Juneau Alaska Trip September 2018 by Kat Simpson, Travel Agent

This is how my day ended, with my next door neighbors making excited noises out on the Balcony. So I grabbed my robe and ran out to grab my first glance of Juneau. But it was so cold my feet were burning so I ran back in to grab a pair of shoes and these were the only ones handy. Neighbors thought that would make a great pic :)


This whitewater rafting expedition was where I was hoping to go! But I got a notice the trip had been cancelled. No idea why - just 'operational reasons.' so I found another exciting expedition to join with my traveling agent friend Amy.

And away we went! We had a BLAST. Photos below:
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The tour guide we had on the boat with us was a trained naturalist and her love and PASSION for the whales was evident in everything she did. She was amazing! This is how she went around and taught EACH of us individually about identifying the whales. Her chart of the tail fins enabled us to NAME the two main whales we were able to see and her maps were wonderful to see where we where and name the lands around us.










Then we went for a hike through part of the Alaska Rainforest O!! yes, I said Rainforest. I had no idea there was one in Alaska either but there is! Great hike, to the shores of the lake where the Mendenhall Glacier ends. Wonderful sites, great weather and a talented guide. I don't see how it could possibly have been a better day!
 We learned how a forest grew after the glaciers pulled back. So cool how nature recovers land and changes it.
 First comes moss!










More Forest Photos:
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And at the end of the hike - GORGEOUS lake and the Mendenhall Glacier.
Movie list here:
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These were the first sites we saw as we pulled into Juneau. . . beautiful town









First we saw the Alpaca store with gorgeous warm clothing, then the Red Dog Saloon. Quaint feeding spot where we were able to rest and get warm.








I even tried their 'signature drink' the Duck Fart Proof video below
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We were also able to see Sea Lions as they lounged.










One souvenir I did NOT bring home were these actual FUR bathing suits and yes, they both came with tails!


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Alaska Raptor Center Sitka Alaska September 2018 by Kat Simpson, Travel Agent

Another stop while I was in Sitka, Alaska was the Alaska Raptor Center.

This place was fascinating. They take in injured birds of all types. The rehabilitate them if possible and release them. If their injuries are too severe then they provide them as natural a home as possible.

It was fascinating to see these majestic birds up close. I guess I just never realized how huge they are!




There were a lot of the birds in treatment while we were there and we got to see them fed and treated.
We also learned a lot about owls and other types of Raptors.
The tiny little 'Pygmy Owl' was a joy to see and learn about. SOOO tiny, especially compared to the size of the Eagles.
We tried to take a walk down their trail but it was closed due to 'recent bear activity' ! whooooo

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ANND here's Petey!


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Iditarod Race; the Beginning, and Current Racing with Alaskan Huskies

As I've said before, one of the cool things on the Holland America Cruiseline is the immersive experience of your destination. This includes education in many forms. One of them comes from the two trained tour guides onboard. This presentation is an example. I didn't choose the sled dog visit excursion on this trip because as much as I tried, I couldn't do them all! So I wanted to learn more about the Iditarod Race while in the area. The presentation covered more facts and fun stories than I've heard in many and kept me riveted for the full 45 min plus, which is a feat!
First she talked about the history of how the race got started - anyone seen the movie Balto?
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It really was a great movie. And this made me want to see it again. This is the true story of how the race began.

Want to hear the whole story? Watch the Movie!



I learned a lot about Alaskan Huskies also, turns out they aren't exactly a breed . . . .
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And yes, other breeds of dogs have tried the Iditarod and some of them have made it. Although the poodles did not, LOL



Don't worry, they were okay, the Vet pulled them from the race.




Next time back, I wanna visit the puppies!

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Glacier Bay National Park Alaska September 2018

Thanks to Holland America and their over 70 year history of cruising to Alaska, they are one of the few lines with permission to sail INTO and to the Head Of Glacier Bay National park. The park rangers came on the boat at about 6:30 in the morning and stayed with us all day while we voyaged all the way to the head of the park. It was a truly amazing and educational day.
This first gallery is of the High Resolution photos I purchased from the Park Ranger Staff.

