5/19/06 Alaskan Scenery

[SNOWEY]

Just came back from Alaska on the Mercury. DH & I had a great time. This was our second trip so we took a lot of scenery photos. If you are not Alaskaned out, you can also see the Visions of the Seas trip we took in 04. (We did different excursions).

 

The photos are divided into 5 groups. Just click on the link below.

 

Enjoy!

 

Claudia

[NancyIL]

What link?

[Julia’s Journey’s]

great pictures, thanks for sharing, I cannot wait for our trip.

[SNOWEY]

What link?

 

Try this:

Our cruise photos:

http://community.webshots.com/album/183539186qTFxbK

 

Claudia

[Aunt Nini]

The pictures were beautiful!!!!

 

We are planning a trip to Alaska next May for our 25th anniversary. What was the weather like?

[SNOWEY]

Thanks for taking the time to look at my photos Julia.

 

Bonita, the weather was warm when we were by the glacier (Hubbard). We could not get close this time because of the ice, however, I actually took my jacket off it was so hot :eek: . On the sea days, it was quite chilly. It was fun to enjoy hot tea & chocolate. You might consider bringing a insulated mug to keep your hot chocolate warm. They also furnished blankets by the pool. All the ports were very comfortable. The only time I was cold was on the RR when we were at the top by Canada. But, I was also taking all the pictures outside :) . A fleece jacket was adequate with a sweater. I did enjoy my knitted baseball jacket & hat with fur on the sea days.

 

It was surprising how many people wore T-shirts and ate breakfast or lunch outside :eek: . It is Alaska! Definitely too cool to do that (at least when we went). And thanks for the compliments on the photos.

 

Claudia

[tapia]

Wow, those pictures are GORGEOUS.

 

Thank you for sharing with us!!!!!!!

 

In Skagway--what made you choose to rent a car & drive to Emerald Lake rather than do the White Pass?

[MamaQuack]

Claudia,

 

Thx so much for the photos - WOW!!!!!! We leave July 25 for our 4th Alaska cruise but never tire of photos like yours!

 

Thx again,

 

MamaQuack

[SNOWEY]

Tapia: Actually, the webshotphotos are showing our 04 trip 1st (on the Visions). I need to go back and fix that. Not sure how that happened.

 

In answer to your question, we did the drive in 08/04 and loved it. We took our time and had plenty of time to also do the shops. I managed to score a nice tanzanite marquise stone. I had it set into my wedding set.

 

In May of 06, we did the RR. I would have liked to do something different and not have done the RR both ways, but DH didn't want to :( . We were doing the Heli-Glacier Landing and Kayaking so he thought that was enough. Each of them are equally good. One thing we did was book the RR by ourselves before we left for Alaska. We found out that there are two trains that leave in the morning. One is for the cruise passangers. It is right there when you get offf of the ship. The other one you can book on line and it goes the same route, has someone who gives a commentary and is almost empty!!!! A nice bonus is it is cheaper. I am guessing but I think it was about $15 each less.

 

Momma Quack: Thanks for the compliements, I love looking at all the photos too when I have time. As noted above, the 04 trip pictures come up first. I will change that now.

 

Claudia

[gg3]

Snowey, your pics are awesome, esp. the ones of the eagles and the blue water with the green swagging through ??? Were was that one taken and do you know what contributed to that coloration. Have not seen that in our trips to Alaska. We are going on an Oregon coast adventure this summer and are thinking about a new camera. We have a great Nikon with telephoto lenses, etc. but just so darn big to tote around. What type camera did you use - give me the specs so I can tell my best friend of 40 years (hubby) about it. :) Thanks, gg

[SNOWEY]

GG3: Thanks for looking at the pictures. I am glad people are. I took a lot of time playing with them and I still am not happy. Some of the photos have too much blue in it. I went out and bought a photo editing program that I may use to redo some of them.

