North to Alaska

North to Alaska, we go north the rush is on is the way the Johnny Horton song goes. Growing up in the eastern U.S., CJ never anticipated that Alaska would be sooooo far north. From Adelaide in the Southern Hemisphere to Seattle and Vancouver in the Northern Hemisphere, just getting to the U.S. our circuitous route (including two long lounge periods in Sydney and Tokyo) takes us 55 hours.

With Alaska the first place placed on CJ's bucket list, well before ANYONE knew what a bucket list was, it's taken him nearly seventy years to fulfill his Alaska dream, more than 70 years to visit a place in his own country even though he and Carol have been around the globe more than a few times.

Having made it to Vancouver our second visit, CJ's third, we visit a waterfront pub for lunch on our first day. On the way we pass the world-famous steam clock.

The appropriately named Steamworks Pub serves tasty food and a good dark lager.

The Sheraton concierge lounge provides gorgeous views of the ocean and mountains surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia.

Before departure, our last meal in Vancouver is at a marvelous Japanese sushi bar: excellent sushi and excellent sake.

We drank part of this excellent bottle and took the rest to the ship.

Our retired Japanese admiral friend gave us a few of these boxes. Today we learned how to use them properly. The glass goes inside the box and then you overfill the glass until there is sake topping off the glass and in the box.

One last sunset before sailing.

INDEX 2014 TO 2026

2026

JAN    Singapore

JAN    Finland/Estonia/Norway

May    Singapore/France/Austria

AUG   Alaska/Olympia/Vancouver

NOV    USA/Argentina/Falklands/South Georgia/Antarctica

2025

FEB    Japan (Hokkaido, Tokyo, Izu Kogen)

APR    New Zealand (8 trains, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland)

JUN    Singapore

AUG    Sydney/Murray River Cruise/Monarto Safari Park

SEP     Fiji

OCT    Egypt/Jordan

2024

MAR    New Zealand (Wellington, Marlborough)

JUN     Fiji

AUG    New Zealand (Wellington, Christchurch)

SEP      France/USA

2023

NOV     Churchill Polar Bears and Oregon

SEP       Japan, Japanese Islands, Taiwan, Singapore

MAY     Galapagos and Machu Picchu

2022

APR      Svalbard (Above the Arctic Circle)

2021      COVID (Mom stuff - ignore)

SEP       Uluru

2020      COVID (Mom stuff - ignore)

2019

DEC      Antarctica

SEP       Danube Cruise and France

2018

DEC     Australia

NOV     Singapore

JAN     Australia

2017

AUG    Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa

JUL      Boston and Maine

FEB      Colorado

2016

DEC     New Orleans

NOV     San Diego

OCT     France

JUN      Thailand and Cambodia

MAR     Spain

FEB      Colorado

2015

DEC     Colorado

SEP      England and Ireland (Ashford Castle)

JUN     Thailand Golden Triangle and Chicago

FEB     Killington

JAN     France

2014

DEC    Belgium, Luxembourg, Bastone, O.B.E.R. Beer Festival, France, Christmas                    Markets

OCT     Al Andulus (Spanish Andalusian Luxury Train - best ever)

Days 37-39 The Return to Adelaide

Day 37 begins with a taxi ride to the Munich airport. The ride is nearly an hour. On a noon flight, Lufthansa delivers us to Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris in under two hours. 

We must wait four hours for the Singapore Airlines desks to open. We pass the time in a sushi cafe.

Two marvelous wheelchair pushers, get us through luggage check-in, immigration and security and to the Star Alliance lounge, Singapore Airlines does not have a dedicated lounge in Paris. Given the late departure of our flight, it might as well be a private lounge. Most other Star Alliance flights have departed.

We depart just before 11pm for a 13-hour flight to Singapore. It is day 38.

If you must spend long hours in a lounge, the Singapore Airlines lounge at Changi is one of the best. The food is excellent. A bar makes good mixed drinks, and wine is plentiful although a bit pedestrian.

The flight from Singapore to Adelaide is delayed 20 minutes. Later we're informed the flight is delayed even more due to late arriving connections. It's been a marvelous holiday but it's time to call stumps on it. 

We depart Singapore after midnight. It is now day 39. We arrive in Adelaide around 8am. How long will it take to recover???? We begin by sleeping through most of the day.

