Shampoo Ginger
When we had a bathroom renovated, our contract manager became our friend. Hugo was a great gardener and loved the variety we had planted in our backyard. We shared cuttings and rootings, and he introduced us to Shampoo Ginger, also known as Zingiber zerumbet, pine cone ginger, and pine cone lily.
Our first winter, we thought we had lost the plant entirely to the cold, even though we had wrapped and sheltered it. Late in summer, we began to see signs of life, and by winter, it was fully growing again. By last Spring, we had so many sprouts that we divided the bulbs and shared them with numerous friends. This year, I can see that we will again have plenty to share next Spring. This is a lush, productive plant! We keep ours in big pots because it is a bamboo like plant, will spread out of control if not contained. It loves reproducing!
A bee came by as I was grabbing the photo!
The information below is from our local Extension Office, a part of the University of Florida:
Shampoo Ginger
Shampoo ginger (aka pine cone lily or pine cone ginger) adds a tropical flair to the landscape and can be used in the shower. Its foliage looks comparable to other gingers, but the inflorescence is where it gets interesting. In the fall, the flowers appear within bracts that resemble red pine cones. As the name implies, squeezing these cones causes them to release a clear liquid that can be bottled and used as shampoo!
Characteristics
Shampoo ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) is semi-evergreen and grows in large clumps that are up to seven feet tall and six feet wide. It thrives in zones 9 through 11 and will die back in the winter. The leaves are 8 to 12 inches long and lanceolate in shape. Foliage appears in the spring, and it can be either solid green or variegated depending on the variety. ‘Darceyi’ is particularly showy with green and white foliage.
In the fall, three- to five-inch-long inflorescences resembling pinecones appear on stalks that are just under a foot tall. They start out green with white flowers, then ripen to scarlet and fill with liquid. The cones have a sweet fragrance and are highly favored for floral arrangements. They will persist for weeks if left on the plant.
Planting and Care
Photo courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr.
Shampoo ginger can be planted year-round. It works as a specimen plant, border, or accent plant. You can also plant it in containers indoors or outdoors.
The ideal planting site is in partial shade to partial sun, with moist, fertile soil. Shampoo ginger is moderately salt and drought tolerant. Pests and diseases are rarely an issue, but you may encounter mites. Shampoo ginger makes an excellent passalong plant since it is propagated by division.
Once your cones have turned red, they’re ready to harvest! To collect the “shampoo” liquid from the cones, gently squeeze them over a container. They will refill by the next day if they aren’t squeezed too hard. You can also harvest the cones and then firmly squeeze them over a container to harvest all the liquid. Just keep in mind that the cones will be spent after this method. If you’re harvesting in advance, you can freeze the shampoo liquid for later.
Alaska 2026: A Bonus Day at the Alaska Native Heritage Center
This was an odd day, as we packed out of the Alaskan Jade B&B. Our flight wasn’t leaving Anchorage until 8 that night, so we had time to visit the Alaskan Native Heritage Museum.
As we arrived, a demonstration of traditional games had just begun, and following that, a dance demonstration, with descriptions of the costumes, how they were made and how they were used.
All this was done by a group of young people who were having great fun as they shared their culture and heritage.
We spent an hour watching the games and dances, then toured the museum, and did the walk among the tribal dwellings. I’d forgotten, it was raining lightly. We don’t remember rain on this trip. The photos remind us.
Leaving the Alaskan Native Heritage Museum we headed downtown, looking for the historical museum and for a place to eat lunch.
We walked to the Snow City Cafe, which we had spotted earlier, and were in for one last very Alaskan experience. The place was packed, and we sat at the bar.
Almost all the customers were young people eating breakfast foods (at noon) so we did, too. There was this great party vibe, great coffee, good food in generous portions, and a lot of energy. We were out in our allotted hour, picked up our car and headed south, to find a filling station and head to the airport.
Alaska 2026: Turnagain, Again
More about what True Love looks like. For fourteen years, I have talked about a blueberry pancake I ate in Homer, and how I wanted to eat there again. I couldn’t find it. AdventureMan didn’t give up, he followed all the clues, and he found it. We packed up and as we were leaving, he suggested we stop at this place, Duncan House, for breakfast.
