Well clearly I am the only Jew on this ship. I turned up to three challot and kosher wine, waited for 15 minutes and left. That said I subsequently see three people wearing kippot with their kosher meals. Clearly the service in a chapel was not to their taste. Most cruises I have been on have 20-40 people turn up for Shabbat services - oh well. The ship didn't sail till 20:00 so maybe that was a factor.
Tepanyaki dinner where 8 of the 13 people were Aussies including the CFO of Etihad and his family and a school teacher and her banker husband. The food was good but it doesn't feel the same with a Filipino and not a Japanese doing the cooking at Tepanyaki. Went to watch a comedian who was very amusing and then off to bed.
Next morning and up at 06:30 in order to listen to the Rangers talk about the Glaciers and to view the tidal glaciers at 08:00. The weather is amazingly good as we reach the major glaciers, Margerie and Grand Pacific. The boat comes extremely close for good photo opportunities. The rest of the day is cruising down Glacier Bay with ongoing Ranger commentary.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
I participate in the Blackjack Tournament and make the final six tomorrow - here's hoping with $500 first prize. Being very tired I have a simple dinner, dessert in the cabin and a relatively (22:00) early night.
Next morning I sleep in to 09:00 and pack in preparation for leaving my luggage outside the room tonight. Breakfast at the Hakoah Club (family joke) and a walk around the ship before crashing out of the Poker Tournament - well I am the world's worst poker player.
Blackjack tournament final and I crash out early and the winner turns out to be the the person who bet small and survived the dealers big run. Oh well.
Dinner at the steakhouse where I had.....lobster and shrimp pasta and some other yummy fare. After this I went to see the illusionist - they called him a magician but most of his stuff was people disappearing etc. He was darn good.
The cruise was an excellent decision and should be on everybody's bucket list. The sheer magnitude of wilderness temperate rain forests etc., the wildlife, quaint Alaskan Towns with their frontier architecture all combined to make the cruise incredibly enjoyable. Norwegian was nice mid-market standard cruise and I love the Freestyle where you dine where you want when you want and you don't need to bring a suit or any formal clothes with you. The facilities on the ship were great and I would recommend it no risk.
Cabin pack and luggage outside. Wake up early next morning shower and gather my few remaining belongings before breakfast and disembarking. I have paid the $55 for a bus transfer from Whittier to Anchorage. They didn't tell me that there is a one lane tunnel into and out of town that only opens for an hour each way at a time so we sit and wait 45 minutes before the 90 minute drive to Anchorage (300,000) where I get a cab to the $120 two star hotel (read hostel) which is 'non pour moi'. I find a really nice 3 star suite for $170 which suits my tastes much better - and my room is NEXT TO THE LAUNDRY YAY.
It is drizzling but not overly cold - guessing 15 ish degrees.
Tuesday morning and I manage to sleep in till 09:00 and lazily get ready for my 12:15 tour. Picked up from the hotel for the one our drive to Girdwood where Alpine Alaskan Airways have their helicopter base.
The bus trip itself was interesting learning about the history of the area, the fact that Captain Cook and Bligh were here in the 1700's, that there is a pod of beluga whales in Cook Inlet and Turnaround Bay - pity I didn't get to see them or have any caviar :-), the average price for a three bedroom two bathroom and garage home in Anchorage is $US320k (remember it is built in timber), that all fuel is shipped in and various other tidbits.
The tour was very expensive so I was hoping it would be worthwhile. Kinda pissed that I could have booked it directly for $120 less rented a car and found my own way there and back. But anyway....
It comprised a 15 minute helicopter ride up to a glacier around 3,000 feet above sea level. At this glacier there was a summer musher's camp with around 50 Alaskan Huskies sled dogs. Here we would learn about sledding, the Iditarod sled race and then be taken for a sled ride with a full team of 16 dogs.
Well I can report that the tour was a fantastic life experience. Just standing on a glacier and then being immersed in the world of dog sledding was just awesome. I would recommend it to anybody who has the chance. These pictures can only partly tell the story of a great adventure:
.JPG)
A bus ride (you know the $120 one!!) back to Anchorage and seven hours to kill before my 00:36 flight down to LA. I don't fully recall why I am n this flight other than it would likely have been based on price. When I phoned to change it they told me that my existing ticket had negative value as they tried to sell me a new ticket at a cost higher than available online - go figure!
Two days in Los Angeles and three days in Vegas and then home to sell all my family and friends who I have missed during what was a sensational but slightly long holiday. Anyway after the world bridge championships in Bali I expect to by in Australia for around 7 months or if I am away it will only be for a short time.
I arrive in Los Angeles after a midnight flight arriving at 09:00 after a stop in Seattle. Slept for 3 hours but am pretty tired. I spend the morning in the hotel catching up on some work and emails etc. In the afternoon I get a Thai massage at the local mall (they have those here too) and go to the Apple store to swap out my iPad which has a problem and then restoring it. Weather beautiful 30 degrees....what a change.
In the evening off to Fishbar which is a great seafood restaurant at nearby Manhattan Beach. It is one of the few restaurants I am prepared to wait for a table at. You give them your mobile number and they text you with approximate times and then when the table is ready and when you leave they send a text to say they hoped you enjoyed your meal.
Tuesday morning I foolishly agree to meet a friend who is in the independent film distribution business. Stupidly because the 40 minute 40 kilometres away but actually takes me 80 minutes to get there. Nice (for USA) Chinese lunch and some shopping for baby clothes and back to the hotel.
