Wind Songs: Memorial Day Weekend Is Here

I took these downtown pictures on Wednesday. We have now had two weeks straight of warm temperatures and sunny skies and everyone I talk to is shaking their head in amazement at how wonderful the weather has been.

On Wednesday there were five cruiseships in port and the town was very very busy.

Full of shoppers and gawkers and camera taking smiling visitors.

I was wondering just where Juneau actually puts five cruiseships because neither the town nor the ports are large. It turns out that two of the five sit close to the Douglas side of the channel and small ferries crossing non-stop, transport visitors to and from their ships.

This being my first tourist season in Juneau it is all very interesting to watch.

I try hard (mostly successfully but sometimes not) to park away from downtown. Partly to make my life less complicated but also partly because it gives me an excuse to walk and be outside.

I have found that it does not pay to be in any kind of hurry when this town is this kind of busy.

Instead, if I consciously get into rhythm with the speed and the mood of the tourists while I am moving from one place to another during my work week I actually enjoy the entire experience.

It slows me down enough to take some pictures, enjoy the day, and to really see and appreciate what people who are new to this city are seeing and appreciating.

One of the small boats ferrying people back and forth to their cruiseship that is parked across the channel.

You can't tell by my picture, but this young man is using a large stuffed teddy bear as a pillow while he naps in the sun. He made me smile.

One (more) thing that is new to my experience is how it is perfectly OK in this town to find a piece of grass in the sunshine, in the middle of the city and actually take a short nap.

I have never seen that before, but it is very very common here, and somehow completely acceptable in this layed-back and relaxed city.

How blue can the sky get? How warm can the temperature get? How long can this beautiful weather last?

I don't know, but for whatever reason we were blessed with a mild and drier than normal winter, a milder than normal spring, and this very lengthy and unusual summer-like weather.

I am still amazed at how up close and personal Juneauites can actually get to the cruiseships that visit. I was floored when I walked out of a downtown building a few weeks ago and a massive ship was parked right at the Marine Park, almost close enough to touch.

A very popular outdoor restaurant, right at the harbor where visitors can watch the cruiseships and float planes

The pictures above were taken on Wednesday, and the rest of these pictures were taken tonight at Auke Bay on the way home.

As interesting as the action-packed town of Juneau is right now, I am very happy to say that (with the exception of more boats in the harbor and more vehicles in the parking lots), Auke Bay is still a quiet place to stop.

Every day on the way to work, and every night on the way home I look at the water and enjoy the mountains.

I stop at Auke Bay at least a couple of times a week, and never get tired of it.

I still get strange looks from co-workers when I talk about living Out the Road. The standing joke is that I live in a Unabomber cabin, but on the way home I have a huge number of quiet and beautiful lakes, bays, beaches, parks, trails and overlooks that I can pull in to.

Stopping, for either a long time or a short time serves to help wind me down and remind me often (especially when the day has been tough) of how beautiful this place is and why I wanted to move to Alaska.

I completely love living Out the Road.

One of two large wooden carvings that have found their way to the harbor just recently.....