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| Mendenhall Glacier |
Day 4 Juneau
The ship quivered around 7:30AM and reminded us that we have arrived the capital of Alaska, Juneau. After a power breakfast and a quick check of the Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau at the PIazza, we took off and explored around this biggest town (in size) in the world.
Juneau was originally named Harrisburg after Mr. Richard Harris and later on called Rockwell after Lt. Com. Charles Rockwell. Until 1880, Joe Juneau and Richard Harris under the guidance of Tlingit Chief Kowee discovered gold, and then the town was renamed to Juneau.
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| Welcome to Juneau |
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| A mild sweet bean-paste danish~OMG!! It's divine!! I wish I could find it in LA. |
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| Minute steak with two fried eggs Hash brown, mushroom |
The naturalist Sandra had mentioned in her talk yesterday that “there should be shuttle buses going from the downtown, which is very close to the ship dock, to the Mendenhall Glacier. “ Thus, instead of booking an excursion with the cruise ($39 per person), I took Sandra’s suggestion and hopped on one of the shuttle ($16 per person round trip) run by a private company. There were a whole bunch of ticket booths in the downtown area but I think they were all owned by the same company because all tickets costed the same ($8 one way) and seems like everyone gathered at the same bus stop for the shuttle.
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| Shuttle bus going to Mendenhall Glacier ($16 PP Round Trip) |
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| Mt. Roberts Tramway ($29.99 PP, 12pm-9pm) In Mid June to Aug, there will be an all-you-can-eat crab feed in the restaurant Timberline Bar & Grill up in the mountain. |
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| Mendenhall Glacier and the surounding trails and areas |
Mendenhall Glacier is the biggest highlight for me in Juneau. It is 12 miles away from the downtown and stretching 12 miles long from the Juneau Icefield to the Mendenhall lake. It is one of the 38 glaciers that flow from the massive Juneau Icefield and it was originally known as Sitaantaagu ("the Glacier Behind the Town") by the native. According to the ranger, the glacier is retreating every year in an average 40 ft a year; however, due to the average yearly temperature is increasing, the estimated retreating rate for the last 2 years has been around 400-500 ft a year.
The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center ($3 entrance fee) is located on the right hand side of the main entrance of the glacier park. The staff in the center can provide the phenomena of the glacier as well as the information about the wildlife and fish. It takes about 5-10 minutes to walk from the visitor center to the “original farthest point to the glacier”. Initially, the Mendenhall lake doesn’t exist and it was all glacier. Back then, the glacier was right in front of the visitor center and “the original farthest point to the glacier” was the safest and farthest area that visitors can stay and appreciate the glacier in the 70s.
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| Mendenhall Glacier |
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| Nuggle Falls |
When the glacier retreat, the “original farthest point” is not the farthest anymore and thus, we decided to walk closer to the glacier and see the glacier upfront. It took us about 20-25 minutes (one way) to finish the nugget fall trail. The trail took us to the Nugget fall and the Mendenhall Glacier, in which they are right next to each other.
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| The Nugget Falls Trail-- which can lead you to the fall and the close up to the Mendenhall Glacier |
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| Visitors kayaking in the Mendenhall Lake-- try to get closer to the Mendenhall Glacier |
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| The glacier and the fall |
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| Glacier under a spell of sunshine |
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| Once it hit the water, it turns white |
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| The top part of the flowing glacier is still blue |
We stayed in the Mendenhall Glacier park for about 2.5 hours and then we head back to the downtown area with the shuttle bus. While we were waiting for the shuttle, we saw a huge porcupine walking down the street and then disappear in the bush. We thought we lost him--- but when we look up in the tree: Boom!! The porcupine was having lunch with all-you-can-eat leaves! The tip of the needles on its back were light green color and the rest of the needle and the body was brown/light black color. The camouflage color helped it blend with the environment really well~ I missed it at the first glance.
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| Camouflage color hid the porcupine |
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| Porcupine having lunch |
We got back to the downtown area approximately 1:30pm and we toured around the town before we had lunch. The shuttle bus driver suggested us to try the “Hangar on the Wharf Pub and Grill” as “they got good beer, fresh seafood, and it’s where everyone hang out”. We ordered a Hangar taco trio ($14.95) and an Alaskan crab cake ($13.95) for lunch. The taco trio consisted of 1 king salmon, 1 halibut and 1 cod soft taco-- personally I like the halibut and cod taco better as the flesh are more tender. Maybe because the salmon has to swim against the current to spawn upstream, the flesh of the salmon after frying is relatively firmer than the other two fish. The crab cake had a nice texture and flavor but lack of chunky crab meat.