It was in the right location. It had the right feel. AdventureMan found the exact place, and I was able to order the exact pancake, an order known as Bear 1-1-1 because it has one piece of bacon, one egg and one bear pancake with blueberries or chocolate chips. Again, I chose blueberries.
In the Duncan House lot, a new customer drives up . . .
The four-hour trip to Anchorage was all on roads we’ve traveled before, but it didn’t lessen their impact – Alaska is full of stunning beauty. A new perspective, different weather, we see different things.
We had leftover pizza from last night’s dinner at Fat Olive’s, so we stopped along Turnagain Sound for a small picnic en route to Anchorage.
We arrived a little ahead of schedule, but our room at the Alaska House of Jade, an independent B&B, was ready for us, and our welcome was warm and gracious. It is another beautiful, clean, very quiet, and private place to stay. The hosts, Linda and Greg, keep it spotless and in good repair, and have fresh cookies ready on arrival.
Tonight is a special night. We are invited for dinner at the home of a pair of Alaskan doctors, one of whom I graduated high school with 60 years ago. (How can that be??)
We found their house easily, following their instructions. While my friend poached a fresh salmon, his wife showed us her show-stopper garden, full of a huge variety of edible berries and fruits and beautiful flowers.
with the salmon, we had special coated potatos and a Caesar salad. For dessert, his wife made persimmons in yoghurt with a sprinkle of brown sugar. The dinner was delicious, and the conversation was even better. When the evening ended, we had trouble saying goodbye; there was still too much to learn about one another’s lives. The conversation was as delicious as the dinner.
We left with three jars of Alaskan-made jam, made by our friends; we can’t wait to try them and to share them with our family.
These heroes, Bill and Jane, spent their careers in Bethel, Alaska, running a hospital treating mainly indigenous Alaskans, far from anywhere. These are people who believe in public service and have lived their beliefs, serving others.
This is a perfect photo of Mt. Denali which Bill took during one of the rare days when the mountain was not shrouded in clouds.
Alaska 2026: Homer and Love Languages
There are some books out that talk about Love Languages, and they mention five. I actually read the original book and almost threw it at the wall in frustration. It seems so obvious to me – there are thousands of love languages! We are all wired differently, and a successful pairing requires each person paying attention to the small things that matter to the other person.
No! Don’t bring me candy or expensive jewelry! I have particular – maybe peculiar! – tastes.
Love isn’t perfection, it’s abrasive, it rubs off our sharp spots and helps us become easier to live with. AdventureMan has learned a thing or two about me, things I didn’t even know. Keep me traveling. Keep exposing me to new ideas, new sights, sounds, and tastes. I thrive on exposure to new things.
Allow me to break the rules now and then, and eat those King Crab legs, so extravagantly beyond our normal budget. Unexpected kindness is always a love language.
(Aside, Jewel Kilcher, who sings the song with the refrain “In the end, only kindness matters,” was born in Homer. She is related to the Alaska: The Last Frontier Kilchers.)
And this.
It may not look romantic to you.
I have annoyed AdventureMan for years with my need to document, to stop at every gorgeous, irresistible view and take a photo. Sometimes I shoot through the windshield when stopping isn’t possible.
He cleans the windshield.
I don’t ask him; he thinks of it all by himself. He doesn’t do it for himself; he does it for me.
True Love. If you have the eyes to see. If it matters to you, you can see it. True Love.
You’ll have your own definition. True Love is what matters to YOU.
Alaska 2026: Homer Happy Surprises
We are up and eager for our boat trip into the Katchemak Bay. We have cereal and banana, pack up some snacks, and put on our sunscreen. It is not so brightly sunny as prior days, but sunny enough to burn. We find the meeting point, and another couple joins us, then the crew and we get on the boat. Once again, we are four customers and a captain and deckhand.
Even better, the man in the other couple introduces himself and adds “You will notice I have an accent. I am Jordanian.” AdventureMan, ever quick, asks him in Jordanian Arabic “From what part of Jordan do you come,” and we all laugh at his utter astonishment. Once we started talking, we never stopped.
We watched otter, and learned how they attach themselves to the kelp so that they don’t drift too far from their food source.
We saw countless birds, and one great-grand eagle. We saw puffins galore. And at the same time, we were having these conversations, figuring out who we knew in common as we are near to the same age.
