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A Wilderness Adventure — Page 4

Train to Whittier and Ship through College Fjord Took the train south from Denali to the port town of Whittier on Prince William Sound

The views from the train's panaramic windows were beautiful ... from towering mountains, to alpine lakes and rivers

We were fortunate to have Elvis as a fellow traveler. He volunteered to sing to us as we went through the tunnel to get to the coastal town of Whittier. Cyndi caught a catnap while Elvis was swooning me. Zowie! Elvis in the flesh! In my lap!

Whittier Embarkation
The rail and road lines emerge from the mountain tunnel and wind along the fog-shrouded coastline	The town of Whittier lies on the narrow strip of land between mountain and sea

	And then we were on the Princess Diamond cruise ship and in our room, left. Cyndi prepares for the worst, assuming the "jump ship" position with her fasionable lifejacket

Drifting through College Fjord College Fjord is a finger in the northwest Prince William Sound. The big east colleges financed its exploration in 1899 and professors on the expedition named the numerous glaciers after their colleges

Some of the many glaciers we passed in the foggy morning. Sure, they were all glacial blue, but that can get boring, so put on your 3-D glasses and enjoy!

Though we ached for clear skies to see the mountain tops and enjoy the colors, the fog had a charm of its own

And if you were eagle eyed you might catch sight of an eagle perched atop the floating glacial icebergs

The Granddaddy of the Glaciers—Harvard Glacier

The Martini Man

Whiling away time at sea, yours truly took up the challenge of shaking the perfect martini during the ship's martini "cooking" demonstration. The trick, I figured, was to shake the hips as well as the mixer. The pros in the background were amused, and kindly awarded my efforts with a special chocolate martini that Cherie and I shared. Days later, some guy came up to me and said, "Hey, you're the Martini Man, aren't you?" This is not the reputation one should make on a cruise, I'm sure.

Bond — James Bond
Not to be outdone, later that day Mark assumed the James Bond persona, drinking his "shaken, not stirred." When the waiter recognized him as Bond, Mark seamlessly introduced Cyndi as Agent 008, Cherie as 009, and me, as ... well, 000.

That night, formal night, the ladies got dressed up for dinner and drinks. Cherie and Cyndi, left, strike a statuesque pose, and Cherie and I enjoyed a fine dinner, below, in one of the many ship restaurants

Continue on to Glacier Bay Or Return to Denali

OrReturn to the Family Photo Album