See you in August in ALASKA !!!

 

A Day in Munich

An Uber delivers us to the heart of downtown. We did not realize that in order to take the elevator to the top of the steeple, there were 99 stairs to get to the elevator.

There is something mesmerizing about this hanging cross. Stare at it long enough and you begin to feel the pain of hanging from a cross.

Tourists and local workers at lunch gather around a small decorative water feature. People sit on the rocks viewing the church and the fountain.

It seems every restaurant in Munich has Augustiner in its name.

We lunch on the pollack and the Spaetzle. Both local favorites, neither our favorite.

How good is the desert. Carol requested it and she never order dessert!

CJ continues his two-fisted drinking. Apparently Austria and Germany have a bad influence on him.

After lunch we walk three lengths of the church to Marienplatz, the central square of Munich. This is one of the best hallmark centerpieces in Europe.

CJ's idea is to visit two beer gardens for afternoon cocktails and dinner. He decides to visit Lowenbrau's beer garden first. We never make it to the second.

Löwenbräukeller has it all. Good beer and traditional band. In his 20's CJ drank Löwenbräu until the taste changed and he discovered it was no longer imported but brewed under license by Anheiser-Busch. He is here at the original brewery on a voyage of discovery. In its original German form, it is still very good.

CJ is sampling. First the original and a dunkel, and then the light and dark versions of their wheat beer. His fav: the light version of the wheat beer. It's a surprise to him.

Except for the return flights, so ends this epic 36-day trip to Europe. We look forward to our 69 days before our next required visa renewal adventure to Alaska; FINALLY!

To Munich

Views along the drive from Salzburg to Munich. Farms look like Tyrolian villages.

Churches dominate the landscape.

A street in downtown, not old town, Munich.

One of the first places we see in Germany has a French name.

An overhead train station assumes the character of a riverboat.

We have a large suite. It has a lot of room but isn't very functional.

A large bed and an unrequested one set. Are we having a guest we don't know about?

We could ballroom dance in this room! Lots of floor space, few electrical outlets, how bizarre.

Tomorrow is touring Munich day. Today is recovering from Salzburg day.

Beautiful Salzburg

We begin the day with a horse drawn carriage tour of the old town. We arrange a special pick up at the hotel.

The ride is enjoyable, the driver is personable, the horses are new and young and cantankerous. The ride gives us a great overview of old town Salzburg. What looks like a weird flying buttress is actually an elevator to the castle above.

With St. Peters in the background, this is the fountain Julie Andrews made famous in the Sound of Music.

Fortress Hohensalzburg majestically perched high above the city. By day's end we will not be as impressed. 

The circuit takes us along the Salzach River.

In the old city, roads often pass under buildings.

It is unseasonably hot. In Paris, players are dropping out of the French Open because of the heat. We decide to dine at the oldest restaurant in Europe. Along the way Carol shops.

Our new friend Charilie, the general manager of Augustiner Bräu Mülln, told us about this place. He also told us it is iconic and overpriced, yet a must do. It is a short walk for younger people.

Decor and sculptures are fascinating.

Charlie was correct. The atmosphere is to be expected from a place operating since 803AD.

This evening begins with a cruise on the river.

Up on the hill is the nunnery of the Sound of Music.

This is the boat's captain welcoming us.

The current in the river is significant. Our return trip will be quick.

Salzburg is NOT a mobility challenged city. The cruise was the first part of a Viator booking. Previously they have taken care of everything related to the booking. This event is a near-total Viator FAIL. There is no transportation to the next event. We cannot hail a taxi and we must walk. 

We eventually make it to the base of the fortress funicular. Arriving at the fortress, there are more steps down to the VIP dinner venue.

How many stairs have there been to get to the concert venue? One older lady, in better condition than us, gives up after making three quarters of the climb.

At this point we're less than half the climb to the concert venue.

The concert is good. The first set contains three pieces. The first is a string quartet.

The second adds a pianist. Second violinist is now a page turner for the pianist.

The third set is a somewhat comedic classical piece featuring first violin.

During intermission, we take final pictures from above Salzburg and get a head start on the crowds.

We cannot call a taxi. We are forced to walk back to the hotel. THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR THE MOBILITY CHALLENGED! Beautiful yes, functional or fun NO!