We had so much fun with this couple that when the wildlife tour ended, we decided to eat lunch together at Captain Pattie’s on the Homer Spit, a place AdventureMan and I have eaten at on earlier trips to Homer. The wife and I had the Alaska King Crab Legs, which were hideously expensive, but not so expensive as I have seen them in other places, and these were perfectly prepared. True Love: AdventureMan knows me to be a frugal woman. He did not bat an eye when I ordered the King Crab.
I know exactly when I last had Alaska King Crab. It was my birthday, many years ago, and my son and I were staying with my parents in Seattle while my husband attended a military school. As we sat down to dinner, suddenly my husband appeared! He had flown in to surprise me! And my mother served King Crab legs with melted butter, and she made a Baked Alaska for dessert. I must have been 30 years old.
We had such a good meal, and such good conversation. Even the wait staff was part of what felt like a great celebration.
After lunch, we headed out to explore downtown Homer. We ended up at the Homer Farmer’s Market, and oh what fun.
We had thought we wouldn’t buy anything, but I found some Spruce Syrup (like Maple syrup, sort of) and we found some barbecue.
Yes, even though we had just eaten lunch, we knew this BBQ was special, and we ordered up two plates and had them wrapped so we could put them in the little refrigerator and have them for dinner.
They were wonderful! I’d like to say we had them on our deck patio, watching the sun go down, but here’s the problem – the sun doesn’t really go down, or it goes a little bit down but not at dinnertime, more like around two a.m. Even then, as you have seen, it is not DARK dark.
It’s hard to settle down for the evening when it is so light out. We go for a walk in the neighborhood, then come back to catch up – me with my photos and notes on the trip, AdventureMan with his reading.
Alaska 2026: Wonders En Route to Homer, Alaska
We awake to a different day, warm, with fog rising off the water.
We have a sweet farewell breakfast up at Northern Lights B&B (Sarah manages several allied B&Bs in the same area as Front Row B&B) with Sarah, and we pack up for our short drive to Homer.
We have a couple of errands to run as we leave town, and AdventureMan indulges me, I want a photo of the big new cruise ship that has arrived in Seward.
Seward is tourist-friendly, with its train terminal, trolley, good restaurants, and lots and lots to do and see. They recently built a much larger dock, with which to welcome much larger cruise ships. It has caused some controversy, as when a big ships come in, the tourists outnumber Seward residents. Just after we left, the Celebrity Millenium arrived, and sadly, an endangered whale was caught in her propeller, and died, stuck there. Seward loves their whales, visible from most homes and businesses lining the channel. It’s a sad circumstance.
We also need to stop on our way out of town at the Safeway; my lips are dry and I’ve used all my Vaseline. My pens are all leaking on my hands, my purse, ruining anything I write by hand, so I need to pick up some pens I can leave behind. And the local grocery stores are just fun.
Driving past the entrance to Exit Glacier, we get back on Alaska 1S to Homer, spotting elk along the highway and fervent fishermen heading to the salmon-rich rivers and through Cooper Landing and Soldotna.
Heading south from Soldotna, we start to see the far-off beginnings of the volcanic mountains heading down a long chain to form the Aleutian Islands. The day is sunny, and the view is stunning. Every new perfect snow-clad mountain is showing off for us on this gorgeous day.
We keep trying to find a good spot to stop and take a photo – the frustration of trying to capture the wonder of a chain of perfect mountains is a challenge. AdventureMan spots a Russian Chapel and says “Let’s try here!”
We drive down to a church, an onion-domed chapel, and a much larger church overlooking an old village. As I walk out to a vantage point, another group drives up in a van, from one of the cruise ships, to have a picnic on the church grounds. We stroll around, loving the old cemetary surrounding the old Russian church, and the new military veterans cemetary under creation. We’re not that far from Homer, so we head on, gassing up in the roadside version of Ninilchik, at one of the Three Bears (Shell gas) stops we see so often selling gas, groceries, and the variety of items people living in relative isolation might need.
