Geeks on a boat, now with more geeks! Literally. Alaska 2013 planning starts now!

[zweihund]

Dropbox and I are going through some things right now...we seem to have a love-hate relationship. Meantime, I found a temporary workaround for the extra pics. So where were we?

Big ice chunks ahead! Can you imagine how big these suckers are UNDER the water?

They were getting bigger and bigger as we neared the glacier, which was peeking its brilliant blue and white head out from around the corner. It’s funny, even being right there in the middle of it all, it took seeing a smaller vessel or two out there in the water to realize exactly how big those giant chunks of ice were. Looking down from ten stories up, everything seems very close and looks so small. And when you are parked in front of a glacier with no real concept of how close you actually are, it’s not clear how amazingly and ridiculously GINORMOUS the thing is until you see that tiiiiiiiiny little boat parked up in the distance.

Or maybe it wasn’t so tiny.

Still, we were all looking at it and thinking the same thing – nuh uh!

Peek-a-boo, I see you! What crazy son-of-a-gun drove that boat all the way up there?

Seriously….at one point my dad turned to me and said “I hope that thing doesn’t calve and tip that boat over” – and by “that thing” I can only assume he meant the glacier

Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glacier was just as amazing the second go around. Part of that could have been the weather – the sun glinted off the water and the glacier and seemed to highlight the blue. Colors you don’t normally find in nature were there – in unspoiled nature. Yes, Lionel did work on the photos before we posted them but it was more to balance the contrast. He did nothing to enhance the colors. And the pictures, while beautiful, are nothing compared to looking at the real thing.

What are you waiting for? YOU WANT TO GO TO THERE.

Awesome scenery on the way out:

Water falls into emerald water

Mountains and snow – beautiful!

Up next: Palo, and our first ever non-show show.

 

[jedijill]

Sorry about the Dropbox issues.

In the words of Liz Lemon, "I want to go to there." Gorgeous!

Jill in CO

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Proud to hear you admit you play Plants Versus Zombies. I love that silly game and it makes time pass so quickly when you need it to. Did you know that Plants Versus Zombies II is coming out some time soon? I think it was supposed to be released already, but there have been some delays, at least that is what my son has told me.

Back on topic, I am still enjoying your trip report, and like you captioned over one of your pics, Yes, I know I want to go and see exactly the beautiful scenery that you did, so we will be sailing to Alaska next May on the 9-night, and I am reading every trip report I can find between now and then.

Thanks again, for taking us along on your journey.

 

[Chilly]

Wonderful photos, brings back great memories.

 

[Jennifer48]

Wow, just wow. You are right, I do want to go there!

 

[AZMermaid]

Beautiful pictures! It makes me want to go back earlier in the season- Tracy Arm was beautiful, but we didn't see those huge chunks or the seals.

 

[Linda67]

Wonderful photos

We were up on deck 10 as well. We just couldn't believe how quickly that day went and the weather was just perfect

I couldn't stop grinning that day

 

[zweihund]

Sorry about the Dropbox issues.

In the words of Liz Lemon, "I want to go to there." Gorgeous!

Jill in CO

Thank you for "getting" that. I say it all the time at work and sometimes I think people just wonder how I made it this far in life with such poor grammar

Proud to hear you admit you play Plants Versus Zombies. I love that silly game and it makes time pass so quickly when you need it to. Did you know that Plants Versus Zombies II is coming out some time soon? I think it was supposed to be released already, but there have been some delays, at least that is what my son has told me.

Back on topic, I am still enjoying your trip report, and like you captioned over one of your pics, Yes, I know I want to go and see exactly the beautiful scenery that you did, so we will be sailing to Alaska next May on the 9-night, and I am reading every trip report I can find between now and then.

Thanks again, for taking us along on your journey.

Enjoy the TR reading! It was my favorite passtime as well
And yes, I am anxiously awaiting PVZ II. Which is kind of emberassing when you're a 38 year old woman.

Wonderful photos, brings back great memories.

Wow, just wow. You are right, I do want to go there!

