Yes, I visited Japan. Sort of ...

 Sunday May 26 2024 - Tokyo Japan

The ship arrived at the correct time and the correct location. The International Cruise Terminal Tokyo. I knew this because there was huge lettering on the building telling me that.

My original plan was for 18 days aboard the ship, followed by 12 days of solo travel in Japan. The plan included a trip to Hiroshima, a world-famous Tori gate and a 45’ish mile bike ride split over two days. The Non-smelling illness really knocked me for a loop in regard to my stamina. When I got on the ship I could bound up six flights easily, now I was needing a breather after two (better than the days when one was a killer). That made the potential bike ride much less appealing. Also, frankly, I’m not sure homesick is the correct term, but I just felt it was time to go home. Three weeks seems to be my maximum amount of time for travel. I’d experienced it when I first retired and put it down to lack of US amenities, but I now think it is me. So since Delta allows free flight changes I made a change. The flight home was packed the day the ship arrived and only crowded the next day, so I booked the flight home after one full day in Japan.

Since I decided to curtail my trip from 12 days in Japan to one day in Japan, I had a choice to make. A) stay in downtown Tokyo or B) see what DisneySea (a unique park only in Tokyo) was all about. I fired up the internet and booked a day at DisneySea for about 50% of the price it would have cost me to go to Disneyland Anaheim. Found a reasonably priced hotel near the park and so all was set. I’ll worry how to get from the hotel to the airport tomorrow.

On leaving the ship there was the normal Rat’s maze of turns and switchbacks, and I was spit out into the Japanese sun.
First things first. I need some cash. I have many Benjamins but few Yens. There must be a money exchange near. After a five minute search it was clear there was nothing like that at Tokyo International Cruise Terminal.

Fine ! I’ll catch a cab and pay with plastic. The line for the taxi’s stretched nearly back to Alaska. The line of black taxi’s outside looked like a huge funeral cortège running at least 3 blocks long. Fine again ! I’ll go for a walk about and see what I can find.

Google maps says I better plan on camping out if I want to walk to the hotel. I could spend 3 hours navigating the Tokyo train system, if I was familiar with how that worked (I’m not). A taxi or private car about an hour. Grumble, grumble. Aha ! I have an App for that ! When I was researching the trip one of the YouTube presenters suggested Go!. It is Japan’s alternate Uber, only it is connected to not individuals, but cab companies. What the heck I’ll try nearly anything. I put in my hotel into the App, and pressed call cab. In less than 5 minutes I had my own mini hearse stopped in front of me on a quiet side street. I glanced toward the ship and the taxi line didn’t seem any shorter.

Without a word. My luggage was placed in the back, the door slid open and in was outta there !

I’m glad it was a Sunday morning, since like Sundays I am used to, the roads stay quiet until around noon on Sundays. We made good time and after a few mis-steps with the credit card reader, I was at the hotel.

Check-in was fine since most of the heavy lifting was done by the App. The desk clerk told me that the room wasn’t available, which was no surprise. I asked if I could leave my luggage and go to the park and come back around 6pm. He said “Yes, your room number is … and your check-in time will be 6pm”. I’m thinking, but check-in time is 3pm, what if I want to leave the park before 6pm? “Your check-in time is 6pm.” Okay fine.

Next do you exchange dollars, he waved in a general direction of ‘Over there’ and said something about ‘Past Mickey’. He knew a few more English words than I knew Japanese, but we were on similar ground. I wandered away lost as before, but without my luggage. I stumbled into an exchange machine. The rate of exchange was awful, but without only about $10 in Yen, I accepted the mechanical robbery.

I stepped out of the hotel, waited a minute and the bus with the mouse eared windows arrived, and we were whisked to the monorail station. A ticket needed to be purchased and with the help of someone else with a European background I had ticket in hand and was soon on the elevated train viewing the world again through Mouse eared glass, while holding on to Mouse head shaped straps.

A scan of my phone and the gates parted, I was in the Land of the Corporate Mouse. The park opened at 9am, it was near 1130, so I’ll buy a Fast Pass for the line to a ride that I wanted to experience. I bounded around a few spots, and back tracked a time or two. I quickly found out, that though I was on Disney property, I was indeed still in Japan and English was perhaps in the top 10 second languages spoken. I have had easier times in Syria and Ethiopia with English than I did in Japan. I did find the Fast Pass location where they patiently and eventually got across to me that except for a parade location everything was sold out. Fiddle !

I thought lines getting on and off the cruise ship were crazy. Here, no matter where you go there was a line. The most unexpected lines were the block long lines for popcorn. True the flavors were varied at each stand, but still — Popcorn?

