The ferry dropped us off at 11 pm, so our first order of business was to find the campground where we were to spend the night.  Remember, it’s not really dark outside this time of year, more like a deep blue-gray.  We located a spot, put up our tents and that [... Home to Skallywags]]]>

The infamous Soapy Smith's gravesite.

The ferry dropped us off at 11 pm, so our first order of business was to find the campground where we were to spend the night.  Remember, it’s not really dark outside this time of year, more like a deep blue-gray.  We located a spot, put up our tents and that was it.
I was looking forward to finally seeing Skagway.  All the other times I’d taken the ferry, I’d always gotten off in Haines because it’s almost 100 miles closer to Anchorage.  I was intrigued with the history and the characters of the place. Who isn’t interested in the gold rush and ___ characters like Soapy Smith?
We headed downtown and were dismayed to see that this sleepy little town was overrun with tourists.  There were no fewer than four cruise ships in port, and they had vomited thousands of people covering the downtown area.  It made it seem like we were on Main St. Disneyland, and we were not pleased. 

The visitor’s center and some of the interpretive buildings told the story of the Dawson gold rush and explained the rules and regulations imposed upon the treasure seekers by the Canadian Mounties.   It was fascinating seeing the wagons loaded with 2,000 pounds of provisions that they were required to lug over the pass.

However, after about an hour of tourist dodging, we decided to head out of town, stopping at the old cemetery.  No, we didn’t leave all the tourists behind, because one of the tours made this a regular stop, with guides dressed as period narrators to get your imagination flowing.  We marveled at the hero’s statue (Frank ___) who happened to be the man who killed Soapy Smith, to put an end to his terror.  He was lauded as a hero even though he, too was a conman and thief.  Then we made note of the other, lesser known graves, visited the waterfalls, and headed out of town
Skagway, for me, was a tad disappointing because I had expected the wooden facades, the interpretive centers, sure, some tourist shops, but not 4,000 plastic bag carrying cruisers.

After having lived in Alaska for eight years, I’ve run into so many people who have taken Alaskan cruises. It’s the thing to do. Um, not for me. We’ve taken the Alaska ferry system (Alaska Marine Highway) numerous times and it never ceases to be less than [... Who Needs to Cruise the Alaska Highway?]]]>

Canadian lighthouse we pass on our way to Alaska.

After having lived in Alaska for eight years, I’ve run into so many people who have taken Alaskan cruises. It’s the thing to do. Um, not for me. We’ve taken the Alaska ferry system (Alaska Marine Highway) numerous times and it never ceases to be less than amazing. The ferry dock is located in Bellingham, Washington. I’m not sure how people get to it. There must be some form of public transportation from Seattle or SeaTac airport, because there are often about 200 walk-ons.

We have always driven and taken our car on board. The first time we took the ferry, we went ahead and got a stateroom, because the girls were with us and they were young. There are two different staterooms, one with four bunks and a bathroom, and one with two bunks and a bathroom. It was nice having our own facilities, but certainly not necessary. Instead what we do now is rush to the top of the ship to the Solarium. There we scope out a good spot, snag a lawn chair, and set up our sleeping bags. Once claimed, no one bothers your stuff. Some people put up tents on the top two decks, and that gives them a little more privacy, but we’ve always been happy with the deck chairs.

The ferry leaves Bellingham and, after about two days, makes its first port of call at Ketchikan. While the ferry is off-loading and then on-loading, passengers may leave the ship on foot. This is good for those that brought animals, because they can go get them out of the hold and walk them on grass. Usually the ship is in port anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. We got off in Juneau and Ketchikan, and then we off-loaded at the end of the line in Skagway. On board, there are many things to do.

There is a forward area where a park ranger holds various talks; there is a bar; a cinema which plays movies (usually for kids); and there are two places to eat, a cafeteria and a restaurant. People also bring their own food and keep it in their cars, staterooms, or lockers as well. For walk-ons, there are free showers and there is even a coin laundry. Really you are quite entertained and well taken care of while you are on board. Two of the best parts of the voyage are the scenery and wildlife viewing and getting to know the other passengers.

