

  

  178) dessert
  

  

  180) arrviign into Ketchikan ... with 4 other ships already there; 181) a busy harbour
  

  

  182) these lads board first before letting us get off; 183) welcome to Ketchikan
  

  

  184) near the salmon ladder in Creek Street; 185) homes built up along the cliffs
  

  

  186 & 187) the Creek Street artist area
  

  

  188) great name for a shop; 189) G wanders
  

  

  190) returning under Lions Gate Bridge; 191) G heads for home
  

  It was a grand cruise but new adventures await here in Michigan, I suppose. I fly to London on Friday to meet-up with my parents for a final anniversary family dinner before flying onwards to Toronto next week for some Toronto International Film Festing ... oh, and a little work too. 

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  • 2:58 pm
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