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BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Metchosin Date: 04 Jun 06 - 03:10 AM JennyG, what you don't manage to catch in Vancouver, you can find at the Jazzfest in Victoria which runs between between June 23 and July 2. Also The Victoria Folkfest is running here during roughly the same timeframe from June 30- July 9. Folk Fest includes international music, dance, theatre, food village, craft market, world-class chefs and an ocean front beer garden at Ships Point in the Inner Harbour. Sadly, I don't think the tall ships are included this year. Feel free to contact me and I'll see what I can do to assist. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 04 Jun 06 - 02:10 AM Ebbie and KT, thanks for the info, I love parades and I don't mind if they are large or small, I was born and bred in a country town and our parades weren't huge by any means. The Anzac Day marches here always bring out the rivalry between the brass/military bands and pipe bands - the pipe bands march slower than other bands, leading to snapping at heels sometimes! We had already decided not to book any shore trips in advance, as we like the idea of wandering around ourselves and meeting and talking to locals. The only exception might be the train trip in Skagway. Our son (Stephen The Drummer) has just finished his first 2 weeks cruising the Inside Passage and is looking out for places for us to see, he's on his way to Ketchikan again having sailed from Vancouver a few hours ago. He's working this cruise run intil sometime in August. He has already found the quilt shop in Ketchikan and a bead shop in Juneau for his mother - I knew that boy would come in handy for something one day! Diana, we both enjoy jazz too and will check out the Vancouver festival. Unfortunately we won't be around for the other festival, I had found it on the net and it looks like fun. Cheers JennieG.....21 days now......... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: dianavan Date: 04 Jun 06 - 01:19 AM Jennie G. - It sounds like you will be arriving during the jazz festival. Vancouver International Jazz Festival 2006 When: June 23rd - July 2nd Where: Various locations in Vancouver, BC More Info: www.coastjazz.ca --------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is a festival like no other. Will you be around the 14th, 15th and 16th of July? http://www.thefestival.bc.ca/artists.php Vancouver and Victoria are both very beautiful. Enjoy the ferry... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: KT Date: 03 Jun 06 - 11:55 PM Uh-oh, Eb, got any rustoleum?? It'll take more than a quick dusting to get my mandolin ready! Jennie, I'm so sorry I'll miss you! I'll be at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend on the fourth! Now, about that parade....(ahem, Ebbie) Ebbie's right (sort of...) It IS a small town parade. That's what makes it so delightful! There ARE fresh flowers (people throw them from the floats, along with a wide assortment of candies) There ARE lots of theme floats, although not nearly as many as down south parades, and certainly not as elaborate. There have been horses in the parade in the past, both privately owned and also an ocassional appearance by the RCMP. But there haven't been horses in several years, as I recall. There is one Marching Band, and I take great care to choose my viewing spot every year, in order to hear their rendition of John Phillips Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever." Thee is also a Bagpipe band which does a great "Scotland the Brave." Ebbie's right.....Juneau people are fond of their parade, as small-town as it is. I don't know of any other single event in town which brings everyone out! (Not even the folk festival!) The fireworks display is usually the night before, at midnight, weather permitting. If it's raining too hard or the cloud cover is too low, the display will be at midnight on the fourth. (They have to wait 'til midnight cause it's not dark enough 'til then.) According to my schedule, you're due to arrive at 8 am and depart at 9 pm. If you do intend to tour somewhere, I'd suggest you go before ten or after one, to avoid delays created by the parade. Have a great trip!! Bon Voyage! KT |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Ebbie Date: 03 Jun 06 - 09:39 PM JennyG, being in Juneau on July 4th you can take in the parade if you wish. Juneau people are fond of their parade but it *is* pretty small-town. (Don't tell KT I said that!) It isn't a whole lot like Independence Parades down south (in the lower 48), for instance, there aren't any fresh flowers, there are no horses, there are not many theme floats. Down south a float often takes a week or more to create- here my guess is that most of them take no longer than two days, if that. I've said for a long time that our music group should get hold of a flatbed truck and make music as we move through the streets. Still like the idea but we've never done it. However, the parade takes about an hour to wind its way around downtown, the crowds are heavy, the mood is mellow and congenial, the weather is usually nice - sometimes hot - there is free bus service to the