DAY FOUR - JUNEAU ALASKA

JUNEAU, ALASKA

Day 4, Wed. Aug. 20th, Juneau, Alaska



The only capital in N. America, you can't reach by road. Alaska's state capital has more than 100 miles of pavement around it, but none of it goes anywhere! Bank robbery is nil, because it's hard to escape! Also, we didn't know it at the time, that McCain would choose his running mate, Palin from Juneau, or we may have gone to look for the Governer's mansion. I hear they are trying to get roads in, but the problem of so many avalanches in the area where the roads would have to go is a big concern.


Juneau is a strange little capital. In the winter it's a beehive of legislators, and lobbyist, locked in political struggles. Then no more then leave, then in May, the cruise ships arrive with swarms of of passengers. It's the most geographically secluded state capital in the country, the only one that cannot be reached by road, only boat or plane.


When gold was discovered in 1880 it started the first gold-rush to Alaska, with prospectors rushing to stake claim





Among the Alaskan capital's most famous historic residents, Patsy Ann, was a familiar friend to every citizen and visitor during the pre-WW11 years. A pedigrree English Bull Terrier, she was born in Oregon (1929) and came to Juneau with the Keyser family, who gave her to Episcopal minister. How the deaf do did it, is a mystery, but she acquired the mysterious habit of appearing on the dock whenever a ship was coming into port. A statue on the quayside honors her memory and Tom was giving her a little pat on the head.

We woke early and went to the Rotterdam (fancy restaurant) for breakfast. I had my favourite, egg's bennie and Tom had kippers! YUK! I was to meet Chris from the photo shop at 10am and he was to take me shopping for my charger to where he thought they may have it for sure. So with much hope, off we go. Juneau is a really nice port, with lots of little streets and where we had to go was UP a steep hill. I was puffing and huffing, and when we got there, was disappointed to find out that this store had these chargers on order for a year now and they still hadn't arrived. If he had them, they where $80.00! However, they phoned another store and voila....they had a universal one that may work. Chris had to get back to the ship, so he gave me directions of "turn left at the corner, then hang a right, another left, take the street that veers to the left and just down the hill on the left hand side, is the store. We said goodbye, and I thanked him so much for his kind care, and then tried to remember the directions. I remembered the first turn left, but forgot what came after that! I forgot the name of the store!! I was lost, so I rambled and hunted and finally found it and asked if someone had just called a while ago about a charger and when he said yes, I was certainly very relieved. Anyway, I got this universal charger with was $18.00 and was as happy as can be....let the holiday begin!!!

The temperature had to be high 70's in Juneau which is unusual, so it was nice to look around. Juneau is surrounded by high mountains and very pretty. I returned to the ship, found Tom and out we went together. His leg hasn't really improved much and he's feeling a little down and disappointed. We looked around a little and I knew his leg was hurting, so decided to wait by the dock and I could scoot around the shops. I had bought a few postcards, then discovered I forgot my address book. Damn!! I was hot and tired and returned to try to find Tom. I spotted him and what a welcomed sight he was. I took this picture which is really my very favourite of him.

Here's a few more photo's I took on my excursion around Juneau. Here's a pile of whalebones.

So, we go back aboard and see three more ships have arrived, one is right back to back with us. The town looks like a zoo with all the tourists now. So, we go have an ice cream cone, and go up to the top of the ship to the Crow's Nest for the view. Then wander the ship. Tom goes back to his room to watch CNN and I go and sit out on the deck and enjoy the warm weather. We havn't seen Linda and Ken yet, as they are out on an excursion to the ice fields, that we will also see soon and to a salmon bake. I heard after, that they cook the salmon on a big BBQ and when its taken inside, for the tourist to eat, a bear waits until the coast is clear, comes down and licks the BBQ clean. The cook says, he never has to clean it, the bear does it for him!

We meet up with Ken and Linda and go for dinner in the Lido and talk about our day. We are all tired, but enjoying ourselves. There is no good entertainment tonight. They are showing a movie!! A MOVIE...gads, it must be hard to get entertainment to come to Alaska! Off to bed, and tomorrow is Skagway.