North to Alaska: Rainy Juneau Tour

April 20, 2018 by Let's CUT the Crap! 25 Comments

We followed the guide past the library and had our first glimpse of the Sealaska Heritage Center but did not enter.

We then heard a fascinating story about Patsy Ann, the famous bull terrier, whose statue sits overlooking the wharf and continues to greet tourists on the cruise ships to Juneau.

A sculpture in honor of early miners in Juneau’s Goldbelt:

I hadn’t thought we’d see so many totem poles. They come in many sizes, colors, and tell many stories. In front of the Alaska State Capitol Building, we came upon this bear state, a salmon pinned to the rock.

Aren’t the mountains in the background striking? And breathtaking?

The road sloped downward and then leveled; the asphalt had no chance to dry from the fine drizzle. Damp and chilled, we trudged on. The buildings are self-evident in the photos.

As the road inclined, traffic was sparse. We scaled the sidewalk road, calf muscles, and glutes hard at work. An unexpected surprise awaited, one I had not considered. I thought the house smaller than I imagined, but I’d compared it to Washington. Big mistake. The Governor’s Mansion lorded the corner, the yard around it less than I assumed fitting, surrounded by high hedges and trees. True, the house did not butt up against the neighbor’s; still, it neither looked out of place nor appeared ostentatious. I recall a story that Governor Palin complained about a writer who rented next door, supposedly snooping on her family to write about them. The distance between the houses may well be deceiving.

Our tour guide’s used wireless audio equipment instead of a bullhorn.

Feverish picture taking and excitement over, the way back overlooked housing, mostly apartments. We turned toward the city center and passed older one family homes, the old mixed with the new same as every other city.

Quick Tips

• Famous for Alaskan Brewing Company
• Red Dog Saloon
• 260 miles of hiking trails
• Franklin Street Historic district
• Mount Roberts Tramway 2,000 feet up
• Humpback and Orca Whale Watching
• Treadwell Mine Ruins (1883 to 1922)

~ * ~

Next on April 27^th – North to Alaska: It’s all Greek to Me

© 2018 Tess @ How the Cookie Crumbles