Alaskan Cruise Day 8: OH Canada!

Coming into Victoria, British Columbia Thursday evening

The USS Ronald Regan was in the harbor and we saw lots of the sailors on shore enjoying the town.

Waving goodbye to the parents as we went off to explore Victoria!

Oh wait - we have to wait for them... Lets go!

Ryan H quickly bought two Canadian flags to help show his Canadian pride on our walk. People probably just thought we were crazy tourists.

Lots of limousines waiting to pick people up for a fancy night out - as if they didn't get enough of that on the ship!

Ryan's first time in Canada

Almost $5 a gallon!

On the back of Queen Victoria's statue

Legislative building

See below:

This neat map shows you the area

We shopped in neat shops until a ways after dark.

The "famous" Empress hotel

Our view on the roughly 1.5 mile walk back.
Our ship looked so much smaller next to the Celebrity cruise ship.

One last meal Carrie! You can do it! It's about 11:30 PM here.

Then it was time to pack our too full luggage.

Ryan showing off a souvenir.

In the Phoenix airport Ryan spotted Steve Kerr, general manager of the Phoenix Suns, getting on a flight. He used to play for the Chicago Bulls in the Michael Jordan era. Ryan says he's a great 3 point shooter. Never know who you'll see! Carrie and Ryan said The Heralds were on their flight out of Nashville to Seattle!

Alaskan Cruise Day 7: Tour of Ketchikan with John

We met John Fish in Ketchikan where he's working for the summer driving horses for a tour company. He was a great tour guide and we saw more of the island then we ever would have otherwise.

SDA church

John took us down to the other end of the island for a pretty hike.

The closest we ever got to a bear?

This reminds me of Maine.

This area gets so much rain little tiny bits of vegetation grow on everything - this is on a piece of old wood.

Lots of moss.

Ketchikan has the most totem poles of anywhere in the world.

John with his dog Faith telling us the story of Raven and when she made the salmon.

Salmon berries

A lodge for sleeping in the colder months

We found this eagle along the road.

Only in Alaska could we get this close.

Surveying the territory

Move it or lose it!

Bug off pip squeak!

Beautiful falls

A few of us hiked up the falls a ways and walked out on these logs. It did make me a little nervous.

I didn't go out very far.

Ryan and John did though.

A little difficult to turn around

Good job Ryan!

So called Married Man's Trail because married men would sneak down this way to get to the red light district. The ladies knew they were married because they had mud all over them and upped their price.

What a rough path to take to spawn

The famous Creek Street

Ryan spotted this cute dog watching the passers by.

For Stanley

Alaska's claim to fame - sort of

Carrie bought a moose hat - that she forgot she tried on two years ago on their honeymoon.

A few people got so tired of waiting in this line (we were only in town from 7:30-12:30, so everyone waited til the last to get back on-board) that they went in a store and got left by the ship.

Views of Ketchikan

This whole area is built out over the water. Ketchikan is one of the 4 largest cities in Alaska. The island it sits on is around 35 miles long.

On our way out we got to wave to John and Faith on the beach by his house - somebody else has a picture of it somewhere.

Lots of equipment always littering the table.

Our last dining room night - the Master Chef's dinner!
"I would like the chicken por la grassie ja tour without the chicken..."

One of my favorite pics of the trip.

Baked Alaska - I was disappointed that we never saw it flaming tho.

Dessert extravaganza

Is this little man French? He reminds me of Napoleon.

Abu