 

I used the adobe photoshop 2 ....It is a real old program. I do not recommend it. You will need to give me the number or title of the picture so I can see which one you are refering to. In general, I have only adjusted the sharpness, cropped, saturation and brightness.

 

I got the camera in 04 just before my Alaska trip and didn't really realize I took those pictures on the worst possible setting (least pixils). It is not a compact digital camera. It is a Sony Cybershot F717. I am still learning with it. It has a great lens with it. Here is the link:

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Sony/sony_dscf717.asp

 

I'm sure they have a better one now. I sold my Sony Mavica on Ebay and got a fabulous price for it and bought this one on line at Abes of Maine. Hope this helps.

 

Claudia

[gg3]

Snowey - it was photo 12/50, Emerald Lake. Haven't seen that shade of water in East Texas - EVER. I just saw that we are neighbors :) . Wasn't it hard to come home to this heat???? That is why we are going to Oregon in Sept. Thanks for the info on the camera. gg

[SNOWEY]

GG3: Super hard to come home to this drought! We can only water 1x a week!

 

Where in East Texas? I love East Texas.

 

I'd love to go to Oregon too!

 

Emerald lake is the way it is! That is why everyone says to go there and check it out. You won't see that on the RR ride. When we went in 04, there were lots of forest fires in Anchorage (I think that was where it was) and the scenery was still spectacular. The sky was kind of overcast looking so we did not see as much as we saw this time.

 

A lot of people think that when they go to Alaska it will be a once in a lifetime trip...not so! I think I'd like to just fly up there and do a week in one spot.

 

Claudia

[gg3]

Snowey - Tyler. Great place to live with its forests and lakes, and we can still get anywhere in town in less than 15 minutes. Plus, we are close enough to Dallas for the sporting events, DFW, shopping (esp. at Frisco mall) and great hospitals like Baylor. The photo of Emerald Lake is incredible. We are excited to go back to Oregon. We went 4 years ago, then to Alaska 2 years in a row. Now back to the Oregon coast and what an awesome place that is. Incredible scenery non stop from North to South and the highway follows the coastline so you are constantly stunned by the beauty. We will go whale watching and ride the jet boats down the Rogue River, see the Redwoods, and maybe Crater Lake if we have time in our 8 days. Plus just enjoy walking on the beaches, hunting shells and agates and driftwood, and treasures and esp. marveling at the tidepools where you find all kids of beautiful live creatures like orange starfish, etc. SO much to do there. gg

[SNOWEY]

GG3, sounds awesome! Do you get a cabin, or what?

 

The closest to ORegon we have gotten was renting a car in San Francisco and driving North and around the Nappa area. Beautiful too. So many places to see and not enough time or maybe not enough money :) .

 

I like Tyler. Was over in Lindale a few weeks back to check out some interstate property. Things seem to be growing there. I love the roses!

 

Claudia

[gg3]

We will stay a few nights at a wonderful contemporary lodge type bed and breakfast right on the ocean in Newport (central coast), then stay a few nights at a B&B on a river on the southern Oregon coast. Both places have excellent ratings with the travel guides and on the internet. There are a lot of cabin type places that are off the beaten path and even one place that has fabulous tree houses to stay in. Between the mountains, valleys, forests, ocean, rivers, sand dunes, beaches, lighthouses, great cheeses, fruits, seafood, wildlife (whales, otters, seals, walruses, bears, elk, eagles, osprey) cool temperatures, and the wonderful down to earth folk, we have discovered paradise - this is Oregon. Lindale has had a great reputation for being a little city on the grow but this past year it has endured a lot of bad publicity re: its school system and its city government. Seems like they have gotten really bad advice from some pretty seedy folks who were only trying to pad their own pockets. Tough for that little community. And they just got a new Lowes and Walmart :D . gg

[98Charlie]

Claudia, thanks for the pics. Specially enjoyed Solorized wake! We have an aft balcony right smack over the wake for our Sept. cruise. :D

 

Dianne

[SNOWEY]

Hi Dianne! Can I come w/you in September! I could live there. I promise to be good! Thanks for viewing the pictures. I just bought a new editing program for my photos. I am going to go over some of them when I get time. The editor I am using now is so old. For some reason I am getting too much blue in some of the pictures. I've never had a aft balcony, that will be awesome. Have a martini for me...or two.

