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| The Rock statues |
After sailing in the sea for one and a half day, I guess everyone was excited to see a land. Now I know how did captain Cook and his crews felt when they found a new continent. Just kidding. Ketchikan is the southeastern most populated city, also known as “the salmon capital of the world.” However, when I asked the local people where did they get their fish-- “something like fishman whalf’s”?? The answer is-- Safeway! I wonder if all the fishes were exported with a higher price tag and then re-import for the locals at the chain-store price? Misty Fjords National Monument, the Yosemite of the North, is 40 miles east of Ketchikan and we did not have time to explore the wilderness at this visit.
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| Private local tour stand right outside the berth 4. |
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| SUPER HUGE HUSKY! Everything is bigger in Alaska! |
Since we would have a short stay in Ketchikan (from 6AM to 1:30PM), we got up EARLY (7:15AM during vacation is considered early for me) and tried to maximize the time that we could have in Ketchikan. This was the first time that we could catch the breakfast in the international dining room as we woke up late and came after 9AM yesterday----I really admire those who can wake up early EVEN in the vacation and they deserved to get the prize. =P
We visited the naturalist’s ranger station in the Piazza and picked up some materials before we got off the ship. However, the best place to pick up maps and materials is the visitors bureau by the ship dock berth 2 ( Located at the Waterfront promenade cross section with Mission st). In there, you could also make reservation for excursions provided by the local tours. I’m sure it’s cheaper than the excursions booked through the cruise but you just want to make sure that you will come back before the ship takes off.
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| Shops on the Waterfront Promenade |
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| The "Welcome Arch" |
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| The Creek Street |
We used the 2012 official Ketchikan walking map as our guide and explored around the town. Since Ketchikan is such a small little town, it only took us ~2 hours to finish touring the entire downtown. We started with the landmark of Ketchikan- the “Welcome Arch” (located at the Mission street cross section with the Front street) and then walking along the Mission street until we hit the big sign of the Creek street.
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| Houses on Creek Street are built over the water. |
The Creek street is built over the water and it was once the home of bootleggers and prostitutes. Creek street is known as the Ketchikan’s old red-light district and in 1920’s there were more than 20 bawdy houses in this area alone, making prostitution was once the number 1 industry in Ketchikan. Since the houses along with Creek street were built over the water, bootleggers would row their rowboats right up the stream during high tide and delivered the smuggled Canadian whisky to those bawdy houses and backroom saloons in the middle of the night. That’s why a lot of those houses had a hidden trap doors underneath the house --- to pick up the delivery!
Right in front of the Creek street sign is Bawden street. We walked along Bawden street and then turned right on Park Ave to look for the salmon ladder. Obviously May is not the season for salmon and we didn’t see any fish at this time; however, according to a resident who lives nearby the salmon ladder, said “when the salmon comes back spawning, the whole area will smell really stinky and fishy that you are guaranteed to puke.” Hm, really? So am I considered lucky to not seeing the fish?
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| Salmon Ladder at the Left Lower Corner |
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| Salmon Ladder- picture from Experience Ketchikan.com |
Following the wooden boardwalk from the salmon ladder, we were led to the Married Men's Trail. The trail is quite a steep muddy path and I thought that’s how it got the name: a married man is tough and strong so taking this arduous short cut should be a piece of cake to him. Why he wants to take the shortcut? Of course~ he couldn’t wait to go home and see his wife. Haha~ how jaded, huh? Well, I laugh my head off after I found out that this trail is a secret backdoor that men can discreetly visit the houses in Creek street without being busted!
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| A peek from the "Married Men's Trail" You can see the Creek Street and downtown from the hill |
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| This is the top of the hill where the Married Men's Trail will lead you to. Behind the totem pole is the Ted Ferry Civic Center |
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| Cape Fox Lodge on the top of the hill |
We followed the highlighted route in the map and we passed by the salmon spawning area by the Ketchikan creek, the salmon row, the hatchery and eagle center, the totem heritage center, the Stedman street bridge, Dolly’s house, etc. Later on when we went back to the ship, a lot of people raved about the totem heritage center. They said they were really impressed with the authentic, non replica, huge totem pole in the museum. Each totem pole has a story description next to it and it worth the $5 admission fee if you like history and story.