The line for Soar was estimated at one hour forty-five. I wanted to see it, and there was no alternative, so I was the last in line for about 30 seconds. DisneySea lines are great at the tease. You can see that the entrance is just around that corner, until you round it and find still another maze, with a hint of an entrance at the end of that. The people around me were having a great time waiting. Laughs and conversations, happy to wait with friends. In a land across the sea the same line would be full of bitching and crying babies and adults. Here mouse ears, mouse glasses, mouse socks and all manner of costumed patrons abounded. Well there were those stick in the mud attendees, but they were mostly of European extraction.

The ride was GREAT ! So great I would have waited in line for an hour to experience it again. I checked a few times throughout the day alas it was always near 2 hours.

The next ride I came across was after I got a bottle of water and a Yam based Churro, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The cast member at the entrance said “40 minutes”. After standing around for 10 I asked her “Here or there”, pointing to the ground or down a ramp. She pointed down the ramp. I should have taken a Babel course before coming. The line went quickly. I don’t know if it was because it was less than 2 hours, or it was actually less than 40 minutes.

For the next few hours I just walked around and gawked. It was way more interesting to me than DisneyLand. Quite a bit more adult oriented than child centric. Not that there was anything stronger than PG, but not much in the way of Flying Dumbos type rides.

Past several popcorn lines I found a shorter line for little Green sno-ball shapes three to a cup each with eyes that were for sale. What’s the worst that can happen? They can be filled with raw squid? Ten minutes I had my own cup. Here goes nothing. They were like biting into a thick cloud and filled with chocolate. Mochi filled with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavored custard. They were worth the line.

The line to the mine cart rollercoaster read an hour. Sigh ! Might as well. I got in line and a cast member asked if I was alone. Turns out there is a singles line for this ride and within 10 minutes I was seated next to a young Japanese woman. We struggled through the basic question and then were off to scream for 90 seconds. Once we left she thanked me for riding with her, and wanted to introduce me to her group. Even though the language gap looms large the people I met so far are warm, friendly and wonderful hosts.

Time for dinner. I found a sit down place. Stood in a short line and told the cashier what I wanted, handed her a few bills and some coins. She pushed a button. Slipped the bills in a slot and dumped the coins in a funnel and handed me my meal ticket and some coins in change. Except for the handing part, everything else was automated. The Terminator will land first in Japan, I’m sure.

More wandering and as dark approached I found a spot to sit and wait for the lighted parade. I think my spot was better than the Fast Pass location offered, at least I could sit down. From noon to seven-thirty is a long time to be mostly on my feet. The parade started, and I quickly found out Mickey spoke Japanese, as did Ariel and Goofy and even Donald. Guess a Babel course must be mandatory for the characters.

After the parade it was back to the hotel. Same as before only in reverse. By now it was near 9pm and I found my room, with my luggage inside. A nighttime routine and lights out.

Morning came and rain. I was really happy I went the park yesterday, the weather report was rain all day today.

Hotel check out and airport shuttle, was the same as everywhere else in the world. Once in the terminal I was back in the world of “Yes, we speak some English”.

Blah, blah. Passport control, Customs, TSA, boarding, food, movies, more food, landing, Customs, bus and home. Blah, blah. We have all done these things numerous times before. Blah, blah, Jet Lag, etc, etc .. and here we are back in the USA.

No Puffin in Seward

 Seward, Alaska - May 15 2024

I feel like I should have more to write about, I mean after all we are in a city. Well if you call a permanent population of 2500, that swells to 10,000 because of the temporary workers and cruise ships five or six months out of the year. Sorry but anything interesting sounding, all seemed way too expensive. I didn’t see value for money.

Siri told me it was 6am and I thought about just lazing in bed, but as it was a city, so I best get a crackin’. The long climb to the top deck to check out the weather and grab an early morning picture. With the sun rise being 0415, I guess 0630 isn’t exactly early morning. Down to breakfast with the wage slaves on service today. If you order an over medium egg you get a perfectly cooked over easy egg. I tried the over easy a day or two ago and it ran off the plate. No conversation with my table mates, so back to the room to do the morning routine.

Fresh smelling, I grabbed my day pack and stuffed it full of dirty clothes. The next eight days will be at sea, and I’d prefer to give NCL the fewest additional dollars possible. I was given a coupon that for $34 I can stuff a laundry bag to the brim, and really will take advantage of it later in the voyage. Like a sailor I slung the day pack over my shoulder and left the ship for a short bus ride to downtown. The bus driver was from Anchorage so he didn’t know the minutia of Seward. He knew how to get fro the ship to his two stops and back to the ship, that was all.

I got off at the first of two stops and started following the map on the phone to the laundromat. A stop along the way to pester a local to make sure I was heading in the correct general direction. A former church now coffee shop named, Resurrection Coffee had a nice cup of coffee and pointed across the street to the laundromat.

