For me from the hot dry desert region, this scene was very inviting to capture and to treasure the moody atmospheres

We stayed in this Hampton Inn & Suites for one night and will be boarding the Golden Princess the next afternoon.

A beautiful object in the Hampton Inn breakfast room and I can not resist to be shutter happy. I just want to see myself within the reflections.

The Seattle's famous landmark, "The Space Needle," was only a short distance away from our Inn. We did plan to have dinner in the restaurant at the top that evening but our daughter's plane was delayed so we passed.

The Golden Princess is on the way... Shortly the skyline of Seattle will recede to the far distance.

I handed my camera to our waiter to shoot this photo. His name is Angel who pampered us with great services. Our first informal dinner and we enjoyed the excellent food as expected.

Proudly presenting our grand children and Diana

More company in this part of the waters... A very dramatic sky but no storms as far as my camera can see

Full speed ahead... There are two more cruise ships following us this evening.

A. J. is a second year California university student. I hope ALL the best for this handsome lad.

This is my grand daughter, Sabrina, I called her my princess within the "Golden Princess" ship.

Diane and daughter, Sabrina

Grandma with the blue evening dress at dinner with the kids.

At the upper rear deck for the posted photo

Taking a walk at the promenade deck #7

Diana at the Asian seafood buffet display. The chowder soup was fantastic.

Top deck #17... light rain - wet everywhere. There are only two people in the hot tub and me with my camera aiming toward the rear of the ship.

On top deck I saw two more passengers plus a member of the crew

A cool and impressive scenery for me who lives in the dry Southwest desert region of the U.S.A.

Arriving Juneau, Alaska... Some people are expecting to see the Capital City of Alaska soon...

The rain... Diana takes cover...

There's the cable car going up to the top of the mountain but we did not left our ship. We would not be able to see much in the the cloud covered top anyway. Juneau is half within the waterfront and the other half on the edge of these mountains... Very strange and it's not a large city as I expected. This is the capital of Alaska, U.S.A.

One of the many fjords running from the top of the high mountain emptied into the Inside Passage. The picture was shot with a medium telephoto lens viewed from our balcony on the #10 deck.

Arriving Skagway, Alaska, U.S.A.

We have company in Skagway!

When our ship docked at Skagway, Alaska, we decided to take a train ride over the high mountain pass into the Canadian side. A narrow gage train winded it's way up the mountain as I shoot pictures through the window. I finally got one with sunshine and yellow flowers at the right corner. I use it as the gallery representative image. Our bus driver, standing with Diana and daughter Diane, delivered us to the train station and will meet us at the other end to bring us back to the Golden Princess.

From a moving train nearly half way up the summit

We arrived at the summit and enjoyed many clearer mountain views. We took a few pictures. Suddenly it was time to board the bus to meet a scheduled lunch date at a historical garden for a "Garden Lunch" in a valley below this summit.

We were at the suspensions bridge at the Canadian side. Since this site is a tourist trap place, couple of arrangements was set-up for us to amused ourselves.

We were near the center of the bridge and it was bouncing a lot because there were nearly full loads of people. The torrent water below was at high speed. I can't imagine how much water pass under the bridge every minute.

We were safely at the other end of the bridge and quickly we must make a return trip.

Diane crossed the bridge and heading our way.

This bridge looks quite safe but when it bounced around with people walking in it I felt somewhat unsecured.

Diana decided to post a picture with MOM BEAR with her little cub.

Now I was drafted to post.

A kind tourist suggested that I joint the ladies and hand her my camera for a group shot.

The bridge at this time nearly devoid of people

We arrived at the Glacier Bay National Park. There was a small splash cause by falling ice chunk near the center of the photo. This is "The Margerie Glacier" (named after a famous French glacier scientist.) This glacier is located near the dead end of the park. Our ship was about a little over a mile away.

Our ship was about a little over 2 miles from the Margerie Glacier. The park ranger told us it's about 1 mile in length from end to end and about 250 feet tall. The park ranger also said the the water is about 900-1000 feet deep at this point.

Another view of the Margerie Glacier and saw another hunk of ice fallen into the water - cracking and the booming thunder like sounds following in split second. Our ship was about 1.5 miles away.

There were many small hunks of ice falling into the water and "boom" like a distance thunder sound

Sudden claps and boom - another lucky capture - one more fallen piece

A formal portrait of "The Margerie Glacier" - from the water line (base) to the top is about 250 feet tall (76.2 meters).