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And this second gallery is made up of the photos I took while in the Bay
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Fortress of the Bears, Sitka, Alaska September 2018

Another of the forms of wildlife people go to Alaska to see is their bears. Both Brown and Black Bears. And Grizzlies of course! We were fortunate enough NOT to see any bears while we were hiking, LOL, although two trails had parts blocked off because of 'recent bear activity,' so it is possible for hikers to run into them on the paths. Using your binoculars while on the ship or smaller boats is the best way to view them in the wild.
We did tour an amazing place called the 'Fortress of the Bears.' in Sitka. In Alaska, once a mother bear is killed, it is the law that her cubs must also be killed. They can become nuisance bears easily. So, some bear lovers started this amazing place, 'The Fortress of the Bear,' and became licensed to take in these unwanted cubs. Currently the law prevents them from ever being released, so they will live out their lives here. This is currently their only option other than death.
The Fortress is an amazing place, they keep the habitat as natural as possible, they study the bears and teach them simple behaviors (not tricks) to be able to keep an eye on them. For example, the command 'foot' is taught so that the bears will raise their paws and the volunteers can inspect them for damage to the pads, claws or other problems.
We were able to spend over half an hour with them and they could use some support to build larger enclosures and save move bears. They are on

Facebook.  One of the activities they do with the bears is paint. This is to help them become comfortable with having their paws touched and hopefully to enable the blood taking task to be easier. You can purchase their paintings online to support the bears. 
this one almost came back with me. There are photos and other info about the 'bear artist' on the back.



When we were there they had just (20 days) gotten in a pair of 6-month-old bear cubs and they were simply adorable. I have some pics and video of them for you.
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IMG_4901 this is a video of the bear cubs

Now, here's a quiz for you - this is a treat they use for the bears to get them to come closer when they need to examine them - WHAT is it?










More photos.
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Some high Resolution Photos
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Please check out my YouTube Channel for more Videos of the bears and more from my Alaska Cruise. Hit Subscribe to do me a favor.

Whale Watching in Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska September 2018

One of the great things about Alaska is whale watching. While it can be done from the deck of the ship, it is easier and more rewarding in a smaller boat and up close.
I took an excursion in both Juneau & Ketchikan.
I'll post detailed blogs of both trips but this is just to showcase the best videos and pictures.On both trips we saw a LOT of Humpback whales, as well as multiple other species of wildlife. One thing we were not able to see was an Orca. I've included some high Resolution photos here from the Park Ranges that includes both my photos and videos and some of those.
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And a couple videos:
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The Truly Amazing Food on Holland America Eurodam September 2018 B+ Grade

Cruise food always amazes me. So much food available and so many varieties. The Eurodam has The Lido Market which is the main 'buffet type' eating place for breakfast, lunch & dinner,  a diner type place and a pizza place on the indoor pool area and the dining rooms (2 floors) plus the speciality restaurants and bars around the ship. In addition, unlike some lines, with Holland America, room service is free.
My three fellow travel agents who traveled with me and I (Carmie Docton, Amy Cunningham and Shelley Strommen) tried our best to taste test each and every item for you. (The Sacrifices We Make, LOL) #TravelAgentLife.
I tried to snap a pic of each menu but they are not in order below, LOL
Just an assortment of menus to give you an idea of the variety. Each restaurant had menus, each section of the buffet had their own buffets and they were available through the navigator app and your television set in your cabin.











































Our Fancy
Night at the Tamarind
and my first taste of
Sashimi! Video below



























My First Taste of Sashimi!
soooo many dishes to choose from. Lots of variety. Plenty of Asian Food and Sushi each day. Italian and more . . .

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                  And the Desserts! oh, My! soooo many and sooo good!
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Pizza Place on Sundeck by pool
Quite honestly, i was NOT impressed with this version of Italian / New York pizza. Great ingredients and combos but wait time was 30 minutes and they needed a LOT more toppings and better cheese :( So sad to be disappointed on this!
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All in All, I found the found outstanding. There was not enough seating room in the Lido marketplace - I think they expected more people to use the Dining Rooms for lunch. So it became a game of standing around grabbing a table as soon as someone else stood up - unpleasant.
Also, my complaint was with the lack of food available at night. We got back on the boat two night after 10 PM and everything was closed - not cool.
I hope the staff of the Eurodam can fix these two issues (and get better pizza!) and I can give them an A - right now - B+ is as high as I can go overall.
Although, the special lunch for those in the Mariner's Club (the HAL reward club) was lovely and the Gala night of Surf & Turf with a lobster tail and filet mignon made up for a lot of things!