Is it day 4? Nothing in the adventure area but some ..events. We decided against the ‘tours’ instead wandering on our own.  S has super book called “the Alaska cruise companion” ($2 in an op shop) . Just enough and more than we need to know about the coast. So we found Creek Street in Ketchikan, Venice of the way north, not.  Local arts and crafts abounding, beautiful rushing river next to which is a ‘staircase’ the salmon can get more easily up stream. S took a sea plane ride over beauty. Next day real rain, forgot what that was like, wet. It said 6 min walk to ‘downtown’ Sitka, a 7 min drive in bus. The Russian Orthodox Church not open for visitors til 12, so wandered.. Girl running one shop said she came from Moscow, not retuning, no further comment. The church had burned to the ground, rebuilt exactly, I followed sacristan as he lit candles, and bought 2  real beeswax thin yellow beautiful, for any and all who need blessings. And a bottle of holy oil, yes.  A nearby op shop  had a box of ripe bananas outside for the taking, watched a mother and small son choosing. The shop packed busy  with locals. The real local feeling. Locals unanimously voted to keep cruise ships and not cut back…$$. But you wonder who buys the $25000 stainless steel horse made in Jakarta? Owner loves them and says he sells. Chilled to the bone with heaviest outer wear, feet wet. Glad to get back to cabin,turned heat way up,  no question the most divine feature is the heated bathroom floor.

We still can’t get over the lack of any feeling of movement, sailing , this large beautiful ship – men painting the hull or cleaning with long brushes, immaculate.  New experience of floating hotel together with many people we pass or greet and never see again. Thinking about the demographic, S said ‘old’ and I said ‘ordinary’. Most American accents. 

My only dislikes are so called chamber music piano and violin or guitar, ‘background music’ tho some clap politely. And they arrange books in groups by colour. Agh!