I walked into a strange unknown world. A coin operated washing factory. Back home I lift the lid on the washer plop in the washing, grab some nearby detergent, and twist a dial. Here, first order of things is to get quarters. There was a machine on the wall that ate US currency and spit out quarters. A five in and then the sold of a winning slot machine began. With a fist full of quarters fill the slots on the detergent machine push and pray. A solid thunk the small breakfast cereal sized box of detergent dropped. Next clothes into the maw and close the door. Fortunately a guy who knew what he was doing came by and rescued me from my ignorance. You put the money in the slot, you pour the detergent in this hole in the top and sit back and relax. A chapter in my Nook and the machine was done. Next was the dryer. I toted the wet clothing and dumped it into the dryer, dropped in the quarters and pressed the start button. The dryer above started. OH ! That’s what that arrow means ! I swapped tubs, and the clothes began to dance in the air. When the dancing clothes stopped they were still damp, but manageable.

Back to the ship through the imitation TSA check and to the room where I hung up the damp clothes, talked to Jesus my cabin steward. Left my burden behind and reversed myself and returned to the bus and downtown. Now, what to do? Explore I guess.

It would be great so see a Puffin bird. The town aquarium was right at the drop-off spot they probably know where the Puffins live. I asked the woman at the ticket counter if it was possible to see a Puffin within a two-mile walk. No, but they had captive Puffins upstairs. For the price of a cup of coffee I’d had probably gone, but the price was enough for several pots of Starbucks best. I continued following the main drag, 4th street down the only way it went past shops selling trinkets, then the residential area and finally the harbor. I looked at the Puffin excursion was going to cost more than buying one at the Puffin pet store and decided I guess seeing a Puffin is not going to happen.

A U turn and back to the bus stop. On the road a man on the other side of the street yelled something at e. Was there a bear in the direction I was going? Perhaps a whale had grounded itself. Maybe there were free Puffins 50 feet ahead. I crossed the street, and he looked at me in my Scarlet travel vest and said "You know? Red is your color", then he smiled and continued on his way. What, just happened?

Back to the bus stop and the short ride back to the ship. Through the now angry Imitation TSA and back on board. Ran into Theresa (Rose) and had a quick chat, talked to Judy and Tammy at the bar. Went down to my room for some quiet time.

The entertainment so far has been individuals. I found out today that they had been bunked in the cabin next to me. My quiet reverie was disturbed by banging in the next cabin. I am not sure if it was angry or passionate pounding. I am pretty certain bodily fluids were involved and really don't want to know which. Tonight’s entertainment is an ensemble show, and between two and four cast members are now my neighbors. I hope they aren’t too crazy.

Big floating white rocks

 May 14 2024 - Hubbard Glacier Alaska

Today started at the regular time. It felt like a good day to go up to the tippy top floor and feel the fresh air on my face. It wasn’t raining so might as well go. It was so early I knew the elevators wouldn’t be the normal vertical rush hour busy, so I thought I’d chance other people’s cooties for once. Throwing COVID caution to the wind I rode the elevator up.

I stepped off the elevator and went to the heavy wooden door and twisted the door handle down and the door flew open. It felt like what losing a door on a jet must be. Luckily there are dampers on the door so it didn’t completely fling itself open, but it did pull me off my feet in surprise. The sea was flat, so I wasn’t expecting to be slapped awake by the wind. We were still under power and making way to the glacier. Running a brush through my hair this morning was a waste of time. I was instantly back to bed head in a thrice. I sprinted to the railing to take a couple quick snapshots and sprinted back to the safe harbor of the interior of the ship.

One floor below is a huge high ceiling room with glass arcing 180 degrees facing the bow. I read that on most cruise ships the lounges around the pool were the ones that people arise with the sun and call ‘Dibs’ on for the rest of the day. Here it is club chairs in this room. We all wanted to watch the ship approach the glacier first. Why that mattered, I can’t say, but we were all in that competition. I decided not to compete and took a chair in the second tier. Relaxing and watching the sun glint on the distant mountains, I took notice of the woman next to me and the t-shirt. It was a cool one, subdued, but enough to make a statement. I told here I thought her top was great and we started talking.

She’s from the Outer Banks via everywhere else. She is the wife of a retired Navy man (I think they are called Sailors, not “Navy men” and they have been stationed from one US coast to the other with a non coastal stationing along the way. She has a pair of twin Chihuahuas that she loves, a husband I think she likes and kids that she’s glad are out of the nest. We chatted about life and as we got closer to the glacier I decided to brave the very fresh air and go outside once again. As I was leaving she asked my name and I told her. She asked “Is that with an H ?”. Immediately I knew I’d met another woman with the same name as I have. We are in a minority, since most are missing that important H. Then she goes and ruins it by saying, I go by my middle name. Fuck, just when I thought I had an easy one she goes and tosses in Rose.

