Alaska - Friday

Friday morning we all slept in, which was not like us.  Especially considering the 2 hour time change.  But we all slept in until almost 8 am (Ketchikan time, which is 10 am Utah time).  Oh my, I haven't slept that well in years.  It was so nice.  

After breakfast we went out to see the town.  We ended up downtown where all of the cruise ships come into port.  It just one of the stops on an Alaska cruise.  Ketchikan has around 5 ships a day that stop in.  It's interesting because they post the # of expected people in their local newspaper and around  town so that everyone knows.  Then the shops are open accordingly.  So some days the shops are open early and stay open until really late and other days they are only open until mid-afternoon.  On days that they don't have cruise ships in, they don't open at all.  So no set hours.  

Downtown Ketchikan is really a tourists dream, plenty of shopping, shows, tour buses, and great food.  Plus oddly enough they have a lot of jewelry stores and fur coat stores.  Tabi said it reminded her a lot of the stops on the cruise she took to Catalina and Ensenada Mexico where she went on her honey moon.

Mary, Kleyton, Tabi, Kollin, Shane, Tori, Henry, Dad, Mom, & Me

Ketchikan is build on a hill, sort of like San Francisco.  It is also one of the wettest places in the US.  They get even more rain than Seattle.  Most of the houses are built on stilts.  Even the elementary school is built up off the ground and the playground and basketball courts are under the school.  They have lights to light it up so the kids can play outside all year.  The baseball fields are all gravel - no grass.  There is almost no grass anywhere, except the park.  Most people's yards are gravel in front and natural landscaping for the back yard.  Everything has moss growing on it and everything is beautiful and green.

"Bawden Street"  My dad said that means we are welcome there.  Haha!!

This place smelled amazing.  Chocolate everywhere!!!  YUM!!

After our little venture out into the town we went back to Shane and Dawn's house to rest.  Then we headed over to Dawn's sister April's house for a dinner and wedding rehearsal.  April made some amazing homemade macaroni and cheese.  We also had BBQ chicken, green salad, fruit salad, and crab.  Tons and tons of fresh crab.  They get amazing sea food there as you can imagine.  Dawn's sister Katie brought all the fresh crab.  Jared was in heaven.  He stood there and ate plate after plate of crab.