In the Distance

I have to admit that I spent most of my days plastered to the sides of the ship. If you asked the color of the rug in our compartment I cannot answer but the chairs on the balcony were blue...I couldn't get over the sheer natural beauty that was revealed at a slow pace. This is a landscape untamed...or rather, far from as tamed as the farmland (or former) of europe.

Creek Street

Ketchikan's main mode of survival is tourism. plain and simple. Creek St has the typical Alaskan narrative of unruly past and sordid, lawless activities except that it's all suspended over the creek. part of its charm is perhaps, the dichtomy between the facade and what is beneath.

Mendenhall Glacier

Freshwater glacier

pieces washed up on the shore
a couple of summers ago, I took a cruise to Alaska. as horrified as I still am when contemplating the consumerist/environmental absurdity of huge cruise ships and the accompanying "shore excursions", I was enthralled with Alaska itself. since it was not the height of tourist season, even going to small places was pleasant.


This glacier holds the distinction of being the only freshwater glacier I've ever seen. You can imagine the glee with which I picked up a freezing cold chunk of glittery glacial rock, right? You see, we would be told, over and over again, about the special crystallization pattern of glacial ice since it is condensed snow, but to actually pick a piece from the ground and give myself afterimages from the sun glinting off the circular pits was something else.

Mt. McKinley

panorama of Alaska range with Mt. McKinley remarkably clear near the center to the left

At the top

and the snow was almost perfect

Reflection

Lake Byers, AL

Blue

Denali National Park, Alaska

Peaks

Sunrise

Disappearing

Glacier Bay

College Fjords

panorama

Mountains from the Sky

I moved today. I'm highly disorganized. Thus, some more oldie but goodies.