 

Claudia

[MamaQuack]

Claudia,

 

do you know Wills Point, TX????? we have dear and precious older friends who lived there and eventually landed in hot Dallas:confused:

 

Aft cabins are amazing - we are so totally ruined now. When we leave July 26 our 15 year old son will spend all of his time out there (when he is not in teen group) - last July cruise he actually slept out there one night!

 

Can't wait to see your revised photos although it is hard for us to imagine they will top the ones already viewed. We are so ready to go see Emerald Lake now.

 

MamaQuack

[SNOWEY]

Mama Quack: We try to camp out (tents) at least once a year and it has been near Wills Point. It is on a lake call Tawakani. There is a little known state park that is there that is pretty nice and within 30 min. driving distance for us.

 

I can't believe how hot it is here already! It surely makes you want to go up North. BTW, I am originally from NY.

 

 

I hesitate to open the software package because I know the whole day will be spent playing pictures. DH is getting all of our 2 Alaska pictures and videos (he has some really great whale footage) and making a nice DVD with music. At least we can relive the trip that way.

 

Won't be too long for you.

 

Claudia

[MamaQuack]

Darlin its hot here too - low 90's daily and no rain in sight. My precious teen is at a GATech lacrosse camp on astro turf frying and my precious hubby is continuing to plant shrubs and trees in our 'enchanted forest' that will require daily watering. Alaska, for now, is our oasis. We are excited to now included Emerald Lake and possibly a fishing trip in Ketchikan as part of our itinerary!!!

 

Enjoy your editing time - it will be so worth it when you can go back whenever you wish and enjoy the sights and memories:p

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Wow, those pictures are GORGEOUS.

 

Thank you for sharing with us!!!!!!!

 

In Skagway--what made you choose to rent a car & drive to Emerald Lake rather than do the White Pass?

 

We are also renting a car and going to emerald lakes they say you drive much further and the views are wonderful and we can stop when we like.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Tapia: Actually, the webshotphotos are showing our 04 trip 1st (on the Visions). I need to go back and fix that. Not sure how that happened.

 

In answer to your question, we did the drive in 08/04 and loved it. We took our time and had plenty of time to also do the shops. I managed to score a nice tanzanite marquise stone. I had it set into my wedding set.

 

In May of 06, we did the RR. I would have liked to do something different and not have done the RR both ways, but DH didn't want to :( . We were doing the Heli-Glacier Landing and Kayaking so he thought that was enough. Each of them are equally good. One thing we did was book the RR by ourselves before we left for Alaska. We found out that there are two trains that leave in the morning. One is for the cruise passangers. It is right there when you get offf of the ship. The other one you can book on line and it goes the same route, has someone who gives a commentary and is almost empty!!!! A nice bonus is it is cheaper. I am guessing but I think it was about $15 each less.

 

Momma Quack: Thanks for the compliements, I love looking at all the photos too when I have time. As noted above, the 04 trip pictures come up first. I will change that now.

 

Claudia

 

Who did you book the train thru, did you have to walk to the station and how far was it and what time was the train, I would love the quiet one!!:D

[philnsand]

We Returned From Our 40 Th Anniversary Cruise On Mercury 5/26.your Pix Are Excellent. We Did The White Pass R.r. Which Was Great.however Your Pix Of Emarald Lake Are Great. Alaska Is A Cruise We Will Remember For A Lifetime, And Your Pix Will Be A Reminder.mypix Can Not Compare, But I Am Learning.,

[texastravelers]

Great pictures - you've now convinced us to get a car and drive to Emerald Lake. We are going in mid July - hope we can keep cool until then! GO MAVS!!!!