A Sunday of Free Meals--Stepney's City Farm and St. Dunstan's Church

Sunday, July 31, 2016
London

     I had a dreadful night. Wracked by jetlag and possibly the caffeinated latte I had at tea-time yesterday, I was awake most of the night. When I did eventually fall asleep, it was in the early hours--and having set my alarm for 7. 30am so that I could leave for Mass at 8. 15, I didn't really get enough sleep at all.

Off for Mass to St. Etheldreda's Church in Holborn:
     I have a soft spot for St. Etheldreda's Church in Holborn for many reasons: it was my London 'parish' when I lived here; it is the oldest Catholic church in England (being the first one to revert to Roman Catholicism after the Protestant Reformation); it is bursting with historic detail (King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I possibly worshiped here); it is where my dear friend and former neighbor Barbara starts every Sunday. I had made plans to meet her at Mass followed by a swift breakfast at her flat next door to the one I had once occupied.
     I have yet to get to know bus timings in Bethnal Green where I now live. Banking on the bus getting me to the Tube station on time was not too wise. When it did roll in (after I'd waited about 20 minutes), I raced to the Tube, got one right away (fortunately!) and reached Chancery Lane Station from where I raced off to Ely Place to catch the 9.00 am Mass--I was about 2 minutes too late, so seated myself nondescriptly in the middle region. The congregation has certainly grown in the past 8 years and there are many families and babies to be seen. Good Old Fr. Tom Deidun still holds the fort, the same lector continues to read faithfully every Sunday (I believe she is called Alison) and the stained glass window still does what it was supposed to do for Medieval congregations--it inspires me to pray to every saint featured in its collage. After Mass, Barbara and I reunited (always a great joy!) and off we trekked to Holborn Tube station for one of her other Sunday morning rituals--picking up the Sunday Times (of which I got myself a copy as well--for among other things, it provides the weekly TV program!)

Bountiful Brekkie at 7HH:
     I met Tim, Barbara's other half at brekkie at "7HH" (High Holborn) where he provided us with crispy croissants, the most delicious bacon (to make a sandwich with or, as Barbara put it, to "nibble" on--I did the former), butter, super sweet cherries,  white peaches and coffee. It was fun, as always, to catch up with my friends and to leave with a small present from Tim: a spray can of moth repellent (short story, but not important). It is my hope that we will meet again (perhaps over a meal in my home soon).

Discovering the Number 8 Bus Route:
     I decided to take the Number 8 bus all the way back home to Bethnal Green but when I got nearer my vicinity, changed my mind to ride it all the way to the end of its route--at Bow Church--to enable me get my bearings. This allowed me to pass Victoria Park and the Canal whose tow path makes for a nice hiking route, spied the Acelor Mittal Slide Tower at the Olympics Park and finally got to Bow Church (closed but clearly very old and very atmospheric). My brainwave gave me a good sense of where the buses that ply through my new area will take me.
     Just as impulsively, I took the Number 25 to get back home--this plies along Mile End Road--and ten minutes later, I was at Stepney Green Tube station which is the other one that serves my home's location. Again, since I was carrying the diagram that Mine Host N gave me, I decided to explore Stepney--it was as good a time as any other and doing it before I got home seemed like a good idea.

Exploring Stepney Green--City Farm and St. Dunstan's Church:
     A few minutes later, I was at Stepney High Street attempting to find two places that N had drawn out: City Farm which reputedly has a nice cafe and what he called "Old Stepney Church". Well, City Farm turned out to be a real farm--I had expected a Farmer's Market! Imagine finding a fully functioning farm filled with pigs, goats, sheep, hens, rabbits, etc. right in the midst of the city of London! I am still in shock. The place is also filled with allotments--those plots of land that are tended by city folk who lack their own gardens and wish to try their hands as growing their own "veg". Well, well, well. I had the nicest stroll through the pens as I watched kids pet the animals, feed them hay and food pellets and take in the sight of so many lush vegetable gardens brimming over with tomatoes and peppers and raspberry and blackberry canes that turned out the sweetest fruit.
     Just when I was about to leave, I came upon a workshop/shed and made the sweet discovery that it was a day when three 'green' neighborhood organizations had clubbed together to provide visitors with lunch created from their organically grown produce. I was invited to wait for ten minutes as set-up continued. It wasn't long before the lovely buffet of salads was opened to the public and I found myself holding a plate flowing with a corn, beans and red pepper salad, a green salad made with red lettuce and balsamic vinaigrette, a quinoa salad with oranges, chick peas and mango, a rice salad with boiled potatoes and lots of herbs for taste and flavor, a noodle salad with carrots and cukes. There were salted cashew nuts, lovely home-baked bread and mushroom pate and for dessert, a fruit salad with apples, grapes, peaches and blackberries. Seriously, I could not have eaten a more healthy or unexpectedly delicious lunch! We were all then invited to help ourselves to the surplus produce grown on the allotments and as I chose garlic, ginger, avocados, Bibb lettuce, a seed-studded loaf of bread and an olive loaf, I thought just how lucky I was to be fed lunch for free and be presented all these natural goodies!
     The afternoon continued to present an embarrassment of riches--for right across the street was "Old Stepney Church" and since the door was wide open, I simply had to make a visit. Imagine my delight at finding out that it was the Church of St. Dunstan and All Saints which has stood at this site since 952 AD! It certainly wears its age on its sleeve. It is one of the churches that is referred to in the famous "Oranges and Lemons" poem about London's old churches: "When will that be? say the Bells of Stepney."
     As I entered the church, a bunch of lovely old church ladies came to greet me and inform me that it was the afternoon of the Poppy Picnic--a fund raiser for descendants of British veterans of the Great War. Children had been told to bring their stuffed toys to church--these would be 'parachuted' down from the tower of the church to their waiting arms below. How charming a tradition is this? And as part of the picnic, the ladies had set out a real genuine Afternoon Tea--with every manner of cake and scones, split and spread with strawberry jam and a bowl of real clotted cream placed at the side. There was also a bowl of strawberries for those who preferred just strawberries and cream. I was invited to join in and as I made my donation, I moved to the front of the church for a prayerful visit.
     Simply unable to resist the treats of the tea-time table, I helped myself to a slice of Victoria sponge and Chocolate cake and half a scone. As there was no lemon in sight, I opted for a coffee instead of the more traditional tea. As no one can do an Afternoon Tea like church ladies, the whole experience was homely, authentic and charming and took me back to the era of the TV series, Home Fires. So, as I left the church, it occurred to me that three meals of the day had been made available to me through the generosity of friends and London's community events: breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. As for dinner? Well, wouldn't you just know it? I had an invitation to supper for later that day.       
      Laden with my Sunday Times and the bulging bag of fresh produce, I jumped into a bus that dropped me right outside my house--and ten minutes later, I was putting away my goodies and making my way upstairs for a nap. For lack of sleep was swiftly catching up with me and I needed to unwind after my lovely exploration of one portion of the East End of London. An hour later, having had some shut eye, I woke up, had a shower and headed off to my next appointment.

Supper with Fond Friends:
     The District Line transported me to Sloan Square in Chelsea in about 20 minutes and by the time I was ringing the bell to Grosvenor Court where my friends Michael and Cynthia live with their son Aidan, I could barely contain my excitement at seeing them again. We spent the next couple of hours together catching up on so many things that have happened in our respective families and our lives. Cynthia provided one of her delicious meals after Michael placed a G and T in my hand. Over her superb roast lamb, mashed potatoes with gravy and mixed steamed veg (brocolli, squash and beans), with fresh berries, custard and ice-cream for pudding, the evening just rolled smoothly along. I picked up my UK phone (which Cynthia had been holding and using occasionally to keep my number alive) and then it was time to bid them goodbye before it turned too dark. Being that it is summer, there is light until about 9.00 pm, but until I get the lie of the land, they do not want me out too late--and quite sensibly too!
     It was at 9.45 pm that I reached my door. There were still a lot of folks on the road (much to my relief!) and lots of cars along the street too. I videochatted with Llew, went in for a shower and sat down to blog.
     It was an eventful day and, unbelievably, one on which I was fed every single meal (and quite deliciously too!) by generous Londoners! As this is the first time such a thing has happened to me, I do not believe that I will ever experience such a phenomenon again!
     With the weekend devoted to easing into my new life and discovering my new neighborhood, I am ready to plunge into some work tomorrow. Bring on the working week...
     Until tomorrow, cheerio!    

