Alaskan Cruise - Day 5

Thursday, June 1st -- Skagway, Alaska

I loved Skagway! We both did. I mentioned in my Ketchikan post that it was tied or very close runner-up as a favorite day/place-- I was referring to Skagway. We scheduled a train ride on the White Pass Scenic Railway and I was so excited about this!! There was another Alaskan itinerary with another cruise line that I really liked and could start out with a nice train ride but Daniel really wanted to leave from Seattle and these dates worked best for my Aunt Rose. When I found out a train ride was an excursion on this itinerary, I was sold! Don't ask me why, I just think taking a train up a mountain is the coolest thing.

This was the first thing we did upon arrival in Skagway. Our departure time was 8:10am and we actually woke up a little late (probably b/c I was up so early the morning before) so there was no time for breakfast even. I grabbed a couple muffins from the buffet and we headed for the train. We sat inside the cabin for awhile but once they gave the ok to head outside, we did and barely came back in the rest of the trip. The higher we climbed, the colder it got, of course and I had to add some layers but it was sooooo cool. I took a couple hundred pictures just on the train ride. Everywhere you turned was something just beautiful.

We had a great system going on the front of our car, we were all switching out, moving around, giving each other chances to take photos and see the view. There were some guys on the back of the train car that were hogging the rails and wouldn't let anyone else get in for photos. Then we also befriended some Aussies who were on the back of their train car. I, of course, loved their accents. This just made the ride even cooler. So much fun. The only downside to being outside the whole time, is we missed most of the narration but I'd say it was worth it. ;)

I could keep going on train pics, but there's more to see and I'm gonna do a photo book anyway. After the train ride, we grabbed an amazing lunch. I can still taste the flaky crust around the cod now. Yumm. Then we meandered around town a little and took a hike to get an amazing view of the town. We should've headed back down after that, but kept going for some reason. 

 Daniel got reception in this really remote part of the trail, it was weird and kinda funny so I had to snap a pic. 

After our hike, we headed back to town and got some souvenirs before heading back to the ship. What a great day! 

I think because I was so looking forward to that rail trip and I loved the cute, quaint town of Skagway with their boardwalks and we had a fantastic lunch AND got to take a hike, Skagway really probably was my favorite Alaskan port. Everything went well and was fun that day.

Goodbye Skagway, what a neat little town you were! We were back on board by 5pm, relaxed in the room before dinner then went to the production show that evening. "Blame it on the Boogie." I may have been the only one dancing in my seat, not sure, we were in the front row for that one. I really enjoyed all the production shows on this ship, very entertaining.