As we come into Homer, still a little early for our hotel, we spot Fat Olive’s. We’ve never eaten at Fat Olives, but we’ve tried, and it has been too full too many times. This time, we are in luck. We are eager for some Tomato Basil Soup. I have something called The Trio, and AdventureMan has the meatball pan, sizzling hot out of the oven. It’s all served with more sourdough bread, so much food that as good as it is, we pack up enough to take with us for dinner.
Welcome to the Ocean House Inn; we can’t get out of the car because there is a moose crossing the parking lot to get to the roses.
The Ocean House Inn is on a bluff, high above the water, looking out at the Homer Spit.
It is small, and beautiful. We love our room, which has a small refrigerator, microwave, and a coffee maker, with some cups and utensils – enough that we can work with. Life is sweet.
We settle in, sit outside on our deck, enjoying not-driving. The sun is shining – this is something to celebrate in Alaska. The mountains across Katchemak Bay are gleaming. We have neighbors, but they are all very quiet.
On our way into town, we got a call from the people we are going on a bay Wilderness Game tour the next day, asking if we would like to be moved to an afternoon tour, they have room. Oh no, we respond, we prefer the mornings. “Uh, OK,” they say. I can worry about anything; I am a little worried the boat is overloaded or something.
We take a quick drive to 2 Sisters Bakery, only to find it closed about ten minutes before we got there, and we hit the local Safeway to pick up some milk and granola. The Homer Safeway is a happening place on a Friday afternoon, and lots of fun.
So late Friday night that it is actually two Saturday morning, I get up to check if I can see the aurora borealis; reports say with sun activity, the borealis should be very active. Alas, at two in the morning, it is not dark, just a glimmery grey and no aurora borealis is to be seen.
You can still see the bay and the mountains. No aurora borealis.
Alaska 2026: Saltwater Tours, Kenai Fjords, Glaciers, Wildlife and Fishing!
As I was fixing a quick breakfast in the upstairs common living room and kitchen, AdventureMan said “Look! They’ve even provided wine!” and I laughed and said “I bet that belongs to one of the other guests.”
Mere moments later, we met Brian, a frequent guest at the Front Row B&B, who represents a wine distributorship that includes Alaska. He joined us briefly as we ate breakfast, and we were having so much fun that we had to hurry to meet our ship.
We were meeting at the big anchor by the Harbormaster’s office. We saw one other couple there, and assumed the others were waiting on the boat. The captain, Stan, and deckhand, Emma, met us to escort us to the boat, where we discovered, no, it was just us and the other couple for the whole day. Also, they had snacks and sandwiches(from Primrose Provisions, no less), coffee, water, and soft drinks. We were all set. (Alaska Saltwater Wildlife Tours).
If you search for Alaska Saltwater Tours in the search box on the front page of this blog, it will take you to the first time we traveled with them, in June of 2014. It was so wonderful in 2014 that we sought them out again, especially to make this trip.
The day is bright and sunny, so sunny that although I hate sunscreen, I had applied it generously. Captain Stan gave us a quick introduction to the boat and boat rules, Emma gave us a rundown of things we could expect to see, and off we went – a glorious day at sea.
Forgive me. I can’t get enough photos of mountains. I can’t help it, the different angles of the sun, the sheer magnificence of these mountains as we rock along, and the sea life! Otter! An otter eating a crab! Whale spouts! Whale tails! Whale and baby whale! It’s one thrill after another.
We can see our B&B from the boat!
We’re not even out of the harbor when we start spotting otter, and whale.
As we go along, Stan and Emma fill us in on all kinds of local lore and tell us more about what we are seeing. It’s a great group and a great day altogether.
Sea Lions sunning on the beach!
Yes, the sea lion is blurry. The boat is rocking. I’m doing the best I can!
Shortly after lunch, we get out the rods and reels and bait the hooks and fish.
Later we head for Holgate glacier, a rare glacier as it is increasing rather than declining. As we watched, a large chunk calved with a loud CRACK! into the water.
And then more fishing, and the fish are biting.
Late in the day, we head back. It is 5 as we near the docks, and behind us are all kinds of day excursion boats, returning home. I am covered with salt from the salty water evaporating on my skin, my Levis are stiff with salt, and I can’t wait for a quick shower. As we reach the B&B, our new friend Brian is on the balcony, beckoning us to come up; he has set up a cocktail hour with some very fine wines, several charcuterie boards, some business friends, and all the guests in the B&B!