A couple more pictures if ice and rocks and it was time to get some food. Down to the main dining room that has the entire 30 foot floor filled with glass panes. The ship was doing 360’s in the water allowing those with a balcony the ability to lie in bed with the curtains open and have the glacier parade in front of their toes.

The table I was given was next to the window, now if I only had my bath robe with me. The service today managed to get my food to me without spilling it in my lap. The staff here are like everywhere else. There are people people and the are wage slaves. Today’s staff had just come off shift at the oars on the galley. Today it was the galley slaves. I think the people people were on deck gawking at the glacier like the rest of us. After breakfast back to the room for a quickie shower and back up on deck for more photos. The light had changed so it wasn’t totally shooting the same shot over and over. I think the brochure said we would be here from 7am until afternoon. The daily sheet said from 7 am till noon. We were more 7 am to 1030. I guess we all had sufficient bruises from jostling and getting elbowed by our fellow photographers. All angling for that perfect shot that will get a long 10-second look by friends back home, before their attention move on to the next one.

The rest of the day was a mix if wandering from place to place watching a game contest in the main atrium where two players played Deal of No Deal. That was good for 20 minutes. More wandering and then a bar to play trivia in the atrium. Four of us made a spontaneous team and kicked ass. 22 out of 20 (don’t ask how), but no prizes only bragging rights. Moseyed back to the room of glass at the pointy end of the ship to sit and watch the world stream by. Judy and Tammy pulled up a couple chairs and a table and broke our Rumi-Cube the same game I had brought. I have only played it one time at Thanksgiving at a friend’s home. It was simple of rules and complex enough without total brain burning. I watched and relearned the game, they invited me to play, but today wasn’t the day for me. Tomorrow or one of the other 8 sea days. There is going to be enough time to play for sure.

More roving. Hmm.. how about a drink? One bar fly strongly recommended a Bloody Caesar, a Bloody Mary with clam juice. the only humans that drink that are Canadians. A man a day or so ago recommended a Smoked Peach Margarita, I have no idea what’s in it, but wow is it tasty.

Dinner time came and I needed something different. Silk is the Asian offering. The food was okay and the service was just perfect for any Chinese restaurant in the states. "What you want? Here! Hurry up! Bye-bye". After that enjoyable 10 minutes I sauntered down to the theatre to get a seat to watch the comedian. Not too bad. he did a 50 minute set and that was it.

A chanteuse at the piano, some karaoke, a peach drink and watched the sunset at 1010 pm and here we are.

I am dreading 8 full sea days.

Yes, bears really do .....

 Monday May 13 - Icy Strait (Hoonah Alaska)

In the Caribbean some cruise lines have private islands, NCL here in the Land of the Midnight Sun they have a peninsula. Icy Strait has two docks and both were NCL ships. It has Dog Sledding, zip Lining, Gondolas to the top of a mountain. Of course, an addition fee is involved. Everything except for a tram ride from one side to the other, the remainder was captive extortion. Half a Benjamin to ride the gondola, a couple Ben’s to zip down the mountain for 90 seconds. If someone was paying for it, I’d love to engage, but it is too costly an experience for me today. Think I’ll stay to Terra Firma today.

Breakfast in the main dining room. An egg and a piece of toast should be enough fuel for the day. Of course coffee. I stopped to say hello to Florence and Amos. I met him at the craps table the first night and shared a lunch table with them. She introduced herself as Florence. I said “Ah, Florence and the machine!” trying to get a hook to remember it. She smiled and said “I prefer Florence Italy.” Now I know I’ll remember it.

The pre 10 am greeting rule seems to hold here as it does on the trails back home, maybe more 1030. the 10 am people happy to share the morning with others with a nod, a smile or a Good Morning . After 11, not so much, a grunt is the absolute best you can hope for.

I alit on the dock and walked until I found dirt under my feet. Then looked for the first trail I could find. "Danger! Bear" signs abound. "This is not a zoo. Bears can kill you". "If you see a bear get large, don’tlook and back away". — Ok, now they have my attention. I follow the coastline and pass a solo woman.“Have you seen Yogi?”, I asked. She got the reference and smiled a No.

The trail was a wide promenade of crushed gravel through the trees. There was no way to get lost. Follow the crushed gravel trail. Which leads to more places to spend your vacation dollars. More importantly for me at the moment, a Women’s room. Maybe all that coffee was not a good choice. I took advantage of the restroom and then rolled the trail back, stopping to view the eagle’s nest high in the trees. Got back to my point of entry and turned around and went back to the restroom, turned around and went back to my starting point. This is going to be a very very boring day. I kept going and found more places to shop. Stopped and took the obligatory Alaskan eagle photo. Then I saw a sign “Hoonah 1.5 miles” that should break the Wash, Rinse, Repeat of the trail.

