| We boarded our ship, the Statendam, in Vancouver after an uneventful flight and a well-orchestrated (by Holland America) trip through Immigration and Customs. On the ship we found the usual (lots of food and places to shop) and the less-usual (like a special show by the Indonesian stewards and waitstaff and nightly towel sculptures in our cabin). The most unexpected thing, though, was the omnipresence of hand-sanitizer dispensers, constant injunctions from the Captain to "wash your hands," and the adamant refusal of any of the ship's complement to shake hands, even with each other. | |
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Late-night Indonesian crew show--when DID they sleep? |
Each night was different, from elephant to sting ray |
The first day was very relaxing, as we sailed along the beautiful Inside Passage under dark, but not yet rainy, skies. In our first stop, Ketchikan, we strolled around the town and looked at the totem poles. |
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