      

Back in Londinium! And First-Day Flutters!

Saturday, July 30, 2016
London

     First Day Flutters! I felt them big time. Flutters of trepidation as I wondered how I would handle my mountainous baggage alone! And flutters of exhilaration at walking the lovely streets of London again!
     So yes, here I go blogging again! Or rather, here I come! Back again in Londinium. Or T'Smoke--whatever you might wish to call it, I am in Blighty now--for the long haul! And no one could be happier! For as firsts go, this day was fab.

Journey Outward:    
     Bidding goodbye to the family this time round was harder than I expected. Excitement was tempered by a twinge of sadness as I hugged and kissed the Smallies who are now part of our family in Southport. Llew dropped me to JFK--all the while more concerned than I was about the load I was carrying: two cases of 50 lbs each, a strolley backpack with not one but two laptops (don't ask!)--a PC And a Mac--and a crossover pocketbook. I knew I could do it--maybe even in my sleep for London, as you faithful readers of this blog know, is my second home.
     I couldn't have had a more comfy flight for, as luck would have it, I had a window seat with no one else occupying the two seats besides me--truly, the angels of international travel had my back! After a picture-perfect takeoff (the skyline of Manhattan silhouetted against a gorgeous coral sunset), I moved like lightning to the end aisle seat to hog it all, stretched out with three pillows and a blanket and ordered a G and T to celebrate my return to the UK. Dinner swiftly followed (and as airline meals go, this wasn't half bad for the chicken with orzo they presented me was far more than merely edible). Then, as is my wont on trans-Atlantic flights, I popped a sleeping pill into my mouth and was out for a whole four hours. By the time I surfaced, we were preparing for landing. And, once again, I hope you will believe me when I say that I got a brilliant picture of Buckingham Palace from my window as we made a smooth touchdown at Heathrow.
     Llew needn't have chewed his nails off in worry, on my behalf, for I sailed out of Immigration, loading my cases on to a trolley and hotfooted it to the Piccadilly Line in under ten minutes. After loading my Oystercard with a monthly Travelpass, I slid into the elevator that sank me down to the platform and, five minutes later, voila! I was in the Tube and changing at Hammersmith for the District Line right across the platform. A quick call to inform my 'pick up person' that I would be there in about 40 minutes and, like clockwork, an almost empty train dropped me off at Stepney Green where I connected with him.

Getting to Know Bethnal Green and my New London Digs:
     My landlord and landlady (whom I shall refer to from now on as Mine Hosts) couldn't be nicer. N was there, as promised, and with all the gallantry of the Middle Ages, hauled my cases up as if they were featherweights, as he led me to the surface--of Mile End Road. The neighborhood was still in the throes of its Saturday Lie-In as we dragged my cases down two New York blocks to my new digs on Globe Road--and a more appropriate name would be hard to find for someone who does as much globe-trotting as I! His wife, C was awaiting my arrival indoors as we opened the lime green door to my new home, a charming Victorian three-story semi-detached house with a front and back garden! As my eyes scanned my new abode, I thought, "Have I lucked out once again, or what?"
     We spent the next two hours getting to know each other and my new home. They put me through the paces as they shared wifi codes with me, pointed out light switches, security measures (locks, latches, and the like), discussed rental payments with me, walked around the garden with me, gave me the Grand Tour of all three floors, showed me how kitchen appliances, shower and heater worked--all over a cup of coffee and a bowl of muesli as I suddenly discovered that I was starving.  They told me to help myself to any of their pantry staples (oils, vinegars, spices, condiments), introduced me to their storehouse of a gazillion teas (only to discover, much to their chagrin, that I drink decaff!) and made me feel fully at home. They had also drawn me a cool diagram of the neighborhood with landmarks like museums and markets, favorite restaurants and bus and Tube stops all highlighted. How unbelievably thoughtful!

Off to the British Library:
      Two hours later, all formalities ironed out, I set out to find my way to the British Library at King's Cross as my Reader's Ticket expired yesterday! How was that for timing??? I jumped on to the No. 8 bus at Bethnal Green, hopped off at Liverpool Street and took the Tube. From there, it was only a stroll to the Library on a glorious day, temperature-wise. After the heat wave we've had Stateside, it felt heavenly to wear a light jacket! Reader's Card safely in my pocketbook, I browsed around an exhibit called Punk--but found little in it to arouse my interest.

Crossing Regent's Canal:
     Having used wifi at the library, I set out in search of the nearest Waitrose as I needed a few urgent groceries. And so it was that I made another charming discovery. There is a huge Waitrose behind St. Pancras Station (one of my very favorite buildings in London with its splendid Victorian Gothic facade by Sir Gilbert Scott for whom I have a soft spot as he also designed the library building of the University of Bombay). I can never pass by without saying a silent Thank you to Sir John Betjeman who saved it from the wrecking ball! (How could something so grand ever be slated for demolition?) And what's more, that Waitrose is hidden in a vast warehouse behind a pedestrian plaza that sits astride the Regent's Canal to which one is led by steps going down--like getting to the banks of the Seine in Paris at St. Michel! It was enchanting. I can see myself actually strolling along the canal tow path in the very near future.
     But for today, I was not to be distracted from my mission...and discovering that I can get a free coffee every time I use a Waitrose card, I signed up for one and began shopping. I got Warburton's multi-seed bread (which I love), honey yogurt, honey ham, mature cheddar cheese, a lemon for my tea, decaff tea bags, Lavazza decaff coffee (because C recommended it), a date and walnut loaf for tea, pork sausages (which I shall fry for my dinner tomorrow), a cauliflower to make a mash to accompany the sausages, a bag of fruit and nut muesli and a ton of free magazines! Did I ever tell you how much I adore Waitrose? After paying, I obtained a free latte and sipped it in the cafe with a slice of my cake--as I hadn't really eaten anything since that bowl of muesli at 9.30 am. At 5 pm, I left Waitrose, with a grocery load far less weightier than it sounds.
    At King's Cross, I took the Tube home and within twenty-five minutes, I was testing my new skills with the new keys I'd been handed. Easy peasy!  

Unpacking and Getting Settled:
     It is a thrilling process--unpacking and deciding where to put what in a new home. My room on the first floor (American second) is darling. It has a double bed, a night stand, a carved wooden armoire, a very modern desk and ancient chair. My bathroom is just outside the door and rearranging my toiletries and cosmetics in it was also a blast. These flutters of delight I feel are priceless. My window has double glazing--so busy Globe Road is not a concern.
     I then got down to setting up my laptops with wifi connections and suddenly felt fully in sync with my family members again. Arranging my groceries was also an opportunity to rearrange the kitchen cupboards, discover where everything is kept, and make an open toasted sandwich for myself with fig jam, ham and cheddar washed down with lemony tea. I listened to Radio Four as I munched because there is no TV in this house--not an issue as I have BBC's I-player here and Netflix!!! The evenings will be a good time to catch up with the movies and TV series I love. I am pretty sure that it will not be long before this old home, that was built and has been lived in since the time of Queen Victoria, feels very much like home to me.
      So much has changed since the last time I lived away from Llew in London. There was no Facetime or Imo then--although there was Skype with its rather spotty reception. Now Llew and I intend to videochat daily. Just as I did today with him as well as with my niece and nephew.
     So there you have it! A Fab First Day! And a few fine flutters! Thanks for following me again. I would love to have your comments. Please do read my posts, but please do also respond.
     Until tomorrow, cheerio....     
  