The walk along the shore was nice smooth concrete sidewalk. The rain was more a heavy mist, just enough to require that my hood was up. I did find that bears not only shit in the woods, they also shit on the sidewalk, and they are not subtle. Past the Alaskan state ferry, Hoonah came into view. I am not sure the difference between a village or a town is, this one was certainly leaning to the village side of the equation. I passed one restaurant “Open 5 to 9, except for when cruise ships in town, 10-9”. I heard the sound of axe on wood and followed it to a shed where two men were working on creating a totem. I sat down and asked the elder if photos were permitted. He gave me a great smile and said yes. I sat and watched him a bit when he handed me a curl of shaving and told me to smell it. It was different than the cedar I’m used to smelling, Looking at the wood it was obvious it was yellow cedar and not the Western red cedar of home. He said it was a harder wood than the WRC. Easier to work as it didn’t split and splinter as easy, it looked like it required more strength to chip into it. I thanked him for sharing his craft with me and headed back to the ship.

Rain was increasing and it seemed that the egg and toast needed a boost. A bowl of chili and a nap were totally in order. Later up in the glass atrium my novel reading was interrupted my yelling the side of the ship, a whale was 100 yards off the side of the ship. Oohs and aah’s abounded. It rolled up for a breath and then was gone. I hope I can experience it another time.

The remained of the day was just coasting and reading. Came to dinner and it was food, nothing memorable.

Sitka, I look like a local. I find that a complement

 May 12 2024, Sitka Alaska

Dear o'dear Sitka words where did you go? I know you were here, and now you are gone. I'll try and find your cousin words in my memory of six months ago

Kiwis and Frogger

Saturday, May 11, 2024 - Juneau, Alaska

My post dinner routine was to go to the casino for my tossing of the bones. My favorite craps buddy, Amos had just left. So it was just me and some guy. He was pleasant, though more focused on the money than the game. For me, yes the money counts, so does the energy and the other players. I put the ship’s hundred dollars and cashed it into a bunch of clay. My style is to take back all the wins and put them in my pocket, that’s my money. The hundred belongs to the ship. When the hundred is gone I’m done, and I empty my pocket to see what’s in there. I don’t chase losses, nor wins. My pocket had a pile of clay, the ship gave me back their hundred and gave me $80. Thank you ship. A five for the boys and I was done for the night.

Morning came at 6am, but it was overcast and we were still running. Forget getting up, the bed is too comfortable. I felt guilty at 7 and got up. Puttered around, we were allowed to get off the ship to stand in a short rat maze to get on the bus for town.

I spoke to a few people in of the row of shacks on the dock that were hawking Whale watching boat outings, rides to the glacier, and who knows what else. A three hour whale watch tour at $200, a ride 13 miles to stop at the glacier for an hour $90. Then there was the cable car up the mountain for $50. All way past what I felt were worth it. I googled bike shops and found a bike rental shop a stone’s throw from where I was. At 40 skins for four hours for an e-bike seemed a Juneau bargain. The sky was cloudless, the temperature temperate. Helmet on and assured I probably would become bear poop off I went. Well I should say off we went. A couple from the land of Hobbits and shoe shine birds insisted that I was the lead, and they were following me. Fuck! I don’t want to be a tour guide. I mean I’m as ignorant of the area as they are, I just go where Apple Maps tells me. So now I have to babysit these people and can’t go at the pace that I think is right for me. I have to pedal HARD just to show them I am not a wimp, instead of my casual saunter I am suddenly in Tour De Juneau. I want to leave them eating my dust, but when we come to a fork in the road I stop and wait for them to catch up.

Apple Maps was true, and we got there in a whisker more than one hour. 12.9 mph average pace wasn’t bad. I could have cut off a bit without the Kiwi baggage. Regardless a satisfactory pace. We parted at the Ranger Station and I was left to myself. I assumed they would be waiting on my return for the remainder of the tour.

The glacier was pretty spectacular. The only problem my legs were rubber. So I wobbled around and cursed any rise in the trail. I met a woman who recognized me from the ship, and we passed the time for a few minutes. She found a new drink on this cruise called a Mudslide. At the price of Included in the cruise. I’ll make sure to try it when I get back to the ship. Walking the trail to the waterfall my legs are screaming. Keeping a happy face on so not to whine to passing strangers I trudge on. About 3/4 of the way I approach a woman struggling but persisting back up the trail. I asked her “Am I going the right direction for the tour bus?” She was fast ! “Yes, just keep going and when you reach the end turn around and come back this way.” That was a funny and fantastic retort.

The falls were great, with the glacier in the background and the lake in the forefront it was worth the responsibility getting here.

Now for the ride back it is following a river to the sea, so in theory it is all downhill. Unfortunately the river is not a fast river so as the tour guide says it is ‘mostly flat’. Meaning it had hills. Now the wind is flowing up the river canyon and directly in my face. I am nearly a danger to myself, but my ego is sometimes stronger than common sense, and it was in charge for sure.

