Another Brief Interlude

You know how some mornings start out and you are a bit "foggy"? Well this wasn't foggy and our town, soon to be city's too small to be "smoggy". This was B.C. "smoky" coming over the mountains. Yes - it was very smoky here for a few days. Pray for rain to cut down on the airborne ash and soot when you really didn't want more moisture this summer? Glad the smoke didn't last too many days and very glad they got the rain where they really needed it!!

Day Three

Day Three on our trip to Alaska,
We awoke to waters quite rough.
But we knew that an ocean in motion
Could produce a day that's quite tough.

By ship, we take what is offered.
It's all in the course of the tour.
With wind and sky you must look out
And realize it's what you signed on for.

The service of song and prayer started
With curtains wide open to the sky.
While the waves tossed about our poor vessel
As Church goers we swayed with each sigh.

Though food still seemed quite appealing
With not one of us flat out in bed.
A Kitchen Tour and then Chef's demonstrations
With carved penquins and roses of red.

Listening to the Vista Lounge Speakers
We discovered their yattering quite boring.
We didn't want to hear more about diamonds!
But we didn't dare go to sleep and start snoring.

"Dutch Tea" later was really quite tasty,
With tray after tray of various sweets.
No Boterkoek though for the tasting
But we had many other tempting Dutch treats.

A walk around the ship in the fresh air
Burned calories and cleared our heads too.
In preparation for another Formal Dining
Experience. The first of just two.

Walking to and from the night's floor show
Was an experience too funny for words.
With laughter and arms held out sideways
We could only uncontrollably swerve.

Back in our rooms we took Gravol
And lay quietly, not hoping for more
Than to find ourselves awake in the morning
To skies clear and seas calm, Day Four.

Day Two

On Day Two of our trip to Alaska we found ourselves safely on board, with little thanks to a taxi driver who squeezed four adults and numerous pieces of luggage and carry-on into his little Toyota Prius. What was he thinking cancelling our other driver (with a van) and taking this one himself! It was only a short trip from the Chev dealer in Vancouver to Canada Place, but without a bungee chord holding the trunk lid down we would have arrived without something for sure!

Breakfast at Starbucks surrounded by flowers and sunshine and bustling office workers was actually very relaxing, finally!

Sitting in neat straight rows with fellow passengers waiting to board the ship was painfully slow! It would have been boring as well if we didn't strike up conversation with those next to us.

Finding our stateroom finally and stepping out on the balcony was exhilerating!

Having our first Mariner's Lunch with another couple was stretching but satisfying knowing we could carry on conversation with complete strangers and come out smiling at the other end.

Exploring the ship and becoming acquainted with our new "home" for the next week was fun!

Pulling away from dock and sailing under the Stanley Park Bridge was filled with anticipation.

After an excellent supper we took some time to relax before the evening show. The skies were clear and cloudless. The sea was deep and dark and calm. The air was warm and very pleasant. In the distance we could see possible rain clouds. Not even they could dampen our spirits. They weren't raining on our parade right then and there so they were of little concern to us. We had made it safely to the ship and capable hand were tending to our vehicle woes.

We were now on our way to a relaxing and fun-filled week with wonderful company, ready to live moment to moment and enjoy every one!

THERE'S OUR SHIP!


PULLING AWAY FROM DOCK!


"UNDER THE BRIDGE"


GOOD-BYE TO VANCOUVER AND TO CANADA!