The harbor is quiet and orderly.
There is an excursion boat visible as some like to take excursions in Prince William Sound if they are staying in Anchorage or have a late flight like us. Whittier is not a walking town as there is not much to see and it's not a tourist destination, just a practical port for Princess.
Early morning mists
One last walk on the wide promenade deck
The Industrial view from the coach which made a short circuit of the town . It's not a place that calls one back....
One last look at the great ship that had been our home for an incredible 7 days.
The coach had a 15 minute wait to enter the one way out of Whittier- a 2.5 mile tunnel blasted out of the mountain. Traffic is one way as the tunnel is only 8 feet wide.
It's a pleasant scenic ride up to Anchorage and it takes about 90 minutes. You have a view of the sea for most of the way. Our young driver gave a rambling commentary as he drove.
It's a pleasant scenic ride up to Anchorage and it takes about 90 minutes. You have a view of the sea for most of the way. Our young driver gave a rambling commentary as he drove.
I drifted in and out of a nap and if the driver hadn't been talking non-stop I would have slept most of the way.
As we had almost 10 hours until our 8pm flight we had decided to book a room at the Captain Cook hotel. This way we had a base with a nice bathroom and a place to nap if the need arose (and it did)
The room wasn't ready when we arrived there and we were told it would be an hour's wait. We gave the front desk my cell number and took a walk in the sunshine. After 90 minutes the call still had not come through so I went back into the hotel and spoke to a different desk clerk and found that it had been ready 30 minutes ago. Not impressed by the front desk service.
Anyway we now had a room to freshen up in. We had already left our big luggage at the Princess drop-off in the vast Egan Center a few blocks away. It would be loaded on to our bus to the airport much later. We carried our hand luggage to the hotel.
The view
As it was now early afternoon it was time to eat and during my earlier walk I had come across a nearby restaurant with a sea view and I liked the look of it so I made a reservation for lunch.
As we were in Alaska we both had halibut on our plates, in different preparations. You could order frozen fish or fresh fish for an up charge so we chose the latter to savor the experience.
Fish and chips for me and both were delicious and were complimented by a nice cold Guinness.
Carol had a Thai curry preparation with hers.
After a fine lunch in pleasant surroundings with attentive service it was time for a walk and now and then I had to stop to take photos of the many beautiful flower beds that adorn this fine little city.
The damp climate and long summer days work wonders on the plants. Many are planted by the city each year. Walking in downtown Anchorage is a feast for the eyes as a result.
Although there are big hotels and high-rise office blocks much of the city is on a more human scale and views of mountains or sea are never far away.
We went back to the hotel for the much anticipated nap. A seven hour flight in the dark was waiting for us, up ahead, with a five a.m arrival in Chicago...
As we had almost 10 hours until our 8pm flight we had decided to book a room at the Captain Cook hotel. This way we had a base with a nice bathroom and a place to nap if the need arose (and it did)
The room wasn't ready when we arrived there and we were told it would be an hour's wait. We gave the front desk my cell number and took a walk in the sunshine. After 90 minutes the call still had not come through so I went back into the hotel and spoke to a different desk clerk and found that it had been ready 30 minutes ago. Not impressed by the front desk service.
Anyway we now had a room to freshen up in. We had already left our big luggage at the Princess drop-off in the vast Egan Center a few blocks away. It would be loaded on to our bus to the airport much later. We carried our hand luggage to the hotel.
The view
As it was now early afternoon it was time to eat and during my earlier walk I had come across a nearby restaurant with a sea view and I liked the look of it so I made a reservation for lunch.
As we were in Alaska we both had halibut on our plates, in different preparations. You could order frozen fish or fresh fish for an up charge so we chose the latter to savor the experience.
Fish and chips for me and both were delicious and were complimented by a nice cold Guinness.
Carol had a Thai curry preparation with hers.
After a fine lunch in pleasant surroundings with attentive service it was time for a walk and now and then I had to stop to take photos of the many beautiful flower beds that adorn this fine little city.
The damp climate and long summer days work wonders on the plants. Many are planted by the city each year. Walking in downtown Anchorage is a feast for the eyes as a result.
Although there are big hotels and high-rise office blocks much of the city is on a more human scale and views of mountains or sea are never far away.
We went back to the hotel for the much anticipated nap. A seven hour flight in the dark was waiting for us, up ahead, with a five a.m arrival in Chicago...
No comments:
Post a Comment