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An adventure in 2 parts

Just like a piece of music usually has 2 parts (at least) – a high and a low, so did our adventure to Skagway. The first part of our adventure took place in the mountains above Skagway. I think virtually every person who goes to Skagway probably takes the White Pass Railroad up into the Yukon Pass (you actually cross over into Cananda). Its beautiful and you hear the stories of the gold rush. And the incredible hardships endured by the people who sought their fortune in this area. Not an easy way to get rich by any means. There were also stories about a man named Buchanen who would bring groups of school age boys (and in later years girls) up to Alaska. I think of it as sort of a vintage version of  People to People. So it was a little rainy and a little overcast but we ventured off. We boarded the train. And the train started up the the mountain. We climbed. And saw waterfalls.
And listened to the stories. How these people suffered in their quest to get rich. I think on a clear day the views are probably spectacular. But it was pretty and interesting. And the ride down was a nice time for a nap.

But seriusly. If you go to Skagway, people will tell you you have to do this, you have to see it. In my opinion taking the train up high was the low point of our visit to Skagway.

The next post will be about what we loved in Skagway.

Juneau

A day like our day in Juneau is the reason you book a trip to Alaska. It was everything you expected from the great wilderness state up north and then some. The first thing though was something we did not expect. If you have done your research on Juneau in the summer or on the interior passage in general you know to expect rain. They told us in Ketchikan last year it started raining on July 1st and it stopped raining on August 1st. On August 2nd they celebrated forth of July and then on August 3rd it started raining again.  But the day we were in Juneau, it was beautiful. Blue skies and sun. Which makes for beautiful pictures. First we went on a whale watching trip. They are so sure you will see humpback whales on this trip that they offer $100 refund if you don’t see them. Even without the whales the trip would have been worth it. It was beauty and majesty everywhere you looked. And first up? Bald eagles. Sitting On an island like someone had trained them to be there. Next we saw harbor seals lazing about in the sun like so many people on a beach in Florida. But the real gem? The real surprise came next. Orcas or killer whales. Our guides had spotted them in the distance at approximately the point where our boat was to turn back. So we kept going. About another 3 miles. What’s special about seeing orcas in Juneau is that they are not a resident population there. They are migrating through and stop to fill up on the salmon that are starting to run in the area. They played around our boat for T least 20 minutes at times surfacing all in a line. No Sea World trainer here but they all lined up. Finally we headed back to an area where the humpbacks were known to feed and sure enough after a few minutes we saw them too. No breeching or anything spectacular. But we saw them nonetheless. And I couldn’t help but wonder of there would be any chance, any at all that the humpbacks could be the same ones we saw off the Na Pali coast last year. I know the odds against are astronomical, but still you wonder.
So that would have been a fantastic day all on its own, but it wasn’t done. We returned to the bus for the short ride to the Mendenhall glacier. With the sun and the bright blue sky it was magnificent. After taking a ton of pictures we walked over to the creek nearby to see the salmon run. We could see them fighting their way upstream but even cooler were the porcupine (no picture – sorry) and the momma bear and cubs up in the trees alongside the creek. I didn’t get the fabulous bear pictures I was hoping for but it was great seeing them so close.
So a full day and we should be headed for the ship right? Well almost. We stopped downtown to have some lunch at the famous Red Dog saloon. Complete with cheesy piano playing cowboy, it was exactly what a saloon in the wild west should be. So finally we headed back to the ship, but we couldn’t resist the tramway that headed straight up the mountain right next to where we were parked. And although the boys did have visions of hiking down we corralled them back onto the tram for the ride down. Now that’s a shore day…

Our first look

at Alaska was Ketchikan. And it was exactly the way I had pictured it. It looked like someone had built a movie set of a small fishing town in Alaska. As we approached we could only see part of town because the clouds were like 25 feet off the ground.

Then when we could see the town, it looked like it was being shoved right off the land by the mountain.  So we boarded a bus and headed to the opposite side of the island to go on a wildlife cruise and eat crab. All we could eat crab to be exact. But first the wildlife. There were so many bald eagles haging around, the guide told us they refer to them as Alaskan pigeons.Next we pulled up some crab pots with Dungeoness Crab. Nothing like playing with your food while its still alive (Not really these crabs are catch and release)Finally we headed back to the lodge to down some alaskan lollipopsand cheesecake with fresh Alaskan blueberriesthen it was time for the competition. The only rule, the tower must be as tall as possible and the piece on top must be crabshell. Here was our initial entry (complete with JD photobomb)However, this is how we won.(I know the picture is blurry but you get the idea)And what did the boys win?

