August 22, 2016

August 22, 2016

During breakfast we saw a humpback whale breach three times, so we eagerly spend the morning watching the sea. We see nothing more. Apparently that whale was teasing us.

After lunch, our ship arrived at our first destination, Juneau, the state capital of Alaska. Steep mountains and a huge ice field face Juneau, so it is not accessible by any road. You have to swim or fly to get here.   Juneau was on our previous itinerary so we just walked around town letting the girls shop.  Once past the tourist zone, we walked a couple blocks uphill to the capitol but find it closed and covered in scaffolding. On the return, we stop in the historic mining-era Red Dog Saloon for a beer with entertainment by a very amusing piano player. 

Just outside the ship, I check out the Mt Roberts Tramway and out of the blue somebody hands me two free tickets. So I grab Aimee and board this over-priced excursion. The aerial lift takes us 1800 feet up the hillside.  At the top we get great views of Gastineau Channel and a bird’s-eye shot of the four cruise ships at anchor. After a quick look around we are bummed to see a long line to get back on the tramway. It is very late by the time we make it back to the ship for dinner.