Disney Vancouver/Alaska/Seattle Trip, Day 8 - Ketchiken
This morning was a super-late docking, so guess what we did all morning? That's right! We worked on our "marital bond". We ate at the buffet again (we didn't realize until the last sea day that we could have been eating in the dining room, but it worked out better this way, see last sea day). We walked off the ship at 11, and after a cursory glance around downtown and the red light district Creek Street, headed up the mountain to the Native American Heritage Museum, aka Totem Poles Galore!
I was looking forward to this the whole cruise - I have a serious love for all things totem, so between this and Totem Bight Park, I was going to get my fill today!
We stayed there for about an hour, looking at all the cool woodworks, then took the free shuttle (which also ran UP the mountain!) back downtown.
That area is way smaller than the maps make it look, and it's an easy walk, even for my lazy pregnant ass. We walked around town a bit more waiting for the bus to Totem Bight, and we found out that there was some excitement at the dock the morning before from one of the bus goers:
Apparently, the insane wind we experienced last night was also affecting the ships trying to dock, and it made a few million dollars in damages, and the ship was stuck until 1am, waiting for the ship to be declared sea-worthy by the Sea Worthiness Guard, or whomever. Wowsers!
The park was about 45 minutes away, and we got to see a lot of the town, and outside it - the big draws were the McDonalds next to the mall, and the Walmart outside town. When we got there, the same local that told us about the crash showed us the salmonberry bushes all around the park (they're not allowed to spray pesticides or anything on the state park grounds), and so I tried one. Pretty good!
The totems were incredible, and after the visit to the heritage museum, I could tell what carvings meant and all sorts of info. There were bumblebees buzzing all around the salmonberry bushes, and the water was lapping at the shore right behind them.
It was so peaceful! So peaceful, in fact, that when we headed back to the bus stop to go back, I fell asleep on Keith's lap for almost 45 minutes. He didn't want to wake me up, so I snored away in the Alaskan afternoon.
Since I hadn't bought a thing in the other ports, we shopped our faces off, checking out the big and small stores around town. Huckleberry licorice, tea, and Keith's hunted prize - a new oven mitt. We looked at some in a store run by Miss Handicapped Alaska's mom (very sweet and chatty), and Keith talked with her about special needs stuff. I got Ashby a cute Alaska hat, the girls the requested stuffed animals, and some warm and cozy socks for us.
We headed back to the ship around 4, and hoovered up some chicken salad, another cream cheese pretzel (of course!), and Keith discovered the amazing pineapple coconut soft serve ice cream, and I got the banana soft serve. Such a good, satiating treat - tasted like a pina colada!
We "snuggled" in the cabin, and watched some Will Smith NFL scandal movie, and got ready for dinner. Dinner was a bacon tart, NY steak, and lemon cheesecake. More "snuggling", then crashed around midnight.
I got a Fish Extender gift that made me cry - the Mosers in 2122/2124 forgot our gift, so they bought the baby a super cute pirate mickey tshirt!
I was looking forward to this the whole cruise - I have a serious love for all things totem, so between this and Totem Bight Park, I was going to get my fill today!
We stayed there for about an hour, looking at all the cool woodworks, then took the free shuttle (which also ran UP the mountain!) back downtown.
That area is way smaller than the maps make it look, and it's an easy walk, even for my lazy pregnant ass. We walked around town a bit more waiting for the bus to Totem Bight, and we found out that there was some excitement at the dock the morning before from one of the bus goers:
Click to viewApparently, the insane wind we experienced last night was also affecting the ships trying to dock, and it made a few million dollars in damages, and the ship was stuck until 1am, waiting for the ship to be declared sea-worthy by the Sea Worthiness Guard, or whomever. Wowsers!
The park was about 45 minutes away, and we got to see a lot of the town, and outside it - the big draws were the McDonalds next to the mall, and the Walmart outside town. When we got there, the same local that told us about the crash showed us the salmonberry bushes all around the park (they're not allowed to spray pesticides or anything on the state park grounds), and so I tried one. Pretty good!
The totems were incredible, and after the visit to the heritage museum, I could tell what carvings meant and all sorts of info. There were bumblebees buzzing all around the salmonberry bushes, and the water was lapping at the shore right behind them.
It was so peaceful! So peaceful, in fact, that when we headed back to the bus stop to go back, I fell asleep on Keith's lap for almost 45 minutes. He didn't want to wake me up, so I snored away in the Alaskan afternoon.
Since I hadn't bought a thing in the other ports, we shopped our faces off, checking out the big and small stores around town. Huckleberry licorice, tea, and Keith's hunted prize - a new oven mitt. We looked at some in a store run by Miss Handicapped Alaska's mom (very sweet and chatty), and Keith talked with her about special needs stuff. I got Ashby a cute Alaska hat, the girls the requested stuffed animals, and some warm and cozy socks for us.
We headed back to the ship around 4, and hoovered up some chicken salad, another cream cheese pretzel (of course!), and Keith discovered the amazing pineapple coconut soft serve ice cream, and I got the banana soft serve. Such a good, satiating treat - tasted like a pina colada!
We "snuggled" in the cabin, and watched some Will Smith NFL scandal movie, and got ready for dinner. Dinner was a bacon tart, NY steak, and lemon cheesecake. More "snuggling", then crashed around midnight.
I got a Fish Extender gift that made me cry - the Mosers in 2122/2124 forgot our gift, so they bought the baby a super cute pirate mickey tshirt!