Ketchikan, Alaska - May 5, 2005

On May 5 we awakened to a less than glorious sunrise and, shortly thereafter, pulled into Ketchikan, Alaska (Tlingit for "Sure..., your money's good here"). No, really, google it. Considering this is the 2^nd wettest city in the United States, the weather was wonderful. Partly cloudy, cool, and perfect for a self-guided tour of the town.

We had hoped to see some of the American Eagle population, but only saw one as it soared near the waterfront. Bad luck, but still, it's pretty cool to see an eagle circling overhead.

Totem poles are everywhere. It appears to be a minor industry in the town, I am just not sure who they sell them to. They do have a "Totem Museum" that boasts the largest collection of ancient totems in the world. Don't expect much, though. The paint and most of the detail is long gone. The curator, however, give very lively and detailed descriptions of the symbols. Almost worth the admission price.

The colorful old houses on Creek Street include Dolly's Whore House (sorry, the working girls are long gone, so, if you want to get screwed you'll have to visit one of the many jewelry shops downtown). Dolly's is the lime green house with a red awning in one of the photos.

Just down the street from Dolly's, Barb pretended to wrestle a bear.

I guess, basically, Ketchikan is just a place, ideally located for the tour ships to bring tourists. I have a feeling that there is a lot to do if you have a day or three. Fishing, hiking, exploring all take more than an eight hour layover.

Oh, Ketchikan was the first time we had a change to get a good look at the Diamond Princess, so I took too many pictures of it. Basically, it a big boat, a really big boat.

Check out the photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31922387@N00/sets/316866/