Shadowmeboy's Alaskan Adventure on the Sun

[shadowmeboy]

We changed and headed to the 9pm show.

 

 

Cruise Director Iain wearing a Pacman suit, introducing tonights entertainer.

 

 

George Solomon - doing a variety show, He would have these crazy stories lead into different songs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George pulled a young lady from the audience to come dance with him

[shadowmeboy]

 

After the show, we went and played in the Casino. Susan and I love the token machines, pushing tokens off. She dropped two bill bundles that night and between the two of us 3 bottles of Champagne. Score!

 

 

We shared a bottle before bed, since we were now up to 4 bottles in the Stateroom!

 

 

Off to bed, another new port awaits, Sitka!

[shadowmeboy]

Day 4 Daily - Sitka, AK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

VIP Breakfast again!

 

 

Susan got an omelette!

 

 

I got some bacon and eggs, along with some crab cake benedict!

 

 

A lighthouse in Sitka.

 

 

These pictures were taken from La Cucina.

 

 

 

 

A Marine layer hung over Sitka this morning, but dawn the sweatshirts and we would be fine!

[shadowmeboy]

The night before Sitka, we recieved a letter from Joaquin. He said we would be tendering in Sitka, and there was no need to pick up tender tickets if we were not on a NCL shore excursion, as he would take us down to the next available tender. While we were eating breakfast they had called tender tickets 1 through 4.

 

So as soon as we finished breakfast in La Cucina, we met Joaquin. We walked through the Four Seasons MDR, into a crew stairwell, down two decks to deck 3, and out onto the tender in 2 minutes flat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

starting to pull away from the ship.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

Sitka small boat harbor

 

 

 

Sitka's tender dock

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

Our port photo...

 

 

 

 

 

 

a little clearer, and you can see the boats tendering.

 

 

 

 

My mom loves to paint lighthouses, so this picture was for her.

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

Sitka's tender dock

 

 

I want the fish, and the bear didn't want me to have it.

 

 

Susan wanted to share the fish!

 

 

We caught a free shuttle down to some shopping area, down by the public library and the small boat harbor. We took our cell phones off airplane mode, to catch up with one or two things, and to tell my Mom we were VIP.

 

We walked along the road, because there were several National Park sites along here. Sitka used to be the Territorial Capital for Russian Alaska. The handover of Alaska took place in Sitka. The Russian influence on Sitka is very prominent.

 

 

 

walking up to the National Park Services Russian Bishop's House.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

she wasn't smiling, so I had to take it again. Sorry Sweetie!

 

 

better?

 

 

 

 

St. Peter's-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church - one of the oldest church's in Alaska.

 

 

We walked through the bottom floor of the Russian Bishop's House, and saw an example of what the walls looked like unrestored. they also had room cut outs, so you could see the Russian Siberian construction to keep a building warm. Too warm for Sitka infact!

 

 

It was difficult to get good pictures.

 

 

So we headed Downtown.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

We decided to walk Sitka, since our shore excursion wasn't until 12:30pm.

 

 

 

 

Saint Michael's Cathedral

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Downtown Sitka

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

Pioneer Home

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

I spy an eagle in the tree.

 

 

We made our way back to the tender dock.

 

 

There are two sides to the sign

 

 

Since we had time before our excursion, we headed out to get lunch.

 

 

on our way, we saw this shirt in a shop in Sitka. We both laughed. Its so true...

 

 

 

 

We found this hole-in-the-wall Mexican/Pizza place that was ranked really high on TripAdvisor.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

I got Mexican.

 

 

Susan got Taco Pizza

 

 

It was really good!

 

After lunch, we went and saw the place where the US and Russia signed over Alaska.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

October 18th, 2017 will be the 150th Anniversary of the handover of Alaska from Russia to the United States.

 

 

The Sun from Baranof Castle Hill State Historic Site. The weather is clearing up as well!

 

 

 

 

 

The view of Sitka from the historic park.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

This bus is similar to the one we took for our excursion.

 

 

 

looking toward the Coast Guard Station

 

 

We headed out on the Best of Sitka tour.

 

 

First stop, the Sitka National Historic Park Visitor Center and Totem Park.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

The Sun from the Sitka Historic Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhibits talked about the Tlingit culture and ceremonies.

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

Volunteers demonstrating different aspects of the Tlingit culture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

You can walk the trails which have more totems.

 

 

 

 

 

An Eagle hanging out at the Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Alaska Airlines flight on final approach into Sitka. The runway in Sitka extends out into the water.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

The Totem Park Visitor Center viewed from the beach.

 

We loaded the bus and headed toward the next stop on the tour.

 

 

 

Fortress of the Bear was the next stop.

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

The Fortress of the Bear had 5 Grizzlies and 3 Black bears

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

We finished at the Fortress of the Bear and headed to our final stop.

 

 

The final stop was the Alaska Raptor Center.

 

 

 

The raptor center has a flight center to rehabilitate birds.

[shadowmeboy]

 

Birds inside the flight center. The windows are a two way mirror so the birds can't see the people.

 

 

 

 

 

We then moved into a big room, where they were going to bring a Bald Eagle for us to look at up close.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

This is Sitka. She was found with a hole in her wing from where she was shot. She has to be careful as not to put anything through the hole which is still there. Thus, she cannot be returned to the wild.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

After Sitka, we were able to go see the other birds outside the Raptor Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

The center had a wide range of birds.