Author Archives: Kiki Maraschino

About Kiki Maraschino

I like catfish. Sure, we all like catfish, but I think for me it is somehow deeper.

Day 12 Denali Alaska The goddess of the log

The next day I took the shuttle into Talkeetna, the base for climbers up Mount McKinley (Denali). It is a laid-back town full of artists and outdoors types. It is the place I felt most at home in Alaska. This … Continue reading

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Day 11 On the Road to Talkeetna

Day 11 we woke up in Denali State Park, and Ralph and Mary Anne set off on their white water rafting adventure. It was tempting, but I didn’t want to be a 3rd wheel and I think I prefer warmer … Continue reading

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Alaska Day 10: Puppies!

Today everyone got up at 6am to take an 8-hour bus tour around Denali national park. The pod seemed put out that I chose not to join them. But in the last week I have seen beautiful sights from an … Continue reading

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Alaska Day 9: I Hear the Train a’comin

Today we disembarked and began the second leg of our trip: the land portion. I LOVE traveling; I will pretty much go on any trip without asking too many questions. I wanted to leave a little mystery to this journey, … Continue reading

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Alaska Day 8 Sunday: Fjord, Shmord

Sunday we cruised through the fjords. Everything was gorgeous. It almost got to be too much. How much beauty can you really take? How much stunning but endless (and deadly) ice can you stare at, day, after day? How long … Continue reading

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Alaska Day 7 Saturday: Glacier Bay

As with the other “days a sea” I had pre-booked a spa treatment – bad move. As we cruised through majestic glaciers, the naturalist’s voice boomed out over the loudspeaker, “…and there’s another whale!” I perked up from the massage … Continue reading

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Alaska Day 6 Friday: Skagway – Back on the Train Gang

Day six we disembarked in Skagway, a town founded by prospectors, conmen and prostitutes. The main attraction these days is the White Point Railway. whose “golden spike” was hammered in 1900. At one point it helped prospectors carry supplies into … Continue reading

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Day 5 Thursday: Whale of a Tale

After dogsledding, my mom and I went to Twisted Fish for lunch. It was a water’s edge tourist trap, but they served up some of the freshest and best fish dishes I have ever tried. The salmon was cooked in … Continue reading

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Day 5 Thursday: MUSH!!!

Thursday was super adventure day – probably the most exciting and spectacular thing I have ever done. We took a helicopter up to a glacier to go dogsledding. There is not enought snow at this time of year to go … Continue reading

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Day 4 Wednesday: Thar she blows!

We had to rush back to the ship, where I hit the spa again for a facial. Up on deck, the omnipresent naturalist was conducting a whale-watch. This event mostly consisted of people asking each other, “Where? Over there?” “At … Continue reading

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Day 4: Wednesday – Land Ho!!! (Ho) Ketchikan

Wednesday was our first day disembarking. We hit Ketchikan, where we hadn’t booked any “adventures,” which was lucky, because it was raining cats and dogs. Since the Ketchikan brewery we had hoped to visit had shut down years before, we … Continue reading

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Day 3: Tuesday – Let me take you on a Sea Cruise

Tuesday was a “Day at Sea” which I had expected to be extremely boring, so I pre-booked a lime-salt scrub in the spa. It was really relaxing, even after I got the hard sell to buy a brush to invigorate … Continue reading

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Day 2: I’m going away on a sailing boat

We made it to the ship and boarded relatively easily. They take your photo as you board and you can buy them from a display later. Some people look more enthusiastic than others. Once onboard everything was havoc. It’s kind … Continue reading

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Day 2 Sunday: Farewell Vancouver Stanley Park and the Elbow Room (CLOSED)

Monday my mom and the neighbors went out for a leisurely breakfast while I slept late and made do with the leftover pastries from Mary Anne’s shopping excursion the day before. Monday morning we took a quick tour around Stanley … Continue reading

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Day 1: Vancouver Sunday dinner

Sunday night we hit The Banana Leaf, a Malaysian restaurant recommended by our cabbie. I was so relieved to be traveling with people who were willing to try Malaysian instead of forcing us to eat at Applebee’s. A mix of … Continue reading

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