We flew into Anchorage a few days prior to our cruise departure. First stop was going by the Aurora Fine Art Gallery, that my friend and mentor, Aurora Bull, had told me about. We took the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Talkeetna, which is a quaint artistic town. In Talkeetnawe found a sweet quilt shop called The Patchwork Moose that provided the best souvenir of a northern sky fabric panel to make a keepsake throw. The blue skies were clear; therefore, we were able to see Denali from the point.