cruzin' alaska ... what a way to go!

 i finally did what i had been hoping to do ... combine a cruise with alaska.  and so i left santa cruz and went crusin' alaska ... what a way to go!

so here is one of those arm-chair tours; it won't take very long, but you can pop pop-corn if you want and grab your favorite beverage.

flew to seattle ... and i've never gotten a picture of seattle's beautiful skyline from this angle.

anchors away; pop the cork; we're sailing!

 the inland passage we went to prevented us from cruzin' up all the way to the glacier because of the many icebergs drifting down ... they didn't want a titanic experience, so we just got to look from afar.

but since i love waterfalls, and spring is in the air, this was a beautiful combination!

 from afar, we could see more snow, tips of the glacier, and an island surrounded by icebergs.

from the comfort of the ship, and hot coffee and cocoa, it made for a wonderful morning!

 now, if you look closely, there is a little boat with a man in it.  and look at how BIG those chunks of ice are -- you can just imagine!

 alaska is very lush, with storybook towns, and various weather patterns.  one day was drifting fog and another port welcomed us with 'tee shirt and shorts' kind of weather.

 alaska has vintage and modern, and is filled with lush greenery and friendly people.

like santa cruz, alaska is a tourist area.  when the cruise ships come to port, the community is filled with people snapping pictures, asking for directions, and purchasing jewelry! 

i took pictures, never asked for directions, and didn't enter a jewelry store ... i guess i'm not a very faithful tourist.

 but alaska did remind me of home; each harbor is unique, of course, but some of the basic attractions remain; boats, water, docks ... and like santa cruz, a lovely background.

 i just really liked this picture ... wondering what it must be like to live right on the water and then have people always snapping pictures of your house.  at least i didn't knock on their door and ask for a tour!

but this state has a beauty that cannot be denied.  well worth a visit, don't you think?

 returning to seattle on the 8th day, a side trip to the space needle area, and a tour through chihuly gardens gave me all kinds of ideas for pentecost ... and my yard back home!

but i leave you with these two pictures ... imagine this in your own backyard!

i hope you've enjoyed your trip; it has been my pleasure to serve you on this little journey to alaska . . . .