Floating chunks of ice - small and large silently stationed in the colorful cold water. Due to reflections of the glacier, the color appears greenish and bluish. PEACEFUL FEELINGS

This picture shows boiling-like activities surrounding the patterned glacial ice. If not cause by releasing the trapped gases within the malting ice below the water than it's a mystery to me. Color of the water looks cyan/emerald green/bluish?

This floating hunk of patterned ice has less boiling activities but the color of the sea water still look strange.

Hi bird! you are checking out my camera? We were told by the park rangers not to feed you food. You have to fan for yourself.

The many passengers on the other cruise ship also ready for a view of the glacier

We were at the Salmon Fish Buffet. Do you see the bear with the fish in the background? This photo was shot by a kind tourist with my camera.

A view of a different type of glacier with darker color. This one is not as bright as The Margerie Glacier.

The Glacier National Park rangers were onboard to conduct workshops for the benefits of the passengers. Now they are waving good-bye and left our ship.

A lone fishing vessel homeward bound. Thank you for being in the right place and at the right time for me to take this photo. Also, GOOD LUCK with the catch next trip.

There were four WHALE WATCHING boats in this picture. The tail of the whale was sticking up at the 2 o'clock position within the photo – like a tiny letter “T”. It was good for a brief second. The tail looked very small from camera to subject distance even when zoomed to maximum FL. Our ship was too far and I did not see the whale surface again.

Our ship arrived at Ketchikan, Alaska but the rain greeted us again! We stay onboard rather than go to those tourist trap places to buy rain gear. Rain gear is not very useful in the hot dry desert region of the Southwest U.S.A. The following photos showing the major streets of Ketchikan.

On our last formal dinner, there were parades of waiters and than the chefs. All dinning passengers applause for an ovation – jobs well done!

Now the parade of chefs - more ovations from the passengers.

This plate of crab was part of my Harbor Cruise package that I signed up when the ship dock at Victoria, BC. It was cooked and delivered onboard by the crew of this boat. It marked my first attempt ever to eat a whole crab. It is freshly cooked with seawater from beside the boat and chilled in seawater by lowering it behind the propeller of this boat immediately after cooking. It was served with garlic butter on the side. One will never get a rare and unusually cooked and served onboard of a little boat as I was about to experience. DELICIOUS beyond description! I had lots of fun eating it and the other photos show how much I enjoyed it. The other photos of me were taken by CARYS, the pretty girl who waited on me.

Photo by CARYS, a crew member of the VICTORIA HARBOR TOUR BOAT.

I tried to have a little fun with my waitress. Photo by CARYS, a crew member of the VICTORIA HARBOR TOUR BOAT.

Photo by CARYS, a crew member of the VICTORIA HARBOR TOUR BOAT.

Photo by CARYS, a crew member of the VICTORIA HARBOR TOUR BOAT.

This is the pretty girl, CARYS. Thank you for taken photos of me horsing around with the live crabs and for contributing to my total enjoyment of my vacation! This photo was shot without flash in available light inside the tour boat that was rocking away.

Our Victoria Harbor Cruise Tour guide is Algebra. That's correct. She and her nameplate confirmed it. She told us many interesting historical and romantic tales about the architect, origin and the building of the fabulous BC capital structure. At the end of the tour, I ask for a shot of her and she invited me to her home for a spaghetti dinner. Of course I accept at once and immediately warned her that I will surprise her when knocking at her door someday. At that time the available light was low and I did not use the on-camera flash. I tried to hold the camera as tight as I could and to hold my breath. This pretty and fun girl gave me a heart stopping fun episode!

When in Victoria, BC, Please take a HARBOR TOUR in this boat. The crews were most friendly and knowledgeable of their business.

Our plane is high over the air space of some electric wind turbines in Idaho?

Over the west end of the Grand Canyon, soon the plane will land at the Sky Harbor

Flying over the west end of Sedona we are at a lower altitude and getting ready for landing - Last shot - vacation is over - Home Sweet Home!

"Parting Shot" The famous "Margerie Glacier" at the Glacier National Park, Alaska, U.S.A. Visiting "The Glacier Bay National Park" is one of the high lights (besides eating all those great foods) for this vacation. Now I go to the gym and work off the weights!