The boys were up bright and early for salmon fishing, as I rolled over and went back to bed.  Eventually, I got up to look at the adorable town outside my window!   I sat out on the balcony and took advantage of the amazing cell signal (truly, it was the best since Seattle) and had a chance to catch up on life outside Alaska for the first time in days.

After a slow start I met Rose and Andrea for breakfast; then, we discussed wandering around in town for awhile.  I went back to the room and took a good LONG time to get ready.  It was kinda nice to have some space and time all to myself.  So nice, in fact, that I considered just staying int the room.  Then, Rose texted and asked if I was about ready… I decided I was, and I was glad I did.

Andrea, Rose, and I set off to the visitors’ center.  They had a really cute map for a walking tour of the city, but we kinda did our own thing, Ketchikan is known for fishing, totem poles, and… well…  historical homes for the oldest profession…  I had looked at booking some of the tours in Ketchikan… wilderness boat, hmmmm hadn’t I already seen plenty of wilderness on a boat?  lumberjack show?  maybe, but kinda hokey,  So, I figured I’d save the money and just wander.

I got my 3rd of three souvenirs in Ketchikan.  I call my husband “Bear” he calls me “Honey,” and he often refers to himself in the 3rd person:  “Bear loves Honey.” so that makes this coaster even more sappy, silly appropriate (and I just noticed the city name is misspelled on the coaster, but I decided that makes it cuter).

By the time we were returning to the ship, the bear was back and resting (didn’t know yet that he had the beginning of a KILLER cold which would waylay him for the next week).  Poor guys!   The hadn’t caught a single salmon… didn’t even see any…. didn’t get a nibble.  They saw another bald eagle, but we’d seen a whole lot of those!

We went to lunch, came in second in a a beer and wine trivia game; then, he went back to the room.  I went exploring (read: drinking).  It was taking us longer than planned to leave port.  It turned out someone had a medical emergency–passed out in a hottub and had to be resuscitated, it would seem.  Who knows what actually happened, but the rumors were everywhere.

I went to the whiskey bar, got a sambuca and sat outside to listen to speculation.  Then, I went up to the pool deck and ordered a piña colada (apparently to remind myself that I don’t like them, but feel like that’s what I should drink by a pool); then, back up to the observation lounge, deciding it was a dirty martini day.  While there, Andrea messaged me.  Tonight was the big family dinner at Cagney’s Steakhouse.  This was easily the most popular a la carte restaurant on the ship.  If you plan to go, you want to book early.  Andrea suggested getting some family pictures done first.

So, I went downstairs to collect the bear and remind him that, as always, I had plans.  We had ONE more bar we needed to hit.  “The A List” which was outside of Cagney’s.  Then, we’d go up to meet the family with piano Paul prior to pictures.  After all, Andrea insisted that we’d look better in pictures after a few drinks.  Who am I to question her expertise?

We took a bunch of pictures before dinner at a couple of different locations.  They did turn out well.  I went to look at them in the photo lounge the next day.  They print all of them full size, and you can buy them from the binder–at $25 a pop…  or can do packages and photobooks and things of that ilk.  To me, the concept seems a little dated.  In this day and age when everyone has a phone in their hands at all times, and you can look at them on the spot and edit them however you want, I think they’re overcharging for the pictures.  Still, it’s a great way to get some shots of everyone in some cool places without bothering other people on the ship.  It’s also pretty cool that you can see them on your phone by going to login.com but not logging in.  They keep all the pictures attached to your number so you can see them. (But watermark them, so if you’re too cheap to buy them you end up seeing them like I posted.  🙂  )

Cagney’s was tasty for sure.  Many felt it was their best meal on the ship (I’m still partial to Le Bistro).  Andrea arranged for her parents’ 50th anniversary to be celebrated.  The staff (mostly Filipino and Malaysian) crowded in around Wayne and Rose while they serenaded them “Let Me Call you Sweetheart.”  (It’s much cuter if you try to hear the accents of the staff while imagining the song. 🙂  ).  The staff placed Wayne’s and Rose’s hands on top of one and other and brought them a big piece of cake.  So sweet!

After dinner, most were ready for bed.  It was the last REAL night aboard the ship, though.  The next day we’d be packing and getting ready to go, so I decided I wasn’t QUITE done, yet.

I went down to the brewery to see Beau Tahana, and this might be my one regret of the trip….I regret that I didn’t see him earlier.  He was another piano guy… but full of bone dry humor.  He did impressions of Tony Bennett and Elton John all while sardonically refusing to do certain songs… He did Blink 182 and Oasis.  He did some kind of Top Gun tribute that turned into Justin Bieber and n’Sync at some point….but I only saw his last set.  I think we would have been down there quite a few more times if we had checked him out earlier in the cruise.

Then, I wandered down two floors to the atrium for an 80s video dance party–Bon Jovi, A ha, Def Leppard.  And, of course, Journey.  The dance party moved to the Social Club, so I did for a bit, too… but decided I wasn’t feeling dancing.  I watched the silent dance briefly in the atrium before wandering the very quiet deck outside.  This was the first time I’d seen full dark since stepping foot on the ship.

I decided it best to go to bed.  I was tipsy, alone, and I still had one more day.