Approximately 24 hours after returning from Alaska, I was re-packed and heading to Ann Arbor with my best friend (since we were 14!) Sofia. She travelled with me to help get me settled and make sure I had a few things for my room that matched and to ensure that I actually put something up on my walls.
During the week that Sofia was here we unpacked, shopped, decorated and explored. I should note here that I was in more of a finance/managerial role and Sofia The Great did the majority of the heavy lifting. You should see this girl with an electric drill... WOW! We also went on a long hike and rented a canoe at the local state park, less than 30 minutes away. One night we went to Main Street (downtown area that's slightly more upscale than the college areas) and decided to splurge on a nice dinner (even though we thought it was a little extravagant). We were sitting outside, enjoying the live music, people watching and classic car show when our waiter came by.
Waiter: Um....soo... your dinner has been taken care of.
Marissa: You're kidding.
Sofia: What?!
Waiter: Well... see that guy over there? Oh wait, maybe not. (and walks away)
Sofia and Marissa (sit for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what just happened and if they are going to have to go thank some creepy old man who just bought them dinner or not)
Waiter: So yeah, someone paid for your dinner but doesn't want me to tell you who he is.
Sofia and Marissa: So far Ann Arbor is ROCKING and thank you to the anonymous stranger who buys random girls dinner!
(Note: We tried to pay it forward by buying coffee for the car behind us at Starbucks the following day)
Sofia flew out a week later and I flew to Lincoln, Nebraska for my cousin (mom's side) Robert's wedding and visited my cousin (dad's side) Justin who is building a house and starting an organic farm when he isn't touring with several bands as a drummer. He and his wife are pretty impressive!
Said goodbye to Mom, Dad and Sister in Nebraska (tears were surprisingly scant) and headed back to my new home...
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Denali, Moose and Bear, Oh My!
In Anchorage we rented a car and drove about five hours to Denali Park, a national park with 600 million acres of protected land. We stayed at this "quaint" little place in an effort to escape the most annoying of the tourists. The view was beautiful, of a lake, mountain and trees and the first night we were there, a female moose and her baby strolled past our window! They are huge and look like awkward horses with a weird thing hanging off their bottom jaw (see photos).
Beyond the view, the place was a bit creepy, had to go on a dirt road, past the guys drinking beer and renting ATVs and beyond all the trucks and buses that were parked but didn't actually run, to get to this place. In separate comments, we all remarked that it seemed like the kind of place where you would be murdered while you slept. It was cool seeing the plane take off and land from the lake though, and you can't beat the local liquor store (apparently there isn't much to do there BUT drink)
At Denali park we went for a gruelling 7+ hour bus ride (yes you read that right) and saw some amazing things while blocking out the constant exclamations of people seeing squirrels for the first time. We learned what to do when you see a bear, unfortunately it differs greatly depending on if it's a grizzly bear or a black bear so first you have to know how to identify them (ummmm....). Luckily, from the confines of the bus we saw a female grizzly bear and her two cubs (!) followed by another female bear and her two cubs. Did you know that male bears will kill the cubs to get the females.... "attention"? Explains that maternal instinct! We also saw caribou, a baby wolf wandering across the road and a clear view of Mount McKinley. Apparently only 20% of visitors get to see it's peak. At 20,000+ feet it is so tall and massive that it creates its own climate and the peak is covered in clouds most of the year. So with views of every kind of wildlife you could ask to see, and the 70-80 degree weather we've had on this trip and not a drop of rain, we feel pretty lucky!
The photos again: http://web.me.com/marisg321/Alaska
Beyond the view, the place was a bit creepy, had to go on a dirt road, past the guys drinking beer and renting ATVs and beyond all the trucks and buses that were parked but didn't actually run, to get to this place. In separate comments, we all remarked that it seemed like the kind of place where you would be murdered while you slept. It was cool seeing the plane take off and land from the lake though, and you can't beat the local liquor store (apparently there isn't much to do there BUT drink)
At Denali park we went for a gruelling 7+ hour bus ride (yes you read that right) and saw some amazing things while blocking out the constant exclamations of people seeing squirrels for the first time. We learned what to do when you see a bear, unfortunately it differs greatly depending on if it's a grizzly bear or a black bear so first you have to know how to identify them (ummmm....). Luckily, from the confines of the bus we saw a female grizzly bear and her two cubs (!) followed by another female bear and her two cubs. Did you know that male bears will kill the cubs to get the females.... "attention"? Explains that maternal instinct! We also saw caribou, a baby wolf wandering across the road and a clear view of Mount McKinley. Apparently only 20% of visitors get to see it's peak. At 20,000+ feet it is so tall and massive that it creates its own climate and the peak is covered in clouds most of the year. So with views of every kind of wildlife you could ask to see, and the 70-80 degree weather we've had on this trip and not a drop of rain, we feel pretty lucky!
