One last look at Skagway

It's time to hustle back to the cruise ship as departure time is nearly upon us.

As we hurry past, a brash young temptress calls to us from an upstairs window of the town brothel  hotel.

Actually, this sweet young thing is probably earning money for college with a summer theatre job.  Actors roam the street between showings, staying in character and trying to drum up business for the play.

One last quick dash down a side street stops me in my tracks in front of this antique store window, combining a fascinating time-warping view of the past with the present.

(as well as providing a contribution to 

James' Weekend Reflections )

I wonder if that old license plate we saw in the window has travelled any of the roads leading to places suggested on this signpost...

if there are roads leading there. 

(note to self: must look at a road map of Alaska)

I think this rusted handle, beautifully showcased on an even rustier door, would make a fine addition to the collection in that antique shop.

All that sight-seeing has made me hungry.  What say we stop in the ship's Lido Restaurant for a little snack before supper?  For entertainment, we can watch a crew member wash the windows in the rain.

One last look at the fresh snow on the mountains above the rain-soaked deck as we say so long to Skagway.  

More mountains to come.  

Be sure to bundle up for our next stop, 

that's all I'm saying.

Skagway Segue

Sorry that we got a little derailed on our Skagway tour.  Shall we pick up where we left off?

I started wandering along this path, wanting to follow the rail line, hoping to find the miners' cemetery, but it was a little bit uncomfortable, wandering on my own.

 A big bad wolf could well be lurking;

though this poor fellow was hanging out in a storefront window

being gawked at by passing tourists.  

It's not just our friend Wolfgang who has given up the ghost, 

Skagway's Golden North Hotel is reputedly haunted by two ghosts of its own!

The richer folk of the gold mining era could afford a few nights at the hotel, stopping for a drink at the bar, while those still struggling to make their fortunes would have been happy to call a little log cabin home.  

The native influence can be found slyly referenced outside contemporary shops, 

though this cigar store Indian has a dubious place of origin (perhaps in a white man's imagination?)

The Russian influence in Skagway is reflected in a few
onion dome-topped buildings.

Wandering off the main streets to explore a side-alley yields not only a good view of the looming mountains but a surprising splash of colour.

A few small vestiges of summer blooms linger along the walkways of these unusual Skagway dwellings.

These old sheds look like they're still in pretty good shape.

Surprising that some entrepreneur hasn't transformed them into a bowling alley.

Is it just me, or is the door to this building just a tad incongruous?

And just what is that pile of massive rocks for?  

I guess I should have signed up for the tour, though I doubt it would have taken in these

particular places of interest.

Evidently, the side streets are not holding out much interest to the tourists.

This charming little boutique is for rent.  Anyone interested in opening up shop in Skagway?

The Most Photographed Building in Alaska

I didn't know it at the time, but this unusual structure, with a facade of 8800 pieces of driftwood, is reputedly the most photographed building in Alaska.  

It is Camp No.1 of the Arctic Brotherhood.

It sits on a corner of Skagway's main street, Broadway, which is, as one might expect, bustling with tourists.

See what I mean?

But what caught my interest, as I was snapping photos like the rest of the tourist hordes, was a couple perched in front of the building, sitting there like stoic guardians at the gate.

They were there the entire time of my visit, just watching the passing ebb and flow of cruisers.

In spite of the fact that they're clutching souvenir tote bags from a cruise ship line themselves, it's my belief that they're a native couple who live in the area and enjoy watching the tourists as a form of entertainment.  At least the lady looks relatively entertained; I'm not so sure about her friend.

I wonder if they're the most photographed couple in Alaska.

Or if anyone else even noticed them.
***

Postscript FYI:

The facade was nailed together in 1900 by lodge members and is a prime example of Victorian Rustic Architecture.  It underwent a restoration in the winter of 2004-2005 where all 8883 pieces of driftwood were removed.  Forty percent had rotted and were replaced while the remaining 60% were nailed back on.

Remember Where We Parked!

Not too hard to remember where our boat is anchored today,

at the foot of bustling downtown Skagway.

But be careful not to get caught in a time warp here as we prepare to take a tour of the town.

Should we go by train?

Or take in "all points of interest" 

on the Alaska street car tour?

Perhaps a horse-drawn carriage is more to your liking?

Ah, here we go; just the ticket!  

Tour will be getting underway soon.