Day 1-Anchorage--"I want a map!"

Alaska...somewhere between Anchorage and Seward at a rest stop!

Well, it seems getting up for work at 3:30, four days in a row, did NOT prepare us well for sleeping in on our first day on Alaska time!  We were both awake by 5AM (8AM Central).  So we got up and decided to go to Mass at the Cathedral, before breakfast and taking a nap!  In the homily, there was something about being late, and sometimes it’s God’s Plan.  Foreshadowing? 

Regent Seven Seas Mariner

Our cruise departed out of Seward, Alaska, which Bill was looking forward to seeing, because, well…Seward’s Folly?  Alaska?!  Obviously!  There is one road to Seward from Anchorage.  We had a leisurely morning and got on the road about 10:00.  By 10:25 we were making good time and then came to a complete stop.  There was a four car accident, and it shut down the road.  Multiple emergency vehicles came through.  We sat there stewing and stressing (and wondering about the comments about being late from church) until 11:10 when we started moving again.   But, we made it to the cruise terminal by 1:30, with a comfortable hour to spare.  And since there were a few buses 

of passengers behind us, the terminal was empty and we were the only ones checking in, so FAST times!

Our cabin (spacious!)

We got to our room after lunch, and, well, it was pretty nice!  The bathroom is huge (for a cruise ship) and the closet…is actually a walk in!  This is a nice ship!  After unpacking, as the ship began to pull out, we headed upstairs to watch.  The “Enrichment” lecturer was over the speakers telling about the local things going on.  In Alaska, because the sun hardly sets in the summer, it doesn’t get dark until after midnight.  So, they have the fireworks on the 4^th of July…at like 1:30 AM!!  Then, in Seward, there is a mountain that is like 3200 feet high, and a treacherous path, and someone in the very early 1900s put up $100 to anyone who could go to the top of the mountain and back down in under one hour.  In 1915, someone made it 62 minutes.  But the next year, someone made it in time to take the $100.  They have held that race every years since.  And it is on the 4^th of July.

Port of Seward.  

Mountains as we head out of port.

Pilot ship coming to retrieve the pilot (who guides us out of port).

A glacier.  Alaska has over 10% of all glacial ice in the world.

Fancy/Designer plates!

We went to dinner early (being rather tired) and had a nice table for two.  We started thinking, “Maybe this ship is too classy for us?”  The dishes on the table were “Versace”.  Well!!  Even the flower vase was Versace china, with a purple carnation (according to Theresa).  Dinner was amazing!  Theresa had crab salad for an appetizer, and it was huge chunks of crab with a claw sticking out of the top.  Bill had Lobster bisque and a Kobe steak.  For dessert, Theresa was looking forward to the Kahlua soufflé.  But the dessert menu said something about Cognacs and Armagnacs, so of course Bill had to try the Armagnac.  It was very good!!  …said one of us.  But before the dessert came, they brought a sample of bite sized treats, including some amazing fudge and some weirdities.  Bill thought that fancy designer flower vase was the PERFECT place for a dry bit of short bread cookie, but Theresa disagreed.

Uh, where are we going, Captain?

After dinner, we toured the ship a little.  The first thing we came upon was a jewelry store.  I asked Theresa if she would like some overpriced bling, and unthinkingly she responded, “I want a MAP!”  Yeah, that’s much better than some jewelry that costs more than this whole cruise!  I’m in!  Let’s find a map on the wall!  We headed up for a drink in the Observation Lounge.  The drinks were good, but the observation…well, there was fog everywhere and we could barely see the bow of the ship!  So, they were blowing the horn every 3-4 minutes!

We wrapped up the night with a show, complete with a variety of Broadway songs.  Theresa was happy, and singing along with several songs Bill scarcely recognized.