Sometimes the punishment really does fit the crime…

Vancouver

What an amazingly friendly place. Friendly – it really is the first word to come to mind. People actually stop what they are doing to walk over and see if they can help a lost tourist. Who does that anymore?

Well were only going to have 1 afternoon in Vancouver so we had to narrow down what we wated to do to one afternoon. We finally settled on the Capliano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver. We were able to walk from our hotel downtown just a couple of blocks to One Canada Place where we caught a free shuttle out to the bridge. The bridge itself is 450 ft long, 230 ft high bridge, and although originally constructed of hemp rope and cedar planks attached to Douglas-firs, is today made with pre-stressed wire cable attached to 118 ton anchors. It was a very cool thing to cross unless you are highly prone to motion sickness and vertigo, then it was a little shaky. Next we climbed all over the Treetops adventure which included a squirrel’s eye view of a thriving coastal rainforest in the mid-story of 1300-year-old old growth Douglas-firs. It uses no bolts or nails in the trees to secure its viewing platforms and 7 suspension bridges. Next we decided to brave the Cliffwalk. It follows a granite precipice along Capilano River with a labyrinth-like series of narrow cantilevered bridges, stairs and platforms. It includes only 16 anchor points in the cliff supporting the structure.

After we were done at Capliano we wanted to go to Grouse Mountain and ride the tram to the top of the mountain where we would be able to see Vancouver laid out below us. First though we had to navigate the local currency. Its easy to forget Canada is just that Canada, until you want to do something easy, like ride a public bus. Then you will have to find a very sweet girl working at the snack shop, who will cash an american $50 dollar bill to buy a $2.50 soda and give you all of your change in canadian coins, since that is all the buses will take and you need round trip fare for 7 people. I though my pants were going to fall down from the weight of the coins in my pockets. But we got the coins and found the bus stop and rose the bus to Grouse Mountain.

Once at Grouse Mountain we boarded what is advertised as the largest tramway system in North America to the top of the mountain. Only it turns out that once you climb off the tramway, you actually get on a chair lift to get to the actual top of the mountain, so of course we did that. The boys were a little disappointed to learn that we would not be paragliding off the top of the mountain. But after walking around and photos, we started our descent, First down the chairlift, then down the skytram, then down the stairs to the waiting bus that drove all the way down the mountain to the water. Where we boarded a SeaBus to cross the harbor. And finally a 1.25 mile walk to a restaurant Jack had found on the internet. Only to find it closed – due to catering (really? on a Tuesday Night?). But that actually worked out as we found ourselves at what has to be the most interesting restaurant we have ever been to. A place called Chill Winston. This is their dinner menu – have you ever seen a more interesting dinner menu?(click on it for larger version thats easier to read)
We ended up being really glad the other place was closed. Choc & Balls ’nuff said. So after we ate – we did get in a couple of cabs for the ride back. (I even paid the cabbie using up the rest of my Canadian coins) and headed to bed. And unusaully for us we made no plans for the morning other than to sleep in, have breakfast and head to the ship. It wouldn’t be us and we wouldn’t be having an adventure though if we didn’t find a unique way to do even that though. Here we are walking the 6 blocks to get to where we boarded the ship. Hey you have to be tough to travel with us.

Tips for a Successful Journey

As a family that travels a lot, people often ask if I have any tips to make traveling with your family easy and more enjoyable. So here is what I have to offer. First  make sure everyone is well rested to start the trip. This cuts down on bickering and aggravation. For example, when we left for Alaska, we got to bed at 12:30pm so that we could be well rested for our 2:30 am alarm… oh wait hmm… Um yes, moving on… pack light. No one wants to schlep large amounts of lugguage around an airport. umm ok – let me change that to bring you own crew of bell boys with you (they rent out cheap and love to travel) Bring books and cards for the plane to keep everyone amused and interested and don’t forget to look out the window … or um not…

Finally pre arrange transportation at your final destination so you don’t have to scrounge something last minute at the curb, yeah no – what the heack – just jump in any stretch limo that’s handy – after all its cheaper than the 3 prius cabs you would have had to hire.

