Travel Photo Tuesday
Ketchikan, the southeasternmost city in Alaska is likely to be the first Alaskan port you will call into if you take an Alaskan Cruise or, as we did, drive the
Alaska Marine Highway. Like so much of south-eastern Alaska, Ketchikan is not accessible by road. It has a population of 9,000 but if you expect to find the 'real Alaska' here, whatever that is, you will be disappointed.
Ketchikan has embraced tourism in the way that Walt Disney embraced entertainment, with loads of razzle-dazzle. That is not to say you won't have a ball in Ketchikan as long as you know what you are in for and enjoy the show. If you do visit Ketchikan, don't say you weren't warned. Oh, and remember to take a raincoat - we got lucky and had a beautiful sunny day but Ketchikan is known for its high rainfall (150" a year).
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| The main entrance to Creek Street, Ketchikan |
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| A cruise ship and fishing vessels juxtaposed in Ketchikan Harbor |
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| Ketchikan Harbor |
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| Some of the houses reminded me of the palafittos we saw in Chiloe, Chile |
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| Light planes queued up to take tourists flightseeing over the Tongass National Forest. |
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| What was that I said about Disneyland! |
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| A brothel turned into a tourist attraction. Somehow that says it all - lol. |
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| Away from the cruise terminal you will find a bit of the real Alaska. |
A note about Travel Photo Tuesday - There are so many wonderful blog photo hops on the internet I have decided to join them. Together with my regular Thursday/Friday posts I'm going to post photos from our travels on Tuesdays. My hope is to give you a taste of the places we have been and you might be planning to go. I will try to stick to a theme so next Tuesday you can expect more of Alaska. I hope you enjoy the photos. I only blog about places we have been so if you are planning a trip and want to ask me a question please feel free.
Alaska is on my travel bucket list. I hope I make it there for sure (off to read about your trip)
ReplyDeleteIf you are thinking of a cruise perhaps you should read my post on Australians being charged more than Nth-Americans for the same cruises. You can find it at this link - http://www.thetravellinglindfields.com/2016/02/alaskan-cruises-do-australians-pay-more.html
DeleteIt is beautiful scenery even if is is tourist mania. I would go for the photography, but its a great heads up to know what I am getting into.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from our Image-ing
Lisa at Life Thru the Lens
I really enjoyed Ketchikan despite, (or maybe because of) the Disneyland atmosphere but don't go there thinking you will find the last frontier.
DeleteKetchikan has beautiful scenery, but it is definitely a tourist destination. When we went there, most of the people seemed to have come off our cruise ship.
ReplyDeleteDuck tours seem to be popping up everywhere, there is one in Auckland too.
I have never done a Duck Tour, despite dragging my young sons around the world several times. Maybe I should give one a go.
DeleteGreat photos, love the boats and the water. Gorgeous scenery around Ketchikan.
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful place once you get away from the crowds.
DeleteThank you for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/02/potted.html! I enjoyed your tour of Ketchikan.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure.
DeleteI love the contrast of the cruise ship in that photo.
ReplyDeleteSo did I. It was a lucky shot though I think I was just trying to photograph the fishing boats.
DeleteWe're contemplating an Alaska cruise later this year, so your posts are really helpful! Did you do any of the organised touristy type things or steer well clear? What did you do that you particularly enjoyed?
ReplyDeleteThe thing I enjoyed most was the flightseeing flight over Glacier Bay National Park. The scenery was simply stunning. I think that most of the cruises go to Glacier Bay but it is worth checking.
DeleteIf you are intending to do a cruise then maybe you should read my post about Australians (and anyone other than North-Americans) being charged more for cruises. There is probably nothing you can do about it but at least you will go in with your eyes open. You will find my post here - http://www.thetravellinglindfields.com/2016/02/alaskan-cruises-do-australians-pay-more.html or just go to my home page and you'll see the link.
If you stop at Sitka make sure you see the totem poles. They are lovely.
If you want to read all my Alaska posts follow this link or navigate to it via the tab 'USA & Canada' at the top of the page - http://www.thetravellinglindfields.com/search/label/Alaska
Feel free to send me an e-mail if you have any other questions.
I would love to go to Alaska one day. But not to a touristy spot I don't think.
ReplyDeleteIf you do an Alaskan Cruise you may not have much choice. Most ships call in at Ketchikan. You could always drive up through Canada on the Alaska Highway but the scenery gets a bit tedious - a bit like crossing the Nullabor - and you can't get to a lot of places in south-east Alaska, including the capital Juneau, by road.
DeleteI would love to go there once! xx cathy
ReplyDeleteI hope you get there one day.
DeleteWhat a beautiful place. I'd love to take my camera there.
ReplyDeleteAlaska is a photographer's dream.
DeleteI will like to get a feel of Alaska by taking a cruise. It is not my preferred mode of travel but I think it will be a good introduction to the state.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is not a cruise person. He hates being organised and travelling around in a group but I can see that cruising would be an easy option for an introduction to Alaska. Travelling independently has its rewards but it takes a lot more time and effort to plan.
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