The photos again: http://web.me.com/marisg321/Alaska
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Princess Patter
In other cruise news...
One night after dinner, the captain started speaking over the loudspeaker which is played in every room and every corner of the ship. Was it another whale? Um no, apparently we had an outbreak of H1N1, that's right- 25 people had been quarantined with Swine Flu. Mom, Radu and I glared at my dad and sister, who were sniffling, coughing and sneezing, but they healed pretty fast, so apparently weren't the carrier monkeys.
Another night, during dinner at the fancy Italian restaurant for which there was a cover charge and where there were no vegetarian options (my sister received a look of utter shock and a stammer in response when she inquired) there was yet another announcement. "CODE ALPHA CODE ALPHA" and then a deck and floor number. We had a somewhat entertaining evening imagining how they deal with a dead body on board and the nightmare that must be the captain's life this week (and did later confirm that Code Alpha means a medical emergency)
Now imagine what could've happened if there was a 13th deck? Yes that's right, the ship's floors went from 12 to 14. Apparently American cruisers are superstitious...
One night after dinner, the captain started speaking over the loudspeaker which is played in every room and every corner of the ship. Was it another whale? Um no, apparently we had an outbreak of H1N1, that's right- 25 people had been quarantined with Swine Flu. Mom, Radu and I glared at my dad and sister, who were sniffling, coughing and sneezing, but they healed pretty fast, so apparently weren't the carrier monkeys.
Another night, during dinner at the fancy Italian restaurant for which there was a cover charge and where there were no vegetarian options (my sister received a look of utter shock and a stammer in response when she inquired) there was yet another announcement. "CODE ALPHA CODE ALPHA" and then a deck and floor number. We had a somewhat entertaining evening imagining how they deal with a dead body on board and the nightmare that must be the captain's life this week (and did later confirm that Code Alpha means a medical emergency)
Now imagine what could've happened if there was a 13th deck? Yes that's right, the ship's floors went from 12 to 14. Apparently American cruisers are superstitious...
Excursions Excite the Masses
The highlights of the cruise, and the opportunities to get off the ship and escape the thousands of couples in matching northface jackets were the excursions!
In Ketchikan we saw The Misty Fjords by boat... saw seals, bald eagles and lots of fjords. Did you know that glacial water is green because of all the silt that is carried along from the mountains? Also, we saw this tiny hut where rangers are allowed to stay after patrolling the national park by kayak since no motorized vehicles are allowed in the park. So after three weeks of camping in the snow and ice, they get to stay for two nights in this little hut that is literally on top of a tiny little island. I decided at that point to stick to recreational kayaking.
Next was Juneau where we saw the governor's mansion and learned that Sarah Palin (Bailin' Palin as she's known there) is the first governor to refuse to live in it (ahem) and surprisingly, no one seemed sorry to see her go. In Juneau we went kayaking where we saw more seals and bald eagles and got lots of information about Mendenhall Glacier which we could see in the distance. Did you know that glaciers are blue because they absorb every color except blue which they reflect and that's why we can see it?
That afternoon it was whale watching which was AMAZING! We saw about six orcas that were playing and jumping around in the water and then sevenish humpbacks bubblenetting. They literally circle around in the water blowing bubbles to pack the plankton in and then they swoop up and swallow tons of gallons of water. It was awesome! Birds are the clue to seeing this, because they hover nearby and then swoop in to grab fish once the whales push them up. In other words, they are freeriders, much like I was on this trip...
Next stop was Skagway where we rode a very old train for about four hours. It was beautiful with amazing views and tracked the trail that the goldrushers had created by foot and by horse back in the day.
After two more days at sea, we arrived in Whittier and we drove through the longest tunnel in North America, from Whittier to Anchorage. It's only one-way so if you miss your time slot, you have to wait another hour and a half to get through and it was the only route. Those tourists in matching jackets almost made our bus late... 10 seconds to spare!