Happy Travels!

Before we move on…

… let’s tell the end of JD’s story with People to People. So after 18 days traipsing around Greece, Sicily and Italy, it was time for JD’s delegation to come home. They left Rome at 9am Rome time and arrived back home at 10pm local time (Rome minus 7 hours). A very long day by anyone’s standards. After he handed out his presents to us and his brothers, we downloaded his photos
and unpacked his suitcase and sent him to bed. And we let him sleep, well til 7 am anyway (we’re so nice like that) then it was time to get him up. You see we were only going to let him have 1 day at home and he needed to get registered for school, get a haircut and pack. Yes that’s right I said pack. You see, we left the next day for family vacation. And that’s the next story I plan to tell. Its a good one so stick around.

Juneau Picture of the Day

Internet is still spotty, so just a picture today from Juneau

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Ketchikan, Alaska Picture of the Day

Today we are in Ketchikan, and it looks like someone built a movie set of what Alaska should look like. We went on a winderness cruise and Crab feast excursion where I was able to catch this picture.There will be descriptions of this travel to come, but for now there is just picture of the day.

A Tradition

Its a tradition on People to People Ambassador trips, when possible, to make a stop at Hard Rock. Its usually just 1 stop even if the itinerary takes place in more than 1 city that has one.

So tonight, after a day of touring Rome, its time for Hard Rock Rome A chance for burgers and rock music. A chance to buy some souvenirs. And in our case tonight, one last chance to bond with friends before we go our separate ways tomorrow. So friends and delegates I raise my glass to you and thank you for coming along on our delegate journey. And for those of you that joined late in the game? If you want to go back to where it started, here is the link to the beginning of the adventure.

Here is the end of the adventure

A Special Stop

We didn’t plan for the timing of JD’s chance to be a delegate with People to People. He had held out until he qualified for the Junior High delegation from our area because he had always wanted to travel to Japan. He had always been fascinated by Japanese culture and was really hoping to travel there for his People to people experience and that wasn’t on the table until Junior High. Then the tsunami happened. Click here to read about our connection to the Tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011. So when the invitation came for the Greece and Italy trip this year, it was time to help J.D. reimagine his delegate experiece. He had always had a huge interest in Greek Mythology and that helped him open his mind to the possibility of an alternate location. And then we continued through the itinerary.

There is usually a day on a People to People itinerary where they meet with a government official and do some sort of Civics lesson. Well on this itinerary, that day would be spent at the Vatican. And for J.D. who would be halfway through the 2 year process of Conformation in the Catholic Church. And that sealed it for him.

So let’s go spend the day in Vatican City, at the Vatican. First stop, the Sistine Chapel. Not much to look at from the outsidethe world famous interior ceiling is what people line up for hours to see. Painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, at the commission of Pope Julius II the complete ceiling includes nine scenes from the Book of Genesis of which the Creation of Adam is the best known. The design includes several sets of individual figures, both clothed and naked, which allowed Michelangelo to demonstrate his skill in creating a huge variety of poses for the human figure.

After viewing the Sistine Chapel, we will meet with an official of the Catholic Church who will educate us about Catholicism in Italy and the organization of the Vatican.

Finally we will meet with a former member of the Swiss Guard and learn about what it takes to guard the Pope.So get your delegate uniform on and lets get going…
Next up The Tradition

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum

… not really but how do you write a blog post about visiting the Roman Forum and not use this as a title…

The Roman Forum was once the center of ancient Rome, the place where the Romans used to meet, do business, politics and shop. In 46BC Julius Caesar built a new forum because the old one was getting small for the growing population of the city. Today modern Rome is 25 feet higher than the city was when the Forum was built because of the debris that has accumulated over the years. The Roman Forum today is an area of ruins of temples, arches and basilicas but still there is a lot to be seen.

This is the Temple of Saturn. Saturn was regarded as the god-king of Italy and every year at the end of December the Romans celebrated Saturn with the festival called Saturnalia. During the holidays the Romans couldn’t declare war or punish prisoners and the aristocrats would eat and drink with their slaves.

After the Roman forum we are going to venture out and go see the Roman Coliseum.

The Roman Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was commisioned in AD 72 by Emperor Vespasian. It was completed by his son, Titus, in 80, with later improvements by Domitian. The Colosseum is located just east of the Roman Forum with 80 arched entrances allowing easy access to 55,000 spectators, who were seated according to rank. 