Apple Maps was helpful on the way home, but I am not sure if it was me or the app, I ended up on a road what was marked 55 mph and the cars and trucks only took it as a suggestion. A woman pulled abreast of me and rolled down her window and said “You shouldn’t ride on this road, it is dangerous!” I totally agree’d with her, but there was no way of getting off it until the next intersection a mile or more away. I hugged the guardrail like a NASCAR driver and got to a stop light and was able to cross the street. I stayed on side streets for a few miles and somehow got directed back to that fuckin’ highway. I pee’d my pants and continued until I saw a left turn land and made a mad dash across two lanes of speeding traffic to the semi safety of the center lane divider and then across the opposite two lanes of wheeled death.

A road sign said 3 miles to town. “I think I can. I think I can ….”. I stayed off that darned highway the rest of the way. I am so, so happy the New Zealand couple were not following my directions back. She’d be having the screaming meemies on that highway. If there was someone there to hear me I certainly would have.

I turned the bike in and caught the bus back to the ship on uncertain legs. The first thing I did was go to the closest bar and order a Mudslide. Chocolate syrup coats the inside of the glass. Rum, Kahlua and some other booze. Ice cream scoop and more chocolate syrup. Blend til smooth and some chocolate syrup on top. Apple Watch said I had burned 1800 or so calories on the bike ride. The Mudslide negated that and then some, I’m sure.

Once I found my legs again I walked down to my room and sprawled on the bed for a while. There was a knock at the door, and it was Jesus passing out tomorrow’s schedule. I took it and then he talked. He’s over worked, under paid, has to bunk with 8 other men and the food stinks. Sounds like he’s in the Army. I listened and felt his pain and he departed to continue to pass out the schedule.

Nook had a dead battery and needed recharging. Apple Watch wanted food. So I brought iPad to dinner. The wine steward came by, suggested a wine at a slight up charge and the wine was an excellent pairing with the meal. I slipped him a 5 and now I’m his best friend ever. He must have stopped by 10 times over the meal to check on me. Shoo ! Give me some space, please.

All done with dinner. See you tomorrow. Hope I can tell you about the Aurora that is forecasted for tonight.

Welcome home to Alaska

 

Friday May 10 2024

I missed a day along the way. Sorry ‘bout that.

Actually you didn’t miss much. It was a sea day and about all I did was roam around aimlessly exploring the ship. We had a time change in the night and I didn’t bother to learn how to manually change the time. Normally it is done automatically with the Wi-Fi, but since I am deathly afraid of turning the darned thing on for fear of hitting the marine Wi-Fi and being charged at millionaire rates by the second I’ve stayed in Airplane mode.

So up at the crack of 7am that turned out to be 6am. Down to breakfast and found out the main dining room didn’t open until 7am according to a German couple who were totally flummoxed by the time change. We hung around for a few minutes, and it did become 7 and the doors remained shut. I checked the couple’s daily sheet and though most of it was written in Deutsch the time was written in universal numbers 7:00. After a while some dude showed up and said it was 7:30, he showed us his program and his read 7:30.

We all hung around, after all we were already at the gate. Mr. Some Dude turned out to be Mr. Know-it-all. From Ketchum Idaho (he probably votes for the wrong political party from me). I said “Ernest Hemingway lived there (and shot himself there too).” Mr. Know-it-all (hence forth Mr. KIA) said “Wow! You are right! How did you know that?”. Sarcastic Theresa replied “I don’t know. I just pulled it out of the air”. Well that kind of ruined our eternal friendship. At least I didn't tell him I pulled it out on my ass. He dropped me from his sights and began to pontificate about his travels and knowledge of everything to another nearby woman.

At half past 7 the portal to breakfast opened and welcomed us to a nice white tablecloth table with a view of the wake. I offered to tale a picture for the couple next to me. He was trying to do the selfie thing and his 70 year old thumbs were not as agile as those 20 something’s you see on the internet. We chatted a little before our orders were delivered. He American she a much much younger attractive woman from the Dominican Republic. We didn’t solve any of the world’s problems, but we did kill a few minutes in conversation.

The remainder of the day was just wandering from place to place. Stopping and watching the crew attempting to entertain the rest of us. In the evening I had my first Specialty Dining experience. If it wasn’t so bad it would have been unremarkable. Cagney’s Steakhouse. All the YouTube reviewers raved about them. The appetizer of Ahi Tartar was really, really good. The salad I forget. The rib eye steak was cooked perfectly, but they should have let the cow the steak came from just retire in her old age. The meat was so laden with gristle and tough even their steak knife had difficulty ripping through it. One piece I chewed on it until my jaws locked. Any place else I would have spit it out and hid it in my napkin, but I couldn’t find a way to discreetly do that. So I choked (really) down.

