Alas!ka

alas.! wer in alaska

never been in this place in  the farthest northern hemisphere of the earth, til now..

so cool ( literally and  figuratively)

a place u would think neglected, but gives u amazing sceneries...

of course, u expect ice.. really, ice for the eyes

then glaciers of tons of ice..atop the magnificent mountains n alps.

the majestic fjords and bigger chunks of post- avalanch ice formations

still more ice! waterfalls with shining ice beneath ...

century-old miniature seemingly floating herons formed from gentle waves..

alas.!wer in tracy arms

after two days of thousand waves, we arrived at this cul de sac of mountain range

this place is just a step close to the arctic! so temp here is freezing...

of balding mountains stripped- off with green pines getting ready for the winter chills

waves are nil, clouds are at hand, birds are extinct

the whole haven is in quiescent mode...

alas.! wer in juneau

the first on- ground trip of this 1 wk cruise, we arrived in juneau...

contnuous rains,store hopping, endless souvenirs...

jewlries,knives,keychains!!(what else)

most striking but not unusual are most crew staffs queue in money transfer nooks

to remit their hard earned wages back home ... i saw 800,1k, up to 18oo greens...

well, one of the many ironies of life..some would dole out thousand bucks after 2 winks all for luxury.. while others "40winks" would not suffice NOT for them but for their families :(

alas.! wer in sitka

a more quiet place than juneau... with scattered islets each with heaps of trees...

with abundant water both from above and below, we had a hard time transporting from the vessel to the main island as it is far from the shore.

i cant forget the early morning scene...so serene.

alas.! wer in ketchikan

we chanced up a very fine weather which is very rare according to our host, a very close family friend who met us by the pier...

this place is a lot better than the previous ones...with lots of shops i would scout on.

we rode a taxi( with taxing fare.?!) but the driver is worth it.. an alaskan native , 

burly  woman with lots - o- laugh!! 

the house was a sight to behold..with opulent posh cars 

and a glass covered veranda overlooking a placid river...

but of course a sumptuous lunch awaits us to include fresh  shrimps,lavish pink salmons, salads and native kebabs!whatah...

ketchikan is a clean, serene town...

alas.! wer in victoria

the last of the destinations before we go back where we jumped off.

victoria hid her grandiosity as we arrived in the evening but nevertheless the blooming assortment of its flowers shone through bright colorful lights...

the edifices would remind you of the great european architectures , the empress hotel was lovely and marvelous with its nature- laden facade..everywhere . victoria....im glad we have the same name.

this alaskan tour is indeed a stirring unforgettable experience having spent time with my husband and of course 

..bonding with my mom and sisters...tes and mafe.

                ..... life is when you find warmth amidst  the cold and nippy   ALASKA!!