As they say in the South, “I look a mess.” We clean us as best we can, make a quick change and head upstairs for this pop-up cocktail hour. We had a lot of fun, meeting our fellow guests. The wine was exquisite and the food was beautiful. It was a lovely way to end a very long day.
Alaska 2026: Hot Times in Seward, Alaska
When we opened our blackout blind (Alaskan summer days are very long, and it stays bright until around midnight. The dark doesn’t last long, and it is light again by 4 am.) we couldnt believe our eyes. It’s our free day – we can do anything! We have nothing scheduled! We slept with the window open last night – it was a hot night, but the open window kept us comfortable.
We walk to another nearby B&B for breakfast; they operate cooperatively under the same management. We met Sarah, our hostess, and once we all started talking, we couldn’t stop. We had so many interests in common! We talked about Athabaskan culture and language, we talked about the importance of friend groups for managing life’s joy and crises, we talked about the love of adventure, and taking calculated risks – we could have gone on and on; it’s wonderful when you connect.
She fixed AdventureMan eggs exactly as he likes them, and thin pork sausage patties. She brought out all the ingredients for home-made meusli, exactly as I make it with oats and nuts and seeds and fruits, so I could watch my blood sugar. She took really good care of us, all the while able to converse non-stop. She was amazing.
We have a map and we want to find the big anchor in front of the Seward Harbormaster’s office; it’s a hike, but we are up to it. As we walk along the lovely smooth waterfront path, I see something I find astounding and wonderful. All along the waterfront are parks – and camping spots. Some areas provide porta-potties, some more permanent restrooms. This is prime waterfront property, and the city has chosen to make it accessible to people who want to visit Seward. Not just a little – a lot of waterfront space devoted to campers.
I also love all the public art in Seward, starting just in front of our B&B with statues honoring original founders and participants of the annual Iditerod race. Seward has several kennels that provide opportunities for vistors to get to know the dogs and their training in pulling sleds across a variety of terrains.
Another thing I love is the sound of seaplanes coming and going. It was a part of my growing up in Alaska, across from a seaplane airport/hanger, and watching the seaplanes taking off and landing from the windows of our home. I haven’t heard the sound for years. and I find it very comforting.
Seward Main Street
Seward’s Pride crosswalk.
The old train station, now a cafe and restaurant with a fabulous view.
Seward also provides a free shuttle, circling to main stops in the community. We want to get to the Alaska Sealife Center, so we hop on the shuttle.
The driver was a man from Utah who was truly impressive as he asked each entering passenger their destination, and once we reached the train depot, also would stop and get out of the bus to load and unload baggage. He had a positive attitude, and was gracious, kind and patient with everyone. Two of the passengers were Native American; they wanted to be let off at the Chamber of Commerce stop which was adjacent the local Safeway. (The Safeway also has a Starbucks.)
The train station was chaos! A hundred people were trying to get their baggage checked for the evening departure. Arriving passengers were seeking their rides to their hotels. Those without pickups got on the bus to be dropped off near their hotels.
Three girls from Mexico got on and sat near us; they were in Seward to catch a Royal Caribbean cruise and wanted to know what to see while in Seward. We told them they were staying in a wonderful area for walking, shopping and to visit the Alaska Sealife Center – where we were getting off!
The shuttle bus let us off at the Alaska Sealife Center, where the 2 Seward girls at the desk gave AdventureMan a double discount for being military and for being a senior, and gave us directions to get us to the Highline for lunch.
We headed upstairs, starting with the outdoor collection of puffins, gulls, and all kinds of seabirds with a rockery and a huge pond, doing what seabirds do. One puffin took a liking to me, coming closer and closer. We later watched them from underneath windows as they dove and swam at amazing speeds through the water.
The next stop was the sea lions, looking like enormous golden sea slugs, but very fast sea slugs, whirling round and round their huge enclosure.
We found a fabulous display of sea terms of measurement, about half of which I knew and several I’d never heard of but was glad to know existed for measuring and accuracy.
We were so impressed with the young people who served as guides to all the dazzling exhibits of sea creatures. They were delightfully nerdy (as a nerd, I use this word with intentional honor) in their knowledge of the most minute details of the creatures they tended, and delighted in sharing their appreciation and wonder for all sea life.
