Labor Day we checked out of the Abigail Hotel in Victoria and headed for the Ferry that took us from Nanaimmo to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. The ride to Whistler was an 80-mile winding mountain road that is under construction in anticipation of the 2010 Winter Olympics. We checked into our room at the Delta Whistler Village Suites and decided to upgrade to a suite. We had very comfortable accommodations with a small kitchen-living area and separate bedroom. Whistler Village is right at the base of the mountain with fabulous shopping opportunities, many restaurants, hotels, condos and [View Full Entry]

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Saturday August 30, Saturday we were up early to be at The Butchart Gardens on the Saanich Peninsula for the 9am opening. This is a designated National Historic Site of Canada still privately owned and operated. We enjoyed the breathtaking gardens with only a few other visitors until almost 11am when the crowds and bus tours arrived. It’s hard to put into words just how beautiful the gardens are the brochure doesn’t exaggerate when it says, “ravishing floral splendor greets you at every turn.” If you visit Vancouver Island this is a must see. We were also for [View Full Entry]

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Friday August 29 The last week of our vacation we rented a car and took the ferry from Tsawwassn to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island and drove to Victoria . We stayed at Abigail’s Hotel one of the “Unique Inns” in the west, a collection of the finest owner-inspired lodgings in British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and California. What a great find tucked away in a neighborhood within walking distance to downtown Victoria. The city is beautifuly situated on the bay. Lucky for us on Labor Day Weekend the antique wooden boat show was in town. We spent Friday afterno [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday August 26 - Thursday August 28 We arrived in Whitehorse earlier than scheduled due to the flight from Dawson. We took a ride on the waterfront trolly, checked out the visitor center and the local museum. That evening we enjoyed the Frantic Follies. On Wednesday morning we visited a local animal reserve and that afternoon met our friend Charlene who treated us to a tour of Whitehorse. Winter comes early in the Yukon the first snow of the season has already frosted the higher elevations around Whitehorsee. That evening we gathered for our farewell dinner. We said goodbye to Sherrie [View Full Entry]

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Saturday August 23 - Sunday August 24 After one night in Tok we depart at 6 am for a long day of travel to Dawson. Our route is the scenic Taylor Highway with a stop at Chicken for coffee and fresh baked treats. That afternoon at the American Summit we enjoyed a boxed lunch and then continued to Eagle, Alaska's first city now a village of about two hundred. At four we boarded the Yukon Queen ll for a narrated 102-mile cruise up the Yukon River (highway of the North) to Dawson City, Yukon Territory. Dinner is served onboard as we [View Full Entry]

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Sunday August 24 - Tuesday August 26 The Canadian immigration and Customs officials boarded the Yukon Queen ll in Dawson to stamp our passports. After checking into our hotel and a short walk around town we stopped at the Sourdough Saloon in the Downtown Hotel for beer, wings and onion rings. This is the home of the Sour Toe Cocktail, your drink of choice with a real petrified toe in it while the keeper of the toe recites: “You can drink it fast You can drink it slow but your lips must touch the toe.” People were lined up to pay [View Full Entry]

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Thursday August 21 - Saturday August 23 - 08 During the day at Denali the clouds had gathered and as the train pulled away from the station it started to rain but a few miles down the track the sun was out all the way to Fairbanks. Friday morning we went on our own to the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. The museum is world class with various exhibits of the First Nation People, the gold rush era, native animals and modern art. That afternoon our tour included a cruise aboard the sternwheeler Discovery Experience on [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday August 19 - Thursday August 21 After a short ride to the Railroad Depot we boarded the luxurious McKinley Explorer for the 8-hour trip to Denali. The weather Gods are with us! The sun is warm and with only a few clouds we have fantastic views of Mt. McKinley starting from 200 miles away as we take in the spectacular scenery along the rails. A plane flight later in the day brings Sylvan to within a half mile of the majestic peak. The next day we were up at five am to meet the bus that took us on the [View Full Entry]

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Sunday August 17, 2008 We began the second part of our adventure in Seward Alaska. Early in the morning we said our goodbyes to family and the Volendam and enjoyed a cruise into the waters of the beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park. Wildlife was abundant we saw many different sea birds, puffins, sea lions, seals, sea otters and whales. Returning to Seward we boarded our motor coach for the 3-hour trip to Anchorage that took us through the Chugach National Forest and the shores of the Turnagain Arm. Sunday August 17 - Tuesday August 19 We spent two nights in Anchorage [View Full Entry]

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Friday August 15, Glacier Bay & Saturday August 16, College Fjord The last two days of our cruise north were spent appreciating the beauty of coastal of Alaska. Friday afternoon the sun finally returned after five days of rain and we could see the mountains in the light instead of the grey foggy haze that has followed us so far. The natural splendor that you see as you cruise this rugged terrain is so vast you are unable to capture it through the lens of a camera. A cruise ship is absolutely the ideal format to enjoy coastal Alaska. The first [View Full Entry]

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