After taking so many pictures (OVER 1400), just a few to give you a feel of what Canada & Alaska is about. I have tried to place the photos in an approximate order of the places that we visited. The whales were a definite highlight of holiday, especially the humpbacks breaching in the bay off Juneau. There were so many places to see and it was great that we were on an organised tour. Our guide Jenni and the coach driver Lorne were a good double act and made some of the transfers between locations more interesting than just a coach [View Full Entry]

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Just off Prince Rupert Island (I think) we've been in fog most of day 20th June - Victoria Today we had a visit to the famous Butchart Gardens (see their website). We started early to avoid the coach loads of Japanesesand others that descend when thye ferries come in from the mainland. The gardens were the brainchild of the Butchart family, the wife deciding to plant up the old quarry workings. Today visitors can see the Sunken garden, the Bog garden and the Japanese garedn, alomg with various other places. We had the palce to ourselves until about 10.30 when approx [View Full Entry]

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Catching up - first opportunity. We have been crusiing some time. 17th June - Vancouver Orientation on bus - round Stanley Park, Graneville Island - LJ bought some silk stuff. Then back to hotel for lunch. Afternoon free, guess what Lin went shopping along Robson street, the place to be for all the designer shops. In the evening we did a see level to sea level trip with a dinner thrown in. That was up the observation Tower (the lookout) looking over the harbour and cruise port (where we sailed from) then a walk through the port area for a meal [View Full Entry]

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Victoria - 20th June Seems a long time since I had access to the internet so I am writing this in our last hitel before embarking on the cruise on sunday. 14 June - Jasper Had a free day to wander Jasper - which we did. A lot of the group did the floating raft down the Athabasca river. We walked into Jasper which has a small population about 4400, the walk took us around the lake where the hotel is located. Jasper is about 5k to the centre - stocked up with lunch saw the VIA train which goes to [View Full Entry]

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Bit behind schedule on writing - no facilities at hotels 8 June - Banff We explored Banff today - walked along Bow river, to the First Nations Museum - very interesting including "Trading Post" (Gift shop). Bought food for picnic on the banks of the Bow river. Afternoon was a trip up Lake Minnewanka pronounced (Wonka) whyich took about 2 hours saw Bald Eagles nest and both parents. Back to hotel via Two Jack lake. Guides are really good. Good dinner of bison stake in local restaurant. 9 June - Banff This was a free day and the weather was so [View Full Entry]

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Calgary 5/6 June 2008 We arrived in Calgary on 5th June., 2 hours after we left the UK. weather was bright and we had a good transfer to the Marriot hotel. feeling a bit jet lagged we went looking for dinner on a fairly warm evening. Finally settled for a restaurant/bistro with outside tables. So at 8.30pm (local time), (3.30am BST) Lin was eating Sea bass and I was tucking into Alberta Elk (medium rare). Finally crashed at about 11 pm.\ Woke on the 6th June to rain for the bus trip around Calgary (obligatory). Spent some time at the Heritage [View Full Entry]

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We travel to Canada on 5th June, arriving in Calgary on the same day. we then travel to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Sun Peaks, Vancouver & Vancouver Island before transferring to the Norwegian Sun (Cruise Ship) to cruise the Inside Passage, visiting Ketchikan, Juneau & Skagway. Then back to Vancouver for flight home on 30th June [View Full Entry]

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