Blogs from Sitka, Alaska, United States, North America - page 3

Geo: 57.0531, -135.33(Sean here.) As we have begun the marine portion of our voyage, I must take a moment to paint a picture of our strange and quirky lives as sailor vagabonds on the Alaska Marine Highway System. Personally, I have not been on a cruise liner before, so the sea life to me is a new experience and it is without a doubt a unique way to see Alaska's inside passage.Currently, we are cruising on the Matanuska Ferry (in service since 1963) and ripping through the Inside Passage at an average pace of about 15 miles per hour. Yes, that's right; we are going to travel from Haines, Alaska to Bellingham, Washington at the speed of a casual bike ride.To begin, the boat is fairly well equipped for a "ferry" . . . we do ... read more

Yesterday, when Val and I came out of Victoria's Restaurant ( a place that looks like it was a bordello during the gold rush days), there was a small blue and white bus right outside. We had planned to go to the Raptor Center and needed to take a taxi because it was outside of downtown Sitka. We asked the driver if the bus went out there and he said ," No, this is the Blue Line. You need the Red line. Hop in and I'll take you to it." The fare was $1 ( for senior citizen)! He yakked away the entire ride. We just nodded because there were several very stern warnings about 'not talking to the driver,etc.'. He brought us to the harbor, giving us all kinds of personal info: I'm 74, I've ... read more

Mariner passes by small, heavily forested islands as we approach through Sitka Sound this morning. Our destination? An Alaskan town where Russian influences mix with the Tlingit Indian culture in a scenic setting. While many passengers have chosen water or land adventures, Alan and I are taking a break from sponsored excursions. Sitka is just the place for a long walk on a beautiful, sunny day. After taking the tender to town, we walk past St. Michael’s Cathedral before browsing the gift shops. Continuing through the harbor area, Alan and I soon reach Sitka National Historical Park. Inside, Tlingit craftsmen demonstrate woodcarving, mask making and other native crafts. Eighteen totem poles decorate the forested trails of the park. Although signs warn of bear encounters, Alan and I are disappointed when we don’t meet any. Walking on ... read more

Today marks the countdown. Officially, I will be in China in less than a week! So exciting. I have a mess in my living room. Clothes, meds, and bags spread everywhere. It's been that way for a week or two now. I figure if I look at the stuff enough, I'll be able to figure out exactly what will make the cut. Make it to China that is. The comfy neck pillow? It takes up so much space... But I'll be flying for ages! Figure in all of the dodgy accommodations and train rides and I expect that it may be given a coveted space in my new "Beast" duffel/backpack. It is a huge bag-but more importantly-light weight. I don't plan to fill it. I plan to keep it under 20lbs AND make it fit in ... read more

Five am came early this morning, as I suppose it does every morning. We grabbed coffee at the campground office and headed to the Ferry Terminal about 5 miles away. Two hours before the ferry leaves, you need to check in and get a lane assignment. There we sat, in our lane number 5, until about 7:30 am. We are on the Fairweather today, which is a high-speed catamaran ferry. It is quite nice and comfortable, but unlike the Malaspina, it has only one passenger level and no wireless internet. We sat at a table where Dave read his book and I worked on my blogs and pictures to get them ready to send, when once again we find a hotspot. We had breakfast and lunch on the ferry and the food wasn’t that bad for ... read more