island across the bridge where there is sand castle building on the beach, children and myriads of dogs splash in and out of the ocearn, there is grilled food available in the shelters. One can go home sunburnt and pleasantly tired. Travelling on the Sapphire Princess - man, it is a BIG one- you will probably get here in the early morning and leave again sometime between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm, depending on the ship's schedule. I would suggest that you NOT sign up onboard the ship for the various activities they promote. It is MUCH cheaper to do it on your own. There is a Visitors and Convention Center downtown who have lots of ideas and in kiosks along the wharf are volunteers who can point you in any direction. In fact, the local woman who makes the smoked salmon that KT and I have taken to the Getaway the last couple of years staffs the kiosk downtown on Tuesday mornings from 8:00 to 11:00 and she takes her duties seriously. (She even has a big red Aussie Shepherd in the kiosk with her- a dog, not a sheepherder). KT, Jan and Eldon are going to get to town on July 4th too; they'll be here about a week and a half. Get your mando ready! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: GUEST Date: 03 Jun 06 - 08:34 PM We are also leaving melbourne on july 4 to do rockies and inside passage.We have 2 days at the end of our cruise in VANCOUVER I am woundering what we can see in those day,s |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 03 Jun 06 - 12:24 AM I am refreshing this thread because we leave for Vancouver in just 3 weeks! We will be in Vancouver from 25-28 June, then in Victoria 28 June-1 July, our Inside Passage cruise sails on July 1 (we will be spending July 4 on American soil in Juneau which will be fun), and spending the night of July 8 in Anchorage prior to our rail trip through Denali National Park to Fairbanks, where we end up on July 13. After that we have to come back to Sydney. Are there any "do-not-miss events" within that time frame? Cheers JennieG....counting down.....22 days to go! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Peter K (Fionn) Date: 18 Feb 06 - 02:09 PM If you're going to do some overland travelling in Alaska, north of the panhandle, there's a very interesting book that will give you some idea of the scale of the territory you're venturing into. I think it's called "Disappearance: A Map" with a subtitle "death and loss in the high altitudes" or similar. It's written by a woman who worked in Juneau. Sorry, I can't remember her name, and I've leant my book to someone so can't check. If you're going to be travelling direct from Anchorage to Fairbanks, you should certainly detour to take in Kantishna and Wonder Lake, at the base of Denali/McKinley - the scenery and wildlife are simply amazing. I would recommend this even if it means you don't make it to Fairbanks, which is not the most exciting place on earth. Wonder Lake is a 180-mile round trip from the main highway, and you have to use the park shuttle-bus service, but you can get off one bus and on to another at various points along the trail. (I had permission to cycle the 90 miles, but had to do a half-day course first, covering things like how to keep food beyond the reach of bears, how to wade across creeks etc.) If you are planning to go overland from Fairbanks back to Haines/Skagway, you'll be going along the famous Alaska-Canada highway, one of the civil-engineering achievements of the 20th century (inspired by the possibility that the Japanese might invade the Aleutian islands during WW2). Again the scenery is breathtaking. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Charley Noble Date: 18 Feb 06 - 10:21 AM JennieG- Part of your homework for your visit to Vancouver might be to learn the C. Fox Smith song "Hastings Mill" which you can find on my website: click here and search for lyrics! It's a haunting love song which also commemorates a prominant lumber mill and shipping point on the Vancouver waterfront in the early 1900's. I introduced it to some folks in neighboring Steveston while I was there in 2005 but it could use some reinforcement. The old mill office was salvaged and moved to a city park further west and is also worth a visit. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: GUEST Date: 18 Feb 06 - 08:49 AM I have the same problems with my ears I have not been able to unpop them for three days |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: GUEST,KT Date: 17 Feb 06 - 02:56 AM You're so right, Jennie. And if you take a flight over the ice field, you'll really find out how very tiny we are. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 17 Feb 06 - 02:51 AM Thanks KT, I just might take you up on that! I have been poring over the brochures and taking in the pictures of marvellous scenery. Many years ago I saw a photo of a cruise ship in an Alaskan glacier fjord - the ship looked so tiny compared to the glacier, and I decided then to go there someday. Those cruise ships are large close up, but so insignificant compared to nature. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: KT Date: 16 Feb 06 - 11:02 PM Jennie, the owner of our local quilting shop is a good friend of mine. Let me know if you're going there! