Month: May 2019

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Driving North to Alaska with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

That’s right.   We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, two humans and one dog drove back to North Pole, Alaska.   We were gone for over a month and had a great time.   We needed to interview and choose a new realtor in North Pole, Alaska.   We have mom’s brother’s house that needs to be sold, so we drove directly to North Pole.   That is a town near Fairbanks, Alaska.   Not much stopping on the way north, but we do have a few things to show you along the way.   First photo stop was in Dawson Creek, Alaska.

Beginning of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, B.C. Canada

This is the official  beginning of the Alaska Highway, or the Alcan (Alaska Canadian highway.)   Here we are at the official beginning.   Nearby is an older sign post, covered with stickers from earlier travelers.

Sign with stickers from previous travelers

And we don’t want to forget the statue of the surveyor.

Honoring the surveyors

Surveyors were very important during the building of this highway.   Soapy Smith Duck’s mom and Soapy’s dog, Chloe, are wandering around near the Visitor’s Center in Dawson Creek.

Dawson Creek

But we are a little concerned.   Chloe, our traveling dog, is part pit bull, and Dawson Creek and other Canadian cities have restriction for pit bulls.   We are not sure if part pit bull will be a problem, but we won’t stay long in towns with these restrictions.   Chloe is in the blue Jeep and ready to go.

Chloe is ready to leave Dawson Creek

As we drove north, with the exception of the day we left Denver, we had snow every day.   Some days just a little, and a couple days quite a snow storm took place.   We spent one night here at Northern Rockies Lodge.

Welcome to Northern Rockies Lodge

This is a beautiful log building on the scenic Muncho Lake.

Northern Rockies Lodge

The dining room looks through the trees and onto Muncho Lake.

Dining room with windows and a beautiful view

Today, May 2, the lake is frozen.

Muncho Lake is frozen

We will return here in 2 1/2 weeks and we were amazed at the difference.   But more about that later.  On this road trip there are three of the Colorado Traveling Ducks.  We are me, Zeb the Duck, Soapy Smith Duck and Eider Duck.   Eider Duck lived most of his life in Alaska, so he was very eager to return for a visit.    Closer to the lodge, Chloe and Soapy’s mom arrived up the path from the Muncho Lake.   We didn’t drive very far today.   We spent most of the morning and early afternoon enjoying walking around the lake and soaking in the wintery scenery.   We love Northern Rockies Lodge.

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Near the Melia Nassau Beach Resort with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

Our all inclusive resort has everything, so no real need to leave, but, of course, ducks want to explore a little.   Across the street from our resort is a small market.    And, check this out.

Daiquiri Shack

We have a Daiquiri Shack.   And, of course, more shopping opportunities.

Shopping opportunity

Even if we don’t buy, we enjoy talking to the venders and looking at all the interesting things available.   From our resort, Melia Nassau Beach Resort, we like to walk along the beach, passing a few other resorts.   A very nice lady was selling items here.   We liked the masks and she let us sit by the masks while mom took our photo.

Nice masks

And she offered much more than masks.

So many things

She was a very nice lady.   And what better way to relax on the beach than in a hammock.

Relaxing in a hammock on the beach

We three ducks, love hammocks.   Of course with so many humans on the beach and in the ocean, they needed the help of the Colorado Traveling Ducks.

Colorado Traveling Ducks helping lifeguards.

Here we are on the lifeguard stand.   As you can see here, the beach in Nassau is beautiful and quite wide.

Wide beach. Not crowded now.

Not too crowded either.   But, let’s tell you the real reason we are in Nassau now.   Remember when we first arrived we said there were other humans we knew and some we were meeting for the first time.   One of our Colorado Traveling Ducks, Bucket Duck (he wears the red tie) lives with his dad.   We are here for a wedding.   Bucket Duck’s dad got married here in Nassau on the beach at sunset.   There were 18 humans and 3 ducks here for the happy occasion.  We had a wonderful time.   Everybody here was so nice and friendly.   After the wedding, everyone stayed a couple days.   The guests returned home and the happy couple spent a couple days in Miami, Florida, enjoyed a Caribbean cruise, then a few more days in Miami and finally home.   The sunset wedding was beautiful.

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A Day in Nassau with Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck

Today we left our resort, Melia Nassau Beach Resort, rode a public bus to the town of Nassau and did some exploring.   Nassua, in The Bahamas, is a popular cruise port.

A Carnival cruise ship in port today.

Today this Carnival cruise ship was in port.   Near a cruise port, we often find Señor Frog’s.

Señor Frog’s for food and fun

Here it is.   People can sit on this deck, looking to the Atlantic Ocean and enjoy a meal and great entertainment.

Let’s go to Señor Frog’s

This is the entrance to the restaurant and the gift shop.   We love Señor Frog’s.   In a square near Señor Frog’s, facing the ocean, handicraft vendors offer items to all, locals and tourists.

Shopping available here

Nassau is famous for the Straw Market.

Famous Straw Market in Nassau

Let’s look inside.

Looking into Straw Market

Booths are at the entrances, tempting tourists.   Inside the large building, we wandered along some long aisles.

Explore long aisles of Straw Market

One side of the straw market opens to Bay Street.   The other side opens to the cruise port.   When in Nassau, take some time to wander through the Straw Market.   It has everything.   Bay Street is the main shopping street in Nassau.

Bay Street

Here are some of the shops catering to cruise passengers and all tourists.   Many of these shops have stores in several cruise ports.   The horse drawn carts are always fun on vacations.

Horse drawn carts

If you have time, take a ride in Nassau.   We strolled the streets and approached Fort Fincastle.

Fort Fincastle

Constructed of cut limestone around 1793 an strategically located atop Bennett’s Hill, Fort Fincastle protects historic Nassau town and the harbor.   Of course, any place tourists gather is an opportunity to shop.

