First, in answer to many questions about that last post: Yes that really is Neil in a suit and tie!!! That image is not photoshopped! The suit (and some of our other “warm” clothing for the trip) was purchased at a thrift store in Seattle the day before the trip. The suit coat and vest have since been passed on to Neil’s son-in-law Greg who is delighted to have them. (Greg looks great in them, by the way.)
After a day at sea, our first stop was Ketchikan, Alaska. Ketchikan is known for fishing, timber, and rain! It is listed as Alaska’s wettest city, with on average, 13 feet of precipitation annually. And it didn’t let us down. Neil, Mom and I donned our rain coats and headed out. We even bought an umbrella later on (yep, we found a thrift store in Ketchikan). That purchase was well worth it since it brought us the gift of sunshine for the rest of our trip!
The Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian were native to this part of Alaska. Their culture is honored in town with parks and some exhibits such as the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, the Totem Heritage Center and the Salmon Hatchery and Eagle Center. We enjoyed touring through the informative Discovery Center with its exhibits on the natural environments, flora and fauna, as well as the area’s cultural and developmental history.
Mom then headed off to shop and we continued our walking tour, off to see the famous, or should I say infamous, Creek Street. Many of the streets used to be wood-planked due to rain and mud. And the available places to build were limited by the mountains surrounding the town. So they just built one of the streets out over the creek with houses right on the wood planks. Creek Street became the red-light district in the early town history. Today it is filled with tourist shops and restaurants.
But Dolly’s house, home of one of the most famous madams in the heyday, has been refurbished for touring. We skipped the tour but a scantly clad “lady” was in the doorway to tempt you inside as we walked by. The creek itself was incredibly picturesque with the moss covered rocks lining the sides. We just stood and listened to the water flow by this gorgeous view.
It was raining so heavy through much of our walk around town that we didn’t dare get the camera out. Our photo journal is a little limited here.
We celebrated Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, as we sailed away from Ketchikan while viewing the stunning panorama of the town and Gravina Island on the other side.