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| Chief Johnson Totem Pole |
阿拉斯加之旅 第三天 克奇坎
航行了一天多, 終於看到陸地了. 所有旅客都像我一樣興奮!! 現在我能體會Cook船長以及他的船員在航行數十天後,首次發現新大陸的那份喜悅. 克奇坎Ketchikan位於阿拉斯加的東南邊, 也是東南方人口最稠密的城市. 克奇坎Ketchikan的別名是”三文魚的首都”. 我隨口問問當地居民他們是在哪裡買魚的. “是魚市場嗎?”--- 他們的答覆是”Safeway超級市場”我在懷疑阿拉斯加把魚都外銷,然後再利用超市的批發價進口海產供當地人食用. Misty Fjord National Monument 又稱北部的優勝美地公園, 位於 克奇坎Ketchikan 的東面 40英里以外的範圍.而這一次旅程未能安排去探索這個地方.
由於遊輪只會在 克奇坎Ketchikan逗留數小時(早上6時至下午1時30分), 我們提早起床, 盡量爭取多些時間在克奇坎Ketchikan遊覽. (對我們來說, 旅遊其間 7:15起床是蠻早的!!) 早起的鳥有蟲吃--這一次,我們趕得上在International Dining Room吃早餐. (昨天我們睡晚了點, 9時過後才到餐廳. 結果餐廳在9時已關門了) 真的很敬佩那些在旅遊期間還能如常早起的人, 他們應該得到應得的鼓勵及獎品.
在離開船前, 我們到船中心Piazza護林員的資訊展示攤位拿取地圖及資料. 但其實位於2號船停泊處的旅客資料局 (位於Waterfront Promenade夾Mission Street) 那兒不但有地圖及資料, 更有私營的旅行社能幫你安排短線的旅遊景點. 他們的價錢一般都比遊船公司的價錢便宜得多, 但閣下就必須要控制回程的時間, 免得過了遊船指定的登船時間而被遺留在岸上.
我們用2012 Ketchikan官方散步地圖作指標去探索四周. 由於Ketchikan是一個規模不大的小鎮, 我們用了大概2小時便完成市中心的跡察. 我們由地標”歡迎”的拱門/牌坊 開始, 沿著Mission Street 一直走,走到 Creek Street的牌坊前.
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| 歡迎的拱門/牌坊 |
Creek Street 沿河建造, 曾經一度為走私酒的人及娼妓們臥虎藏龍的地方. 這兒是Ketchikan 最早期的紅燈區. 在1920年, 單單在這條街就有超過20 所妓寨, 令賣淫事業一度成為最賺錢最普遍的行業. 由於房屋都是沿河而起, 走私酒的人一般都會在夜深人靜,潮漲的時候把划艇划到妓寨或酒館的秘密室旁,利用秘密門運送加拿大走私的威士忌.
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| Creek Street |
在Creek Street 的前方是 Bawden Street. 我們沿著 Bawden Street 一直走,直至到Park Ave右轉. 我們找到三文魚產卵的階梯. 由於五月並未是三文魚的繁殖期, 所以我們沒有看到三文魚. 剛巧碰到一位住在附近的居民, 她說:”當三文魚回來產卵時, 這兒會 變得像個魚市場般,四處都是魚腥味, 又臭又腥. 那時你定必作悶作嘔” 那今天沒有看到三文魚產卵算是幸運嗎?
跟著木板路走便會來到 “已婚男人”路徑. 這條小徑是一條 又險峻,又難行的泥路. 天真無知的我以為這條小徑的名字由來 是由於: 已婚男人比較強壯, 所以這艱巨的體能考驗對他們來說, 應該是輕而易舉; 為什麼要走捷徑?? 當然是要盡早回家會嬌妻噢!! 哈哈~~ 真的是入世未深. 其實這條捷徑是方便那些愛”偷食”的男人為免被捉到嫖妓, 特別設置後門出入妓寨 免得在正門被抓到.
我們跟著地圖的指示遊覽其他地方, 例如 靠近Ketchikan Creek的三文魚繁殖地區, 三文魚棚, 老鷹及孵卵所, 圖騰柱 (totem pole)文化遺產博物館, Stedman Street 大橋, 多莉之家 (Dolly’s House),等等. 後來回船後,聽到很多遊客都對圖騰柱 (totem pole)文化遺產博物館 贊口不絕. 他們說所有的圖騰柱都是原著的,並不是複製品. 每一條柱都有故事簡介及解釋. 他們覺得這裡的歷史價值及原著性會令你覺得這$5 入場卷是絕對值得的.
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