THRUSTING NORTH, ALASKA. - 49 -
There is overwhelming material of any color and substance in any bookstore, on the Internet not forgetting schools and universities & colleges, for me to put it all on this Website, is redundant. Occasionally on less humongous places as Alaska, I explained personally, because in most instances you never heard about them. To conclude this introduction I will add a short historic development of Alaska, so our Journey keeps fluent and not being in limbo. The remaining Pg. # 49 will reporting of our experiences, whatever they have been .Many unexpected happenings developed and coping with these ones turned into challenge, which had to be mastered. The Attachment to the left of this page depicts the Flag of Alaska and has great way to interpret the feelings of Alaskan's, rightly so. Known as the last frontier, Alaska originally attracted explorers and people who dreamed to become rich during the famous gold rush. Now, people are attracted for many interesting things, holds a great history, world famous sites a timeless tradition. Archaeologists think that the first people moved across the Bering Land Bridge into northwestern Alaska more than twenty thousand years ago. When the first white people made contact with the Originals, called Aleuts. They called the mainline Alyeska, which in Aleut means "the great land "The name Alaska came from the Russian version Alyeska. Many Russians and Europeans explored the land, joined by Fur traders, decimating both the See Otter and the
The evening at our boarding, September 3, 2001 stared our voyage to the North with a big anticipation and a prayer, which needed. Our cabin very nice outfitted, with outside view, but a little to far forward on the ship should it occur running into bad weather.. This I remember from far back, at the first trips to Canada. The next morning, a cloudy and rainy day not a good beginning breakfast served in all variation, in many different Places, in extended times .Exhibit B indicates the Places, on the maps , Exhibit B, where anchored and visitation to the shore allowed. In order of occurrence, Ketchikan, Juneau the Capital and Skagway the furthest north in the Passage. The image shown with a persons back is a general vie of the appearance along the total length with exclusion of a little side trip announced to be a unique natural wonder The only place on the planet, where one can observe from a ship, a Glacier. A
"Who well lives, long lives; for this age of ours should not be numbered by years, days, and hours."
Waking up in the morning, the first day after leaving Vancouver, felt good, even the weather not give us an accommodating day. A couple hours later, not able to stand, still problem with normal moving around, spend the rest of the first day, and hoped and prayed to my maker to change my Seasickness into a livable situation. My Mat somewhat effected, but not as hard as I very helpful and caring. This lasted a few days with the assistance of the ships medicals, praying, and wanting not to spend all my time in lying down. One consolation, many company shared my sickness and kept hoping. I never thought about that affliction of youth diminished but it is hanging on. Our last trip, Aschau in 2000, with Bruno, Else I denied them the fun participating in a Boat ride on Chiemsee, afraid
of getting seasick. The next stop Juneau, the Capital of Alaska, my seasickness recovered some; however not the handicap of moving around properly and without pain.Juneau a hub for all kind of special trips like, Railroad to the interior of Alaska, or grouping together in busses exploring the closer amenities' as visiting Downtown. My mate ,a little healthier, left the Ship and walked around a little bit, to return enjoying the Ships famous and most tasty suppers, followed by many different type of Entertainment , starting from Dancing, Movies and first class presentation of different types. If the weather nice, sitting on the upper Deck, talked together and enjoyed the general feeling of well being and being under His protection. After a good rest, the Ship moved during the night and midmorning we reached our last City Skagway, to visit and observe, find some souvenir etc. My back seem to get some better, never will complete, this confliction is with me for the last 30 years, when unloading Soft Water Salt out of my car, and dislocated damaged one of my Vertebras, never wanted have operations and it worked. I seen many people, who wished the never had their intrusion Operated on. Skagway turned out to be the place where looking and finding fitting Souvenirs for remembrance of visiting this very accommodating and friendly settlement. Most of the Souvenirs we acquired purchased there, most of them wooden and painted totem Poles or brilliant wood In Lays Exhibit B shows similar Totem Poles as as purchased, handcrafted by local Indians. Maybe the saying "Last but not Least" can be attached to our meeting Skagway and her Ambient she let us breeze. After the Farewell Lunch, with all the imaginational served, we started towards thru the night, entered the Vancouver Harbor went thru the necessary steps to enter the outside, very organized close to a military dismissal .Taking a Taxi and waited at the Vancouver Airport for our designated and reserved Flight to Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee, WI.
