Alaska, Day Six

 Early in the morning, the host of our Air-BnB drove us to the ferry terminal on the other side of the bay.  Where were we headed on the ferry?  Skagway!

The Alaska Maritime Highway System is a ferry service that takes cars, trucks and passengers around the southern coastal area of Alaska.  Our voyage from Juneau to Skagway took about five and a half hours.

What does one do on a five and a half hour ferry ride?  Stand outside in the bow of the boat and take photos!  Are you ready for a total photo overload?

Eleanor was so excited!

I could never get bored with the beautiful views.  Blue sea.  Craggy snow capped mountains.  Forests of evergreen trees.

Leaving Juneau.  The ferry terminal is north of Downtown, nearer the airport.

Passing the area where the Shrine of St. Therese is.

    

 Sentinel Island Lighthouse in the Gastineau Channel

Built in 1901 and activated in March 1902 to provide safety for all the Klondike Gold Rushers navigating the inside passage.

We continued sailing north and came upon another lighthouse about thirty miles north of Sentinel Island.  Eldred Rock Lighthouse.  Built in 1905 with an octagonal frame.

I won't bore you with the other six photos I took of this beautiful lighthouse.

The ferry system is well run.  And the cafeteria served quite tasty food.  During our times of sitting inside, we met a lovely couple from Israel sitting near us who, like us, travels independently and makes their own plans for transportation and accommodations.  When we were outside or in the cafeteria, they would keep an eye on our luggage, and we did the same for them.  That's another benefit of travel--meeting people we would never encounter in our daily lives.

The only town we stopped at on this ferry route was Haines.  Vehicles and passenger unloaded and others loaded at the ferry terminal which was about four miles from the actual town.

The last leg of our journey was from Haines to Skagway through the Chilkoot Inlet.

Nearing Skagway at the north end of the channel.

We arrived in the afternoon on an unusually sunny day.  We disembarked and made our way along the boardwalks and streets to our hotel room, unloaded our bags and went searching for dinner.

Alaska, Day Five-B

 In the late afternoon, The Professor and I decided to walk up the hills to Cope Park.  Gold Creek, which empties into the ocean channel near the whale fountain, flows from above Downtown Juneau.  Cope Park is bordered on the north side by Gold Creek passing down the mountain.  Seeing the creek was worth the steep walk up to the park.

Where Gold Creek runs down into the channel...

As we walked back to Downtown to eat dinner in one of the wonderful restaurants, we passed these flags which decorated the streets.  Just another beautiful reminder of how proud the people of Alaska are of their 'forty-ninth' state.

Busy Busy Fave Fives

 I can't believe how fast this week whizzed by.  We were busy.  I hardly had time to sit down at my computer and check in on all my favorite blogs.  But.  Today is the first day all week that there is nothing on my calendar.  That doesn't mean we won't be busy at home, but at least our schedule doesn't require us to be somewhere.  Finally, I am taking a deep breath, drinking my coffee slowly, relaxing while I think back on my week and remember blessings from those busy days.  Friday Fave Fives is important to me to make me mark those blessings in writing.

1.  Work is being done on the outside of our home.  The paint on the facia around the windows and at the eaves and on the columns at the front door have worn away on this twenty-six year old house (although we have owned it for only six of those years).  A friend of ours who is a retired firefighter has a painting business now.  And he has the equipment to climb up on our second story walls and work up there.  We are so thankful for finding a reliable and thorough (and careful!) painter.  An added blessing to that is his daughter helps him some days and she is the girl who is married to one of our informally 'adopted' grandsons who we have known for more than twenty years (from our days living in Los Angeles) and they are now living here in Ohio just walking distance from us!

At his wedding, waiting at the front with the minister...

2.  I finished Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte just in time for the Well Read Mom meeting at my daughter-in-law's home.  I really enjoyed reading the book.  And the discussion opened up even more about the book that I had missed.  I understand more now about why Jane Eyre is my friend Sarah's favorite book.

3.  Have any of you my readers ever heard of the Nightbirde Foundation?  It is named after Jane Marczewski whose stage name was Nightbirde.  She auditioned on America's Got Talent in 2021 and got a Golden Buzzer.  However, she withdrew from AGT and passed away a few months later from breast cancer.  Her brother Mitch who attends the same church as we do founded Nightbirde Foundation in her honor.  The foundation gives Gift of Hope boxes filled with care packages especially designed to help and encourage women undergoing cancer treatment.  One item that is in the box is a knitted hat.  Off the Hook foundation provides those hats, and I have joined the local group to make hats (we use knit loop frames).  We meet once a month to bring the hats we've made during the month and to double check that we are making them according to the guidelines.  I am enjoying making the hats and knowing they are going to bless someone who needs the encouragement.