    

Long Last Day of Vacation in the Pacific Northwest

Mon, July 11, 2016:

From Vancouver to New York: Homeward Bound!

            Our last day of vacation dawned somewhat drizzly—but this sort of weather is common in Vancouver. Wait ten minutes and the sun pops out—which it did. We had to check out of our room at 9. 30 am and so we hurried with our showers and finished our packing with the idea of stashing our bags back at Margaret’s to which we adjourned for another grand breakfast.

            I had a couple of errands to run right after breakfast and Margaret was obliging enough to take us around to the shops to get them done. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch and we were quite delighted to feast on the marvelous leftovers from last night’s bistro dinner which we had carried home in doggie bags. As might be expected, they tasted even better the next day.

            Lunch done, Margaret suggested we watch Amal, a very interesting off-beat film made with Canadian-Indian collaboration starrinf Naseeruddin Shah and Seema Biswas as well as a new British actor of whom I have not heard, Rupinder Singh. The film was heartwarming and thought-provoking and led to a nice post-viewing discussion. It was also a very relaxed way to finish up our hectic vacation, so we were grateful for the quiet time.

            It was time then for us to get to the airport for our red eye flight back home. Margaret once again stepped in to offer us a ride and an hour later, we were checking in for the first leg of our Alaskan Airlines flight to Seattle. There we raced off to Wolfgang Puck Express for another Pizza (the Mushroom Special—just as delicious as the meat-laden one with which I had started my vacation) and then we made our connecting flight from Seattle to New York. We traveled first class but despite the extra leg room, we were unable to sleep for more than a couple of hours.

            We arrived in New York’s Kennedy airport at 7.00 am from where we quite easily used the Airtrain to get to Budget from where we picked up the rented car that got us home to Connecticut. It was annoyingly long as we fought traffic all the way home and took more than two hours for what is usually a one hour journey. Still, we had a great homecoming and a lovely reunion with my brother and his family who had a Welcome Home poster on the door waiting for us. Although we’d had another one of our top vacations, it was great to be back home in our own bed and baths again and to savor the joy of a home that we truly love.

            Thanks for following me on this stretch of my travels. It is always a pleasure to have you by my side as I explore the world and see it through eager eyes. Until I gallivant away again, I wish you happy journeying. May the road rise up to meet you!

         

Surveying Surrey--in British Columbia, Canada

Sunday, July 10, 2016:

Surveying Surrey in British Columbia, Canada

            We awoke and breakfasted at Margaret’s. Her unit was just a three minute walk away and it was a sheer pleasure to pass by the homes of the folks in Chelsea Gardens which is superbly landscaped and truly a dream environment for the retired. Llew and I kept thinking that we would not mind buying a place there ourselves! Margaret had a fabulous Continental brekkie ready for us: cereal with milk, English muffins and French croissants with butter, jam, mango juice and coffee. It was fit for a prince and we ate well.

            We then bid her goodbye and called a cab to take us to the home of our friends Louella and Kevin (parents of the bridegroom) so that we could have some private time with them—because apart from wishing them briefly at the wedding, we had really not interacted with them at all. They were very obliging indeed in having us over and we really did spend a delightful morning in their beautiful home and garden which we were visiting for the first time. The Euro UEFA16 finals match was on between France and Portugal and most folks had congregated in the family room to watch it. Llew spent a while taking in the excitement in front of the telly while Louella gave me a tour of the gardens pointing out beautifully established trees and newly planted ones The garden was a riot of lovely color and with perfect temperatures outside, it was truly a pleasure to sit there and enjoy the ambience of it all. 

            About two hours later, we called another cab to take us back to Margaret’s at Chelsea Gardens and it was not long before she drove us to Apna Chaat House for a really unique lunch: Indian chaat which is basically street food served all over the country. We ordered an enormous portion of bhel puri and Punjabi Mix which was dahi, sev, batata and bhel puti all mixed together. The portions were huge so that with kulfi falooda that finished our meal, we had ourselves a royal repast—and a most unusual one for Llew and me who do not have many Indian eateries where we live to indulge our nostalgic teeth!

Back home with Margaret, we adjourned to our room for another shut eye—we realize that we have lost out on a great deal of sleep, thanks to early morning risings to whale watch and late evenings out at the Piano Bar. Still, we are not complaining. There will be time enough for rent when we get home.

Margaret called us back to her place for a drink before dinner to which she was treating us—at Tasty Bistro in Surrey. I had a beer, Llew had red wine, Margaret had a rum and coke and then it was time to drive off to one of the best Indian meals I have ever eaten. We ordered Chilli Paneer, Kadai Chicken and Fish Curry over rice with garlic naans and we had a Kulfi for dessert. This meal was truly different from anything we had ever eaten plus we had the pleasure of seeing Margaret’s son Glen and his girlfriend Ann who made super company. Overall, it was truly a good evening and a really fun time for us.

It was about 10. 30 pm when we got to bed after yet another lovely day in the company of friends of whom we are very fond.

Until tomorrow…   

Wedding Bells in Vancouver

Saturday, July 9, 201:

Covering Vancouver

            Today was all about the wedding we had come to the West Coast of Canada to attend: that of Andrew Matthias (son of our close friends Kevin and Louella Matthias) with Laura Martin. Nuptials were at 11. 30 am at the Church of Corpus Christi on Nanaimo Road in Vancouver and the reception was at the Riverside Banquet Hall in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver. We had accommodation arrangements made for us by our friend Margaret Deefholts who lives in a gated complex called Chelsea Gardens in Surrey; but we realized soon enough that we’d have no time to get to Chelsea Gardens from Canada Place in downtown Vancouver where we docked, dress and then race off to the nuptials.

            The plan then was to get to the Holiday Inn in Surrey where our friend Susan had a room. We’d get off the boat (hopefully really early) and cab it to the Holiday Inn, dress for the nuptials there and then catch a ride from Susan to the church. By requesting every HAL personnel to “get us to the church on time”, we actually managed to get our bags out and into a cab and although we docked at 7.00 am, but 9.00 am, we were in the lobby of the Holiday Inn at Surrey—record time all around and thank you HAL!

            Fifteen minutes later, having changed into formal wedding togs, we were in Susan’s rented car and off to the church. The entire ceremony was lovely, the bride was beautiful and radiant, the groom looked handsome and happy, both sets of parents looked very proud and the congregation was truly thrilled to be there to witness their vows. Llew and I were really happy to have made it on time.

            After the service, we piled back into Susan’s car, stopped off at a mall to pick up lunch from a food court (Pad Thai for me, chicken curry for Llew) and were back at Susan’s hotel joining a few of our other friends to eat a delicious meal. An hour later, our friend Margaret arrived to pick us up and take us to Chelsea Gardens and settle us into our lovely quarters—a large en suite room that was bright, airy and spacious. It was all I could do to stop myself from taking a lightning power nap—for exactly 20 minutes, before it was time for us to shower and change for the reception to which Margaret volunteered to drop us off.

            The Reception was a hoot—we had a swell time over a lovely reunion with many of our New York Tristate area friends who had trooped in from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Over cocktail hour, we renewed acquaintance with many friends, enjoyed the speeches and the food and drink and danced the night away. It was a lovely evening indeed but by 12 midnight, we were fading and decided to call it a night. Our friends Ian and Jenny who had a rented car, volunteered to drop us back to Chelsea Gardens where we spent a very restful night.

            Until tomorrow…

A Birthday Within The Inside Passage, Alaska

Friday, July 8, 2016: A Day Spent Sailing Towards Vancouver:

Being a Lector at my Birthday Mass:

               I awoke on my birthday with a jolt to realize that we needed to race down for 8.00 am Mass. Since I wanted to serve as Lector, it was important to get there early. By 7. 50, I was in the Hudson Room and Fr, Tim was presenting me with the reading for the day. I went through it rapidly, quite thrilled indeed to be able to hear Mass on board on my birthday. It was our last Mass of the cruise and Fr. Tim said a special blessing for us.

