May 29 – Skagway

Well so much for an early night.  After seeing the show – which was amazing we went for drinks with friends in Wheelhouse and we didn’t get back to the cabin until midnight.  What happened next has never happened before in all our cruises.  The couple next to us were having a big argument, well he was screaming at her.  It did not sound good at all, it actually sounded violent and we both grew concern for the safety of the woman.  We decided to call the front desk and when we did they took the cabin number and then we know they called the cabin next to us as we could hear the phone ring.  Front desk called us back and they said they had called them and that they will quiet down.  We told them that yes it was now quiet next door as it seemed that someone had left the cabin.  Even though this resolved the situation I was disappointed that security did not come to their cabin to address it as I did state that it sounded really bad.  In the end it stopped – and this is the first time we have heard them this cruise, and hope whatever was happening has settled down.

We dock early Wednesday morning but we sleep thru the docking and the announcement that we are cleared to go ashore.  We slept in until 9 am and got dressed and made our way to the Horizon Court for a quick breakfast.  I had an omelet made to order, took only about three minutes and was very good. 

It is another beautiful day here in Alaska.  We can’t believe how great it is and this is the third time in Alaska in May and every time it has been stunning.  Today we choose to wear shorts and t shirts as yesterday we were way too hot.  We did bring a light wind breaker too but it stayed in the bag the entire time.  In fact as we went about the entire day all we heard was how hot everyone was and how they wished they had brought more summer clothes.

So we left the ship and decided to do two less strenuous hikes.  We walked towards town (note there is a shuttle you can take for a small fee right from the pier) and then we walked along 1^st avenue and turned left at Main and went around the airport to a pedestrian bridge that goes across the Skagway River.  We turned left from there and traveled along the trail to Yakutania Point.  In all it was about a 3 km walk from town return.  Great views from the lookout down Lynn Canal towards the Chilkat Mountains, there is even a picnic table if you wish to have a nice little lunch. 

When we left the lookout and we got to the bridge we thought why not keep walking along this side of the river to see how far it goes.  We walked and came across a pet cemetery and continued for about a half hour but the trail was not passable as the river had caused areas to be blocked by large puddles that made it impossible to cross unless we got wet.  But I believe later in the season it would be fine.  So we back tracked to the pedestrian bridge and back towards town.

We walked along Main street all the way north to Alaska Street where you encounter the Railway Station.   We walked along the gravel road towards the Gold Rush Cemetery.  There is a great write up of the characters buried here, make sure you read to learn more about Skagway.  We continued from the cemetery to the Lower Reid Falls.  The falls was beautiful and running very fiercely.

We are tired, but now we have been hiking for over three hours we are in need of food.  We stop in and get an ice cream and sit on a bench on the main drag and watch many familiar faces go by, chatting with a few of them about their day.  But we need more of a meal and we head into the Skagway Brewing Company.  The food was okay but the service was very poor.  Had to keep asking for things like water refills, fork/knife, napkins.  Our bill came and they had entered my bloody mary drink but there was only a $0 amount next to it.  We pointed this out to our server and she corrected the bill.  Then we paid and she didn’t bring us back the right amount of change but $5 less than it should of.  So we told her she is missing $5, but not to worry that that would be the tip.  Don’t think I can recommend this place at all.  

You can certainly find better food elsewhere and the loud music (played only the Stones, which we like but not for an hour continuously) that it is hard to talk. 

Last year when I was here I visited a store where I bought some earrings and I really wanted to go back.  I found it easily, it is on the main drag of Broadway and it is called Sevigny Studio Art and they have really great art pieces, jewelry, pottery and great service.  You can find their website at www.katiesevignystudio.com   I bought two more pairs of earrings from local artists.

Then of course I had to head to Sweet Mammas for some cupcakes.  We picked up four and brought them back on the ship.  I love cupcakes and the ship does have cupcakes but they are not that good, more dense and the ships’ icing is well not that great and certainly not butter cream.  But sweet mammas’ cupcakes are to die for.

We are back on board and a quick coffee in the coffee bar chatting with a great waiter Sanoi from Hawaii and a few other passengers.

We have dinner reservations tonight in Sabatinis at 7:30.  There is a bunch of things going on tonight here is just a quick list of what is going on.

Dinner was very good at Sabatinis tonight.  I started with the calamari, then a nice salad and the veal chop – cooked perfectly as my entrée.  Dessert for me was Artisan Cheese and washed down with a bottle of wine from the Okanagan of BC. 

Movie:  Zero Dark Thirty.  North to Alaska with Skagway Entertainer Steve Hites, Small Group Jazz in Club Fusion, Evening Gallery Auction, The Princess Singers are performing in the Atrium some Motor City songs, Jeff Warren in Crooners tonight performs Stage and Screen the Best of Broadway, North American TV Theme Song Trivia, Hawley magic performs in the Princess Theater, and movies under the stars is showing Les Miserables.