I simply love Alaska. It appeals to me. Don't ask me why... I'm not entirely certain. Maybe its the pun-friendly names (Juneau, Ketchikan, Bettles, etc.), or the breathtaking scenery, or maybe its just the idea that a place can be so doggone independent that instead of feeling alienated, it refers to everyone else as being in a different category, hence "the lower 48". It hints at the idea that, hey, they're not different, the rest of the U.S. is.
I love that. Spunky. Cheeky. Very cool.
And that is not to say that the people are in any way arrogant or bragadocious. Oh, no. Trust me, I know bragadocious when I see it. No, the best way to describe Alaska is... independent. It's like, "We were here before there was a U.S. government, and if worst comes to worst, well, we'll always have salmon."
And now we get down to it: you cannot, no matter how hard you try, walk down a street in Alaska without some kind of reference to salmon. Try this if you dare: whilst in Alaska, start at a point, draw a straight line, and walk to point B. Before you get there, you will either encounter a reference to the fish, or you haven't left point A yet. Try it.
"What does this have to do with Juneau?", you ask? Well, the aforementioned stuff was just rambling, if you must know. But I feel safely secure I can tie Juneau in because Juneau is the capital of Alaska, is stunningly beautiful, its name is pun-friendly, is inhabited by a friendly-yet-independent people, and it's mayor is a salmon. A very nervous salmon.
The city isn't very large, and many of the residents work for the government. And did I mention that they now have a McDonalds? This may not seem like a big thing to you, but its opening required traffic police.
Now if you visit, there are some things you must do. You need to visit Mendenhall Glacier, which is wonderful, and while on the way, depending on the time of year (I visited during the month of August) you can look in any stream and guess what you will find? Salmon, that's what. You will also find that bears love to come down from the mountains during this time of year and help themselves to the bounty. Being in such close proximity to bears would freak me out, but the Alaskans seem to have made peace with it.
You can also check out the cruise ships in the summer. They are fun to watch as they come into port. The passengers from the cruise ships swell the numbers of Juneau during the day, but because the ships leave at night, Juneau remains relatively the same size. It's like the city receives a morning tidal wave of nylon and brylcreem, and then the evening tide takes it all away.
I would also be remiss if I failed to mention that there is also numerous hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and river rafting opportunities.
Because I'm dangerously close to sounding like a brochure here, I'll have to procede carefully. Here's something removed from a tour-guide playbook:
The crime rate is low. Think of it. There is only one airport, so if you commit a serious crime, where would you go? Any flights to Seattle can be shut down in an instant. I suppose you could fly in the numerous amphibious aircraft into the interior of the Yukon, but that isn't necessarily a good escape. Which brings me to my next point: Many Alaskans have their own planes and fly them in a grandiose ballet that the FAA would probably best classify as: "emboldened".
All of these things endeared me to the place. I regret that I wasn't able to see it in the winter. Perhaps someday I will be able to.
So, long story short, I liked Juneau. I like Alaska. I hope to go back. They say that in West Texas, if you wear out a pair of boots, you'll stay forever. And if you're anything like me, and you stay in long enough in Juneau, you won't want to leave. And you'll know a whole lot more about salmon.
I love that. Spunky. Cheeky. Very cool.
And that is not to say that the people are in any way arrogant or bragadocious. Oh, no. Trust me, I know bragadocious when I see it. No, the best way to describe Alaska is... independent. It's like, "We were here before there was a U.S. government, and if worst comes to worst, well, we'll always have salmon."
And now we get down to it: you cannot, no matter how hard you try, walk down a street in Alaska without some kind of reference to salmon. Try this if you dare: whilst in Alaska, start at a point, draw a straight line, and walk to point B. Before you get there, you will either encounter a reference to the fish, or you haven't left point A yet. Try it.
"What does this have to do with Juneau?", you ask? Well, the aforementioned stuff was just rambling, if you must know. But I feel safely secure I can tie Juneau in because Juneau is the capital of Alaska, is stunningly beautiful, its name is pun-friendly, is inhabited by a friendly-yet-independent people, and it's mayor is a salmon. A very nervous salmon.
The city isn't very large, and many of the residents work for the government. And did I mention that they now have a McDonalds? This may not seem like a big thing to you, but its opening required traffic police.
Now if you visit, there are some things you must do. You need to visit Mendenhall Glacier, which is wonderful, and while on the way, depending on the time of year (I visited during the month of August) you can look in any stream and guess what you will find? Salmon, that's what. You will also find that bears love to come down from the mountains during this time of year and help themselves to the bounty. Being in such close proximity to bears would freak me out, but the Alaskans seem to have made peace with it.
You can also check out the cruise ships in the summer. They are fun to watch as they come into port. The passengers from the cruise ships swell the numbers of Juneau during the day, but because the ships leave at night, Juneau remains relatively the same size. It's like the city receives a morning tidal wave of nylon and brylcreem, and then the evening tide takes it all away.
I would also be remiss if I failed to mention that there is also numerous hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and river rafting opportunities.
Because I'm dangerously close to sounding like a brochure here, I'll have to procede carefully. Here's something removed from a tour-guide playbook:
The crime rate is low. Think of it. There is only one airport, so if you commit a serious crime, where would you go? Any flights to Seattle can be shut down in an instant. I suppose you could fly in the numerous amphibious aircraft into the interior of the Yukon, but that isn't necessarily a good escape. Which brings me to my next point: Many Alaskans have their own planes and fly them in a grandiose ballet that the FAA would probably best classify as: "emboldened".
All of these things endeared me to the place. I regret that I wasn't able to see it in the winter. Perhaps someday I will be able to.
So, long story short, I liked Juneau. I like Alaska. I hope to go back. They say that in West Texas, if you wear out a pair of boots, you'll stay forever. And if you're anything like me, and you stay in long enough in Juneau, you won't want to leave. And you'll know a whole lot more about salmon.
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