The events that took place there were gladiatorial combats, wild beast hunts, vaudeville acts, and many types of theatrical entertainment. Among these, the gladiatorial combats and the wild beast hunts made up most of the program. Originally, gladiatorial fights began as public funerals to show the amount of wealth a person possessed. When Rome’s republic became imperial, the emperors sought to please the people, and they did this by staging entertainment for the public. Later it was transformed into a medieval fortress in the sixth century CE after being damaged by an earthquake.

A typical day in the Colosseum began with a succession of bloodless duels often comic or fantastic, but others were deadly.  The Romans were obsessed with blood and gore. They enjoyed watching one man kill another man, or watching one man kill many innocent animals.

Next Up Vatican City.

An afternoon off

Our adventures in Greece and Italy are nearing their end. We only have a couple of adventures left. I certainly hope you have had fun playing along these last couple of weeks as we have followed my son and his fellow delegates around. There is a lot involved in being a delegate with people to People. The selection process included essays and recommendations, the preparations included monthly meetings and a service project, as well as a research project. The trip itself included service and formal meetings as well as history, geography and cultural lessons. But this afternoon, this is all about fun. After a tough morning at Pompeii, the delegation was given some free time at a waterpark.This waterpark in Italy may not be as big or as fance as the ones you can find here in the US, but after serveral hot days of touring and a lot of historical information a break is just what the doctor ordered for the delegation.So go enjoy cooling off in the water because we are headed for our final destination. Rome. See you back here soon.

Next Up Rome

A quiet morning shattered

Ok delegation, this next stop might not be the easiest stop we make.

The morning of the 24th of August 79 AD started with some earthquakes or tremors followed by a column of smoke. The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius which followed, lasted for more than 24 hours straight. Around midnight that the first pyroclastic surges and flows occurred. This was the avalanche of hot ash, pumice, rock fragments and volcanic gas, which rushes down the side of a volcano as fast as 60mph or more, that we frequently see depicted in movies. Even to the Romans who were accustomed to losing tens of thousands of soldiers in a battle, this was an extraordinary tragedy. It was normal to rebuild the cities  even after the most massive earthquakes; but neither Herculaneum nor Pompeii was reoccupied. The ash and pumice preserved casts of victims right were they fell, enabling archaeologists to create plaster models of the victims by filling the empty spaces left by the decayed bodies with plaster  making a sort of grotesque ash museum. And although much of the city was destroyed by the nearby volcano, it was also largely preserved by being buried under more than 60 feet of ash and pumice.

Today Mt. Vesuvius the only active volcano on the European continent. It has erupted around 35 times since the Pompeian disaster the most recent occurrence in  1944, killing 26 people. Scientists feel it will erupt again and as recently as 2004 Italian authorities offered 30.000 Euros (some $40,000) to the families closest to the mountain that wished to relocate. The volcano is studied by a French Italian joint team and  the current reports  indicate that over the last 20,000 years the magma chamber beneath the surface of the volcano has been rising steadily.

So if the earth begin to shake or your feet start getting hot, please let a delegation leader know immediately.

Otherwise, when we have had our fill of the tragedy of 15,000 people dying that fateful day, we will be visiting someplace a little on the lighter side. So grab a bathing suit and meet us back here later…

Next Up Waterpark

Palermo

Palermo is the capital of Sicily, an autonomous region in Italy with a population of about 650,000 (approximately the size of Baltimore) and a land area of 61 square miles (approximately the size of St. Louis). The city is over 2700 years old and was founded by the Phoenicians.Although Palermo is a frequent destination for tourists, it is known for being more of an adventure. Not all of the restaurants translate their menus into 5 languages and the markets are true to their Arab origins. 

So enjoy an afternoon in Palermo because tonight we will board our last overnight ferry. This one to Naples.Get a good night’s sleep – Because next up is Pompeii.

But is it Authentic?

Pizza. The food all teenagers seems to love. There are battles about it here in the states, New York style vs. Chicago style. Cheese vs. Pepperoni. It doesn’t seem to matter. Have a group of teens that you need to bond? Put some pizza down in the center and let them at it.

So what better experience to help a group of teens to understand another culture than to take them to the home of Pizza and teach them how to do it for real.