The host asked me twice how I like the meal. I gave him a flat “It’s okay”. That seemed to satisfy him. I guess just okay is ok.

After that I went to the casino and donated the hundred dollar bill to the gambling gods. That now belongs to the casino. I might walk away from the table with over a hundred, but only the amount over $100 is mine. The Benjamin still belongs to the table. It ran the hundred through the craps table and left once it had gone through and walked away with $140. That was fun, but I was the sole player, and it was kind of boring. I love craps for the table’s energy as well as a chance to increase my bankroll. Solo it is the same interaction as a slot machine, and that is more about the monetary exchange than the social exchange. I don't think I'll be playing Craps solo again. (The preceding was from the first night)

This evening I went to play craps and there were a few at the table. One guy was having a blast betting on everything and having fun fun along the way. He and I played for 45 minutes and I did alright. I doubled my $100. So I am now up $140 and I still have the cruise line’s black chip in my pocket.

Off to slumber land after that and woke at 6 and dozed until 7. I looked out my peephole and there was another ship next to us and people were there. Guess I better pull the shades while I get dressed. A bagel and coffee and off the ship to the wilds of Alaska. The place of my birth. I guess the ship didn’t know that I had returned, because the ticker tape parade was missing. Maybe the statue was erected in the capital Juneau, and I’ll see it tomorrow. Today Ketchikan.

The ship used to park downtown, but this cruise line built a different parking spot out of town so we had to catch a bus to get to the city proper. Not a tour bus, a school bus! The only difference between this bus and a 1960's school bus were the seatbelts. The driver was fun, informative and funny which made up for the gum under the seats. The tour videos all talked up Creek Street and my friends who had cruised here before all talked up the totem park. So those were my two goals. One right in town and the other one at the edge of town.

Ketchikan was a segregated city at the turn of the 20th century those approved of lived on the north side of the creek and the Indians and Chinese south of the creek, as well as assorted bawdy houses. The south of the creek is now Creek Street one of the high points of a trip to Ketchikan. Much like Cannery Row in Monterey age has softened and polished it up, and it is now the showpiece of Old Ketchikan. It really is kind of cute and very photogenic. I took a few photos of the street and I think one or two might be a keeper. Past the $10 tour of a former brothel, a t-shirt shop, a couple overpriced non Starbucks and up the creek. Following the salmon trail up to their spawning grounds and now fish maternity ward called a hatchery.

Then off to the Totem Pole park. It’s just outside of town, says Lynda and Linda. At least it isn’t raining, and the weather is mild. Just outside of town turns out to be a two and a half mile walk alongside the main highway in Ketchikan. At least there was an asphalt path bordering the road. I got there and really did enjoy them. Some sun would have helped enhance the colors of the poles, but that is why there is Photoshop. A half mile walk would have made them fantastic. I opted for a $15 taxi ride back to Creek Street.

Now the clouds have parted, and Creek Street is loaded with color, so I took a few more photos. By now the afternoon wind was starting up and coming off the water, it seemed like a good time to return to the ship. A real double-decked tour bus this time. No school bus, it's probably time to pick the kiddies for lunch.

I went straight to lunch myself when on the ship. The place was packed. The hostess asked if I minded sharing a table. Sure, why not? A husband, wife and someone’s mother sat at the table with me. He turns and says “I know you! You and I played craps last night!” He was the hot roller that helped me double my stake. Wow! What a nice coincidence, though the pool of people is limited when on a cruise ship. so, maybe not such a coincidence. They were in their own bubble, so conversation was minimal.

Back to my room to drop things off and my cabin attendant Jesus wanted to talk. Making sure everything was up to standards, and then we got to the part that I was curious about. I didn’t ask wages, but I found out he had worked for the company for 24 years and could retire at 25. I think he was holding on for that parachute. Except it’s not a parachute it’s more of a paper airplane. After 25 you get a lump sum of $1,000 a year and a handshake. That is providing you make it to 25. If you don’t, you don’t get diddly. He also wasn’t too hot on this particular ship. On the newer ones he had his own room, this one he had to bunk with nine others. 5 bunks on one side and 4 on the other. You gotta get up early if you want to use the bathroom.

Ahoy Matey's

May 8th 2024

Currently on a train from home to Vancouver Canada.

Vancouver, Canada is only about 50 miles from my home. So close that after work we would occasionally drive up and night ski on Grouse mountain. The only thing to slow you down from a quick drive is the International border crossing. So if it was just a day trip I drive. This trip is different, because from Vancouver I will be traveling by ship to Tokyo, Japan. Then after an 18-day voyage, I'll do some independent sightseeing. With my personal highlight of biking across 6 islands over 2 days. Since the tip is out of the ordinary, let's travel differently. Hence, AMTRAK. Home to Vancouver in about 2 hours. Normally the train is maybe 15 minutes late, today for your special needs it will be about an hour and a half late. Glad I don’t have to be anyplace soon. Oh ! Wait I do. I need to be at a cruise terminal by 3pm. I expect I’ll make it. I wonder if travel insurance will cover it if I miss the boat.

