Ketchikan

Ketchikan

Our first port was Ketchikan,  known as the “Salmon Capital of the World”. Now it seems like the jewelry capital.  Evidently people cruise solely to buy jewelry.  They even had seminars in where to shop...we had other things in mind, we're in Alaska for heaven's sake, let's see some nature and culture!

Creek Street

So we left the area near the cruise docks, which is all jewelry and souvenir shops, and headed up hill. Creek Street is a street of little houses that were all brothels until 1957. I guess the fishermen needed to fill their spare time. It's all jewelry and souvenir shops now, but very quaint.

Ketchikan Creek

Past Creek Street is Married Man's Trail, where men could escape up the mountain if there were raids on the brothels, so we decided to hike up the trail.

View from Cape Fox Lodge

At the top of the trail is the Cape Fox Lodge with amazing views of the town, and our ship. A little trek to get up there, lots of stairs, but worth the view!

 

We also saw quite a few Totem Poles, carved by the natives of the area. We were very lucky with the weather, being in the Tongass Rainforest and one of the rainiest towns it didn't rain a drop and wasn't too cold.









We finished our visit to Ketchikan with lunch at the Alaska Fish House, where I had the freshest halibut fish & chips I have ever had and Chuck had salmon tacos, amazing for someone who doesn't like fish.  The food was incredible!