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: katlaughing Date: 16 Feb 06 - 05:55 PM Hey, my sister, bet, worked at Denali last summer! Gorgeous! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: GUEST Date: 16 Feb 06 - 05:39 PM Dont forget to take your vegimite with you ,it is a good talking point .It also come in tubes which are not to bad |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 16 Feb 06 - 04:55 AM GUEST, we may not get to meet, oh dear what a shame! *grin* Our Inside Passage cruise is from July 1 to July 8. We are having a few days in Vancouver, July 25-28, then going to Victoria, Vancouver Island, for a few nights before the cruise. Then we go to Anchorage on July 8, and go to Denali National Park and onto Fairbanks, fly back to Anchorage, fly back to Vancouver, and then (sigh!) fly back home to Sydney. So we will be very busy little Vegemites. So far I have found quilt shops in Ketchiken, Juneau, Skagway, Fairbanks and Anchorage........! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 14 Feb 06 - 05:15 AM Allen you're just jealous!!! Cheers JennieG...aka JR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: GUEST,AD 1943 Date: 14 Feb 06 - 03:55 AM Eeeee bah gooom lass it will be looverly. But who will sit in your chair at Northmead? It were ALWAYS rainin' in Vancouver A friend |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennyO Date: 13 Feb 06 - 09:55 PM Oh good, Jennie. As well as meeting KT, Alaska Mike etc, you might get to meet a GUEST!! Jenny (sitting here with tinges of green on the edges) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Bill D Date: 13 Feb 06 - 09:28 PM I did the inside passage in 1975...from Seattle to Juneau. It is a wonderful, scenic trip. TAKE A CAMERA!. Might be bears, eagles..etc... And Alaska Mike or KT & Ebbie are great folk to know...*smile*. (I never got past Juneau)..... Have fun... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Alaska Mike Date: 13 Feb 06 - 06:09 PM Hi Jenny, I'm in Anchorage. July's are hectic up here, but we would love to meet you and give you the cook's tour. So many Catters have assisted us in our travels we look forward to the time when we can give some of it back. You will love the scenery up here, there's no place like it on earth and July is a great time to visit. Camai, Mike |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: GUEST Date: 13 Feb 06 - 04:39 PM Im going there to we are flying on JULY 4th a bit frightening but looking forward to the trip.We are doing the rockies then the inside passage,we have 2 days in VANCOUVER before we fly to LOS ANGLES for a 2 week trip around south east AMERICA |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: GUEST,KT at work Date: 13 Feb 06 - 04:29 PM JennieG. PM me with details....dates, itineraries, etc. If I'm in town when you are, I'd be happy to meet you! KT |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: SussexCarole Date: 13 Feb 06 - 04:18 PM When we went to Oz I caught a nasty cold & it was touch & go as to whether or not I would be allowed to fly home 'cos of the congestion in my ears. Eventually I was given the all clear as long as I used 'Airplane' earplugs. They were brilliant & I now use them everytime I fly. They regulate the pressure on the eardrum on take off & descent......quite cheap.......but so effective I wouldn't fly without them. Happy flying Carole |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: katlaughing Date: 13 Feb 06 - 02:54 PM Well, let's see, then...going with Bob's tip about Yoga, I found this site which has a bunch of info on motion sickness and treatment, both conventional and alternative. I also found a site which has the Yoga psotures which are found to help. Hope this is encouraing.:-) kat |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 12 Feb 06 - 07:20 PM Bob, On the flight back from Auckland a few years ago the flight attendant plied me with fizzy wine, I think she thought I was tense and needed to relax, but I was actually in great pain! But the wine was OK. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Bob Bolton Date: 12 Feb 06 - 07:13 PM G'day again, JennieG: I seem to remember that the local airlines' used to hand out hard butterscotch (or similar) sweets for passengers to energetically suck - in order to "massage" the ear passages during changes of altitude. I've picked up enough control of those muscles to be able to both 'block' and 'clear' my ears voluntarily ... and this is, aparently, also presented as a Yoga technique (but I don't know its name!). Enjoy the trip Bob |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Bob Bolton Date: 12 Feb 06 - 07:08 PM Errrr... Thread drift from JennieG's northern odyssey ... but: " Hrothgar - PM 11 Feb 06 - 07:27 AM Lucky there's no Maitland ball this year." ... Then, what's the event (26 August 2006, Maitland Town Hall, "7.00 PM until late") that I have been advertising for several months ... or is this just a bit of 'bananabender' disinformation ... ? Regard(les)s, Bob |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 11 Feb 06 - 07:28 PM Thanks Micca, I will. I have also found a Fairbanks quilt guild on line and will contact them too. Kat, I haven't chewed gum for years, I don't like the rubbery texture. Perhaps I will have to learn to like it! