Sitka

Another great night's sleep.  I wake up and John is missing - he has gone for an early walk.  I make a cup of tea and watch the sunrise, so happy - this is just lovely.  Whales are frolicking where ever you look, Jen and Neil join us for a morning cuppa. 

Then as we start approaching Sitka you can see the fog or mist and low lying clouds.  It rains 300 days a year in Sitka, so we have to expect rain.  Family breakfast, that takes the usual 2 hours, then we team up with our new honeymooner friends Tara and Daniel (whom we met on the Sushi making course - not the ones that couldn't follow simple instructions) to solve a Royal Mystery about a stolen vase.  We failed miserably as detectives but it was a lot of fun.  Ooooo The weather is clouding over, we must be approaching Sitka.

Nestled on Baranof Island and surrounded by the breathtaking waters of the Pacific Ocean, Sitka is a unique destination that offers a glimpse into both Native Alaskan heritage and Russian influence.

Did you know that Sitka was once the capital of Russian America? The remnants of this fascinating past are still visible in the architecture and historic sites, including the iconic St. Michael’s Cathedral, which showcases beautiful Russian Orthodox design. Sitka is also home to the Sitka National Historical Park, the state's oldest national park, where you can stroll among towering totem poles and lush coastal rainforests - which we did.  We were a bit concerned by the sign at the entrance that warned us about the active bears.  We saw dead salmon - we also smelt them - they stunk!  Sea lions, squirrels and thankfully no bears as we were on foot.  The rainforest was lush and dark.

Not that I would want to live in Sitka, it was a nice place to visit.