Breakfast at the Lido and a Final Lecture:

            As usual, the Lido was mobbed by people who wanted a long and leisurely brekkie on their last day on board. I got the Swiss Muesli for a starter followed by waffles with strawberries and cream and OJ. Llew and I found a really nice spot to watch the many islands of the Vancouver Archipelago slide by us—some large, some small, some far away and misty, others really close at hand. When we felt quite sated, I decided to go for a presentation to the Queens Lounge on ‘Alaskan Explorers’ given by naturalist Humberto—and it was very informative indeed. He spoke to us about Vitus Bering, about Dahl (after whom the porpoises are named), about Seward (after whom an Alaskan city is named), about George Vancouver’s role in mapping out the region and finally about the Alaskan Purchase (from Russia).

After an hour, we decided it was time to return to our stateroom to begin our packing as tomorrow by this time, we will have docked at Vancouver. Determined to enjoy every last minute on board, we also wanted to make sure we stayed on track.

Packing Our Cases for Departure: 

            For the next hour or so, Llew and I focused on getting all our stuff into our suitcases (concealed under our bed) while also keeping aside the things we would need for the rest of the day (including semi-formal dinner wear) and clothes for the next morning’s departure. We are quite amazed by how much we have accumulated even though we kept our buys to the minimum.

Invitation to the Mariner’s Lunch at the Manhattan:

            Packing done, Llew and I decided to go for the Mariner’s Lunch at the Manhattan for which we were especially invited. We were ten minutes late but we need not have worried. Sit -down service for a three-course lunch was offered. We both opted for the Crab and Shrimp Cocktail served already dressed in a light mayonnaise with shredded lettuce. For a main course, I chose the halibut with grilled shrimp served with a lime-cilantro sauce and grilled asparagus, while Llew got the beef brisket with mashed potatoes. And for dessert, both of us chose the Mixed Berry Cobbler which was absolutely delicious. Coffee and petits fours were part of the meal and we enjoyed them both before we got back to our staterooms.

Finally, a Session at the Gym:

            I was keen not to leave the boat without putting in at least one session at the gym. Having walked around the deck several times for exercise, I decided I ought to go and check out the gym and take in the views of the passing islands which were just a visual treat at every juncture. And indeed, that was where I went after I climbed into a T-shirt, shorts and my sneakers. For the next half hour, both Llew and I were at the elliptical machine gazing at the prow of the ship and the route that lay ahead of us. It was absolutely delightful and I was sorry I had not found the time to get to the gym every single day. But then, that’s the problem with being on a cruise that offers so much. It was essential to me to have tried varied experiences each day and to have immersed myself in the true spirit of cruising which does involve dashing from one end of the ship to the other and from the lowest floors to the topmost.

Playing Bingo for a Free Cruise:

       By this time, we discovered that a single game of Bingo was being offered in one of the lounges and that the prize was a 7-day cruise for two to the Caribbean or Mexico. Well, you have to be in it, to win it, right? What a great Birthday Present it would make! So off we raced to the Queen’s Lounge to buy our tickets—a card of six for $35 and to play a form of Bingo which was slightly different from the “Housie” with which we are more familiar. I have to say that it was fun and when we started sweating for just 2 more numbers on one of our cards, we were sorry that someone else won the house, but not so sorry when we discovered that the guy who won the prize was also celebrating his birthday! Oh well, at least one Birthday Person got a really unforgettable present that day!

Time for a quick nap and Cookery Cards:

            We did actually find time for a nap—a short one for me, my usual 20 minute shut eye-- before I darted off to the Explorer’s Lounge to pick up all the recipe cards that pertained to the many cookery demonstrations that had been carried out on the liner. Several of these demos had been presented when we were sightseeing in the various ports—and so we had missed them. It was good to collect about thirty recipe cards for some of the delicious concoctions we had enjoyed during the cruise. That task accomplished, it was time for us to get back to our staterooms to shower and dress for dinner as we had reservations at the Pinnacle Grill which is one of the specialty restaurants on the ship.

Off for a Birthday Dinner to the Pinnacle Grill:

            We would be wearing our glad rags for the last time on the cruise and we were glad that it would be on my birthday. Our 8. 30 pm reservations at the Pinnacle Grill saw us seated at a lovely sea-facing table with an amuse-bouche of stewed mushrooms placed before us in tiny demi-tasse cups. We were sorely disappointed that the Alaskan King Crab Legs were all gone—but in all fairness, it was the last day of the cruise and we had a very late reservation. After we ordered drinks (a Cabernet for Llew, a vodka cocktail for me) we got down to ordering our three-course meal: it was going to be special, we hoped, for it would be nice to save the best for last. Since our friend Tony who had tasted the Lobster Bisque at the Pinnacle Grill on our last cruise had pronounced it the best he had ever had, both Llew and I decided to have that. And it was amazing--just filled with lobster bits and very flavorful indeed. For a main course, I chose fish again with shrimp scampi while Llew had steak and for dessert, the two of us chose the Not—So Classic Baked Alaska with Cherry Garcia Ice-Cream and Bing Cherries Jubilee which is a HAL specialty,  a demo item by Chef Suraj, a few days ago. And just when we thought the meal was done, along came a waiter with a massive slab of Chocolate Mousse Cake to celebrate my birthday. Sadly, he did not sing Sarta Murliya—which is the traditional Indonesian song that is sung almost every night at the Manhattan. He merely sang a quiet Happy Birthday, but there was a candle and he did procure a knife and I did cut the cake—which Llew and I only proceeded to taste (it was awesome) as we were filled to bursting with our celebration meal.

            I can only say how blessed I feel that for several years in a row, I have celebrated my birthday in different parts of the world—in the past few years, it has been in Berlin, Kyoto, South Africa and now in Alaska. Outside, our ship was worming its way through what is known as the Seymour Narrows—as the name says, it is a very narrow inlet through which the captain maneuvers the craft. Islands passed us by in the soft shades of a North American dusk as we inched closer home with every nautical mile we covered. It was a lovely birthday and one that was made special by the many email and Twitter messages I received from family members and friends around the world.

Last Night and Birthday Bash at the Piano Bar:

            We ended a really terrific day at the Piano Bar in the company of the one and only Jimmy Maddox who, on having been told at the gym, where we had met him earlier this morning, that it was my birthday, decided that he would sing and play for us his funny Birthday Song. Well, it was a funny song indeed and it was great fun to have the entire crowd at the bar (and there were hordes as it was the last night and Jimmy had accumulated a faithful band of fan followers) as we ushered the almost-end of my birthday. It had been a night to remember and I was so thrilled by the way things had turned out. Llew, who was feeling a trifle unwell, had left earlier, but I stayed until midnight, when the bar closed, to see my birthday out in it’s entirely. Since we had put our clocks one hour forward at midnight, my birthday came to a sudden and abrupt end—but it was true fun while it lasted and I had a ball!

            Back in my stateroom, I found I had about ten minutes to zip up my case and place it outside our door for removal by the porters. I met the deadline and before long, Llew and I were fast asleep. Our last day on board had been packed to the gills but it had been a fabulous day and an amazing cruise and I have to say I was sorry it ended.                  

     Until tomorrow...

Catching Ketchikan's Spriit in Alaska

Thursday, July 7, 2016:

Ketchikan, Alaska:

            It was our last destination in Alaska—Ketchikan. A place that became familiar to me a few years ago when a priest-friend of ours, Fr. James Valladaras, had served as Ship’s Chaplain on a cruise liner and had sent us a postcard form this destination in Alaska. Little did I dream that one day I would actually set foot on this spot.