For those of you tuning in late, I am on the way to Tokyo for 2 weeks of light exploration of Japanese, via a cruise ship from Vancouver through various ports in Alaska. Eighteen days from YVR to NRT, by air 9 hours. I thought it would be interesting, but I am not too sure if it has gotten too interesting already. Regardless, I am not in control of this part of the trip and should just sit back and endure the experience.

This trip was a 2020 plan. Not the cruise part. I wanted to take my regular annual vacation to Japan, but one of the sights I really wanted to see was under renovation and see it wrapped in Tyvek and construction scaffolding was not my preferred way to see it. I could have put it off for a few months, but the 2020 Summer Olympics were scheduled in Tokyo. So I went to Italy as a second choice.

As you may rember while I was in Italy a virus called COVID appeared and threw everything into chaos for the next couple of years, with many countries closing their borders to tourism for years. So now it seems is the year for Japan, along with the lowest Japanese Yen to U.S. Dollar exchange rate in decades and everybody and their cat deciding this is the year.

Eventually the train crawled into Vancouver station right on time, if you are speaking of Island Time. Canadian customs was more for the formality of the process than the actual inspection process. A quick cab ride to the terminal through Vancouver’s famous Hastings street. I would have expected block after block of junkies sprawled out on the sidewalk in New York and not pristine Vancouver Canada. Google map’s direction to the cruise terminal offered several options to get there from the train station. Public transport, car and walking. It projected a 14-minute taxi ride, and a 35-minute walk. I had thought about walking, after that tour of the shooting gallery I am so glad I caught a cab.

 

The cruise terminal was really convoluted. Walk in follow the women pointing, go to the elevator go down one floor. Find the push me pull you ropes and weave back and forth for a mile and get your official Mickey Mouse club card for the ship. Then follow the pale pointed fingers and find more zigzag until to reach Airport security. Not nearly as intrusive as TSA, you got to keep your shoes on. Back to yet another maze, by this time I was expecting a chunk of cheese as a reward for successfully navigating this maze, but US Customs and Border Protection was next. That was dead simple, get facial scanned and vamoose. More pointing fingers a metal zigzag and a quick touch and go of the club card, and I was again back out of the maze, and released into a very large floating box. Alas, no cheese.

First things first. Make reservations at the specialty restaurant. Forget about the safety briefing and the place to go when we hit the iceberg I want to make sure I have had my rare steak and French bistro as we are going down. With that taken care of I got a Vodka tonic, without the tonic and sat down and relaxed a bit. I guess I better find my lifeboat station, I hear they get pissy if you blow that part of the trip off. Found it, got my ticket electronically punched and held my hand out for an M&M as a reward for being good. All I got was a smile.

Wandered around the ship for a while and eventually found my room, cell ? It has a door that opens when I want it to, so maybe cell isn’t the right term, but it is kinda small and the window is about the size of a fish tank for a gold fish. It’s round and doesn’t open. I think the term for my accommodation is steerage. I met Jesus from the Philippines who is my room steward. Pleasant man. I’ll try and not be the demanding client.

Back outside to get some sun and a drink, this is a cruise ya know? The Bloody Mary was watery and not from having too much vodka. A bunch of honking and a slight lurch, and we were free of the dock and on our way. The view? Well I could see Mount Baker, the same darned mountain I can see from my backyard. So far, no cheese, no M&M, watery Blood Mary and the same view as I have at home. I can’t understand why I haven’t ocean cruised before. It’s sooo special.

So here we are, a sea, under the Lion’s Gate bridge, careful to avoid getting pooped on by the roosting seagulls (I know from a previous biking experience), past the bay where I earned to sail and off we go.

One of my friends who travels, but doesn’t cruise advised me to avoid the elevators at all costs. She caught COVID on a cruise, Rockin’ Pneumonia on another, and the plague from thinking about her cruise experiences. So Steerage is on deck four, the pool is on deck 12 and 13. Two hours in, so far 23 floors according to Apple Watch, and there are more floors ahead.

Dinner was good, a nice menu fit for any palate. I kept it light, an appetizer, some soup and a salad. There are 17 more dinners, breakfasts and lunches ahead. It would be easy to eat so much that I would need to buy new clothes in Japan, and Japanese are not known for their bulk unless you are a Sumo wrestler.

I think now is a good place to stop. 8pm I need to unpack and wander some more. amber get another flight of stairs or two in.