It's hard to believe that I've let a month in Kentucky pass without posting about Alaska. For a land known as the Last Frontier, there were many firsts for me. The first time I saw a glacier, the Pacific Ocean, and being on the West Coast. It was truly an amazing time. We went on an Alaskan cruise through Holland America. We visited Juneau, Sitka, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, and Victoria (Canada).
After boarding the ship in Seattle and a full day at sea, we docked in Juneau. I anticipated that the weather would be freezing as there is a preconceived notion that Alaska is so cold. I did not realize that Southeastern Alaska is a temperate rainforest and had more rain than snow. So, the high for the day was low 60's. We took one of the excursions offered on the ship that took us to the Salmon Hatchery, Glacier Gardens, and Mendenhall Glacier.
A memorable part of this excursion was being dropped off at Mendenhall Glacier with an hour to visit the park. One of the attractions at the park was Nugget Falls. There was a trail that led to Nugget Falls, but the entire trail took 45 minutes. Those who know me well, know that I am not the best with managing time, especially when limited to a tight schedule. We acknowledged the length of trail but persisted onward; it was one of the best decisions we've made together. Trudging through the arctic beach was thrilling-- every step closer to the mist of the majestic falls. Upon arrival, I was in awe. Nugget Falls is the waterfall I've always wanted to photograph. We broke out the tripod, took touristy photos, and who can forget the customary couple-shot. We even small-talked with other visitors. Then we realized the time and hauled butt back to the visitor center.
The tour bus left at 5:30 to go back to the ship, and with seconds to spare, we got on the bus at 5.29. With healthy glistens on our foreheads, we panted as we looked around the bus and realized that we were the youngest couple on the tour. Judging from the murmurs as we boarded, we quickly gained the reputation as the gallivanting, Gen-X couple that flirted and dared the clock. The bus full of Baby Boomers had been waiting on us for about 15 minutes to load, concerned we would be left and ultimately not make it back on our cruise ship. No regrets-- life is an adventure, and at least I have it well-documented. :)
After the excursion, we met up with my girlfriend's mother's high school friend, Mario, who has lived in Juneau for 28 years. He was gracious enough to give us our own private tour since Juneau is a small city, as evidenced by most every local recognizing and greeting him everywhere we went. I did not realize that Juneau is on an island in Southeast Alaska and that the only way into it is via plane or boat. As the capital of Alaska, I guess I assumed that it had access to the rest of the state via roads or interstate.
After riding through town, Mario took us to Bernadette's, which is a Filipino restaurant that is known for its BBQ. After eating some great authentic Filipino food and having great conversation, we left feeling really pleased with our trip to Juneau and excited about the remainder of the trip. We were in Alaska!!!
Juneau, what I mean?
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