Last Chance Gold Mine museum and pizza

 It started raining last night and it rained steadily from then on.  We did not let that stop us.  We walked out to the Last Chance Gold Mine (bout a 2 mile walk).  We looked pretty bedraggled.

 After the mine closed they opened the space up for an "opera."  That did not last long.

 The museum was not very impressive.

Pizza for lunch at Roma's.  It was very good.

Whale watching

In the afternoon we were picked up by a shuttle to go out to the whale watching excursion. Captain Russell was our captain.  He was great. We went with a small company called Harv and Marv.   We were on a small boat.  Only 6 of us.  First we high-tailed it out to the area they had been reporting seeing orcas

 Yippee.  We did see orcas.  It was great.  There was a pod of about 7 of them and we watched them awhile.  When they went down the stayed down a long time.

 Then we moved to a different area where we saw humpbacks.  We got pretty close to them.  I think there were maybe 10-12 of them.  Captain Russell put a mic in the water and the whales would sing before they came up.  Pretty cool. The bubble feeding was amazing but I didn't get pictures.

Taking pictures was a challenge.  My reaction time is not that great.  There was a guy on the boat with a camera which zoomed X300!!! He got some amazing pictures.  I asked if he would be willing to share them but he did not want to do that.  Oh well.  My zoom to X14 will have to do.  We then hurried back.

 Dinner at the Hanger.  Cool restaurant but a little spendier than we had wanted so I got the grilled chicken sandwich. George and Nathan got something fishy. Mine was very good. No pictures, sorry.  Sometimes sandwiches are not always  photogenic.

Back to the hotel.  Then it started to sprinkle.  We were so lucky it did not rain all day.  It was perfect, maybe even better than if it had been sunny.  Sometimes my pictures are washed out when it is sunny.

All in all it was a great day. We ended the day with some card games.

The Wifi is not great here.  I have to be lined up exactly with the office.  It goes in and out.  Oh well.

Glacier

 We started the day with cereal in our hotel room.  Then we got a shuttle out to a glacier.  It is about 1/2 hour away.

 Today has been an amazing day.  The morning we went to see a glacier. Gorgeous place.  Fun trail.  

 You can't tell very well but George and Nathan are standing right by a waterfall which is beside the glacier.  They  show a picture of how in 1951 the waterfall went under the glacier.  Now it is beside the glacier. 

We wandered around a bunch.  On one trail we saw a porcupine.  We have seen a bunch of eagles.  We got back in time to have lunch at a sandwich place.  I had a veggie panini and the best curry turkey soup. Then we got picked up by a shuttle for the afternoon whale watching.  I will do that as a separate entry.

Anchorage to Juneau Thursday, July 5

 This is a firefighter's tower.  We are thinking that it is where they practice going up and down ladders and stuff.  Not sure.

 Lots of fur companies and stores.

The flowers are pretty.  The lilacs are in bloom.  I think of them more spring flowers not summer flowers.

 Landing in Juneau.

 Our hike up Mt Roberts

 great view.  They can have up to 6 cruise ships.

 There is snow!! I was surprised.

 The tram to go down

 Nathan feeding the polar bears!! hehe I guy took his picture on a green screen and the brought in the background.  Of course I had to buy it.

 My lots of points plus steak dinner that was delicious.  I deserved it.  Had a A to Z pinot.  I guess Alaska does not make any wines. They make some good beers - I am told.  Haven't had any yet.

 Down the tram.  I got some good shots coming down.

Then a walk through town.  Cute fountain.  Lots of great shops - and I am here with Nathan and George. Juneau is a cute little touristy town.  I like it so far.  And now to bed.

Ghost Tour in Anchorage

 Here is our tour guide for the Ghost Walk Tour.  Lots of great history stories but I could have done with out all the ghost references.  I guess I am a little of a skeptic.  It also was a little long.  About 2 1/2 hours.  The 2 short buildings across the street behind him are the 2 oldest buildings in Anchorage.

 Not a very good picture but the Blue Moose was cute.  It wasn't haunted we just passed it.

 This hotel is supposed to have the highest paranormal activity of any place around.  It was a cool hotel.

Nathan dropped us off about 10:30pm at the hotel.  After looking at the Captain Cook Hotel and the Anchorage Hotel - very posh - our hotel looks very drab.  Oh well. Tomorrow we fly to Juneau.

 After going to the waterfall and walking around there we walked to a close Russian Orthodox church/cemetery and museum.  One of the churches was very ornate, also very tiny.  Maybe 20 people could be in it at one time. Actually this one below is the largest.  The smaller one was one of the first buildings built in the Anchorage area built in the 1870s.

 Instead of grave stones they had these little houses.   In the early years they would put down blankets instead of flowers.  But now people bring flowers.

 Some of them were very elaborate. 

 Note the Russian design.

 Then after salmon chowder and bagels and cream cheese for lunch we went to a July 4th fair. Nothing terribly exciting.  But it was fun to see.

 A lot of reindeer burgers, hot dogs and sausages.

 A bird rescue group had 2 little owls which had been rescued.  They were cute.

We watched an episode of Wonder Woman - Nathan had gotten from the library.  That brought back memories.  Funny to see it now.  

Nathan is fixing dinner now.  Pasta, salad and jello.  Then tonight we are going on a Ghost Walk Tour.  That will be interesting.

 Sharon - this one is for you.  This is a neighborhood apartment near Nathan's.

 We went to the Thunderbird Falls.  Very nice.

Waterfall, what waterfall???