            I expected Ketchikan to be little more than a touristic spot with kitschy souvenir stores and the chain jewelry stores that we have been seeing from Juneau onwards. We arrived there about 9.30 am (rather late in the day by cruise ship standards). By this hour, we’d found the time to have breakfast in the Lido. Eggs with meats for Llew, waffles with strawberry compote and whipped cream for me washed down with hot chocolate. These breakfasts are quite magnificent. We also made ourselves bagel sandwiches (smoked salmon for me, ham and cheese for Llew) to take aboard as we were not sure how much there would be to see in Ketchikan and we did not want to have to waste time in a restaurant. We thought that a sandwich on the run would be perfect—so we packed one each.

Jewelry Charm Collecting:

            And so it was that we raced from one jewelry store to the next to collect the free charms that are distributed and, in the process, we ended up collecting quite a few. I also bought a few bracelets on which we could hang the charms. I will probably give a couple of them away as gifts.

Exploring Creek Street and Souvenir Shopping:

That task done, we headed towards Creek Street—the best-known tourist spot in Ketchikan. This area was once the town’s red-light district and it has been maintained as a quaint and very pretty part of the state of Alaska. It is also known as Alaska’s First City because most cruise liners stop at this port first—in our case, the order was reversed and we arrived at Ketchikan at the end of our travels. Houses on Creek Street are built on stilts over a tumbling river to which we had, alas, arrived just two weeks too early. Had we come at the end of July, we’d have found thousands of salmon leaping all over the Salmon Ladder as they swim upstream to spawn. My friend Bonnie had highly recommended this sight and I was sorely disappointed that we missed it. Instead, we began to walk towards a Salmon Hatchery, in the hope of finding some spawning salmon there. Sadly, the hatchery was closed for renovation and we could see nothing.

            As fate had it, however, we found ourselves just steps away from the Totem Heritage Museum where a number of genuine, original totem poles gathered from all over the native settlements in Alaska have been brought here for safe-keeping. There were several totem poles all over town and several scattered about the entrance at this museum. We did not feel the need to enter it, so elected to walk back to town as we had trekked on a walking tour far out of the central tourist area. And then, as luck would have it, we found a free shuttle bus that the town operates—waiting for us to board it and take it back to the center.

            So hop it we did—and that was when we went souvenir and gift shopping in the stores so that we’d have a few trinkets to take back to family members. Of course, we got our mandatory postcard and magnet and other little odds and ends—and armed with those, we went out in search of Alaska’s famous smoked salmon to take back as gifts. There were a few shops selling and shipping smoked salmon anywhere in the States. They offered samples—served on crackers with a dab of cream cheese—and I really did enjoy those nibbles (Llew does not eat fish). With some smoked salmon packs in our bags, we left and began to look for a spot where we could eat our lunch.

Lunch on the Dock and More Exploration:

            It was time for lunch for both of us were feeling peckish—despite our big breakfasts, all the walking we are doing does work up an appetite. We found a vibrant place on the Dock to sit and eat our bagel sandwiches and do a bit of people-watching—which was a lot of fun as another cruise ship was docked right by and was filling with passengers. Others posed by the sculpture of prospectors in the Klondike. When we were done, we decided to go out and find Edmund Street (aka Street of Stairs). And when we found it, we realized why it was so named. It is quite simply a street of stairs. You climb higher and higher (about 7 floors) to get some interesting views of the city—a Lonely Planet recommendation—as Ketchikan is built in tiers—the more expensive housing is found the higher you go.

Visiting the Southeast Alaskan Discovery Center:

            Lonely Planet had also stated that the museum that would probably most appeal to short-time visitors was the Southeast Alaskan Discovery Center. Since it was right in town and was run by the National Parks Services, Llew and I had free entry into it as we are National Parks members (entry is normally just $5 per person). The most interesting aspect of the museum is the Rain Forest that has been re-created indoors with birds and animal life presented in taxidermied form—this allowed us to finally see a brown bear! The museum also presented very good exhibits on the Tlingit, Huna and Tshaimshin people who first inhabited this region—much of which was very informative. We did manage to browse around for about an hour. And then when our legs began to give way, it was time to think of returning to the ship.

Relaxing the Evening Away:

        Ketchikan turned out to be a delightful place. We did have some disappointments—not enough wild life, no salmon to be seen at all, some charms not available as I did not have a particular coupon book that would have entitled me to them. But, overall, it was a truly sweet place—not just a touristic spot. Alaska’s few towns revealed themselves to us in different ways and we were glad we experienced their variations.

            Back in board, we went directly to the Manhattan Dining Room for some tea and nibbled at a few of the open sandwiches, scones and assorted pastries that were offered: the raspberry mousse cake and the pecan tarts were simply divine and much against my better judgement, I indulged as no one has a sweeter tooth that I do so. In fact, I have an entire set of sweet teeth!!!

            In our staterooms, we caught up on email through our on-board internet connection and switched on the TV to catch up with international news when we received the awful reports about the shooting of a black man in Dallas that ended with the sniper shootout that killed 5 policemen and seriously injured several others. Like the rest of the country, we watched in horror as the events unfolded and for the rest of the evening we felt the sobering sense of being jolted out of our bubble of luxury and unreality to come to grips with the fact that for the rest of the world life goes on in its usual painful way.

Dinner at Tamarind:

            Still, because life had to go on, we had our showers and got dressed for the next item on our agenda: Dinner at Tamarind, the pan-Asian restaurant on board where there is a nominal surcharge ($20 per person) for a really special meal. We had reservations for 8. 30 pm, which left us ample time to get a cocktail in the adjoining bar called Silk Den. I had a Mango Mojito which was excellent while Llew got a glass of red wine. As for our dinner at Tamarind, it was quite superlative to say the least with service that was beyond outstanding. We started with the Satay Sampler and Peking Duck in Chinese crepes for our appetizers—both were awesome. We got lamb, pork, chicken, veal and shrimp satays served with a spicy peanut sauce and Peking Duck served with two pancakes served with hoisin sauce, green onions, cucumbers—all to be rolled and eaten. Llew and I shared them so that we had a chance to taste both (and they were both good). One can get really good sushi and sashimi in Tamarind, but since Llew does not eat fish, we stayed far away from those offerings. For our main course, we both chose the Asian-style Lobster Tail which was served in a spicy sauce and outside its shell. As an accompaniment, I chose the stir-fried veg which included cucumbers, snow peas, mushrooms and scallions while Llew got the oyster and shitake mushrooms. The food was simply grand and we couldn’t have been more delighted. For our dessert, we picked the Tamarind Chocolate Basket which I had eaten on our cruise the last time and remembered to be superb. I was not disappointed. It is a chocolate mousse tinged with the flavor of ginger and served in a dark chocolate tart shell with berries on the side. As was to be expected, our entire meal was outstanding.

A Show in the Theater by ‘On Tour’:

            We were running a trifle late for the late-evening (10.00 pm) show called ‘On Tour’ that featured the singers and dancers of Nieuw Amsterdam, but we decided to go and catch as much of it as we could. And boy, were we glad we did! The show was simply terrific with the most thrilling singing you could have wished for and well-choreographed numbers by obviously well-trained ballet dancers. Truly, just when we thought we couldn’t possibly have a better time, along comes a show like this that simply sweeps you off your feet. It was grand. Sadly, we got just about 20 minutes of it but those minutes were amazing.

Another Evening at the Piano Bar with Jimmy:

            Just when we thought we ought to call it a night, we passed right by the Piano Bar and since our man Jimmy Maddox was doing an ‘Elton John Night’, it was hard to resist. We settled ourselves on bar stools right by his piano and, for the next hour, gave ourselves entirely to the pleasure of listening to him and joining in wherever we could. He has truly been one of the treasures of our cruise and we were simply delighted to stay right up to midnight when he finally called it a night.

We returned to our stateroom just astonished by just how much we are packing into our days as we settled down for the second last night in our stateroom. Because we were instructed to put our clocks one hour forward as we left Alaska behind during the night, it was already my birthday by the time we fell asleep. What a great start it was to my birthday! 

