Majestic Alaska - Where One Can Touch the Cheeks of God

Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska.  

We took this 7 day Celebrity Alaskan cruise over the July 4th 2015 weekend.  I understand it has been 4 months since then.  I am really behind I would admit.  I am very glad I decided to publish this post with all the pictures for indeed Alaska with all its glorious sights is something to behold.  The brush with "the cheeks of God" and the "hide and seek with nature" still sent chills as I looked at the pictures and the memories they brought.  

Behind my husband Bob and me is the magnificent Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska.  This is the breathtaking view that created the beautiful quote "it is like touching the cheeks of God" when one sees it. 

Seattle 

First stop in our Alaskan cruise is the Seattle port where we took the Celebrity Cruise to Alaska.  Below are the pictures from our overnight stay at Seattle.

Seattle famous Space Needle landmark.  I took this picture from a Korean cafe located right across from this Seattle landmark.  

One of the highlights of our stay in Seattle was the Ducky Tour where we had a wonderful guide entertaining us as he showed us the sights in Seattle particularly the place where they dock houseboats  He also pointed to us some of the notable houses on the periphery of the water.  The sound of the whirling of the amphibian motor we rode as it went through the calm waters was very soothing and relaxing for me.  One of the houses we saw was the one used in the movie Sleepless in Seattle and a particular one that had three floors including an underground one.  The guide also showed us his humble one person houseboat.

Upon the recommendation of several persons, we went to visit Pike's Place, the famous market featuring fish, fresh produce, flowers, unique eating places including the first Starbucks the picture of which is featured below.  We walked for around 30 minutes or so through hilly streets from our hotel to Pike's Place.  So when we went back to our hotel (by taxi this time) after visiting this famous market we called it a day and just collapsed in bed.

Ketchikan

After being at sea for a day, the cruise ship stopped at Ketchikan, one of my favorite places in this cruise.  It is a small but utterly charming town.  The parishioners at the Catholic Church at this town really touched our hearts. Every Sunday they voluntarily and generously pick up passengers in the cruise who want to go to Mass.  The pictures below capture our experience with them including the baptism of their newest member. We toured the land and the ocean via the ducky tour and listened to the very articulate guide with his creative puns and little stories about Ketchikan. We also ate king crabs at a restaurant with another bearded creature, the country singer.

Juneau Tracy Arm Fjord

During dinner on the evening before the stop at Juneau, our waiter talked about sitting at the best spot in the boat during breakfast the next day to see a view of a beautiful something.  I did not know what he was talking about.  The next morning, as I was walking to breakfast, I heard the announcer reverently describing the awesome Tracy Arm Fjord that I was beholding as I traversed to the cafeteria.  While eating, I decided I had to wake up Bob, my husband lest he miss this magnificent gift from nature.

We had an ocean view for a room and this is the scene that we saw from the window, people admiring the fjords.  We later joined the crowd to marvel the experience of "playing hide and seek with nature" as the announcer said.

Mendenhall glacier 

In the afternoon we took a tour of the Mendenhall glacier and the day ended with a salmon bake at a charming restaurant where we had the best sock eye salmon I ever had.  Sweet and succulent.  It was coated with their sweet caramel sauce.  Their blueberry cake was also unforgettable.

Yukon Tour

The next day we took the Tour of the Yukon and the Skagway train ride.  We were able to behold the vastness of Alaska as we listened to the tales of the search of gold during the Alaskan gold rush given by one of the best tour guides I ever had in my life.  We were captivated and enthralled by the details of the quest of golds including the excruciating conditions the people endured through the rough winter.  The Yukon tour ended with a bison chili lunch at a wonderful restaurant with a magnificent view and the famous Yukon hanging bridge.  Beautiful restful place.

Skagway train tour

When we asked anybody we could ask as to what to do in our Alaskan tour, the number one answer was taking the. Skagway train tour.  With the help of a very young teen as the announcer we saw the manificent sights along the train tour.  The pictures which I took from inside the train speak for themselves why this is a must see tour.  Just awesome view of verdant greens amidst free flowing rock formations and some water interpersed with them.  Plus of course stories associated with bridges and structures.  

The evening that day ended with a wonderful dinner and Karaoke session.

Victoria's Burchart Gardens

Last day was spent on the ship with a garden tour of  the Victoria's Burchart Gardens in the late afternoon. 

Seattle Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum.

We went back to Seattle the next morning and took a tour (finally) of the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum.