Juneau

Since it may be a long time before I organize the pictures and try to memorialize our trip, I thought I would blog to remember a little about each of our ports of call.  The first was Juneau.  It was apparently a very typical drizzly, foggy day. 



The kids and I took a bus tour of Juneau with the first stop at a salmon hatchery. They assist wild salmon breed and then release the little ones with the goal of increasing the population in the ocean and ultimately the number that will return 3-5 years later.  This bald eagle was sitting right off the dock.



May was brave enough to touch the critters in the tank of cold ocean water at the hatchery.

Our second stop was at Mendenhall Glacier.  The ice now falling into the lake is two hundred years old.  A piece of the ice was inside the visitor's center where you could touch it and see the pockets of air encased inside.  We didn't get to see any calving, but we could hear the ice cracking - it sounds like thunder. 

After the tour we did some shopping for the little ones at home.  Then May returned to the ship, and Buddy and I went up on the Mount Roberts Tramway.  Buddy met the mountain goat below at the top!  We also watched a movie about the native Tlingit people and the ways they have continued to survive and even flourish.

Although the weather was not too cooperative, we had a nice day and saw much.  The scenery is breathtaking - amazing testimony of God's magnificent creation.  This afternoon turned out to be the first of several events for just Buddy and me, and this has been the best blessing of all!