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| SUNRAYS OCTOBER 2014
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
F
or one dozen Sun City residents, the
adventure began as an extended
travel offering in the
Sun Rays
. But,
as we discovered Alaska by land and
sea, it became the trip of a lifetime.
Our trip began in early August.
Though all of us shared the same
destination, some travelers’ journeys
began earlier than others, withmany
couples allowing extra time to spend
a few days in Vancouver, British Co-
lumbia. Rated as the world’s third
most livable city, our breath was tak-
en away by the contemporary beauty
of this modern metropolis. Situated
right on the waterfront, the weather
in Vancouver was comfortable and in
the 70s. Stanley Park – an historic
natural oasis home to over 200 spe-
cies of birds and half a million trees – was
within walking distance from the hotel,
and we enjoyed walking among gorgeous
flowers, totem poles, and the area’s rich
history. Also, you could ride through the
park in a horse-drawn wagon!
On August 8, we were able to start board-
ing the Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the
Seas cruise ship which was docked in Van-
couver. The weather was sunny and warm,
and it was exciting to find our stateroom
and explore the ship. For two Sun City
travelers - Rick and NancyWagoner – this
cruise was their very first, which made
things even more exciting! As the
ship cruised along on that first day,
we found there were loads of activities
we could do by the pool or, if we so
chose, we could just enjoy the leisure
time. Amy, our upbeat Cruise Direc-
tor, headed up a welcome party with
music and dancing by the pool.
The next four days were spent visit-
ing many ports along the Alaskan
Panhandle, including Ketchikan
(also known as “The Salmon Capi-
tal of the World”); the Icy Strait
Point of Hoonah; Juneau, Alaska’s
capital city; and Skagway, home of
the Yukon Railroad. Though there
was rain, it didn’t stop our adventurous
dozen. We whale watched, explored the
cities by foot, train and tram, attended
a salmon bake, discovered history in
Alaska Adventure!
By Janice Boak
PHOTO courtesy of rick and nancy wagoner
Sun City travelers enjoy a bite to eat in the Gold
Rush Dining Room.