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.