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| Hangar Taco Trio ($14.95) |
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| Alaskan Crab Cake ($13.95) |
Later on we got the coffee from the heritage coffee company. The manager said its a locally roasted coffee for more than 30 years in Juneau. I like the to-go coffee cup~ black background with the totem pole looking bear. It has a nice aroma and smooth body which you won’t feel dry and astringent after drinking it. Other well known restaurant including Red Dog Saloon for the microbrew, Tracy’s King Crab Shack for the crab leg, Silverbow cafe and inn for the bagel and bakery, the Alaskan Fudge Co. for fudge etc. We only have one tummy and can’t taste them all at this time. Hopefully we can come back next time to try them all!
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| Heritage Coffee Co. |
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| Humpback Whale Spouting on the surface of the sea |
After the presentation, we wander around on the deck and we saw several humpback whales spouting (breathing) and lobtailing (flipping the tail) on the surface of the sea. Woo hoo~~ Bonus whale watching!!! When I saw the water splashing, I thought it was a water motorcycle-- completely not expecting the whale will swim up that close to the ship!!! After dinner, we called off for the day and we had completed more than half of the voyage.
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| Herb and Sea Salt Marinated Seafood Antipasto Creamy Lemon Emulsion Shrimp, Squid and Black Mussels |
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| Eggplant Parmigiana with Basil-Tomato Sauce |
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| Gamberi alla Fra Diavolo Flambled Sampi in Hot & Fiery Marinara Sauce, Pearl Rice |
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| Rustic Vegetable Minestrone, Pesto Crouton |
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| Classic Veal Scaloppine In Masala Wine Sauce Green bean with cherry tomato, Creamy Mashed potato |
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| Added a scoop of special pasta of the day Penne All'Arrabbiata, a little bit spicy, recommended by Apollo |
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| Tiramisu "Pick Me Up" |
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| Napoleon Icecream Cake |
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| Vanilla Icecream and Crepe in Custard Sauce |
阿拉斯加 第四天--- 朱諾
大約在早上7時30分,船身已在抖動-- 這表示我們已經抵達了阿拉斯加的首都--朱諾. 吃過豐富的早餐後, 我們先到船中心那朱諾護林員的資料攤位拿取資料,再下船去遊覽這個世界面積最大的市鎮. 朱諾最先的名字--哈里斯堡是以理查德·哈里斯先生的名字而命名, 後來又以 查爾斯·羅克韋爾少校的名字命名為 羅克韋爾. 直到1818年, 喬·朱諾先生及理查德·哈里斯先生在 特林吉特族族長Kowee的幫助下發掘到金塊, 從此,這個市鎮便命名為朱諾.
自然學家Sandra在昨天的講課中有提及到” 在距離船停泊不遠的朱諾市中心有開往門登霍爾冰川的巴士” 有見及此, 我們選擇了乘搭私營的巴士($16每位,來回) 而沒有訂遊輪的觀光團($39,每位)去遊覽登霍爾冰川. 市中心裡有很多巴士公司都有前往門登霍爾的冰川巴士--而我相信大部份公司都是同屬一個擁有人---因為所有票價都是一樣的($8每位)及所有人都集中在同一個巴士站等候巴士.
對我來說, 門登霍爾冰川是朱諾的皇牌景點.它距離朱諾市中心有12英里, 由朱諾冰原伸展到門登霍爾 湖亦有 12 英里. 由朱諾冰原伸展出來 的冰川有38個而門登霍爾冰川是其中的一個. 門登霍爾冰川的原名/被土著稱之為 “Sitaantaagu”--意思為:在市鎮後方的冰川. 據護林員所稱, 冰川每年都在融化--平均每年為40至50 英尺. 但是由於全球暖化的問題日益嚴重, 最近這兩年冰川有錄得記錄融化了400至500英尺一年.
門登霍爾冰川的遊客中心 ($3 每位入場費)位於門登霍爾冰川公園的右手邊. 中心的職員能夠提供冰川自然現象及野生動物的資料. 由旅客中心走至”最遠的觀賞冰川地點”大概需時5至10分鐘. 最早期的時代, 門登霍爾湖全是冰川,沒有湖水, 冰川就由冰原伸展到旅客中心的前端. 在70年代,旅客只要站在”最遠的觀賞點”便能欣賞冰川.
當冰川融化後, “最遠的欣賞點”再不是最遠了, 所以我們決定再走遠一點, 把冰川仔細地研究一番. 我們用了20至25分鐘 (單程)由旅客中心,沿著金塊瀑布徑, 走到金塊瀑布--正好也是門登霍爾冰川旁.
