Day 11 continued Alaska Sea Life Center /Train Trip back to Anchorage

                                                Tuesday 9/2/14

Our days are so jammed pack that I  need to divide them!  

After our taxi ride back from Miller's Landing on Lowell Point, we had time for lunch before Kim and Terry left for their Sled Dog Tour with Turning Head Kennels. We opted for Thorn's Showcase Lounge and Restaurant, the taxi driver's recommendation. Mike and I split a "Bucket of But"  ~ a large portion of fresh halibut chunks. The halibut was deep fried but not breaded/battered. We thought it was good but a little dry, probably because we are used to having fish breaded when it is deep fried. Kim and Terry had the special, halibut sandwiches, and both said they were very good.

          After Lunch, Mike and I headed down the street to check out the Alaska Sea Life Center. Open since May 1998, The Alaska Sea Life Center, on the shores of the Resurrection Bay,  is one of the only non-profit organizations in the world that has both a public aquarium, fully supported research facility and a permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility all in the same building. It is affiliated with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and collaborates with numerous state, federal and international agencies and universities.  Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement funded the  $37.5 million cost that was  dedicated to research and rehabilitation.
  I didn't get  a lot of pictures; my camera battery died.
 ( I had 2 camera's, multiple batteries and SD cards but this time I did not plan well!)  

 We headed back to the Edgewater Hotel, just a block away, to pick up our luggage. They were kind enough to hold it for us after we checked out in the morning and headed off for our planned activities! Another shuttle bus ride, the town has a small school bus that stops at posted spots to get the tourist around (Just like Old Forge!) It brought us down to the boat harbor where we would meet up with Kim and Terry and off to the train depot! Time for one last look at the boat harbor from Chinook's right on the water! The train was scheduled to leave at 6pm and arrive back in Anchorage at 10:15.

 

 

The train goes through some pretty steep switchbacks that takes the train back and forth up a steep grade. In the picture to the left, I am on the train, taking pictures of the engine from 4 cars back. Now that's a curve!





It was a pretty quiet trip back. The
train was less crowded than on the way down and after long couple days, I think we were all tired! Pictures are taken from in the train along the Turn Again Arm. The pictures don't do justice to the sun setting in the distance.

Arrived back in Anchorage and back to the Creekwood Inn for a 

good nights rest before heading North tomorrow morning!