9/1/2010
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| Back on the Columbia River in Washington? |
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| We were right IN this park! |
We slept all through the night last night. Not sure how with them using the side thrusters to go through 2 locks, but we did it. We woke up to a very overcast morning. Today we are to dock in Richland, WA. So, we still have no idea what it looks like where the boat turns from the Columbia to the Snake, or vice versa because it happened in the dark while we slept. Too bad. We woke up on the Columbia as far as we know because it was very populous again. Anyway, after 7am breakfast we disembarked in Richland at Howard Amon Park and boarded buses for an hour-long bus ride to Walla Walla. (I love saying that over and over. And so must they!) By the way, we learned during our bus ride this morning that in the language of the natives who were found living here that walla means water. They called this place Walla Walla, which meant "land of many waters". Now you know.
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| a short walk past the beach and into the parking lot |
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| Whoa! Walla Walla! |
We visited Ft. Walla Walla museum, had lunch at Backstage Bistro, wine tasting at area vintners or shopping in Walla Walla, then bus back. All aboard is 10pm. So we stayed docked at Richland and we are free to wander Richland for our evening activity. This is the first place we have docked since we started that is a nice accessible port. What I am trying to say is that evidently this is a city park- with a dock area (like where we boarded in Portland) and not a commercial shipping port like all the rest we have used thus far. It should be nice. It has been a little too much of a herding experience for us so far! We could use some independent time to roam free at will. Of course, with the jet lag, it is not certain that we would have taken much advantage of the freedom to come and go independently ashore, but we prefer to have the option!
So, it turns out that we sailed North on the Columbia River from the Snake and so we are beyond where we left the Columbia last, if that makes any sense. (I have a map that they handed out to everyone on day 1 and told us to keep on us to follow our progress. I will see if I can scan it and post it at some point to illustrate our progress.) Alison told Debbie when she asked about where we were this morning that they had negative feedback about the crushed car port at Burbank/Pasco and decided since they could go a bit out of their way and spend a day dock docked in front of a pretty public park they would do it. Nice. Anyway, this is known as the Tri-City area of Richland, Kennewick and Pasco. We spent all day away though and got back aboard at 5:30pm, dinner is at 6:30pm and all aboard and sailing is 10pm. The park is not well lit at night, so still not much to see, but we did walk up to the Community Center and use their free wi-fi. There were locals right down on the dock at the gangway the whole time we sat and watched. When we walked off after dinner, a family approached and asked how much it costs to have dinner. I tried to explain that it is a weeklong cruise and the cost, but English was not their first language and I’m not sure if they ever understood.
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| Walla Walla Vintners |
It has been another long day. We spent the morning at Ft. Walla Walla Museum. It was a collection of restored historic buildings and farm equipment. There were some amazing quilts made from cigar lining material, which I had never even heard of, but they were spectacular. Frankly, it was the best done museum of its type I have ever been in. The most extensive antique agricultural equipment display I have ever seen. It was very impressive and kudos to them. We then drove to Walla Walla Vintners and saw some vines and wandered. They only make reds and then even though our population was permanently spilt evenly in 2 today, the tasting room was really too small for all of us, and since we don't even really like reds, I left right away. Clay stayed and said he tasted 3 bad wines there! They did not sell many bottles at any rate.
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| Statue of Marcus Whitman |
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| Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, Washington |
Then we drove to Klickers Fruit Stand where people got fruit, candy, ice cream, etc. Clay had a pistachio cone. Finally, we got word that the first group had left the Backstage Bistro restaurant in downtown Walla Walla and we headed there. Don had pointed out the 1928 Marcus Whitman Hotel as a destination for wandering while we were driving around killing time. It was about 6 blocks away. We had lunch and they freely poured white wine from the Bergevin Lane winery we had yet to visit and it was very good. They also poured a Reserve red from this morning's winery that was better than anything they poured Clay in their tasting room. You have to wonder what the thinking is in not offering your best as sales samples. The food was quite good as well.
After lunch, we loaded the bus again and went to Bergevin Lane Winery right near downtown, which meant no vines like this morning, they just process there. So, they walked us through metal vats and oak barrel rooms, etc. They only poured one white in their tasting and several reds. We bought a bottle of $16 Calico, a blended white that we had for lunch. Alison told us to give whites to Benedict the bartender and he would have them iced for dinner and Cruise West charges no corkage fee. Woohoo, because we finally saw a wine list last night and the Firesteed Pinot Gris we have been drinking and not much liking is $28/bottle. (BTW, Oregon has no sales tax. Washington does. Also, mentioning that Cruise West charges no corkage fee reminds me that they do not charge postage if you drop their post cards in the mail box by Ali’s office. I mailed a couple to Mom and Grandpa, so we’ll see! I picked up some extras for Clay to address, but he hasn’t done it yet, so if you are reading this because of your relationship to Clay, you shouldn't get your hopes up for a Cruise West Spirit of ’98 postcard arriving in the mail ever!) We then took the bus back to within a couple of blocks of Backstage Bistro where we had to be back in 45 minutes to meet the bus back to the boat an hour away.
So on our own for a bit, we walked down to the old Marcus Whitman hotel, walked through the lobby and gift shop, walked in and out of a few more shops, made a few more purchases, Clay had a peanut butter cup ice cream cone and I had a sliced up Washington caramel apple and then back on the bus. (There was a sweet shop called Bright’s mid-way down the block and across the street from Starbucks. They were making caramel apples and must have had hundreds of them made. It was amazing. We were wondering how much demand they had or what the deal was. Then at lunch the next day some people on the first bus told us that they were making cotton candy the same way when they went it earlier and they asked and they were building such huge supplies of goodies for their annual Fair and Rodeo this weekend!) We had Alison in the afternoon again and she again showed a video. This one was about the Ice Age flood that carved out the Columbia River Gorge. It was interesting. We got back on the boat at 5:30pm. Almost time for dinner and then we hope to walk up to the Richland Community Center after dinner to get on the Internet and hopefully post this. I am afraid photos may have to wait for another time. Sorry!
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| I'm back in my favorite spot! |
So, we’re back from Richland Community Center. Other Internet business took precedence in the short time we had allotted and we only got a rough draft of day one posted. The rest and photos will have to wait 'til either the road trip portion or more likely after we get back home. Sorry!
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| Here I am, in the dark, by a Sturgeon! |
On the walk through the park in the dark, I noticed some fish statues in the children’s play area. They appeared to be life-sized adult salmon and a life-sized full-grown sturgeon. We’ll have to see how they look in flash photos because we could barely see them in the dark. Now, Clay had walked through this play area at least twice in daylight, finding the free wi-fi zone. BUT, he never noticed gigantic fish!?! Honestly! We couldn’t tell if they were funny, or impressive or artistic, or realistic. We do think they were probably about life-size based on what Alison told us on the bus ride past the fish hatchery at Bonneville that we didn’t have time to visit. Too bad, that would have made a nice bracketed set of photos with giant live fish and like-sized fake fish. Oh well. Hmm, you be the judge, I still can't tell: funny, artistic or realistic? All of the above!
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| In the dark, Clay says "sit down"... on a Salmon! |
