From glacier gazing to upside-down trees, south-eastern Alaska is something quite special.
“Up there is where the face of America changed just over 150 years ago,” said my guide, pointing to Castle Hill looming above Sitka, Alaska. “On October 18, 1867 the Russians handed Alaska over to us, bestowing the USA with what was to become its largest state and ending the Russian presence in North America.”
It was a sad day for the 700-some Russian residents, he added. “Princess Maksoutoff (wife of its most aristocratic resident) even collapsed in tears as the Russian flag went down, for Sitka, the capital of Russian America since 1808, was considered the ‘Paris of the Pacific’ – they dressed in Paris fashion, dined off imported china and held opulent balls.”
St Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral is a reminder that Sitka was once the capital of Russian America
I learned more as we toured St Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral – outwardly enhanced by onion-shaped domes, inside by glittering gold and ornate icons – the intriguing nearby Russian Bishop’s House and the Sitka Historical Museum. Native Alaskan heritage and crafts, plus the local tribes’ viewpoint on the Russian-American handover – “we were swept up by the change but were given no voice to participate in the outcome” – were on view at the totem pole-surrounded Sitka National Historical Park, and a wide range of native crafts and artefacts were on display at the Sheldon Jackson Museum, the oldest in Alaska. The day ended with an exuberant performance by The New Archangel Russian Dancers in a local auditorium.
Our first port of call had been Juneau, Alaska’s capital, unreachable by road and home to what is probably the most-unimpressive capitol building in the USA – plain, modern and best known for its controversial former governor, Sarah Palin. However, the city is redeemed by its five, sparkling area glaciers, which can be visited by seaplane, helicopter, dog sled and/or hiking, as well as by its whale- and bear-watching excursions, tramway rides to the 1,800ft summit of Mount Roberts, and other unusual in-town options. I chose a visit to the state’s only drive-to glacier, Mendenhall, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and a tram tour through the lush, mountainside Glacier Gardens.
Ketchikan’s picturesque and historic Creek Street
Nestled at the base of 3,000ft Deer Mountain, Ketchikan still retains vestiges of its rip-roaring gold-mining, logging and salmon-canning eras, particularly along the colourful boardwalks of Creek Street, which in Prohibition Days were lined with speakeasies and brothels. Visit Dolly’s House Museum to learn how its resident became the town’s most successful ‘sporting woman’.
The town celebrates its native heritage with numerous totem-pole sites, its artists with such displays of public art as The Rock sculpture of seven figures representing local history, and its wildlife with viewings of the seasonal salmon run up its steep in-town fish ladder, fishing and bear watching. But for me, the highlight was soaring by floatplane over the mountains, lakes and waterfalls of the Misty Fjords National Monument.
The cruise also docked in Victoria, British Columbia, where an island tour ended up with high tea at a grand Victorian home known as the Gatsby Mansion although the fictional Jay Gatsby never set foot in the place. However, the city took on a fairytale ambience as night fell over the Inner Harbor and the majestic Parliament Building was outlined with sparkling lights.