Until tomorrow…                    

Highlight of an Alaskan Cruise--Glorious Glacier Bay

Wednesday, July 6, 2016: Cruising in Glacier Bay

Whale-Watching at the Crack of Dawn:

            Today was meant to offer the highlight sights of our entire cruise. And by the end of the day, we realized why it is considered a privilege to be able to set eyes on these parts of our planet. But to begin at the beginning...

            We set our phone alarms for 5. 30 am as the Cruise Director had informed us that chances of whale sightings were best just before we entered Glacier Bay—about 5. 30 am! Naturally, we took him at his word and by the time we reached the Crow’s Nest as the Explorations Deck is called, there were about thirty people ahead of us scanning the waters. Initially there was not much to report but we did see some rather cheeky sea otters—brown bodies bobbing up and down and identified by shiny button noses. After a fairly long time, when most people had given up, we saw a few ‘spouts’ in the far distance—these are made by whales blowing water out through their blowholes. A little movement was visible in the water—we saw what looked like black fins and tails—but, even with binoculars, they were too far off.

And then, just when I thought how disappointing it was how little wild life and marine life we were spotting on this trip, there came a gigantic Orca (Killer) whale almost slapping against the side of our ship.  I kid you not! It was literally just three feet from our ship and directly in the water below us when it made a graceful turn, exposed its back and fin above the water line and then plunged below exposing fully its huge forked tail. It was such an awesome sight to behold—especially after I had quite given up on spotting anything that remotely resembled a whale. Needless to say, it felt worth completely worthwhile to have woken up at that hour to see what we did.

Picking up Park Rangers Mid-stream:

            Whale-watching apart, however, the sea surrounding Glacier Bay was stunning to say the least. Dotted with green-draped islands, it offers opportunities for some serious wild life watching if one has good eyes or a good pair of binoculars. We, however, saw none. At about 6. 15, we began to see a boat in the distance—we thought it was a whale-watcher, but as it neared closer to us, we made the happy discovery that it was the commuter vehicle used by the US Park Rangers who began their journey in it from Gustavus (pronounced Gus-tay-vus) in order to meet our ship which they would board and on which they would remain for the entire day. It was really cool to see the three of them—interestingly all women—well-clad against the cold in bright red coats. We waved to them from the Crow’s Nest and got some good pictures of their craft. We did not see the manner in which they are hauled up into our ship on the Starboard (right) side. Apparently, our ship brings its speed down to just a few knots in order to lower a rope ladder along the side of the ship. The rangers then climb up it and into the ship. Sure beats a cup of coffee to wake you up in the morning! One of their colleagues then sails away in the boat with the intention of returning to the same spot in the evening to take them back to Gustavus. A few minutes later, two of the rangers came to the Crow’s Nest. They would spend the rest of the day with us providing us with the kind of expert commentary that would guide us through the area.

            The US National Parks Service has declared the entire Glacier Bay region a National Park. Thanks to the efforts of the naturalist John Muir, who is mainly associated with Yosemite National Park, the US government was persuaded to take this area on as a protected region. This means that it is maintained as ‘wilderness’ and because the only way to get to these parts is by boat, only very few people on this earth have had the privilege of seeing the area. Because the whale populations in these parts apparently dwindled quite suddenly, environmentalists petitioned for the banning of cruise liners in Glacier Bay. The cruise companies, however, appealed and, finally, a happy compromise was reached. Only two cruise liners per day are allowed in Glacier Bay. So we were really honored to have the opportunity to survey this part of the world in our Holland-American cruise-liner. Campers are allowed to spend time here but there are no camp sites, no running water, no facilities of any sort. If you wish to camp in this area, you pitch tent wherever you please and use the wilderness for bathing and toilet facilities. We were amazed not just to see a few people on one of the beaches but to actually find two of them kayaking in the Bay—I mean how cool is that???

Exploring Glacier Bay:

We spent most of our morning in the Crow’s Nest—it was one of the best places to be as it is an enclosed area that is temperature controlled and one can hear the experts provide their commentary which turned our attention to the map of the area and the route that our ship would take as it wove its way through a network of islands to the glaciers that give this bay its name. Ice-draped mountains were all around us by this time and you get a sense of actually being in Alaska although it is the middle of summer and the warmest time of year in these parts.

I nipped downstairs to get breakfast up for the two of us: waffles with strawberry compote and whipped cream for me, a bagel with cream cheese for Llew together with assorted pastries—all washed down by hot chocolate and coffee. Filled with this lovely repast, we trained our eyes on the topography as it unfolded before us. In front of us was another cruise ship and as we followed the exact same route, our ship literally inched forward. This allowed for a lot of photo opportunities as the glaciers came into view. At one point, the ranger pointed out a herd of white mountain goats—a nanny with her kids—on the mountain in the Starboard side; but we could barely discern them as tiny white spots.

Our exploration of Glacier Bay continued as Reid Glacier and Lamplugh Glacier came into sight. These are basically great rivers of ice the tops of which are almost entirely black or grey as a result of the debris (called moraine) that has been picked up along the way. The faces of the glaciers, however, are tinged blue and you understand where the shade ‘ice-blue’ gets its name! A half hour later, our ship made a left turn into Johns Hopkins Inlet and we were able to see Johns Hopkins Glacier come into focus. This glacier is the only one that is increasing in size—the others are steadily regressing as a result of global warming. We took a bunch of pictures but I was constantly aware of feeling sorry that there was so little wildlife in evidence. I had, at the very least, hoped to see a couple of bald eagles on this trip for birds and animals have the run of this land here and are masters of all they survey.

Margery Glacier—The Biggest Highlight:

            It was not long before we arrived at the big kahuna—Margery Glacier. Being the highlight, they save the best for last. It is a massive ice river that runs down to the sea and as the ship inched closer and closer to it, we realized that the best way to view it and to get the best pictures would be to leave the Crow’s Nest and get down to the deck when glass would not inhibit our viewing of the sight.

            And that was what we did. It was cold on the deck and Holland-America had thoughtfully provided cups of warming Dutch Pea Soup for everyone on board—a wonderful tradition that I hope they will retain. Just when I started to feel peckish, along came the soup. It could not have been more welcome.

            Fueled up well for more viewing, we went down to the third floor and when we emerged on the deck, we found just a few people there—certainly not as many as I expected. Perhaps the bulk of them had already taken their pictures and left. For Llew and me, it was a marvelous opportunity not just to get some nice pictures of the glacier itself, but to pose against it as well. And finally, after we had taken the mandatory pictures, we could actually gaze upon the giant glacier surrounded by ice-encrusted mountains and take in the wonder of the region—the dead silence of it all, the bird life (loads of sea gulls in the water) and the glare of snowy light as it bounced off the white and ice-blue face of the glacier that appeared in some parts like giant stalagmites reaching for the air above.

When Glaciers Start Calving:

                I was disappointed that it was not warm enough for us to see some of the ‘calvin the glacier—the name given to the process by which giant chunks break off the main glacier and fall into the sea. The fact that the water around the glacier was filled with ice floes ought to have indicated to me that we were likely to see it happen—but I had given up hope.

Imagine our delight then when we heard what sounded like a gun shot—a great big crack. And a few minutes later, a great chunk of ice detached itself from the side of the glacier and fell with a wobble into the sea with a huge high splash. Luckily, my camera was ready and since its journey down to the water was slow, I got a decent enough shot. It was a true sight for sore eyes—we actually saw the process of ‘calving’. A few minutes later, we heard the rumbling roaring sound of the glacier again as it proceeded to fling another chunk of ice into the sea. And we realized then why the ranger had told us that if we had not yet gone outside, we ought to—as the sound that the glaciers make are as awesome as the sight of them.  It was a truly splendid morning spent really well as our ship made a full circular turn at Margery Glacier to allow passengers on every side of the ship to take in the absolute beauty of it. We realized then why this is the highlight of any cruise to Alaska. It was a sight that would remain in my memory for all time.

