Anna's Awesome Adventures!!!: Valdez to Seward

Today we woke up at 7:15 and had breakfast in the hotel -- bagels and cereal. It took awhile to get breakfast because there were a couple of tour groups all eating at the same time, so it was a madhouse! But by 9:15, we had eaten, loaded everything up, and were out looking at Valdez. Our hotel was surrounded by mountains -- snow-covered and soooo pretty! We read four signs telling about the 1964 earthquake, then headed to the ferry that would take us from Valdez to Seward. We were on it by about 11:15 and walked on up to the passenger deck. We had a great time on the ferry! It had really nice seating areas with reclining chairs and small tables, windows all around so you could see the views without freezing outside (it was 40-45 degrees), and a cafeteria/shop. They also had a solarium where we could walk out and not be rained on (yes, in rained the whole way) yet be outside and get some snapshots of the mountains. Not one mountain is alike, so there is an incredible urge to take a photo of every beautiful one! We spent some time out on the deck, but like I said, it was raining and cold, so we mostly stayed inside and explored the ferry! There was a whale spotting; I didn't see them, but Matthew got a picture and Grandma saw them. We ate a lunch we had made the night before on the ferry and Grandma bought us Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which made it a perfect lunch! In the shop, Grandma and I found a few things to remember our wonderful ferry adventure...I got a few postcards telling about the ferry we were on (called the M/V Chenega), a map for Matthew, and a snow globe with two ferries meeting and the words Alaska Marine Highway...all for just $7, which was good. I like to remember these special events, because how many other times will I be on a three-hour ferry ride?! Yes, we landed in Whittier at 2:30, drove around the town for a little bit, and then went to the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. This tunnel is 2.5 miles long and the vehicles share the tunnel with trains! We drove on the train tracks, which was pretty cool. Don't worry, though...it is well-controlled, so there's no danger of trains and trucks meeting in the middle!

At 5:30, we arrived at the Moosewood Cabin, which is about five miles from Seward. It is owned by a husband and wife. The wife, Jackie, was very welcoming and kind. She made sure we liked everything and had everything we needed. The cabin is kind of like the Little House on the Prairie cabin...there's a loft that you climb up to on a ladder. I claimed the left-side bed because Laura always slept on the left side in the show...and I admit, I am like Laura -- high-spirited and a tomboy. Anyway, this cabin is awesome and we all agree that we wouldn't mind living here forever...seriously!

After getting our bags and everything in, we went into Seward to look around and eat dinner. We chose Apollos, a Greek/Italian/seafood/pasta restaurant that had wonderful food. Matthew and I had breaded halibut stuffed with crab, scallops, and shrimp, with sides of carrots and pasta. They also brought out breadsticks with garlic on top...yum. The meal was excellent but the service wasn't so great. They were okay bringing the food out (could have been a bit faster), but took FOREVER to take our bill. Finally, we walked up to the counter and were finally able to leave.

Overall, it has been a terrific day! I really enjoyed the ferry ride, especially since I got to see more mountains. Once again, another day full of memories that will last a lifetime.