We boarded the newest ferry, the Fairweather, for the trip to Juneau. Built in 2004, it is a catamaran type and quite nice. Not true to its name, it rained a good portion of the way. We did see some whales--they sure have fun in the wild!
We are staying at the Alaska Hotel which is on the National Historical Registar--on the third floor. They are keeping it up pretty well and it is right in the heart of downtown. A block to the water and a few to points of interest.
Today it was raining hard so we set out on a walking tour to the state capitol. They give tours then let you wander the building. It was built as the territorial government offices and when Alaska became a state, was converted to the capitol building. It has no dome. From there we went to the Alaska museum and that was very interesting and the couple of hours spent there allowed the rain to slow to a mist.
In the afternoon, we took a shuttle bus to the Mendenhall Glacier. The snow field is tinged with blue and has a bright blue center near the water. Quite impresssive, but gives one pause to think about how it is receeding. There is a photo taken and placed where the glacier was in 1952 and it seems to me that it has receded a long way in 60 years. There were several trails around the area that we walked. Earlier in the day, bears were spotted, but we didn't see any.
Tommorrow we keep exploring Juneau.
1 comment:
Lots to see in Juneau and surrounding areas. Mom used to live across the channel in Douglas. There is a courthouse in downtown that is named after my grandfather - John Dimond. I haven't been back since 2002 when my grandmother died. You can always visit the Shrine of St. Therese... my uncle has put a lot of work into the area - it is quite beautiful there and near the water. Not sure if there are shuttles as it is past the airport towards the valley. Hope you enjoy the visit - regardless of the weather!
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