Beautiful pictures! It makes me want to go back earlier in the season- Tracy Arm was beautiful, but we didn't see those huge chunks or the seals.

Thank you thank you! It was truly amazing. I could go back again and again.

Wonderful photos

We were up on deck 10 as well. We just couldn't believe how quickly that day went and the weather was just perfect

I couldn't stop grinning that day

Wasn't the weather amazing? Every day I kept thinking "better enjoy today, this weather won't last..." and then the next day would be the same! We SO lucked out with the weather.

Working on another installment - have a quick update from the evening after Tracy Arm, and Lionel passed the Skagway pics along to me via my giraffe-shaped jump drive (don't judge me) because dropbox can officially kiss my hiney.

 

[chepic]

Just booked a cruise for next Christmas and was surfing through the TR's and I saw yours.

1. Your daughter is so cute. Maxim was 3 on our first cruise so I do feel your pain about the peepers not closing until you want them open...

2. Beautiful photos......loved the eagle!

3. Seals--felt the same way in California when we stayed in Carmel, seals along the coast were cool until they woke us up at 5 am.

Cheryl

 

[zweihund]

Just booked a cruise for next Christmas and was surfing through the TR's and I saw yours.

1. Your daughter is so cute. Maxim was 3 on our first cruise so I do feel your pain about the peepers not closing until you want them open...

2. Beautiful photos......loved the eagle!

3. Seals--felt the same way in California when we stayed in Carmel, seals along the coast were cool until they woke us up at 5 am.

Cheryl

Hello again! Thanks, and BWAHAHAHA.....I felt the same way about bagpipes when I lived for a brief time in Scotland. Very cool, until you have to squeeze by some piper on the High Street and nearly go deaf. After awhile it all just sounds like BWEEEEEE HWWWWWAAAAAAAA UUUHHHNNNNNNNN

Ok, picking up where we left off.....I don't have any pics from the evening, as we sadly went to Palo sans camera. But here's the report.

While it was sad to leave the seals and glacier behind, we had something to look forward to – Palo! With Izzy being a bit out of sorts, the grandparents offered to keep her for a few hours so we could have some quiet time together without worry. As a bonus, they took Paige too! We dressed our girls in their respective princess outfits and passed them off to the grandparents, who bravely took them both to dinner. Of course, we later heard they behaved like little angels…except for the fact that Izzy barely touched her now-traditional mini burger.

Meanwhile we got all dolled up and watched in vain for whales on the balcony. Have no fear, however, for they would appear soon enough. (That, my friends, is what we call FORESHADOWING)

I always get such a good feeling when I head to Palo. It’s so cozy, and quiet, and full of wonderful food…Jason and Stef were at their own table as it was “date night.” Last time we had Palo dinner in Alaska, we saw tons of whales from our table. Leaving the fjord, I was certain we were in for a treat.

I would be wrong. But at least the sea bass was delicious. And the scenery was pretty incredible, whales or no whales.

After dinner, it was still nice enough outside to take a little stroll on the deck before the magic show started. Would you believe in 9 cruises we have never once been to a “non-show” show? We’ve seen The Golden Mickeys, and Disney Dreams and so on and so on….but we’ve never been to any of the comedy or ventriloquist or random act shows for some reason. We figured hey, the kids are sleeping and the grandparents are probably happily seeing breaching whales galore from our verandah so why not?

And you know what? It was really fun!

We saw Mike Super, magician and illusionist. He was great. I’m always amazed by someone who can fool an entire theatre full of people into thinking he is tearing up a newspaper or making a person levitate. Because, let’s face it, IT IS ALL LIES. But it looks so good! Mike was also pretty funny. My favorite joke was about how parents save and save to take their kids on amazing vacations, and how the kids seem to do anything they can to completely ruin it. You know, like refusing to do certain activities or by being totally unimpressed by the amazing wildlife and scenery.

Or by contracting some strange virus….

My second favorite part was his continual use of the made-up word “lavenous” – he sold t-shirts after the show, and we were forever seeing fellow cruisers walking around the ports in shirts declaring themselves “lavenous.” It felt like “our little secret” – something those Holland America folks just wouldn’t get.