Shopping at Fort Fincastle

Behind Fort Fincastle is the Queen’s Staircase.

Queen’s Staircase

These 66 steps were carved from solid limestone rock by slaves in 1793-1794.   It is believed that these stairs were carved to create a direct route from Fort Fincastle to Nassau City.    Later asphalt was used at the bottom of the stairs and one of the steps was buried.   This staircase was renamed for Queen Victoria who reigned in Britain for 64 years from 1837-1901.  These chairs, also carved from limestone, make a convenient, if not soft, resting place.

Chairs

We can see that creating this staircase was a huge, difficult job.

Tall, steep limestone walls

The steep walls of limestone on either side of the staircase are impressive and intimidating.  Heading back to Bay Street, we passed the Bahamas Historical Society.

Bahamas Historical Society

When in Nassau you can pass the time shopping, or explore much of the history of Nassau and the entire area.   Back on Bay Street we stopped at Parliament Square.   The pink buildings were constructed in 1815 by Loyalists.

Senate Building in Parliament Square

Donations from the public, in 1905, paid for the statue of Queen Victoria.   Many citizens held the Queen in high esteem.   Today, the senate still meets in the Senate building, which is behind the statue.

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Melia Nassau Beach Resort with Colorado Traveling Ducks

We are on the beach in Nassau in The Bahamas.   Just a little east of Miami, Florida in the Atlantic Ocean, I am loving this vacation.   From the airport we arrived at our resort.

Melia Nassau Beach Resort

Melia Nassau Beach Resort

This really looks like a place we will all have fun.   Our home for the next 5 nights.

Melia Nassau Beach Resort

There are other people here that we know and some we are just meeting for the first time.   The first large vacation group for we three ducks.   After checking in, we went to our rooms and this is the view from my balcony.

From my balcony.

What a great view.   We are going to love it here.   Looking around our resort, we love the pool, bar and ocean so close.

Pool bar and pool waiting for us. Beach just a few feet away.

From the same place, just turning a different direction, you can see the beach, the lounge chairs and even a waitress willing to bring us a cool beverage.

Our beach is right here.

Wonderful.   We ducks, Zeb, Soapy Smith, and Bucket Duck really love the beach.

Lounging on table under palapa.

Here we are on the table beneath the palapa.  Although it seems unlikely, but after a day on the beach and perhaps too much sun, as the sun sets this hot tub is wonderful.

I love hot tubs

We only used it a couple evenings, but it was delightful.   On the beach in front of our resort, jet skis are available to rent.

Jet skis available

I love jet skis, but we didn’t ride on them this trip.  Guess we will need another beach vacation soon.   And more toys to ride.

Something new to ride

There is always so much available at the beach.   Floating and lounging are favorite pastimes at the beach for many humans.

Floating and relaxing on the water

This resort is great.  This is an all inclusive resort, which means there is no reason to leave, but we plan to go to town one day.  But it is hard to leave the beach.   There are many restaurants available; many activities day and night.   We are only staying here 5 nights, but what a great time for everyone.

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Clean Teeth in Rangely, Colorado with Zeb and Chanel

I, Zeb the Duck, and my friend, Chanel, the Bear, are in Rangely, Colorado.

Rangely, Colorado

It is February, snowy and very cold.   Rangely is in the mountains of northwest Colorado, close to the Utah and Wyoming state borders.   Chanel’s mom’s granddaughter is studying to be a Dental Hygienist.   This is a three year program, and Hannah will graduate in a few months.   We came to visit Hannah.   But first, let’s look around Rangely.   The Main Street Cafe serves great food, but it was too cold to sit outside today.

Main Street Cafe

We went inside and enjoyed our hot chocolate.   It even had fresh whipped cream, but the humans started eating whipped cream and drinking the hot chocolate, without even taking a photo.  Our first night in Rangely, we dined at Agave, a Mexican Restaurant.

Agave Mexican Restaurant

We met Hannah and her roommate here for dinner.   Again, delicious and again, eating and not taking photos.   Chanel and I tried, but those humans were not listening to us.   Now about that snow.

Snow pile

The small parking lot had been plowed and this is the resulting snow pile.   Huge piles of snow are fun to play on, but sitting on snow gets cold.   Many buildings have murals painted on them, but this was one of our favorites.

Mural on building

We stopped at Sweetbriar.

Sweetbriar

A wonderful shop that offers gifts, home decor items and floral arrangements and supplies.   Scented candles seemed to call us.

Scented candles at Sweetbriar

They are pretty and smell so good.   And this.

Gourmet confections at Sweetbriar

Gourmet confections are always a treat.   And home decor.

Love and Dreams home decor area

Love and dreams are always popular.   We really liked Sweetbriar.   Mom bought some body scrubs.   Good choice, mom.   Useful and they smell good.   Let’s go visit Hannah.   Hannah is a dental hygienist student.   She is required to find her own patients, so our moms are here to be Hannah’s patients.   The appointments were Tuesday and Thursday, so we stayed in Rangely a couple nights.   This is the Dental Hygiene Clinic building at the university.

Dental Hygiene Clinic

Inside the moms got very thorough dental exams, x-rays, evaluations and teeth cleaning.   They also purchased some professional strength teeth whitening strips.   The moms were very happy with their dental experience and both thought Hannah was wonderful–and gentle.  Also on campus, we saw this ice tower.

Ice column

This ice column is for learning and practicing ice climbing.   Heading back to our car, we passed this cute picnic area.

Relaxation and picnic area

Again, another place to relax and enjoy spring weather in a few months.   This road trip was to see Hannah and get teeth cleaned, but enjoyed seeing so many other things and meeting some wonderful people.   We love road trips.   Tell us about some of your favorite road trip experiences.