We found another area with sea lions, (or maybe they got to go to this other area for feeding time) and watched for a while as they horsed around (can sea lions horse around? Yes! They can!)
After a thorough tour, we were ready for lunch and walked to the Highline, recommended by both our VRBO host/manager, Sarah, and the local girls at the Sealife Center. There we split a smoked salmon spread with sourdough bread, and a halibut sandwich.
We’d walked several miles by this point, so we walked a little more, back to our beautiful Bear’s Den on the waterfront, and we grabbed a short nap and then headed out to hike to the Exit Glacier, just 8 miles out of Seward.
Exit Glacier has . . . exited. It is in retreat. We walked to the closest viewpoint, but the glacier was too far away, so we walked further and we could see it – divided into two sections now, and continuing to recede. It was a great time to be there, late in the day, all the tour buses loaded and gone. We weren’t alone, but few were on the hiking trails.
One family asked us, as we were returning to our car, if we had seen bear. We told them no, but to keep talking to one another, and if any bear were around, they would wander away.
We had an agenda for dinner. We are heading out on an all day wildlife and fishing expedition tomorrow, and we need snacks and sandwiches. Sarah had recommended Primrose Provisions, a repurposed railway depot, so we stopped there for dinner and to get provisions – but they were sold out of sandwiches.
Did I mention the sun was shining in Seward? It was in the high 70’s F., and people were sporting sunburns? We sat on the porch, drinking good wine, waiting for our dinner to come – an Alaska charcuterie board. It was lovely, with smoked salmon, smoked cod, two spreads, sourdough and strawberries. Beautiful to look at and delicious.
We had only a short walk back to our Front Row B&B, through the small park honoring Iditerod race creators and supporters, celebrating the Seward connection. We need to think about our clothing and day pack for our sea excursion. I needed to make sure I had my fishing license with me!
This was our route for today – the big red dot is the Alaska Sea Life Museum.
Alaska 2026: Denali to Seward, Not That Bad
Our day was off to an inauspicious start; AdventureMan slept poorly last night, and thus, so did I. I also had some concern because I had been without internet and had received no information about how to get into our Seward VRBO. And I wondered if having scheduled a 6 hour driving day was such a wise idea, maybe I stop half way? Once that chain of anxiety gets started, it’s hard to bring it back down.
I was up early and noticed it was a truly glorious day, even better than the day before, not a cloud in the sky. Was it possible we would see Mt. Denali in all its glory before leaving the area? And then AdventureMan woke up and was optimistic about being able to drive all the way, with a stop for lunch in Anchorage. Life started looking a lot better.
Within minutes on the road we were exhilarated. Every mountain was showing off peaks against a deep blue sky. The air was fresh, but not cold. There were few cars on the road. We got to the viewpoint for the north face of Mt. Denali and – there it was! We entered a nearly empty parking lot, but by the time we left, it was like a big party, more and more cars arriving and everyone is excited – the mountain is out! We get to see Mt. Denali!
A Swedish woman saw us doing selfies with Denali and offered to take a photo, then said, “No, that is not good with the fence behind you,” and moved us to another place.
The end of winter in any state our country with snow and ice means the inevitable road work. In Alaska, whole roads can wash out from the winter snow melts.
The second viewpoint was even more crowded – everyone celebrating this great surprising day, after weeks of rain and an extended winter, people were feeling optimistic again. You could even see Mt. Denali from Anchorage.
It was a long day. We stopped along the way at a Veterans Memorial Park to read about Alaskan veterans who had fallen in various conflicts. We stopped for gas. We stopped and took photos, anything to stretch our legs, get in a few steps and break the drive.
We had thought we would have lunch in Anchorage, but as we turned south onto Alaska 1 South, it was all industrial, with a scattering of fast-food places we didn’t want. Then we hit Turnagain Sound, and our hunger disappeared in our wonder at the snow-clad mountains, the long flat inlet and the hope of spotting whales – the scenery was spectacular.
Life is funny. We had thought this would be a hard day, a six-hour drive. We had dreaded it. To our amazement, we are loving this day, full of sunlight on snowy white mountains, a gasp as we make a turn and see another breathtaking sight.