Sorry kids, it’s a DISNEY thing.

When we returned to the room the kids were asleep. Paige was collected and taken across the hall and I followed my parents back to their room for some unknown reason. I ended up out on their balcony, and we all looked over the side at the same time and saw….

Wait for it…

A HUMPBACK WHALE. Fina-freaking-ly!

It was just hanging out. Watching the ship go by. My dad said “look at that log down there….wait, that’s a WHALE!!!” It had surfaced right at the moment, very close to the boat (and perpendicular, no less), took a breath and went back under. It was so surreal. I returned to the room where I gloated to Lionel for several minutes before entering navigator-highlighting mode and packing our respective bags for our early morning excursion.

I kissed my sleepy peanut before putting myself to bed and noticed she seemed a little extra warm…so I made sure to pack the children’s Tylenol too. I fell asleep, praying we would avoid going down to deck one like we had two years ago, for consultation consisting of “she’s motion sick, let her rest and she’ll be just fine – that will be $250.”

Curse you, international health care!

Up next: a bus, a bridge and a train….all without snacks.

 

[chepic]

Loved Mike Super!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ok, you can continue.

che

 

[zweihund]

Loved Mike Super!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ok, you can continue.

che

He's LAVENOUS!

 

[Linda67]

We went to see Mike Super as well - loved it !

I swear we must have been strolling past each other all cruise

Glad you finally got to see a whale

 

[MBMom711]

What I have reached the end... I need more immediately.... uhhh, please? I am loving your report. We will hopefully be doing this trip next summer with our dd3 (will be 4 for the cruise), my parents, sister and her husband and my brother, his wife and there dd5 (will be 6 for the trip). I am so living vicariously through you at the moment. I am sure you are busy and all but we need more!

Seriously, great TR. I am looking forward to the rest.

Question for anyone - I didn't see Sleeping Beauty aka Aurora with princesses. Has she been spotted on the Wonder? She is my daughters favorite.

 

[zweihund]

What I have reached the end... I need more immediately.... uhhh, please? I am loving your report. We will hopefully be doing this trip next summer with our dd3 (will be 4 for the cruise), my parents, sister and her husband and my brother, his wife and there dd5 (will be 6 for the trip). I am so living vicariously through you at the moment. I am sure you are busy and all but we need more!

Seriously, great TR. I am looking forward to the rest.

Question for anyone - I didn't see Sleeping Beauty aka Aurora with princesses. Has she been spotted on the Wonder? She is my daughters favorite.

You know, we did not see Aurora once. I have never seen her. I have a picture of her that one of the Shutters staff from the dream handed my daughter, but I'm convinced she does not exist on the boats. Maybe someone else can prove me wrong.

So a funny thing happened this week....first, I was certain I posted an update about changing to a mac but now I don't see it. And I was going to make a joke about this mac, but without the original post it's kind of moot.

Long story somewhat shorter: the mac I was changing to? From my crappy Dell laptop? Totally crashed during a picture upload. Same thing that happened to Lionel when he was originally uploading edited pics to his dropbox....and sadly, that mac had my near-complete Skagway update. Here's hoping it's still on there, somewhere.



Hoping to have it back by this weekend. In the meantime, I am back on my crappy Dell. Which does not have my file either.
Woohoo!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I feel your pain! Hope you get your computer issues resolved soon. Looking forward to more!

 

[MBMom711]

Computers are not my friend. I am pretty sure my 3 year is better with computers then I am.

It is so upsetting that Aurora is taking a back seat to the newer princesses! She is by far my daughters favorite. I guess we will have to make up a story about Aurora being on vacation with Prince Philip!

 

[chepic]

He's LAVENOUS!

che

 

[Chilly]

reading about yummy Palo food is making me hungry better go have lunch!

 

[zweihund]

Computer update: wish I had one!

Actually the IT guy called Lionel to come and pick up the mac yesterday, but when they turned it on it....it crashed again.

*facepalm*

We're hoping to get it back this week. Until then, just imagine you are surrounded by giant blocks of floating ice covered in seals! Scroll up if necessary