Juneau

In Juneau. Chose the right B&B. Quiet, great mattress on the bed. Slept like a log, after the ferry trip, where sleep was less easy. But it was an amazing experience. A day and a half through endless series of islands and mountains in all sorts and styles. Makes one rather reflective. It really feels like moving up to the end of the world. Like that. Have I mentioned I love mountains near the wide open sea? Slowly arching their backs out of the water and reaching into the clouds, happily clinging to their snow-capped tops? Magical. Can look at that for hours. And could, for more than a day, to be precize.

Had a little hick-up at the border control in Prince Rupert, where the man got rather nervous looking at my passport. I had to step back, he looked for his supervisor (not to be found), he asked for my driver’s license, asked for a ticket back to Amsterdam, made copies of all those papers, went for his supervisor again and still couldn’t find him. Asked after my occupation (what does one say? I choose advertising manager, doesn’t sound that terroristy..). Then he asked me if this was my First Passport ('No...') and if I had my OLD passport with me..! I remained calm and bit my tongue to keep in the cynical remarks I could make on that question. In the end he asked another colleague and luckily she said it was alright. He apologized but I just shrugged. A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. God bless America, I have a stamp. The ferry was adorned with a lot of American flags, but according to the Canadians it was a bit understated for July 4: Independence day!

Met a very interesting woman named Lorraine, who used to have a travel agency and was now on her way to Dawson City, the infamous gold mine city far north, to live there for a few months. “I want to experience all the characters there”, she said. Hope she has a lot of fun. We had plenty on the boat, she being a gracious victim to my growing need for communication. Not that many whales alongside the boat, saw a few farther away. Lots of eagles, some sea lions. And my first official iceberg came floating by. Amazing sight, like a work of art on an empty gallery-floor. All shades of bright blue to white.
Am now waiting for my pickup for a helicopter trip unto the glacier here and then doing some hiking up there. Sounds good.