有些遊客從這裡划獨木舟到冰川前. 我則站在這裡超過30分鐘,仔細地欣賞這冰川的美. 門登霍爾冰川是淺藍色的---不是我親眼看到的我都不相信. 我第一次看到這門登霍爾冰川是一張在晴朗的天氣下拍的照片. 我以為冰川的藍色不是用了Photoshop做了改動,就是因為天空的顏色反射在冰川上. 但是我們到訪門登霍爾冰川這天,天空是灰濛蒙的--應該沒可能是天空的反映吧~ 不得不相信冰川的藍是由它自己反射出來. 護林員說, 由於這些冰是經過400年的積雪--融化--再度積雪-- 這壓縮過程, 冰的結晶架構變得非常的壓實, 當光照射在這些冰上,只有藍色能夠穿透這壓縮過的水晶棱鏡, 所以反映出冰川是藍色的. 當冰川脫落掉到水中, 水晶的結構會被瓦解,顏色亦會由藍變成白.
我們在門登霍爾冰川公園逗留小差不多2.5小時後便折道回府. 在等待巴士的時候, 我們看到一隻肥大的箭豬在路上走動,後來消失在樹蓬中. 我們以為就這樣箭豬便走掉了, 但是我們抬頭一看~ 嘩!!! 箭豬正在樹上吃它的樹葉自助餐喔~!! 它身上的箭/針頂部尖的地方是淺綠色的, 而底部及它的身體是褐色甚至是淺黑色的. 它的迷彩顏色幫助它溶入了大自然當中, 我第一眼看它時也看不到它,走漏了眼.
大概在下午1時30分,巴士便抵達市中. 我們先逛逛四周再找餐廳吃中午飯. 巴士司機建議我們到Hangar on the Wharf Pub and Grill 餐廳去用膳, 因為” 他們有好喝的啤酒, 新鮮的海鮮,及所有人都喜愛到那餐廳聚頭”. 我們點了Hangar taco trio ($14.95) 及 阿拉斯加蟹餅 Alaskan crab cake ($13.95). Hangar Taco Trio 包括了 一件帝王鮭魚taco , 一件鱈魚taco, 及一件大比目魚taco. 我個人比較喜歡大比目魚及鱈魚taco, 肉質比較嫩. 可能帝王鮭魚要逆流游上河床產卵, 它的肉質炸後會比較紮實. 蟹餅的味道及口感都不錯, 但美中不足的是它沒有很多大塊大塊的蟹肉在餅內.
飯後我們到heritage coffee company買咖啡. 店長說他們在朱諾已有三十年歷史
而他們的咖啡是在本地生產及烘焙. 我蠻喜歡他們的咖啡-- 香濃的咖啡豆香味, 喝下去不會有苦澀味 也不會覺得乾涸. 外賣的咖啡杯也很可愛~ 有一隻貌似熊熊的圖騰柱. 朱諾尚有其他有名的餐廳例如: Red Dog Saloon的啤酒, Tracy’s King Crab Shack的帝王蟹蟹腳; Silverbow cafe的麵包圈Bagel及烘焙飽點; Alaskan Fudge Company的巧克力軟糖. 可惜我們只有一個胃而已, 不能把所有的美食通通都在這一次品嘗. 希望下次再有機會可以把其他的美食都嘗試到.
我們在大概下午3時30分至4時回到船上, 然後我們便到劇院禮堂去聽Libby Riddles資訊性的講座. 由於我們對艾迪塔羅德雪橇狗比賽及Libby一無所知, 所以我們沒有對這講座抱有任何期望. 不過我個人覺得這個講座非常有教育性及啟發性,非常有意義. Libby在威斯康州生活了十六年, 然後移居到阿拉斯加去. 她對雪橇狗拉車這運動非常有興趣, 甚至能夠驅使她做各樣事/工作來謀生,培育雪橇狗等等. 1985年她有經濟困難, 甚至會令她無法參加比賽, 但她有一顆熱幟的心, 向著目標邁進. 在她的朋友/鄰居義賣籌款幫助下, 她排除萬難,能夠參與艾迪塔羅德雪橇狗拉車的比賽更成為第一位贏得冠軍的女性,成為佳話. 這位傳奇的運動家現在經常參與推動雪橇狗拉車的活動及寫作出書細說她的經歷. 個人覺得這個演說非常有趣及令人鼓舞, 很慶幸我們有出席這演說.
聽過演講會後, 我們到甲板逛逛--就在這個無心插柳的機會下,我們看到了座頭鯨在海面上噴水及拍打尾巴. 嘩哈哈~今天有意外收穫呢!! 當我看到水花四濺的海面時, 我還以為是水上電單車在滑翔-- 完全沒想到座頭鯨會游到這麼貼近遊船. 晚餐後我們便回房休息. 就這樣我們便完成了旅程的一半.
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