First get the delegates to each get some dough and start making a thin crustNext let each delegate choose their own toppings and bake their own pizza. Finally get each delegate to pose with their finished pizza before devouring it.

Want to try a little sicilian pizza of your own? How about this recipe? It includes recipe for the dough and assembling the pizza as well.

http://www.homemade-pizza-made-easy.com/sicilian-pizza-recipe.html

Of course we will have to wait for the delegates to get home so we can see how authentic it is…

Next Up Touring Palermo

The Temple at Segesta

Ok friends, next they were supposed to go to Erice for some photo ops and a walkaround…However mother nature had other plans. Yes it does rain in southern Italy.

After the hot temps of Greece, its almost hard to believe that an activity got rained out, but these things happen.

Fortunately the rain did clear in time to go to  Segesta to see a wonderfully restored Greek Temple.

It had never been completed. Probably built around1200 BC the guide said.

The delegation also visited a school, where many were horrified to learn that the kids at this school attend Monday through Saturday. Nothing like a little international perspective.  Next up cooking lessons…

On a hill just outside the site of the ancient city of Segesta lies an unusually well preserved Doric temple. It was built sometime in the late 5th century BC and has 6×14 columns on a base measuring 21×56m, on a platform three steps high. Several things suggest that the temple was never actually finished. The columns have not been fluted as they normally would have been in a Doric temple and there are still tabs present in the blocks of the base (used for lifting the blocks into place but then normally removed). It also lacks a cella and was never roofed over. The temple is also unusual for being a Hellenic temple in a city not mainly populated by Greeks.

Next Up Pizza

The phone rings…

and you look down and its your delegate son calling from Italy. You are so excited you immediately go outside so you can hear him better. And you answer the phone… and he says hello… then he tells you it was a butt dial…life with a 13 year old boy…
Next Up Segesta

 

Cefalu

After the ceramics lesson of this morning what could be better than a walk around a beautiful seaside town. (Cue backdrop) Welcome to Cefalu, a popular seaside town on the northern coast of Sicily. Historically this town gained prominence when refugees from the Greek Himera, flying for their lives from the King of Carthage, found a safe place and hid. So the city came into its own as a place of protection. Over the years this theme was to be affirmed. Cefalù grew as a commercial town at the base of this head absorbing into its makeup the characteristics of its various Roman,Byzantine and Arab rulers.

At the base of the Cathedral steps, lies Piazza Duomo. Drenched in sunshine, shaded by palm trees and accompanied by the customary bar, with tables spreading into the centre of the piazza, it is an ideal spot to rest weary feet or simply soak up the atmosphere, and the sun.

So a beautiful sunny day in these lovely Sicilian town. Join us later as we go in search of some of the most impressive Greek ruins outside of Greece itself.

Next Up A Reality Check

Can you throw a pot?

Caltagirone (from the Arabic for “castle-cave”) was founded in the Bronze Age on a trio of hilltops, giving the medieval city a intricate street plan today, many  decorated with painted ceramics and tiles. They’ve been making pots in Caltagirone for 4,000 years, but it was with the Arab conquest in the 9th century that the ceramics industry really picked up and the local craftsmen refined their art. Today the little city thrives on the tourists and collectors. So if we are going to go all this way and see all of these cool ceramic products, we really ought to get our hands dirty.
Its all well and good – but what is it going to look like when we are done?Not bad for a first timer.

When our visit to the ceramics factory is done, let’s take a walk. So grab a snack and we’ll meet back here in a little while, k?

Next Up a Seaside Retreat

These shoes were made for walking

at least I hope they were because we are going to hike Mt. Etna today. But first a little background. Class – can anyone tell me what Mt. Etna is? No? Yes?  It is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily that last erupted October 23,2011. (So if your feet start getting hot – raise your hand and wait to be called on).  In Greek Mythology, the deadly monster Typhon was trapped under this mountain by Zeus. Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of activity. The fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain and the broad Plain of Catania to the south. Due to its history of recent activity and nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated a Decade Volcano. What is a Decade Volcano? I’m glad you asked. A decade volcano is one of 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas. Well so glad we settled that I certainly feel better don’t you?

So tighten up your shoe laces ’cause here we go…

Last rest stop


Final Push

We made it
Congratulations delegates and we must say – you look mahvelous up there.

Next Up Are you ready to Get Dirty?

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