Alaska Cruise - Ketchikan 06-22-2012

I thought Sitka is a small city and I did not realize Ketchikan is smaller.

The city of Ketchikan was established in 1887 when a salmon cannery was built at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek.

We took a stroll in the Creek Street Historic District, Alaska’s most notorious red-light district from 1902 to 1954.  The zigzagging boardwalk on pilings above Ketchikan Creek supported at least 30 “red-light business houses” at its height.  We passed by Dolly’s House where Madam Dolly Copeland Arther lived from 1919 to 1970.

Ketchikan was our last stop in Alaska.  Alaska is a very beautiful place!  

 Good bye Alaska; and I WILL BE BACK!

Alaska Cruise - Sitka 06-21-2012

I love the name – Sitka!

Morning, my friend and I waked up with a beautiful scenic view of many small islands around Sitka.  

Sitka has no port.  The passengers have to use tender boats to get from ship to the shore. We could not wait to see Sitka and we were on the first tender boat to get to the shore.

Sitka was the ancestral home to the Kiksadi clan of the Tlingit people.  It was owned by Russian government.  United Stated purchased Sitka from Russian in 1867 by paying $7,200,000 in gold.

Sitka is a very small town with rich Russian history. 

We visited St. Michael’s Cathedral, Russian Bishop’s House, and Sitka National Historical Park.  Sitka National Historical Park is Alaska’s oldest national park built to commemorate the 1804 Battle of Sitka and preserve totem art.

Sitka is a very beautiful and cute city.

Alaska Cruise - Juneau 06-20-2012

We arrived in Juneau at 7:00 am.  Ha!  It was a wonderful sunny day!

Juneau is Alaska’s capital city and home to 38 major glaciers.

My friend and I walked in downtown Juneau and visited St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church.  St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church was built in 1894 and is the oldest original Russian Orthodox Church in southeast Alaska.

After visiting the downtown Juneau, we jumped on the shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier. Mendenhall Glacier stretching over 1 ½ miles wide, it is very accessible glacier.  After the shuttle arrived, we got out of the shuttle and followed the boardwalk to the glacier.  Breathtaking views!  

However, a sad note, my friend told me that the size of the glacier was much smaller than last time she visited about 8 years ago.  We need to learn how to protect our own environment and protect our own earth!  So, the glacier can be seen by the generations to come.