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Micca Date: 11 Feb 06 - 01:53 PM JennieG, be sure to try and link up with KT and /or Ebbie while in Alaska if you can, They are among the Nicest ,most Friendly Mudcatters you could meet in a months travelling!! Say Micca sent you!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Hrothgar Date: 11 Feb 06 - 07:27 AM Lucky there's no Maitland ball this year. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: katlaughing Date: 11 Feb 06 - 03:16 AM Chewing gum used to help when we'd trek over the high Rockies in Colorado. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 11 Feb 06 - 12:48 AM Thank you for those contacts Charlie, I will make a note of them, and Kat too. Unfortunately due to lack of time we won't be able to get across to the "other side" much as we would love to! I also have a quilting/singing friend who lives in Vancouver but she will be out of town when we are there. Judy - I have an ear problem with heights, when driving down a mountain my ears don't unpop, they stay blocked and it is very painful. It wasn't a problem until we flew home from New Zealand 5 years ago; flying over was fine, coming home was 3 hours of agony. Ever since then I have dreaded driving downhill and flying. I'm quite willing to take a sleeping pill but I don't know that it will help with the ears. I went to the doctor the other day and he has given me a couple of ideas to try. Now I need to drive to the top of the Blue Mountains so I can see what it's like coming back down! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: katlaughing Date: 10 Feb 06 - 11:12 PM Heya, my sister, Mudcatter "bet" is up "thar." I'll tell her to be sure to check into this thread. Also, in Vancouver, look up Musicman, Paul. He doesn't post much anymore, but he is a superb msuician and, from all accounts, a kind and generous host. My mom went on one of those, years ago, with her big brother. She loved it. Have fun!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JudyB Date: 10 Feb 06 - 09:57 PM Hi Jennie - It's great that you're coming to our continent - but a shame that it's at the other corner of the US from us - if you happen to make it to the East Coast.... It does sound like a wonderful thing to do - Charlie and I made it as far north on the west coast as Vancouver last year, and it was wonderful! As for the flight, I have only one thing to say - sleeping pills! My doctor recommended Ambien (gee, I sound like an ad) and she was right - we got a good 5-6 hours of deep sleep on our most recent flights to and from Australia, and really only dozed on and off on the previous flights to and from Australia. Have a wonderful time! And tell us about the trip - I'd like to see Alaska some day! All the best, JudyB |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Charley Noble Date: 10 Feb 06 - 09:49 PM JennieG- You have plenty of time to follow up contacts. Good luck with that because there are some wonderful music people in the greater Vancouver area. In Vancouver consider contacting Jon Barlett, who sings with the Vancouver Folk Song Society Shanty Crew. If you can possibly schedule a side trip to Victoria (on Vancouver Island) do so and contact Mudcatter "Metchosin" or Bill Huot who coordinates their Nautical Singing Circle. I can't help with quilt contacts in the Pacific Northwest but if you plan a "side trip" to Maine we will show you quilts that will totally boggle your mind. Cheerily, Charley Noble
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 10 Feb 06 - 09:24 PM I am trying not to think of the money.....! but after all you can't take it with you. Ever since I saw a picture of a cruise ship in an Alaskan fiord, years ago, I have wanted to do this. The ship looked large close up but so insignificant compared to the water and glaciers around it. I'll keep you posted! And if any 'catters in that part of the world would like to meet, that would be great. Now to do some web research to find out the locations of quilt shops. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: Alba Date: 10 Feb 06 - 08:30 PM I have only two things to say to you JennieG I'M JEALOUS!!! LOL It sounds wonderful and I am sure you and yours will have an amazing trip. Looking forward to hearing some, if not all of your Travel Tales. Warmest Wishes Jude |
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Subject: BS: Aussie catter visiting Alaska/Vancouver From: JennieG Date: 10 Feb 06 - 08:27 PM I am soooo excited....we have just been to the travel agent and booked ourselves onto the Sapphire Princess Inside Passage Cruise in early July! Our son (Stephen The Drummer) will be working on it for a few months so we thought we would join him for a week. We will be sailing from Vancouver (with a few spare days beforehand), and touring overland to Anchorage and Fairbanks at the end of the cruise. Now I have to sort out the problem I have with my ears regarding heights and descents, and all will be well. It's a long flight from Sydney to Vancouver. Cheers JennieG |
