Different days, different nations

Yesterday we were truly international travellers - we boarded a mini-bus in tiny Skagway (summer population 900 people) and followed one of the trails towards the Klondike goldfields ... well, the first few miles of it ... into Canada, at the top of White Pass. We passed the 3ft gauge train that took tourists up and down, but decided we preferred the road route, where we not only saw the views (yet another clear, sunny day), but could stop beside waterfalls, or to look down into the gorge where so many miners horses died, trying to climb tremendously steep rocky mountains with huge loads - each miner had to carry 1 ton of food into Canada, a feat which took many journeys up and down the 3,700 ft to the pass. Our trip to Canada was brief, but really different - rocky slopes in all directions, a couple of glaciers, white mountain goats, creamy lichens and scarlet fireweed - beautiful.

Today it was First Nation people that we thought of - or, perhaps, Native Americans, as Alaska is American. We travelled from Ketchikan to Saxman Native Village - and what a welcome the Tlingit and Heide people gave us! We were a little embarrassed to be tourists, gawking at their way of life, but they explained to us that tourists, and their money, have enabled their community to provide jobs for their people, and encouraged a whole generation of young people to reamain local and develop a pride in their heritage and their language. We were shown their native plants and a film on their history, welcomed into the Beaver clan meeting house for a dance exhibition, and shown the way that they carve their superb totem poles. It was a wonderful day, and we felt SO welcome. We can't spell it, but we were pleased to say something like "Granache-cheeses Ho Ho", which meant "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts".

Another wonderful theatre presentation tonight - last night's New Orleans Show was worth at least $100 each in Brisbane, or any other city, but was of course a free part of our cruise - such a great contrast to life outside, but so enjoyable - this is the life!