We finally went into Girdwood, a really fun hippy-era town with a lot of highly individualistic inhabitants. AdventureMan spotted a restaurant with a great name, Base Camp, and we decided to check it out.
This is not my photo. I cribbed it from Google. It captures the amasingness of this place.
We hadn’t expected much. It was 2:00 pm and we were starving and just about any place would do. As it turned out, this place was a great find. It was like a big diner, with a wonderful menu, including a halibut main course that came with half a plateful of stir-fried vegetables. I also had a blueberry ale, and it tasted like blueberries! You can see it in the top photo, below.
We were so happy when our plates arrived – full of vegetables. And not soggy, tasteless vegetables, but vegetables that taste so good that you are happy to be eating them! The halibut tasted fresh, and was cooked exactly right.
Everything was delicious, and just what we needed to revive our spirits for the remaining hour and a half of our trip. And we received a text with our instructions for our B&B!
We drove into Seward, carefully following the instructions to our B&B, turned into a house facing a waterfront park, just steps from the historic part of downtown Seward. We held our breath as we entered – and discovered it was all that we hoped for – and more. We looked directly out on a small waterfront park, and beyond that – Seward Bay and and the sunlit snowy mountains beyond. It was stunningly beautiful. The unit was clean and had a full kitchen, heat and hot water, storage, AND fresh orange juice, a basket of blueberry scones, and another basket of fruit awaiting us.
We also learned there was a shared space above us, with a huge, fully supplied kitchen, a living room from which we could watch for whales in the bay, coffee makers and even an entire drawer full of tea bags. After this long drive, we felt we had arrived into our own personal paradise.
We napped. We needed it.
Then we walked up to the main street, passing an old train station, now a restaurant and cafe, and found a wonderful restaurant where we had two of the most delicious salads, ever. Mine was a blueberry quinoa salad, with crispy quinoa, lots of pecans, and lots of blueberries on a mixed salad/spinach base, with a balsamic vinaigrette. Light, textured and delicious – my favorite kind of dinner.
The waiter was from Puerto Rico, working in Seward for the six months of the tourist season, and having a great time. We were so impressed with all the servers we met, from all different countries and states, each excited to be working in Alaska, full of adventerous spirit.
We explored downtown Seward; it reminds me of Juneau, where I grew up, and Edmonds, WA, where I have also lived. Our B&B is just like a corner in Edmonds, right on the waterfront, where traffic is negligible by nightfall.
We were so glad to settle in and get to bed, and we slept ten hours!
Alaska 2026: Gorgeous Day to Explore Denali Area
A whole new day! It’s still only 41 F. but the sun is out, and the sun is shining on the snow on the mountains and it is another great day to be alive in Denali!
We had packed our own breakfast cereal with us, and the tiny store at our hotel has small bottles of milk so we get to have our own breakfast in our own cabin, with wonderful Alaskan roasted coffee for me, and tea for AdventureMan. Mine is an oatmeal mix, so I heated it in the microwave because it is still cold.
We are going to take it easy today, head back into the Park, and visit the Visitor’s Center, watch a couple of their movies and then head up the road to Healy, where there is a restaurant I want to try, 49th State Brewery. It looks like a lot of fun, and it gets great reviews.
Sometimes I drive AdventureMan a little crazy. We were about 15 seconds on the road, not even out of our hotel grounds when I gasped and said “I don’t have my camera!” and AdventureMan concealed his disgust but couldn’t restrain a small choking sound. Gentleman that he is, he turned around and we went back, I ran in and got my camera and we got started again.
As we headed north to the Park entrance, we looked in the rear view mirrors and the sun was shining on the mountains, and we could see the mountain peaks! The peaks had been hidden by clouds the last two days, but today, we have blue skies and dramatic high clouds and you can see the mountains! They are glistening in the sun!
There is a turn off, shortly after we get on highway 3, and we take it, hoping to find a viewpoint, and discover a sweet small park with the beginning of several hiking trails, one of which, the Oxbow Trail, we had wanted to hike.
View across Nenana River of Denali Park Village, which handles tour groups.
It was a beautiful hike, with several outlooks, different views, glorious in today’s sunlight. And ground squirrels, unafraid of us. And rabbits – one of which just froze and allowed me to take photos. AdventureMan said “he thinks if he is so still he is invisible to you.” So after I had taken the photos, I looked away, and when I looked back, he was gone.
