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.

Alaska, Day Four-B

Before I share photos of our next stop, I want to explain something about Juneau. Although it is the capital of Alaska, there are NO ROADS in or out of the city/borough.  If you want to visit Juneau or if you live there, you need to fly in or out on an airplane or take a barge, ferry or cruise ship.  There are only about 200 miles of city maintained roads in the whole area.  Why?  I asked The Professor (he know everything). I assumed it was because of the mountains surrounding the city.  But he said that it is more likely the glaciers that isolate Juneau.  You can blast through mountains but not glaciers.  The fact that there are cars, trucks and trailers in Juneau means that every one of them arrived on a ferry or barge.

So... as we left Mendenhall Glacier National Park, we turned north away from the direction of the city and drove a few miles to the National Shrine of St. There's.  The road beyond this location goes only about ten more miles and then dead ends.

We did not think we could visit this place until the night before we drove to the glacier.  Since we had rented the car and had it for the whole day, we decided to drive up to the shrine.  It did not disappoint.

Located on the shore of Lynn Canal, the shrine's views of the sea were amazing!

The property was bought by the Catholic Church in the 1930s and the chapel which was built in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The interior of the chapel was quiet and calm.  Candles were lit so we knew there had been people visiting before we arrived.

A quote from St. Therese's autobiography The Story of a Soul.  "What really matters in life is not our great deeds but our great love."

After visiting the chapel, we walked the rather hilly path for the stations of the cross.

Eleanor wanted her photo taken at Station XV and asked me if Jesus died for bunnies, too.  I answered, "Of course, He did!"

After we walked back down the hill from the stations, we noticed a labyrinth near some of the other buildings nearer the parking lot.  Why not walk it, too?  So we did.  I will admit that we got a bit dizzy with all the 90 and 180 degree turns.

That was enough walking for us for the day.  We drove back to downtown Juneau and returned the car.  Of course, we still had to walk back down the several blocks of very steep streets to find a restaurant that served dinner.  Salmon fillet or fish and chips?

Alaska, Days Three and Four-A

Day Three. Sunday. Not many interesting photos. Because what we did was hop on a bus  and attend a local church in Juneau.  That sweet girl and her three boys we met in the Seattle airport? They attend that church. So we sat with them during the service and then they invited us to their home for lunch.  That is Alaska hospitality at its best.

In the late afternoon we did wander around downtown Juneau and mingled with the thousands of visitors coming from the cruise ships. Sometimes there were five cruise ships docked on the wharf!

Day Four. We rented a car for the day and drove up to Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls which is part of the Tongass National Forest. Now I will overwhelm you with photos.

Mendenhall Glacier!  It is a 1,500 square mile Glacier just twelve miles from Juneau. There is a trail that you can walk from the visitors center to a viewing area.

First view from the parking lot.

The Glacier flows into Mendenhall Lake. 

A creek along the trail.

Nugget Falls also empties into Mendenhall Lake.  377 feet!

Do you notice all the people standing at the foot of the falls? That's how high the falls are!  Actually the people are on a pile of rocks in front of a pool separating it from Mendenhall Lake, so they are safe from the rushing water.

This shows just how high the falls is.

Walking back to the car through the woods and past the streams was soothing and relaxing.

And the flowers

Our last view of the glacier and the waterfalls.

Then we climbed into the car and headed to another place...which I will share in the next post.