4.  The butterflies, bees and birds are busy in my garden.  I love watching them all stock up on their pollen and sugar calories as they face winter coming soon.  The hummingbirds and butterflies will be leaving soon on their flights south.

5.  We've had some amazing sunsets this week.  Just one evening we were able to take our neighborhood walk and it was beautiful.  Yes, that's a cornfield on the right.  The huge field just north of our dead end street is owned by a non-profit that preserves land for paths and reserves and will never be developed.  I am so blessed to live in a beautiful area.

Bonus:  one morning The Professor and I visited our downtown area called Canal Market to attend Veteran Stand Down which is an event to provide veterans with all kinds of information and to find whatever help is needed.  As a Vietnam veteran, The Professor always try to attend and encourage the groups and the other veterans.  As I was standing looking north through the alley, I noticed our county courthouse and a flag.  The whole downtown area has many murals on the walls of the old buildings.  I snapped this photo because it was just perfect for the day.

That's my week.  How was yours?

A Reminder to Be Thankful

Today is a hard day for Americans.  Twenty five years ago, the US was attacked.  Many people died.  Planes crashed.  Everything changed.  Nine Eleven.  Where were you?  It was one of those moments when you will always remember where you were.  I had just returned from a trip to Rome with my older daughter Deb (Rocket Scientist Girl) and was planning to fly home to Portland, Oregon from Los Angeles.  Obviously, my flight was canceled and I had to make other arrangements.  Two days later, I boarded a bus and rode it north on a twenty-four hour trip.  Thankfully, I arrived in Portland safely.  Where were you?

1.  I began this Friday Fave Fives with remembering September Eleventh Two Thousand One-- 9/11-- because I am reminded that I am so blessed to live in a safe country protected by a strong military.

2.  Deb's birthday was in August and we were in Alaska, so we celebrated her birthday on Saturday night with dinner at Olive Garden.  Presents.  Conversations.  Even a few extra guests.  It was a great way to celebrate her.

3.  How did you spend Labor Day?  We didn't do much during the day, and then at the last minute, we decided to have a bonfire and invite the family to join us.  The weather was perfect.  And we didn't cook anything (except s'mores) as we chose BYOD (bring your own dinner).  The Professor and I ran to the pizza shop but it was closed, so our second choice was P*nda Express.  An added benefit is that we managed to eke out THREE meals for each of us over the next few days.  I love sitting on our patio in the evening and watching the embers in the firepit.

4.  Tuesday evenings are always Trail Life.  The Professor is a leader and our grandson Liam is part of our local troop (Older grandson Nathan has aged out now that he is eighteen).  The troop met at Dillon Lake State Park which is near our city to play disc golf.  I joined them, not to play with them but to walk around the campgrounds and enjoy the beauty of this lovely park.

5.  Medical appointments.  Our dentist appointments went well.  Good news!  Also, I had an appointment with my dermatologist and she is happy with the progress I've made in managing all my allergies.  I am thankful for good health and for the excellent health care we have. 

Alaska, Day Five

On Day Five, we didn't have plans to drive anywhere.  We decided to stay in downtown Juneau, so we walked down the steep hills from our Air-BnB and grabbed our morning coffee at Heritage Coffee. 

Our view as we left the Air-BnB

Every morning we walked past the city museum where this totem pole is displayed.

Then we wandered down to the pier where ALL the cruise ships were showing up.  Even though we tended to avoid that busy area, there was something we wanted to do there.  Kooteeyaa Deiyi, the Totem Pole Trail.  There are twelve large (tall) totem poles erected along the wharf and park.  Each one was carved by an artist from an Alaskan Native clan, including the Tlingit, Haid and Tsimshian clans.  At each totem there is a plaque that gives information on the meanings of the symbols and the name of the artist.

There is an Alaska Native Community Center in Juneau.  And of course, there are totem poles .  And at the Sealaska Heritage Institute.

In the park at the end of the Totem Pole Trail, there is more art.

A boat

It's not a whale breaching in the bay.

It's a fountain.

I love this sign!  This is exactly what we were experiencing in Alaska.