The drive to Denali Park entrance was filled with one beautiful vista after another. We were there by 9 and had no trouble finding a parking place, but already people were arriving and the tour buses were streaming in. You have to admire the guides and bus drivers who have to keep it fresh every single day.
We watched an inspiring movie about the sled dogs, and their relationships with their rangers, and how the dogs are a part of the team trying to keep to traditional ways in the park to avoid over modernization and damage to the eco system. Winter, for them, is one of the best times of the year, as they take the dog teams deep into the park to set up remote locations. It’s a good time to be working with the senior dogs, and at the same time to be initiating the younger dogs into the commands, the customs, and the routes they follow. Some of the conditions, especially ice, are very difficult. Life is simple, and hard. Work, food, care, shelter, and time for making the dogs feel appreciated. It was very moving to see how loved these dogs are, and how much they like to pull the sleds.
In another area, we could see and even touch the most basic tools by which early people survived. I’ve had a question about how early people were able to make needles; today I saw how bone was used, and some may have already had holes, but that bone can also be used to pierce bone. I saw how sinew is used as a twine, twisted into rope, and thin sinew can be used as a kind of thread. Moose shins were valuable for weaving, moose skins for clothing and bags. Small rabbit skins for lining wraps for babies.
To me, this is fascinating, how early people survived by inventing solutions to problems with their existing resources. Drying, filleting and smoking salmon to make it last, harvesting and drying berries to get them through the long winters – we take so much for granted, we live among such luxuries. I look at safety pins and think of all the processes that had to be invented before a safety pin could exist. But before safety pins would be buttons, made from bone, with two little holes to allow them to be sewn on with that little sharp bone with the hole in it.
We took a short drive up Denali highway; traffic is controlled, only authorized buses are allowed inside the park past the ranger station, unless you have a camping permit, then you can drive but you are encourage to use the shuttle buses, not drive. They are very serious about preserving the pristine nature of the park.
Yesterday, it was the thrill of the game viewing. Today, it is the wonder of the sun on snowy mountains, a spectacular display.
We need to find gas, and we want to have lunch, so we continue north up Alaska 3 to Healy, where we pass all the way through without seeing the restaurant we are looking for, which is right on Highway 3. We turn around at the end of town, and head back. While AdventureMan fills the tank, Google and I work out where the restaurant is and how to get there.
Even with the directions, we might have missed it. We had to make a left across traffic, and then another left into an area with a hardware store and other businesses, very rural, but then, suddenly, there it was. Their sign shows beer, but the name of the restaurant is very small, small enough to miss even if you are looking for it.
It is a really FUN place, the 49th State Brewery. You enter through a tall log arch into a big outdoor courtyard, with seating in groups around fire pits, or wood fires, and it smells wonderful. Once inside, the decor is a mix of modern and rustic, very hip and current. The menu has so many temptations, but we want halibut and chips, one of the restaurants most famous dishes. They also have Alaskan Red King Crab legs, l 1/4 lbs for $184. Yikes. I have always loved King Crab. $184/lb is a little rich for my blood.
We love talking with all the young people we meet who have come up to Denali to work, some recruited from foreign countries by agencies. We’ve met people from Jamaica, Uzbekistan, Macedonia, Thailand, Bulgaria, and young people recruited by friends in the USA.
Mary, our server today, was told about this opportunity down in Tampa, FL. She called, was interviewed by phone, and told to report for duty in three days! We laughed! I asked her if she had packed the right clothes, and she said no, that she had to order a jacket from Amazon because she had left her own puffy jacket at home, thinking she wouldn’t need it. We love hearing their stories. We love that young people are still up for adventure.
Back in our cabin, we are packing up for the long drive tomorrow from Denali to Seward. We have two campers in the spots next to our cabin, and we understand our privacy has been a great luxury. We are at the very start of the season, and the crowds of people eager to experience Alaska are growing daily.
If we had known how much we would love Denali, we would have given ourselves another couple of days to explore more here, and maybe to make the drive to Fairbanks and North Pole, Alaska (not really the North Pole, but a Christmas driven town.)
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