ANCHORAGE
Our luggage is tagged and placed for pick up by 7:30 am. Today we are heading to
Anchorage by way of the
Holland America McKinley Explorer rail cars. We take the hotel property shuttle for the last time over to the main lodge. We have
breakfast at the
Nenana View Grill. Richard has the homestead breakfast with reindeer sausage and coffee. I have 1 egg over easy, fresh berries-yummy, toast, and coffee. Bill $31 with tip. There are a lot of people in the lobby. Our coach transfer to the
Denali Depot is scheduled for 9:15 am. We are sorry to say goodbye to Denali. We have had such an amazing time here. I can't imagine spending less time here than we had. I thought 3 nights would be more than enough time but I would have liked 1 more night.
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| Richard's breakfast |
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| My breakfast |
It's a short drive over to
Denali Depot. We are to be in rail car #1055-Nenana, seats 18a and 18b. All the rail cars are named in honor of places and communities along the
McKinley Explorer route. This route goes from Denali to Anchorage and from Anchorage to Seward. You can also go as far north as Fairbanks. This journey to Anchorage will take 8 hours. Meals, beverages, and souvenirs are available for purchase-no cash accepted. Each car has the upper level full domed seating area. The seating is comfortable with foot rests and fold down tray tables. Downstairs is the dining area, small lounge, outside viewing platform and restrooms. Each car has a person in charge of beverage orders-ours is Charles- and a host/guide who provides tour commentary. The menu looks very appealing for breakfast. I'm beginning to wish I hadn't had breakfast at the hotel. For a small price you can buy a booklet with information on the McKinley Explorer-its history and route details. It's nice as you can read about the areas you will be passing. I found it helpful in terms of my picture taking. If Denali/Mt. McKinley is visible the train will slow down. Our train does not slow down. I do take some pictures of the scenery from the outside viewing platform. It's a relaxing day.
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Our motor coach
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| Denali Princess |
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| Our rail car |
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| Full dome for the best viewing |
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Nenana River
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| Tells you where you are-red dot |
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| Small souvenir area in the lounge and looking to the dining/restaurant area |
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Another train going the opposite direction
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| Drinks menu |
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| Beer for Richard |
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| Soda for me |
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| Summit-highest point on the route |
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| Hurricane Gulch trestle |
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| Looking back |
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| Host commentator |
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| Souvenirs for sale |
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| Lounge/seating area |
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| Following the Parks Highway |
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| Beaver dam |
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| Arriving in Anchorage |
Arriving in Anchorage we are directed to our motor coach that will take us to our hotel. We will spend 1 night at the
HILTON ANCHORAGE. I'm told this is an upgrade from the Westmark Anchorage which is the hotel at which I thought we were to stay. In the Aspen Room of the Hilton at the Holland America tour desk we receive our Anchorage Welcome Envelope. We get to our room and find it is not as we had requested. We have to return to the tour desk where we are directed to the hotel's front lobby desk. We get a correct room but unfortunately our view looks on to a roof with birds and bird crap all over. Not a pretty sight. Oh well, it's only for this 1 night but from what I have seen of the hotel so far I would not want to stay here again. By now we are thinking about
dinner. I call and make a reservation. Richard says we can walk to the restaurant.
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| This was the view out our window |
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Nice toiletries
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We start walking and it starts to rain-a light drizzle. I tell Richard we will take a taxi back to our hotel after dinner. I am not in a walking mood right now. We arrive early.
SIMON & SEAFORTS. No place to really sit and wait for our table. We're given a pager. Right about our reservation time the pager goes off and we are seated. I am in the mood for a nice meal. I order one of the house specialties-the crab and macadamia-nut stuffed Alaskan halibut. It comes with mashed potatoes and green beans. Richard orders the bacon wrapped meatloaf which comes with mashed potatoes and green beans also. He gets an Alaskan amber beer and I opt for water. The food was delicious. The crab/macadamia nut stuffing also had cheese in it. It made for a very rich but great tasting halibut! Richard loves meatloaf and he said it was just perfect. Bill $79.85 tip included. Taxi back to our hotel ?? I didn't make a note of the cost but I don't think it was much.
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| Dinner |
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| Bacon wrapped meatloaf |
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| Crab & macadamia nut stuffed halibut |
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| Close up of the halibut |
Back at the hotel we decide to do some exploring. There's a nice gift shop, a restaurant, a coffee shop. This hotel also has an indoor pool-too bad we packed our swim suits in our MEET YOU ONBOARD bag! An exercise room too. I guess I would stay here again if I would have a room with a better view! Tomorrow we have a 3 hour coach ride down to
Seward. A
6 hour cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. Then we finally will board our
Holland America ship for our southbound cruise ending in Vancouver, B. C.
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| Gift shop |
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| Lobby/front desk-blurry picture, sorry |
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