All Aboard to Denali

I am still here! I want to finish our Alaskan Adventure, so here is my next installment.  I have been so busy lately that blogging has been down on my list! I did do a September project and I will post that later!  So, when I left you last, we had just left College Fjord and we cruised all day, and that evening we docked at Whittier, Alaska.  I looked out the window and what did I see, but a big FULL Moon over the bay.  It was beautiful, but my pictures didn't turn out.
We spent our final night on the ship docked at the bay.  I felt bad to leave the ship because we were having such a wonderful time, but inland Alaska waited for us! Then next morning, we got up and boarded a train.

We said good bye to our wonderful ship and climbed aboard a train!  It was early in the morning, so I am not at my best in this picture, but I wanted you to see how neat the train windows opened up!

A photo of the clear water.  It was taken through the window so it  has a rainbow feeling!

Here is picture of our train tour guide.  Her name is Ester and she is a retired school teacher.  I felt like we were in a classroom for the whole train ride!  I was waiting for a test at the end!   She was very good and I liked her style.  

Mt. McKinley or Denali.  It is the highest mountain in North America!  We were  so lucky to see the mountain this good from this distance.  They say that you can only see it 30% of the time!

Talkeetna, Alaska

We got off the train in Talkeetna.  It was the coolest town.  We were allowed to visit as long as we wanted and then catch a bus to our lodge for the night.   David and I walked the town and had lunch here.  It was 80 degrees!!!  All the shops in town are so cute and the plants are unreal.  I was so shocked to see BIG flower pots everywhere.  

Chocolate shop.. let's go in!

Road House... this place has been around since 1919.  It is where you would come  for a meal and  lodging. It is still in operation today.

Look at these flowers at the Mile High Pizza Pie store.

Nagley's Store... prices are high here.  A gallon of milk was $4.00, but it is the only grocery in town.  People were buying ice cream here.  It looked good, but we weren't hungry, so we passed! 

I love this sign... if feels so Alaskan....It was on Nagley's Store. 

Kissed by a Moose.  Good Bye Talkeenta.

Mt. McKinley Lodge

That evening we stayed at Mt. McKinley lodge.  Here is a view of Denali at Sunset.  Of course, this was taken about 9:00 pm.  The sun doesn't go down for a long time... about 11:00ish.

A view of our room...Big flower pots everywhere.  It was a pretty place.
That night we ate at 20,320.  We asked, "Why is this placed named 20320?", and our waiter said, " That is the elevation of Mt. McKinley."   Oh, we said... good to know!  We felt lame. 

A view of Mt. McKinley as we were driving away the next day!
Our next stop is Denali Lodge.

We have been  home from our trip for over a month and it still feels like we just got home!  I am glad I am blogging so I don't forget what we did.  I have so many more pictures, but I just can't fit them all in.  

Until next time...