In Ketchikan we saw The Misty Fjords by boat... saw seals, bald eagles and lots of fjords. Did you know that glacial water is green because of all the silt that is carried along from the mountains? Also, we saw this tiny hut where rangers are allowed to stay after patrolling the national park by kayak since no motorized vehicles are allowed in the park. So after three weeks of camping in the snow and ice, they get to stay for two nights in this little hut that is literally on top of a tiny little island. I decided at that point to stick to recreational kayaking.
Next was Juneau where we saw the governor's mansion and learned that Sarah Palin (Bailin' Palin as she's known there) is the first governor to refuse to live in it (ahem) and surprisingly, no one seemed sorry to see her go. In Juneau we went kayaking where we saw more seals and bald eagles and got lots of information about Mendenhall Glacier which we could see in the distance. Did you know that glaciers are blue because they absorb every color except blue which they reflect and that's why we can see it?
That afternoon it was whale watching which was AMAZING! We saw about six orcas that were playing and jumping around in the water and then sevenish humpbacks bubblenetting. They literally circle around in the water blowing bubbles to pack the plankton in and then they swoop up and swallow tons of gallons of water. It was awesome! Birds are the clue to seeing this, because they hover nearby and then swoop in to grab fish once the whales push them up. In other words, they are freeriders, much like I was on this trip...
Next stop was Skagway where we rode a very old train for about four hours. It was beautiful with amazing views and tracked the trail that the goldrushers had created by foot and by horse back in the day.
After two more days at sea, we arrived in Whittier and we drove through the longest tunnel in North America, from Whittier to Anchorage. It's only one-way so if you miss your time slot, you have to wait another hour and a half to get through and it was the only route. Those tourists in matching jackets almost made our bus late... 10 seconds to spare!
The Princess is Whaling
The family trip to Alaska began with a day in Vancouver during which time I learned that I really like that city and think I might be ready to live internationally again (sorry Mom!) There is an amazing park in the middle of the city, but also right on the water, a perfect combo for a mostly urban/little bit nature kind of girl! We boarded the Sapphire Princess cruise ship and then there was all sorts of excitement when we began to pull out of the dock and it was discovered that there was a dead fin whale attached to the bow. Talk about bad P.R. Princess....
They "deeply regret(ted) the incident" but it was "not yet determined" whether the cruise ship killed the whale or simply impaled a dead whale. I guess time will tell (or the whale autopsy and investigation will!) So much for the conservationist mantra... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32146578/ns/travel/
Anyhow, we quickly learned that the free upgrade to the family suite (my own room and bathroom that was joined to my parents' with a huge balcony and lots of freebies) was free for a reason. While underway, it was without a doubt, the windest balcony on the ship, seeing as how it was in the very front, huge and unblocked by partitions. The chairs literally blew around the deck, one went overboard (oops) and the table almost took off my dad's head. However, we enjoyed the free laundry services, $1,200 worth of free internet use, chocolate covered strawberries and Nino, our on-call steward. When the ship wasn't moving, the balcony was fabulous and the views were even better throughout. Thanks Dre and Radu (sister and brother in law)!
Here are the photos from the trip, courtesy of my Dad and Radu: http://web.me.com/marisg321/Alaska
They "deeply regret(ted) the incident" but it was "not yet determined" whether the cruise ship killed the whale or simply impaled a dead whale. I guess time will tell (or the whale autopsy and investigation will!) So much for the conservationist mantra... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32146578/ns/travel/
Anyhow, we quickly learned that the free upgrade to the family suite (my own room and bathroom that was joined to my parents' with a huge balcony and lots of freebies) was free for a reason. While underway, it was without a doubt, the windest balcony on the ship, seeing as how it was in the very front, huge and unblocked by partitions. The chairs literally blew around the deck, one went overboard (oops) and the table almost took off my dad's head. However, we enjoyed the free laundry services, $1,200 worth of free internet use, chocolate covered strawberries and Nino, our on-call steward. When the ship wasn't moving, the balcony was fabulous and the views were even better throughout. Thanks Dre and Radu (sister and brother in law)!
Here are the photos from the trip, courtesy of my Dad and Radu: http://web.me.com/marisg321/Alaska
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