People Watching

It’s hard to believe that it is already August, meaning that a new blog posting is beyond overdue. But where to start…

At the moment, I’m sitting at a window on the top floor of the Juneau Public Library, looking out over the meandering mayhem of cruise ship life, and roasting myself in the sun’s extreme, but welcomed, rays. Yes, it’s so bright that I’m even wearing my sunglasses inside, which attests to the fact that I’ve adapted to the lack of sunlight in this region of the country. But weather and sunshine aside, the real interest is of the tourists down below. Currently there are four cruise ships docked in Juneau, meaning that no less than 8,000 people have been unleashed in the town. Shops are filled to the brim, traffic has been slowed to five or ten miles per hour, tourist-packed sea planes are landing and taking off every five minutes, restaurants are overflowing, and everywhere I look there are people strolling and milling about aimlessly. Whoever said that airports are the best place for people watching has never spent a warm afternoon at a cruise ship port town. There are enough people, languages, and characters out to keep even an ADHD child occupied. This is the real reality TV. Earlier, two groups of sports fanatics began badgering each other from either sides of the road about the upcoming football season and the promise of their respective rivaled teams. Later, I walked behind a couple who where communicating via walkie-talkie with their children who had run ahead in search of an ice cream shop. I don’t purposefully eavesdrop on others’ conversations, but when someone is loudly yelling into a walkie-talkie about their desire for MOOSETRACK ICECREAM, it’s hard not to overhear. Of course, there are so many other conversations in Spanish, Mandarin, Hebrew, Hindi, and other languages that often I have no idea what is being discussed. I do find it interesting, however, that upon docking, some people flock to the restaurants. This is a mystery for two reasons: 1. Cruise ships are structured around meals and eating and 2. Many popular Juneau restaurants are not that good. While I cannot assume that the tourists are aware of the overpriced, mediocre food at popular spots like the Red Dog Saloon and the Twisted Fish, I can question why upon arrival, some cruiser’s first reaction is to eat. I’ve heard from many reputable sources that on the ships, there is breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and midnight snack, not to mention the always-open pizza parlors and ice cream stands. I must admit, it sounds wonderful. All of the meals overlap and provide ample opportunity to eat the entire trip, so why would their first stop be for food, especially when Juneau has so much more to offer? Being a grazer (someone who doesn’t often eat large meals but rather eats lots of snacks here and there), I would probably never stop eating on a cruise. Sign me up. Of course, regardless of what people choose to do upon arrival in Juneau, the overall point I’m trying to make is this: Juneau has world-class people watching.

One of the great things about my job on the glacier is that I have the opportunity to interact with many of aforementioned characters off the ship. The friendly Indian couple that I mentioned in a previous blog recently sent me an email with pictures from their trip. Another group left me their email and insisted that I come and visit them in Mexico City. An absolutely wonderful family from Texas (whose aunt actually works with my mom at Purg) sent me an email about potentially dog sledding in Michigan this winter. The guests themselves are often so enjoyable and fun that the hour-long tour is over before I know it. However, I have started to notice a strange trend. I’ve found that I am more apt to be tipped if I appear to not overly enjoy my job. Now, that’s not to say that I should be inconsiderate or angry, but people want to ride with a slightly calloused, rough and tough musher who has Jack London-like stories of the trail and a very dry, though amicable demeanor. My hypothesis is not proven, but I’m guessing that if I’m too happy, they believe that I simply enjoy my job and a tip is not necessary.

But enough about people. On to the nature and the outdoors. Recently, the weather has been phenomenal and the salmon are running in the nearby streams. It’s the first time I’ve ever watched or experienced the famous salmon run, and it really is a sight to be seen. I posted a short video below, so you’ll have to check it out. I think I was particularly excited to watch the migration of fish because on the glacier, there is little to no wildlife. Other than the occasional raven, the glacier is a world of rock and ice (and dogs) although, I did see a hummingbird trying to feed out of our orange flags the other day. The pictures from the previous blog depict the incredible scenery around Juneau and Douglas Island. I went camping with my housemate, Crissy, and her two dogs, Lucy and Bo as well as did some exploring up a nearby valley. By the time the hike was over, Crissy and I were both completely soaked from the dew and water on the surrounding brush. The views and copious amounts of salmon berries and blueberries made the hike more than worth the chill. I’ve also posted some pictures of the ground layer of fog that hung directly below camp, preventing the arrival of a day’s worth of tours.