A simple dinner at Whole Foods (my fave) - soup and salad and back to the hotel for sleep.
Anyway Vegas tomorrow (Yee hah) and heading home. Like usual I may not blog the last few days so I hope everybody is well and look forward to a new blog maybe for Bali maybe not but certainly middle of next year.
XD
Tepanyaki dinner where 8 of the 13 people were Aussies including the CFO of Etihad and his family and a school teacher and her banker husband. The food was good but it doesn't feel the same with a Filipino and not a Japanese doing the cooking at Tepanyaki. Went to watch a comedian who was very amusing and then off to bed.
Next morning and up at 06:30 in order to listen to the Rangers talk about the Glaciers and to view the tidal glaciers at 08:00. The weather is amazingly good as we reach the major glaciers, Margerie and Grand Pacific. The boat comes extremely close for good photo opportunities. The rest of the day is cruising down Glacier Bay with ongoing Ranger commentary.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
I participate in the Blackjack Tournament and make the final six tomorrow - here's hoping with $500 first prize. Being very tired I have a simple dinner, dessert in the cabin and a relatively (22:00) early night.
Next morning I sleep in to 09:00 and pack in preparation for leaving my luggage outside the room tonight. Breakfast at the Hakoah Club (family joke) and a walk around the ship before crashing out of the Poker Tournament - well I am the world's worst poker player.
Blackjack tournament final and I crash out early and the winner turns out to be the the person who bet small and survived the dealers big run. Oh well.
Dinner at the steakhouse where I had.....lobster and shrimp pasta and some other yummy fare. After this I went to see the illusionist - they called him a magician but most of his stuff was people disappearing etc. He was darn good.
The cruise was an excellent decision and should be on everybody's bucket list. The sheer magnitude of wilderness temperate rain forests etc., the wildlife, quaint Alaskan Towns with their frontier architecture all combined to make the cruise incredibly enjoyable. Norwegian was nice mid-market standard cruise and I love the Freestyle where you dine where you want when you want and you don't need to bring a suit or any formal clothes with you. The facilities on the ship were great and I would recommend it no risk.
Cabin pack and luggage outside. Wake up early next morning shower and gather my few remaining belongings before breakfast and disembarking. I have paid the $55 for a bus transfer from Whittier to Anchorage. They didn't tell me that there is a one lane tunnel into and out of town that only opens for an hour each way at a time so we sit and wait 45 minutes before the 90 minute drive to Anchorage (300,000) where I get a cab to the $120 two star hotel (read hostel) which is 'non pour moi'. I find a really nice 3 star suite for $170 which suits my tastes much better - and my room is NEXT TO THE LAUNDRY YAY.
It is drizzling but not overly cold - guessing 15 ish degrees.
Tuesday morning and I manage to sleep in till 09:00 and lazily get ready for my 12:15 tour. Picked up from the hotel for the one our drive to Girdwood where Alpine Alaskan Airways have their helicopter base.
The bus trip itself was interesting learning about the history of the area, the fact that Captain Cook and Bligh were here in the 1700's, that there is a pod of beluga whales in Cook Inlet and Turnaround Bay - pity I didn't get to see them or have any caviar :-), the average price for a three bedroom two bathroom and garage home in Anchorage is $US320k (remember it is built in timber), that all fuel is shipped in and various other tidbits.
The tour was very expensive so I was hoping it would be worthwhile. Kinda pissed that I could have booked it directly for $120 less rented a car and found my own way there and back. But anyway....
It comprised a 15 minute helicopter ride up to a glacier around 3,000 feet above sea level. At this glacier there was a summer musher's camp with around 50 Alaskan Huskies sled dogs. Here we would learn about sledding, the Iditarod sled race and then be taken for a sled ride with a full team of 16 dogs.
Well I can report that the tour was a fantastic life experience. Just standing on a glacier and then being immersed in the world of dog sledding was just awesome. I would recommend it to anybody who has the chance. These pictures can only partly tell the story of a great adventure:
.JPG)
Two days in Los Angeles and three days in Vegas and then home to sell all my family and friends who I have missed during what was a sensational but slightly long holiday. Anyway after the world bridge championships in Bali I expect to by in Australia for around 7 months or if I am away it will only be for a short time.
I arrive in Los Angeles after a midnight flight arriving at 09:00 after a stop in Seattle. Slept for 3 hours but am pretty tired. I spend the morning in the hotel catching up on some work and emails etc. In the afternoon I get a Thai massage at the local mall (they have those here too) and go to the Apple store to swap out my iPad which has a problem and then restoring it. Weather beautiful 30 degrees....what a change.
In the evening off to Fishbar which is a great seafood restaurant at nearby Manhattan Beach. It is one of the few restaurants I am prepared to wait for a table at. You give them your mobile number and they text you with approximate times and then when the table is ready and when you leave they send a text to say they hoped you enjoyed your meal.
Tuesday morning I foolishly agree to meet a friend who is in the independent film distribution business. Stupidly because the 40 minute 40 kilometres away but actually takes me 80 minutes to get there. Nice (for USA) Chinese lunch and some shopping for baby clothes and back to the hotel.
A simple dinner at Whole Foods (my fave) - soup and salad and back to the hotel for sleep.
Anyway Vegas tomorrow (Yee hah) and heading home. Like usual I may not blog the last few days so I hope everybody is well and look forward to a new blog maybe for Bali maybe not but certainly middle of next year.
XD
