Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Ketchikan and soon Hubbard Glacier

Had a connection problem but finally got that fixed. Yesterday we spent the morning in Ketchikan and had a tour to Totem Bight State Park. I thought we were going to Saxman Indian Village so we were pleasently surprized to go somewhere different.

This is a special totem pole state park honoring the several different Native American tribes in the area. Learning about totem poles (which are not religious) and how they tell stories that get passed on generation to generation is very interesting. These are all re-creations of poles created years earlier but they never move them once they are set in place. They also have a "Clan House" which was really the winter home for a clan and also a place for special commerative events such as a wedding.

We also had a chance to ride around Ketchikan and were able to see the salmon spawing in the creek. Amazing!!!!! However, it's a tough life for a salmon - trael all that way back, "spawn" and die. Oh well, I guess they go out with a smile (sorry could not resist that).

The food on the ship has been very good and probably the best we have had on a Celebrity ship. We have always heard how good the food was but our previous experiences - oh well - but now we are impressed. Service also is very good.

This morning we again spent in training sessions with several cruise line partners and learned more about their product, expecially river cruising. I will have to arrange for one of the online broadcasts we will be doing to feature this type of cruising.

This afternoon we will be heading to Hubbard Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in the world. Over 6 miles wide and growing. Hopefully we will see it calve (if you don't know what this means, it means a large chunk of ice breakking off and falling into the sea.) and I will capture a picture of it doing so.

The seas did get rough last night since we are actually in the Pacific Ocean waters now. A little "motion in the ocean" is always fun (except for some I guess) but I don't know of any in our group that had a problem.

Closing this segment for now as Helen and I are meeting with our Sr. VP for lunch.

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