Skagway - The Gateway to the Klondike Gold Rush

We started slow this morning after our hikes yesterday. Em and Jacob were ready to head off for a disc golf course with some dudes they met on the boat. We will have to catch up with them later. 

Breakfast was delightful. Everything you could possibly want under the sun. The view from the top deck was stunning with a steep cliff and apparently some very skilled climbers because some of this graffiti was very high up. 

We took our time using the water taxi to get ashore because there was a recent mud slide that has damaged the Princess dock. We stopped into the Visitor’s Center and the local museum to read about the harsh life that gold miners experienced as they searched and searched for golden treasure. We walked Broadway Street where every shop is a souvenir store with shirts, magnets, cups, you name it. Yes, we bought a few…

There aren’t a ton of archeological sites here but there is a tale about Soapy Smith and Frank Reid and a little scuffle where they both end up dead. So so we took a local bus out to the cemetery where they are both buried! 

There was also a beautiful waterfall nearby called Lower Reid Falls. It was running fast and cold. So cold that touching the water felt like touching an ice cube. We got to see a guy propose to his girlfriend while we were standing there. And she said yes!

Then we took the bus back to town and met up with Em and Jacob who said that the disc golf course was “technical” and amazing. They were happy but hungry like us, so we went to a little pizza joint for a light snack before a show we were seeing at 2:30pm. The pizza was great! Two larges was enough for all of us to share and get satisfied. 

At 2:30 we wandered across the street to an old theater. The show was called The Days of ‘98 Show and it consisted of just four actors, one of whom played the piano wonderfully. It was funny, engaging, musically talented, and we learned a lot about the argument and fight between Reid and Soapy Smith (yeah he sold soap). 

And then it was rest time. Back to the boat for the afternoon siestas or homework or whatever each couple needed to do. We gathered back up for dinner at 6 and this evenings menu consisted of rack of lamb, chicken Cordon Bleu, Beef Wellington, and a few pasta dishes. We order an app, then a salad, then an entree. Seriously, the food has been the most amazing food we have had and it’s lovely that it’s all included in your cruise price! 

After stuffing ourselves yet again, some departed for an early night in, others went to check out the scenery from the back deck of the boat, and some made plans for a dip in the hot tub. 

One of the best parts of this trip has been the time that we have to talk with everyone. Life is moving very fast and it’s nice to have time to stop and chat about things.