22 Days, Alaska U0026 The Aleutian Islands

Major fishing port in the Aleutian Islands.

This is an ice heaven of tidewater glaciers, where humpback whales and orcas roam and ribbons of blue carve through a fjordland of astonishing beauty. These moving rivers of ice called glaciers confront you with their majesty and power that is almost physical.

Over six miles wide and nearly 500 feet high, Hubbard Glacier fills the head of Yakutat Bay. In 1986, it was called the “Galloping Glacier” when it surged nearly 47 feet in one day.

Would you believe, Joe Juneau? It’s true–Juneau, Alaska is named for Joe Juneau, one of a trio of explorers who discovered rich reserves of gold in the stream that now runs through town. The stampede thatolwed led to Juneau becoming first a camp, then a town, then finally Alaska’s capital. Today, the town boasts some of Alaska’s most fetching scenery. Nestled at the foot of Mt. Juneau in the Alaskan Panhandle, it faces the water from the mainland side of Gastineau Channel. Several magnificent fjords are located along the channel coast and the majestic Mendenhall Glacier,
a favorite of visitors, is nearby.

“Spread wings of a prostrate eagle.” As any Ketchikanian will tell you, his is the meaning of their town’s name. It comes from the eagle-wing sppearance of water flowing over an unusual rock formation which can be seen in the Ketchikan Creek.

To own originated as an Indian fish saltery and grew to become the largest salmon-canning center in the world. The real growth came with the gold rush of 1898, when the town served as a supply center for wourld-be millionaires. of the town’s colorful past is still in evidence, especially at the Indian villages, which are renowned for their colorfully carved
totem poles and fascinating legends.

Large island off the southcentral coast of Alaska, famous for its large salmon, crab and bears.

In 1740, the explorer Vitus Bering reached Avacha Bay and laid the foundation stone for the port of Petropavlovsk, named after his two ships, the St. Peter and the St. Paul. In the summer of 1741 Bering’s ships put to sea. Their goal was the coast of America. This voyage saw the discovery of the Aleutian Islands and the Commander Islands, where Vitus Bering died of scurvy in December 1741. Since then the largest of the Commander Islands has borne his name.

The city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the industrial, scientific and cultural center of Kamchatka. The city and its extremely large harbor are well-protected from all storms, and even from the dreaded tsunami tidal waves. The largest tsunami, the tidal wave of 1952, destroyed the town of Severo-Kurilsk on the island of Paramushir. Although the town is only 100 miles from Kamchatka, as the tsunami ran into Avacha Bay it died down to a harmless wave only a few feet tall.

Even its long-time residents make no claims about the city’s beauty; its monotonous, Soviet-style 5-story buildings (there are no tall buildings in the city because of earthquake risks) are hard on the eyes, and pot-hole filled streets crowded with old, coughing cars do not add much. This matters little, however, since the city is surrounded by incredible natural beauty- the Avacha and Koryak volcanoes to the north, and huge Avacha Bay to the south.

San Francisco one of the nation’s cultural centers. Founded by the Spanish in 1776 as Yerba Buena, it was taken and renamed by the Americans in 1846. The California gold rush of 1848 led to great growth; with the arrival of newcomers from all over the world in the late 19th century the city took on a cosmopolitan air.

A gracious, picturesque city with a mild climate, it is famous for its individuality. Notable features include its cable cars, which carry passengers on its steep hills; the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (opened 1936) and Golden Gate Bridge (opened 1937); Chinatown; Fisherman’s Wharf; Telegraph Hill; the mansions of Nob Hill; the opera house; symphony hall (1980); the Yerba Buena arts and gardens complex; and numerous institutions of learning.

“There’s gold in them thar hills.” Well, there was, anyway, back in 1898, and as thousands of gold-crazed adventurers headed north, they found the furthest north they could get was the northern tip of the Lynn Canal. That’s how Skagway was born.
Nowadays, local park rangers interpret and re-create that remarkable era for visitors. Stores, saloons, brothels and wood sidewalks have been completely restored (not all of these are functioning, of course). Today Skagway is a jumping off pointfor those seeking scenic adventure and historical knowledge.

It’s a city of contrast. Where else do you find demure kimono-clad girls next to slick Elvis impersonators than good old Yoyogi Park? But only on Sundays.

Tokyo will amaze you with its dual personality; its serenity and its brashness. A city of about 20 million people, it is one of the few metropolises where every train is on time. But try to avoid rush hour. You might get pummeled by a sweet old lady on her way to the Sumo matches at the Budokan Hall!

Visit Roppongi for a taste of modern night life; you can even catch a reggae show. And if you’re still awake after that, hop a train to the Tsukiji fish market at 5 a.m. to see one of the most spectacular fish bazaars on earth. Some tuna comes all the way from Montauk, NY. Now that’s a global marketplace!

When you’re ready for a little peace and quiet, you may visit the brilliant Asakusa Shrine, a prime example of Edo-period architecture. Here you may cleanse your spirit, or, of course, shop to your heart’s delight at many of the little stalls lining the small streets leading to the shrine. Otanoshimi ni! Perhaps the greatest urban sprawl in the world, the Tokyo metropolitan. Tokyo began as a tiny fishing village called Edo, and for more than four centuries was ruled by a series of
chieftains and military warlords. A castle was constructed in Edo in 1457, the year officially noted as the founding of the city, and by 1680 it had grown to a population of over a million people. The city received its modern name in 1868 when the Emperor Meihi moved his court to Edo. It now sprawls 55 miles (88.4km) east to west and 15 miles (24km) north to south and covers an area of 2,031 sq. km.

This area is home to some 20 million people. Famous for its extremes; the word’s most crowded trains, the world’s cleanest streets, the world’s most expensive melons, Tokyo nevertheless seems to be characterized by an overlying blandness. Since the 17th century, Tokyo has been divided up between “yamanote” (south and west) and “shitamachi” (north and east). Simply put, uptown has more to do, downtown more to see. Uptown has the high-rises, the nightlife and the
armies of navy-suited salarymen of the Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro business areas, while downtown has Tokyo’s oldest area, Asakusa, the city’s great museums and the imperial palace.

Located in southwestern Washington state, Vancouver is a port at the head of deepwater navigation on the Columbia River, opposite Portland, OR. Vancouver is a commercial, manufacturing and shipping center.