The solarium where we slept on deck chairs. You can see the heaters and the few tents that were also on the deck.

On this past voyage, we saw eagles, porpoises, whales, and sea lions. Some of the passengers we met were families moving to Alaska with the military, a dad and daughter motorcycle team, and we had a blast with a bunch of Coast Guard sailors as well. On a previous voyage, we met some other great characters, and one story, in particular sticks with me, and I think it really demonstrates how well you get to know people.

There was a single woman with two children who walked on board. She had not had a wonderful couple of years, and her husband had left her, she’d lost her job, and things were just not going well. As she was struggling, she started corresponding with an old high school sweetheart, who had moved to Alaska to live off of the land. He kept inviting her to come, but she was reticent. Did she really want to move away from everything she knew, pack up her kids, and move to Alaska? It sounded risky, but after she’d lost her job, she figured why not?

She and the children were in the Solarium, and were reduced to eating cereal. She had spent her last dollars on her passage. None of them complained, and even though the kids ran around a little, they were pretty well behaved. We arrived in Juneau, and we had three hours. However, the ferry dock is 18 miles from town, so there really wasn’t much to do, except order a pizza. This we did, and then we ate it sitting in the waiting room with about 30 other passengers. The woman and her children were there, and they were also waiting. They were waiting to be picked up by this man, her savior.

After fifteen minutes and the pizza was all gone we just sat there and waited, and waited. No one came. It was getting close to the time that we were supposed to be back on the ferry, and still no one came. The woman, trying not to let her worries show, tried calling on the pay phone again and again. All of us were getting so anxious. We didn’t want to leave this woman and her two children to an unknown future. We were all sitting there; no one talked; we just kept hoping and willing this man to come. With about about five minutes left to get on the ship, in walks this huge mountain man, complete in leather duster and wild hair down past his shoulders. He strides in; she runs to him. He picks her up and twirls her around. He looks at the waiting room and apologizes for his lateness. We all breathed a sigh of relief, loaded the boat and left for our next destination.

These are just some of the reasons you should take the Alaska ferry. It’s an unforgettable experience.

One weekend we drove down to Portland to visit some relatives and do some shopping since there is no sales tax in Oregon.  Well, you just can’t go to Portland and not go to Voodoo donuts.  The directions are simple enough; it’s right downtown.  However, for us it took a couple of turns [... Indulging at Voodoo Donuts]]]>

Voodoo Donuts...in Portland!

One weekend we drove down to Portland to visit some relatives and do some shopping since there is no sales tax in Oregon.  Well, you just can’t go to Portland and not go to Voodoo donuts.  The directions are simple enough; it’s right downtown.  However, for us it took a couple of turns around the block to find it.  Why?  Because it’s so small.  There is only a small sign noting its existence, but then again, there was a huge line of people waiting to get in.

The voodoo doll donut, chocolate on the outside and raspberry jam on the inside. A must have!

Ok, so I knew it was a donut place, so I’m envisioning a sort of Starbucksy-like interior with comfortable seating, coffee, and yes, donuts.  Um, no.  It’s just donuts.  Walking up to the door to find out that the wait was at least 15 minutes, I was surprised.  The interior area was too small to accommodate more than say 10 people, so most of the line was outside. 

When we finally were able to walk through the door, we noticed it was basically a big warehouse, with many carts filled with donuts.  There was one display case that showed you examples of what you could have, one blackboard menu that listed the items, and there were some paper menus as well. 

It was a little overwhelming to say the least.  Everything sounded unique, but is unique really what you want in a donut?  Turns out it is.  We tried some of the favorites, the Butterfinger, the voodoo donut, the Fruit Loops, and the maple bacon bar.  All were delicious.  I can see why they remain so popular.  Even though the donuts were good, I’m still not sure I would get married there.

Check out their website and see what they offer.  It was definitely worth a stop to see one of Portland’s icons.