Saturday, June 23, 2018

ALASKA TRIP - MAY 2018 - ANCHORAGE BACK TO ALYESKA - TUESDAY, MAY 22ND, 2018

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018 
Anchorage to The Alyeska Hotel in Girdwood, Alaska

(All my photos today were taken at the Alyeska Hotel.)

10.49 a.m. we have just returned from breakfast.  We were in the Marriott Hotel in Anchorage for one night, and yesterday we said goodbye to the land tour part of our vacation. 

We also said goodbye to four of our party, but we met Gregg's sister for one last breakfast together before she left for home.  Everyone goes home to various parts of the States.  However, Gregg and I, along with my niece and nephew, go back to the Alyeska Hotel, where we stayed at the beginning of our land tour. 

 (It was interesting to see this exquisite kimono behind glass at the hotel. I couldn't stop staring at it and looking at every detail. I would have taken closer photos of the delicate embroidery, but the reflection of the hotel's lights got in the way.  I read the following on the brass plate - "UCHIKAKE"  Ceremonial bridal dress presented by the Mayor of Myoko-Kogen, Japan, Girdwood's Sister City, to Mrs. Nina Von Imhof, Alyeska Resort.)  
(Gregg in the foyer.)
When we were arranging our tour almost a year ago, we booked for extra nights at this hotel after the land tour finished.  We are very glad we did as it is out of the city and it just felt right at the time. 
 (This totem pole is partner to the other one I shared on the other side of the entrance.)
4.33 p.m. and we have been at the Alyeska for a couple of hours now. It was a lovely drive along Turnagain Arm

Not too far down the road before we turned into the hotel, our niece spotted a moose.  

Great excitement!  Gregg turned the car around and nephew got out and, at a safe distance, took
photos.  

We bought a new zoom lens for this trip and we have told him he can use it like it was his own, which goes for our niece also.  They have both taken great photos, some of which I have shared on several blog posts.

We have benefited because now we have all these great close-ups, many of which you have seen in my journal posts.  
These animals are very large.  "They can weigh as much as 1200 pounds, and grow up to be 5 to 6.5 feet. This does not include a raised head and antlers."  I got this information here and it has a lot more information about them.  You can go here to read what to do if you are charged by a moose. Best thing to do is not to get too close that it feels threatened, doubly so if it has a calf or two in tow.  

We were too early to move into our room, so we dropped the luggage off with the hotel staff, went downstairs to the coffee shop, and in the photo above you can see I ran into a friend.  When our room became available we took an hour to settle in. At 6.00 p.m. we were in the dining room having dinner.

We were shown a seat by the window and told there had been bear sightings, a mama bear and her three cubs.  No, we didn't see any bears but it was very pleasant looking at all the pretty scenery, while sipping on a cocktail.  

We saw the gondola we had taken the other day going up and down the mountain.  There are actually two of them and we watch as they pass each other.  Looking out the window we see people walking on a path around the  pond.  There are ducks swimming, and a pair of Canada Geese sitting on the grass. We enjoyed our meal and our nephew who is now coming down with a cold, went to bed early.   

Niece and I have both had bad colds on this trip, but it hasn't stopped us enjoying our vacation, so we are hoping the same for our nephew.  Gregg seems to always stay free and clear of them thank goodness.
The three of us went for a lovely walk around the hotel grounds, joking about watching out for bear and moose, but not really joking if you know what I mean. We made a lot of noise as we walked, and no problem for us because we talk a lot and laugh a lot. Our niece has a great sense of humor.  

There was a lovely bronze moose statue near the pond and we stopped for yet more photographs.  After that we went back to the hotel. It was time to call it a day.  
Before we left for our walk we met a very nice couple from Maryland, originally from Pennsylvania.  We have met several people from the east coast on this trip, and many others from the lower 48, as it's known.  

How we met them was that we were all looking at part of the décor in the hotel.  As you pass into the foyer from outside and you look behind you, and above, there is a scene with a polar bear.  We are looking down over a balcony on the second floor. 
 Here's what it looks like from the ground floor.

 The ceiling above has a light feature that resembles the northern lights, the reflected lights are moving like they would in nature, very effective and very clever.  

There are sculptures everywhere...
and these wonderful totem poles, one more on the other side of the door.

This couple was doing the same tour as us, but in reverse.  They had already done Denali and were joining their cruise next.  Their ship is one that the shipping company had already refurbished.

24 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for taking us with you. It does indeed look amazing.
    PS: Lucky Gregg. How I wish I was immune to cold viruses.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very welcome EC, so happy you enjoyed it. Yes, he is very lucky.

      Delete
  2. after seeing all these beautiful photos I thought about my friend who went to Europe for a 2 week trip, when she came home she went to Walmart . com and put all the photos in a picture book. it is easy and cheap and can be done just about everywhere. a book of your amazing trip would be a keepsake

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a great idea Sandra, thank you for the tip. I was wondering about doing something like that and you've given me a great way to go about it.

      Delete
  3. Hello, Denise. The hotel looks beautiful. Cool sighting and photos of the Moose. I love the totem poles and sculptures. Wonderful trip photos, thanks for sharing.Happy Sunday, enjoy your day and the new week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Eileen and a Happy Monday and a great week to you too.

      Delete
  4. Another great virtual tour, thanks for taking us along. Hope you are all well again now. Take care Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Diane, it took a while but I am fine now. We all are :)

      Delete
  5. Another fine day, I do envy Gregg's immune system.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Christine, I always have envied that too.

      Delete
  6. And now we are a bit envious, Denise, that you all saw an actual moose when all we've seen here in NH are moose crossing signs along the roadways. It's not that we'd want a close encounter, but the only ones we've seen have been statues :-( What a lovely hotel and a nice resting place after all the recent ship and rail adventures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you get to see one soon Dorothy, at a distance but close enough for a good photo :)

      Delete
  7. Those totem poles are wonderful, so colourful.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Denise,
    What an interesting hotel with all its sculptures and interesting Totem poles and beautiful grounds.
    Super to see a Moose, they are such a large beast, look forward to your Bear encounter that I'm hope you have.Just use the new zoom lens.
    All the best, John

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks John, it was certainly an experience and I thoroughly enjoyed not only the wildlife but the local art. All the best to you too :)

      Delete
  9. The decor in the hotel is outstanding!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Looking forward to catching up on your Alaska trip -- We spent some time at Turnagin -- and saw moose several times. (one mom with a baby -- we used the van as a blind as we shot pictures of them across the road). But your elegant hotel is of course something we campers didn't experience. What a beautiful spot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sallie and for all the lovely comments you have been leaving since you got back. I really appreciate them. Cars, and vans, make great blinds don't they? Felt very lucky that on booking the holiday it introduced us to this lovely hotel.

      Delete
  11. Wow, it must have been great seeing that Moose up close. Your camera lens is doing you proud. Great idea to share it, always fun seeing what others photograph!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sue, I agree, I always love to see something through the eyes of another person, and these were really super photographs that they took.

      Delete
  12. What a beautiful spot! We've gone to Algonquin Park to see moose. They are majestic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jenn, I agree with you, they are majestic.

      Delete

Thank you so for taking the time to leave a comment. I enjoy reading them very much and always try to return a visit. As I do monitor comments it may take a while for them to appear, even quite late depending on what is going on and how much time I am able to spend on the computer.

I appreciate all who look at my blog, but I won't be publishing any businesses. If you are only able to publish anonymously, would you sign your name please, and leave an addy so I can return your visit where possible? Thank you!