It's finally here! The time to leave on our great Alaskan adventure, that is! We made the reservations almost a year ago as a way to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary (August 2015)...and we've been excitedly looking forward to it ever since...
We left Nashville airport on August 24th, bound for first Minnesota and then on into Anchorage. Our first view of the kind of beauty awaiting us was seen from the airplane as we passed over the Canadian Rockies.....oh, my!
We landed in Anchorage and were transferred to our hotel, The Captain Cook, for the night where we literally fell into bed (10 pm there was 2 am our time). The next morning we enjoyed a quick breakfast at a local breakfast spot where we heard the "movers and shakers" of the city doing their thing.....discussing local and state politics!
Then we headed out for a quick tour of the city before the arrival of our tour bus. One of the things that hit us immediately was the size and intense coloring of the flowers....all that sunlight!
Just some "little" black-eyed susans!
We even had time for a quick stroll down by waterfront,,,,,well, actually, the mud flats!
Never know what will catch our eye!!
And we're off......
Our first stop was in Palmer, where they were getting ready for the Alaska State Fair....
Fireweed is one of the first plants to grow after the destruction of a forest fire (hence it's name). When it first blooms it is covered with little fuschia flowers....and later this fluffy-looking white stuff. In the fall the foliage turns a brilliant red....the plant of many colors!
As I said before....the colors, ah the colors.....
...and the size!
And, yes, there are honeybees in Alaska....they have to be shipped in every year as it is just too cold for them to winter over....but, I'm sure they help with pollinating all that lush vegetation!
The busy streets of Palmer....
And after a quick lunch at Subway, it was back on the bus for the rest of our trip to Copper River Canyon.....
(Splotches and haze are courtesy of bus windshield!)
Fall colors starting to show....
Our first "major" glacier....the Matanuska Glacier.
Surprise....it's Christmas in August at Copper River....complete with Christmas stocking full of little treats and gifts. We were surprised to learn that we had been chosen as "Guests of the Day" and were "showered" with other treats/surprises before the day ended. Willie as was also recognized as a Veteran....let me just say....Alaska is serious in in its appreciation for veterans and the military!
Our lodge here was rustic but very comfortable....and very fitting for the area...
The view from the back of the lodge....ah, such beauty and peace....
And so ends our first full day in Alaska.....it's already more than we imagined!
No comments:
Post a Comment