            A little later, as it was rather cold on the deck, we went back to our staterooms. Our early rising had made each of us feel a little woozy but by noon, we were at the Lido Deck as the ship began its slow retreat out of the Bay. There were still lots of opportunities to take pictures but at the end of the day all we wanted was to drink in the sights of the mountains, the islands and the sea and we ended up doing just that.        

Lunch on the Lido Deck:

            Everyone seemed to have become really hungry by the act of glacier-watching for the Lido was packed. There were loads of choices on hand and I settled for soup (Ketchikan Green Chile and Corn Chowder) as I needed some warming up, a plate of small Middle Eastern nibbles and a bowl of spaghetti that I had custom-made for me Carbonara-style with bacon and mushrooms. Llew settled for a plate of roast meats.

Ranger Presentation in the Showroom:

            At 1.00 pm, feeling fully sated, we made our way to the theater to listen to Ranger Faye make her presentation on Glacier Bay and although she used Powerpoint and some really good slides to make it interesting, I have to say that I dozed off through most of it. Early morning risings and too many late nights have begun to take their toll on me and I am often finding it impossible to keep my eyes open. Still, I was quite pleased with the few bits and pieces I caught and as we trooped out of the theater at 2. 00 pm, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

An Afternoon of Leisure:

            Llew chose to take a long and much-needed nap. As usual, I was content with a 20 minute shut-eye after which I donned my sneakers and began a two mile walk around the deck. There were a lot of other walkers doing the rounds, so I had plenty of company. After I had walked three miles or nine rounds of the deck, it was close to 5.00 pm when Mass was about to be celebrated. I joined Llew in our stateroom as we swiftly got ready and set off for Mass which, I was surprised to see was attended by at least 30 people. Mass and Communion done, we went back to our stateroom to get into our bathing suits for a nice long relaxing soak in the hot tub on the Lido Deck. This was the first time during this cruise that we found the time for a hot soak—on our previous cruise to the Baltic, we were in the hot tub after each day’s sightseeing in a different European capital.

Gala Night on Board:

            Half an hour later, we returned to our stateroom to shower, shampoo and get ready for our formal Gala Night on board. I love these formal (dress-up) nights as it is a great pleasure to see everyone in their grand attire—males in jackets and ties and women in strapless gowns and their highest heels. We went to the Manhattan Dining Hall at 7.00 pm and were happily seated almost immediately—so much better than getting there at 8.00 pm and having to wait for half an hour for a table. It happened to be Lobster Night—so we were excited.

            To our good luck, we were placed at a table for four and were quite pleased by the company of Bob and Mary who had just joined our ship in Skagway having done the land part of the Alaska cruise first. They made very interesting company as they were very seasoned travelers. We were awed to discover that they have been traveling together since their retirement in 1993 and have undertaken a minimum of two big trips per year—sometimes three. Having done this for 23 years, they have seen most parts of the world (except Israel and India) and made really entertaining company. Llew and I would dearly wish to follow in their footsteps—Inshallah!

            Dinner was as good as the posted menu promised it would be. Both Llew and I started with the Shrimp Cocktail—which was different from the British version which is usually lettuce dressed with a Marie-Rose sauce with shrimp placed on the top of cocktail glasses. In this case, the undressed lettuce was placed in cocktail glasses, four large shrimp were draped on the side of the glass and a tiny ceramic container of a cocktail glass was served to be used as a dipping sauce for the shrimp which were also accompanied by a wedge of lemon. Although different, it was delicious. Both Llew and I also chose a salad for our second course—Caramelized apples, pears and shallots were served in a balsamic-vinaigrette over greens (nice enough). For our main, no marks for guessing that we both close the Surf and Turf—Lobster Tail with Filet Mignon accompanied by roasted carrots and a green spinach pilaf. It was very good indeed and we both enjoyed the dish. Finally, for dessert, I had the Flourless Chocolate Cake served with a raspberry sauce and whipped cream—Llew ordered it too—that Chef Suraj, during his cookery demo, had said was his favorite dessert on board. It was great, I have to say. The texture was incredible. It was rich and super creamy and the quality of the dark chocolate used was so good that I could tell from the taste that it was a superior grade.

Evening in the Crow’s Nest with Piano Man Jimmy:             

            Our companions said goodbye to us at the end of their meal and we decided to get to the Crow’s Nest where Piano Man Jimmy Maddox had been moved for an evening of hits from Around the World. Once again, we were regaled by the multiplicity of his talents as pianist, singer, raconteur. The songs he played were well-known hits and with a large number of people joining in both in the singing and taking spontaneously to the floor, we had a really great evening. At 11.00 pm, we finally decided to get back to our stateroom and call it a night.

            It had been a day of immense sights and sounds and we were certainly enjoying our travels and all the wonders it was slowly revealing to us.     

Until tomorrow…                    

On the Klondike Gold Trail in Skagway, Alaska

Tuesday, July 5, 2016: Skagway, Alaska

On the Klondike Gold Trail

            We had already arrived in Skagway by the time Llew and I awoke at about 6. 30 am. But since we were not scheduled to begin the packaged shore excursion we had booked online until 10.00 am, we had a bit of time to kill before we set out for the day.

            After showering, we left to eat breakfast in the Lido Dining Room where the choices are a- plenty. I have resolved to try something new each day—today I asked the chef to make me a custom-designed omlette: shrimp, spinach, mushrooms and goat cheese with smoked salmon on the side. It was awesome. I also ordered some freshly squeezed OJ for Llew and me. He settled for eggs over easy and decaff coffee. We could already see folks leaving the ship for the day and walking along the bridge that took them into the city. We had no idea how far the city was from our cruise terminal—so we were pleasantly surprised to discover that we could go back and forth in under ten minutes. A real boon that!

Exploring Skagway on Foot:

            It was about 8.45  am when we left our stateroom for a day that was filled with deep interest. First of all, the main street called Broadway that runs like a main artery through the town has been beautifully preserved to serve as a tourist attraction. We soon learned (from the self-guided Walking Tour we took later in the afternoon) that most of the historic buildings have been moved from other parts of the city and brought to this main street. It is like a mini Disney World—each building is freshly painted in its original colors. Charming shops line the road on both sides—most of them are jewelry shops owned and operated by Indians from India who spend 3-4 months of the year in pursuit of cruise ships. For the rest of the year, they literally close shop and head to the Caribbean Islands looking for business from cruise passengers there. I chatted with a few of them and found them to be courteous and very gracious and not the least bit pushy. What’s more, most of them offer a little charm simply for walking into their establishments. By the end of the day, I had collected quite a few of them and felt very pleased with myself. The charms are meant to be worn on a charm bracelet and feature various symbols of the region—whales, trains, bears, etc.

A Bit of Skagway’s Gold-Digging History:

            And talking about trains, I ought to say that Skagway’s heyday were the years 1898-1900. Just two years put this town forever on the world map. It was in 1898, that a man found a nugget of gold quite by accident while straining mud from a pan of gravel. That did it! Word spread literally around the world and the Klondike Gold Rush began. The name came from the Klondike river that weaves it way through the area in glacial green tones that are vastly appealing.

A few of the early prospectors (also known as stampeders) made a considerable amount of money on the gold nuggets themselves. Several made money from the business that sprouted around gold digging such as hotels, selling apple pies to prospectors, laundry owners, saloons for there was seriously nothing to do here except drink, gamble and go whoring. Needless to say, whore houses did brisk business and when drink, women and especially money (to be made from gold) is at stake, a frontier town fills with gun-totting desperadoes who pull out their weapons at the slightest provocation. Skagway became rife with crime and as time went by, its chief crook was one Jefferson “Soapy” Smith who ran a huge brazen operation in gambling and prostitution with some good old-fashioned thieving thrown in at the side for good measure. He was the most notorious gangster of the bunch. Old Soapy was killed in a real old-fashioned gun duel with one Charles Reid that took place right on the main street and a plaque today marks the spot where he fell dead. Peace returned to Skagway and to the prospectors most of whom did not make a dime.

