Ketchikan, AK

Friday August 2, 1991

Woke up in Ketchikan, Alaska. At 9:30 we took a bus ride around town to the fish hatchery (salmon) and Totem Pole Park.

Then we did the last of our shopping in Alaska. Lunch on the ship was buffet. We pulled out of Ketchikan at 2:30 p.m. heading back to Vancouver. I feel more rested today. Slept well last night for 8 hours.

Our ship went into the "Misty Fjords". It was beautiful. It had stopped raining by then.

Dinner was lovely with filet minon steak. We have had every imaginable dessert this week. I have had 2 with every dinner and one or two at lunch and sweet rolls at breakfast. We only made it to one midnight buffet and we ate very little.

I've never been on a cruise but I know they have a reputation for wonderful food, including desserts. What I do know about the ports, having been to Alaska on the ferry 3 times, is that next to the docks where the cruise ships come in is row after row of funky souvenoir shops selling T-shirts, key chains, and other corny items, most of which are overpriced. We would avoid the areas around the docks for the same reason we left Skagway when the cruise ships arrived: there were crowds of people everywhere. In the evening after the ships left, it was nice and peaceful, and since the sun doesn't set until midnight in the summer, we still had lots of daylight to explore the town and surrounding area. Rather than spending one day in each port, we stayed for 4-5. Although we loved the history of Skagway, mostly we were amazed by the beauty of Alaska. If we do take a cruise to Alaska someday, it will be in order to see Glacier Bay.