A Journey to Alaska`s Entrance, Inner Passage.
After all necessary planning completed, we were ready to start our Trip to the Northern Region of our Planet. The original idea driving with car, stopping at the Tetons' Mountains, aborted because my Back acting up, after I received a Cortisone injection a few days prior to our departure. Some luck stayed with us, after contacted our Travel agency to change the reserved Dates. We started on September 03, 2001 fromMitchellFieldAirport, first stop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Where we came close to missing our flight to Vancouver, CA. My affliction turned worse, and walking or running turned into a impossibility .By .crawling on some of the little baggage cars, provided the time to catch our Flight to Canada, The beginningdid not have the blessing of my Friend, which seem to be very strange to me. A taxi transported us to the Port, where we boarded our Norwegian Cruise Ship, to start our Adventure for the year 2001.An Image of this Ship look attached Exhibit B, depicting an assortment of images referring to this undertaking. The Inside Passage is a coastal route for oceangoing vessel along series of passages between the mainland and the coastal island Ships. Using this route can avoid some of the bad weather in the open ocean, and visit the many isolated communities along the route. It is heavily travelled by cruise ships and fishing crafts. Statistics: The Alaskan portion of the Inside Passage, in the north, as shown to your left, extends 500 miles from north to south and 100 miles from east to west. There are encompasses 1,000 islands, 15000 miles of shoreline, and thousands of coves and bays. The Inside Passage is a destination for kayakers and canoeist from all over the world. Each year groups and individuals paddle along the fjords from British Columbia to Glacier Bay in Alaska. As we move along on our more adventures route, there is more to come, I am trying to relay as close as possible the actuality, if my memories are in unity with my brain.
After all necessary planning completed, we were ready to start our Trip to the Northern Region of our Planet. The original idea driving with car, stopping at the Tetons' Mountains, aborted because my Back acting up, after I received a Cortisone injection a few days prior to our departure. Some luck stayed with us, after contacted our Travel agency to change the reserved Dates. We started on September 03, 2001 from
closer look at the Map, at Wrangell, close to Petersburg on the RT our vessel entered a big channel and there it was after a while, this very rare picture to being nearly as close as it still to be save, the image a ship as ours close to Glacier, which one can observe on Exhibit B.
Our Journey is racing ahead, nothing can delay or circumvent the unavoidable, the meeting with Ground Zero. Stay well; look forward to a different and exotic part of the world
My God bless,
Alfredo De`Eljama.
My God bless,
Alfredo De`Eljama.
A good, no a perfect way to start; remember and utilize.
"Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before".
- Madeleine L` Engle
- Madeleine L` Engle
native people. The wealthy Russian people took over the Land, which many years later purchased by the United States of America.
On the Way Home.
Finally, the call for reporting at the gates, our flight arrived, we boarded, and it did not take long setting down in Milwaukee. My daughter Lotte at the airport ready to drive us the last miles of this somewhat painful Journey. After Lotte left, return to her home, not to far from us, we did the best what we could do at this particular time went to bed and did not forget to thank our Master for a save Return. What happened the next day after we woke up is something I never can and will forget. After Breakfast, went to the Waukesha Post Office collected our accumulated Mail, stopped on the way back at the Office, and listened to some very bad News. It was the day when the famous saying repeated it self "A day of Infamy." The terror attack on the Twin Tower of New York. Just to dwell on this terrible event makes me shiver and tested my feeling to condemn and hate. If this would happened on day earlier our return flight could delayed indefinitely, therefore our Divine guidance was working overtime, which appreciated very much.
Finally, the call for reporting at the gates, our flight arrived, we boarded, and it did not take long setting down in Milwaukee. My daughter Lotte at the airport ready to drive us the last miles of this somewhat painful Journey. After Lotte left, return to her home, not to far from us, we did the best what we could do at this particular time went to bed and did not forget to thank our Master for a save Return. What happened the next day after we woke up is something I never can and will forget. After Breakfast, went to the Waukesha Post Office collected our accumulated Mail, stopped on the way back at the Office, and listened to some very bad News. It was the day when the famous saying repeated it self "A day of Infamy." The terror attack on the Twin Tower of New York. Just to dwell on this terrible event makes me shiver and tested my feeling to condemn and hate. If this would happened on day earlier our return flight could delayed indefinitely, therefore our Divine guidance was working overtime, which appreciated very much.