Day 2 - Northwest Coast Tour

I love flowers as they remind me of my grandma Rosa because every year she planted several varieties of roses in our back yard.  So it was interesting that our first stop today in Portland was the oldest, continuously operated public rose test garden in the U.S., the International Rose Test Gardens.  Those were my favorite 2 roses in the gardens.   For more info: http://www.rosegardenstore.org/

From there we had a 1.5 hour bus ride up to the historic Timberline Lodge nestled at the foot of majestic Mt. Hood. The Lodge was built between 1936 and 1938 as a Works Progress Administration project during the Great Depression.   In 1977, it was declared a National Historic Landmark.  We had a scrumptious lunch of salmon, roasted potatoes and broccolini there.   I found it interesting that several famous movies, including "All the Young Men" and "Hear No Evil" were partly shot on location at the Timberline Lodge. For additional info: http://www.timberlinelodge.com/     
Here's our group outside the Lodge!



The sweeping view of the Columbia River Gorge was just one of the many spectacular sights  we saw today as we drove back to Portland.  The massive area covering almost 300,000 acres spans southern Washington and northern Oregon.  It is called the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, is federally protected and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. 

But the most impressive sight of the day was saved for last --the Multnomah Falls which is a magnificent double waterfall.    http://www.oregon.com/attractions/multnomah_falls

TOUR TIP: Don't pay all those extra baggage fees! Lighten your load by picking one color and building your travel wardrobe around that.  I prefer black because it goes with everything. Two pair of black slacks, one pair of jeans, 5 tops, a jacket and good walking shoes are all you need for a 10 day trip.

Check out Sunrise Tours at www.travelsunrise.com for the Northwest Coast 2013 Tour dates.

Sunrise Tours

I'm so excited as today I started the Northwest Coast Tour with Sunrise Tours. We arrived this evening in Portland Oregon; state #41 for me on my quest to visit all 50.

We went directly to dinner at the German Restaurant der Rheinlander. And having lived in Germany I can vouch that it was truly authentic German food. We started the meal with a cheese fondue as our appetizer. The main course was served family style with generous portions of perfectly cooked chicken schnitzel, grilled bier sausage and pork loin accompanied by spatzle, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Apple strudel was the perfect ending to a delicious meal.  http://rheinlander.com/

It was a fun evening with lively entertainment provided by an accordian player and singing waitresses.

In Portland, we're staying at the contemporary Hyatt Place, well appointed with spacious rooms and a real plus is free WiFi.

Sunrise Tours specializes in trips for senior citizens and I like that the price of this trip includes 2 meals a day and all event fees. http://www.travelsunrise.com/

Alaska - The Glaciers

The #1 attraction for me in going to Alaska was to see the glaciers so we booked an inside passage cruise. And I certainly wasn't disappointed!   It was really cool as to see the Hubbard Glacier and numerous, small ice flows in the water.

I liked that the ship stayed in Glacier Bay for an hour so we could take time to enjoy the natural beauty. And we were so lucky because that day we had the best weather of the trip and could sit on the deck and balcony and enjoy the breathtaking scenery!

While in Juneau we hiked to the Mendenhall Glacier. I was stressed out because the Forest Ranger told us that there had been some bear sightings that morning so I felt like my head was spinning on a lazy susan looking all around for the bears!

The shots of the glaciers below were taken on a prior trip by my friend, photographer Sam Markman. He did a phenomenal job of capturing the intense coloring and stratification in the glaciers.
For additional shots of this spectacular area, check out his work:
http://szmarkman.zenfolio.com/p877784342

Alaska - On Board Ship

The boarding process for our 7 day cruise was a breeze with us getting to our room within 30 minutes.

We booked 5 months in advance and were upgraded for free to a balcony room. I really enjoyed that because I've heard how claustrophobic those tiny cabins can feel without a window.

I loved exploring all aspects of the ship from the spa to the casino to the many dining venues.

We opted for anytime dining for our evening meal; which was very convenient because we didn't have to rush back to the ship when we were in port.
Overall, the food was tasty but the desserts were exceptional. And the chefs really showed off their culinary skills with the dessert extravaganza with over 30 different cakes, tortes and pasteries.
I had a lot of fun in the casino playing in 2 Texas Hold'em Tournaments. The free shows every evening were colorful and very entertaining

TRAVEL TIP: If you're a cruise virgin like I was, then I strongly recommend going to the Caribbean or somewhere warm for your first cruise as there were many features of the ship like the pool and outdoor movie theater that we could not enjoy because of the cold weather.

Also, you can get a spa service at a 40 to 50% while the ship is docked in port.