            Since we were supposed to pick up tickets from the Visitors’ Center that is run by the US National Park Service (as the entire area is protected as a historic area associated with the Gold Rush), we headed there first. We got tickets for the 2.00 pm walking tour that is led by a park ranger—having booked them online before we left home. With our tickets in our pockets, we continued our exploration of the cute town popping in and out of the shops to pick up free charms or magnets or postcards. Then, with little time to spare, we made our way to the Golden North Hotel (no longer in use as a hotel although once the town’s most famous inn) to pick up our three-hour guided tour of the White Pass and Summit as well as the Yukon Territories—for an exploration of Skagway is an exploration of its towering snow-streaked mountains and its curving hairpin roads that lead one into the Yukon Territory of Canada.

White Pass and Summit Tour and Entry into the Yukon Territories:

            The Gold Rush sprouted traffic on one of the most treacherous trails—known as the Chilkoot Trail that originated from Skagway—originally known only to the Tlingit and Huna natives peoples who populated this region. As thousands of people flooded the town to try their luck panning gold during what was a very depressed time economically around the world, the US government insisted that each of them carry enough supplies so as not to starve on the trails. It was stipulated that they carry a ton of supplies each—needless to say, this meant several trips up and down the mountains—a hard enough task in the summer but essentially the area is a series of killing fields in the winter.

After a few months of dealing with these wretched conditions, as a result of which many hundreds died, it was decided to build a railway line that would go over the White Pass Gulch to reach the Summit of the mountains that would then lead into Canada. The railroad line—one of the grandest feats of Victorian engineering—was created in 2 years, 2 months and 2 days and continued in operation until the 1960s. Today, it is a huge tourist attraction for passengers can take joy rides (for the pricey fee of about $400) along the same railroad all the way to Carcross in Canada’s British Columbia province. For those passengers wishing to spend less (as in our case), you can take the 3-4 hour guided tour by coach which follows the exact tracks of the train and enters the same territory. Ours was conducted by Frontier Excursions and cost us $65 for a four hour trip that left Skagway at 10.30 am and brought us back at 3. 00 pm. Needless to say, this meant that we missed our 2.00 pm ranger-guided walking tour, but we found a way around it pretty easily.

            Our guide was the lovely Jess (aka JJ) who proved to be a brilliant narrator and tour guide. She talked continuously as she gave us a ton of information about the history, the topography, the vegetation, the building of the railroad, the Gold Rush itself, the development of Skagway. There was so much we learned on this trip from her. We left the town of Skagway, crossed the railroad lines and the creek and made our way into the mountains. From time to time, we stopped to see the train winding its way on the slopes—its green and yellow head followed by a long trail of brown carriages. There were also a number of waterfalls (and we stopped to take pictures at a few), great green vistas draped with Sitka (Alaskan) spruce trees hung frequently with moss that is referred to as Old Man’s Beard.

We had our passports checked at the US-Canadian border (a short and very painless process) and were welcomed to Canada’s Yukon Territories—which are the most remote parts of Canada. In this area, we stopped for restroom breaks and hot beverages at what is called the Yukon Suspension Bridge. Although we did not actually walk over it (it costs $15 to do so), we got really close. After a ten minute stop, we headed further north towards Tushai Lake and Bennet Lake. The scenery was spectacular, the mountain air was clear, clean and cool, peaks covered with ice followed us everywhere and the silence of the area was amazing. We also made one stop at a Dogsledding place where two of our passengers hopped off to take a dogsled ride. This allowed Jess to bring in some husky pups into our coach and we all had the chance to hold them—a real thrill for us! We got a very good sense of how awful the circumstances might have been for 19^th century prospectors and how brave (if not foolhardy) they were in risking their lives to make a fast buck.

It was exactly 3.00 pm when we returned to Skagway after a four hour inland journey that had taken us into Canada and then back into the United States–where again the immigration process was quick and simple.

            Alas! We had missed our 2. 00 pm tour and all slots were filled for the rest of them. Still, we were not daunted (in fact, we were quite pleased) when the ranger gave us a very detailed brochure that allowed us to take a self-guided walking tour that followed in the exact footsteps of the tour guide. But since it was just past three and we had eaten nothing since breakfast, we felt the need for some sustenance and decided to go back to our ship (just a ten minute walk away) to get some food.  It would be too late for lunch but Afternoon Tea could be just as substantial.

Afternoon Tea on the Ship:

            And that was precisely what we did. We headed straight for the Manhattan Dining Room where Afternoon Tea was in progress. Of course, they offered the full three courses and by fueling up on a number of finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and a selection of cakes, we had ourselves a really nice meal rounded off with lovely decaff Earl Grey. It could not have been a more welcome break. It was by then about 4. 00 pm and since our embarkation time was 8. 30 pm, we had ample hours left to continue our exploration of the town.

Taking a Walking Tour of Skagway:  

Before we began our tour on foot of Skagway, we entered the National Parks office to watch a film entitled ‘Gold Fever: The Klondike Gold Rush”--a 25 minutes documentary that was highly recommended by Lonely Planet. It was a really superb introduction to the reasons why Skagway developed from a once sleepy First Nations People’s settlement into a thriving center of commerce. It also set the tone for our walking tour that followed immediately. 

The self-guided tour was a lovely way by which to enter, visit or pause at the many historic buildings and architectural treasures of the town. We entered the old train depot and saw the old station house (now used by the National Park Services), we walked into the Red Onion Saloon (once the most notorious house of sin), and the Mascot Bar. We saw Moore’s Cabin, a log cabin that was built by one of the most successful prospectors, the army barracks used during World War II when Skagway became an important armaments depot. We saw a number of interesting buildings that varied from simple log cabins to fanciful Victorian dwellings. Most of the buildings have been moved from their original venues so that the walking tour was very easy to do indeed. It took us about an hour and half, so that about 6.00 pm, we decided to get back to our ship as we were tired and foot sore and needed to do some serious relaxation.

Dinner on the Ship:

            We decided to go for dinner early as we have at least a half hour wait if we go at 8.00 pm. At 7.00, we were easily seated in the Manhattan and finding that the priest who has been saying Mass, Fr. Timothy McCarthy, was seated alone at a table, we invited him to join us. He readily agreed and we had a really nice meal with him for company. He is an Irishman who now lives in Vancouver. Now retired, he does about 3 cruises a year mainly for HAL where he serves as ship’s Chaplain. 

            It was Jacques Torres Evening—meaning that today’s menu was devised by the French pastry chef Jacques Torres who has a flagship chocolaterie in Brooklyn, New York. Llew had the Venison Sausage Soup while I had the Cheddar and Beer Soup (both were very good indeed). Since I needed a salad, I decided to have the Caesar Salad with anchovies (which was also very good) while Llew asked for a side serving of the day’s main salad which was one with grilled chicken, mango and varied veg. They brought him almost a full-size salad which he tried to share with me—except that for a little bite, I wanted none of it. I had my main course yet to come: the Yankee Pot Roast served with mashed potatoes, mushroom medley and roasted veg. It was wonderfully tender and very tasty. Llew decided to have the Veal Tenderloin which was equally good. I ended with the Baked Alaska made with rum raisin ice-cream—nothing to shout about. Llew had the coffee fudge ice-cream. Throughout our meal, we enjoyed interesting conversation with the good priest who kept us both amused and entertained.

Country Night at the Piano Bar and Magic Showtime:

It was time to get to the Piano Bar for a sing-song with Jimmy Maddox, the Piano Man. But he was doing songs with which we were not familiar and it was time to head off for the Magic Show by Fred Moore in the main theater. It wasn’t great and my eyes were closing. Clearly it was time for me to head back to my stateroom. Llew decided to stay on while I adjourned to our stateroom where, a very short time later, I was fast asleep.

Until tomorrow…