Alaska is glaciers, mountains, gold rush, delicious salmon, bears and whales...and also Seattle, Vancouver and even Amsterdam. The main thing is to choose the right flight with good layovers on the way.
Well, a huge twelve-deck cruise liner, I will talk about the nuances and pitfalls (although there are almost none) both from the point of view of the passenger, and I will show a little insider information, I will tell you about the life of the crew, which is at sea for 6-8 months.
Go...
I probably spent two clean days searching for a flight at the most optimal cost, and even with interesting layers on the way. After all, every stop is another not big Adventure. This time the choice fell on the American Delta. Kiev-Amsterdam-Seattle-Vancouver - I had such a route on the way there.
And back: Anchorage-Mineapolis-Amsterdam-Kiev.
At the same time, the docking in Minneapolis took 45 minutes, I was mentally ready to see Minneapolis, but not only I managed to make the transfer, but also the luggage :)
There is an opinion that American airlines are the worst, and I myself try to choose them for the transatlantic last. But the experience of flying with the Delta was wonderful! Brand new A330 to Europe, not brand new but nice Boeing-757 inside, excellent crew. Delicious varied food and even free alcohol, including strong, on the transatlantic segments! In general, you need to move away from stereotypes and try different airlines. I will definitely tell you more about Delta and United, which somehow flew to New York from Munich.
Early departure from Kiev by KLM, departure from Amsterdam at 10 am, ten-hour flight and... voila, at the same 11 am I am in Seattle :) And full daylight hours in this amazing city. This is the third time I've been here and, knowing that it's difficult in America without a car, I take a small Hyundai for $35 a day and go.
First of all, the aviation museum, which is located near Boeing Field, where we met last October.
One of the British Airways Concordes:
Then Snoqualmie Falls from Twin Peaks. I saw and now I looked and sunny summer. very strong and a nice place. In general, the nature of Washington state is amazing! This is worth coming to America for!
Passing by the Boeing plant in Everett, I caught the Dreamlifter in the frame:
And then he also drove about fifty meters from me along the taxiways:
Therefore, lunch with delicious Alaskan salmon at the Ivars restaurant in Mukilteo. I already wrote about it, I highly recommend it!
And in the evening in downtown Seattle and sunset from the famous Space Needle observation deck. After "Sleepless in Seattle" with Tom Hanks, this city of the States has been and remains the most romantic for me. Traveling is impossible without romance!
At 23.00 departure to Vancouver, the flight is only 1 hour on the turboprop Bombardier of Alaskan Airlines.
Vancouver... what a breathtakingly beautiful and photogenic city! Mountains in the snow around, the sea, fjords, lighthouses, a huge forest park right in the center of the downtown! Impressions and sensations are just in full swing. We decided not to go to Whistler in the mountains, leaving it for a separate trip, but just walking around the city and enjoying such an amazing symbiosis of nature and skyscrapers:
Everyone here walks in their own color at pedestrian crossings :)
But the main thing is the morning Harbor Air seaplane flight over the city:
and around:
On the right in this picture, the Celebrity Millenium cruise ship is already waiting in the port, landing on which will begin in a few hours:
Alaska cruise is the cheapest way to get here. No need to think about logistics and transportation (and this is mostly just a plane), no need to think about hotels (which are very expensive here), no need to unpack things in every city at last!
Delicious multiple meals in numerous restaurants, entertainment program. But even this is not the main thing, the main thing will be below. In general, I will definitely tell and show about everything.
At the same time, the cost is from $ 650 per person with fees and taxes. And this is not taking into account all sorts of promotions and sales that periodically come to my mail.
Here is the Celebrity Alaska cruise page: http://www.celebritycruises.com/destinations/alaska
They have 11 liners in their fleet, two of which operate non-stop in Alaska from June to September.
In general, now I'm thinking about a cruise in Norway, because this is one of the most budgetary ways to see the fjords from the inside.
I'll show the front life on a cruise:
and the reverse side - theatrical backstage, dressing room, engine control center, deck where the crew lives, kitchen and captain's bridge:
I talked with our guys in the crew, they told a lot of interesting things about the cruise life from the point of view of the staff.
Captain's bridge:
We sailed along this linear route:
Ketchikan, the first port in Alaska. No need to listen to stories about the pop of tourist places. Of course, the first street near the port is filled with useless shops with all sorts of tinsel, but it is worth moving just one block from the center and you find yourself in a very cozy America:
Here we went kayaking and looked out for bears on the shore. There were no bears, but we met a sea lion cub right a few meters from the kayak.
In Alaska, probably every second person has a seaplane. Airport on the island, around the mountains, and from the airport to your plane and to the village.
Glacier Mandenhall. To say that it is beautiful is to say nothing. It is impossible to take your eyes off this icy infinity...
The fauna of Alaska is the subject of numerous tours. Many of them are unreasonably expensive, so you should be very careful when choosing a tour. We swam to watch whales ... we saw only one, I didn’t have time to take it off, I opened my mouth in amazement at the huge tail above the surface of the water and forgot about the camera. But several times we saw whales from a cruise ship :)
Killer whales, they are closer to dolphins:
Of course, the photo here is about nothing, on a small speedboat sailing parallel to the pack, when the incredible beauty of the fjords is around - it's amazing!
Sea lion rookery:
The gold rush is a very interesting historical phenomenon in the history of the United States and Canada,
Skagway town - the gate to the Klondike:
100,000 people went looking for gold... only 4,000 of them found anything.
White Pass train is one of my strongest impressions. With my love for narrow-gauge railways and specific railways - this is in this moment the most interesting area. And here we finally saw a teddy bear :)
See the little train on the left in the picture?! Each next turn is even more impressive than the previous one!
Hubbard Glacier. There is no port here, a huge mass of ice goes directly into the fjord. The cruise ship approaches the glacier at dawn and rotates in the ice for an hour. This is my most beautiful morning!
The silence is broken only by the deafening crack of an ice wall that collapses into the ocean:
The final point was Seward, a two-hour drive along the most beautiful highway in Alaska, but it was raining and I kept the picture only in my memory. In Anchorage near the airport there is a very nice small and cozy aviation museum:
And the flight Anchorage-Mineapolis-Amsterdam-Kiev:
In Amsterdam, between flights, I had a layover of 7 hours. I have been to Amsterdam many times, but if possible I try to go to the city between flights, because the airport is only 15 minutes by train.
This is a very pleasant city for a glass of beer on the banks of the canals on a summer afternoon. I also recommend a photo exhibition in the city archive (until September 15) and a photography museum.
Schiphol has a wonderful terrace for aviation enthusiasts with a playground, a bar, a restaurant and even a real Fokker!
Well, Amsterdam on the palm of your hand from the porthole on the way to Kiev:
There will be separate reports about all this with all appearances and passwords.
But there is something on a cruise that is not in other ways of traveling while traveling - this is the view from the window or from the deck!
Always different, always the sea, sunsets and sunrises, the white nights of Alaska or the full moon of the equator. No fuss or haste.
The time when the world around will wait.
And this is priceless!
Such a sweet infinity... it was probably my first trip without haste, time pressure and hard timing, while there was so much to see and do!
All infinity in a martini glass:
Phew... even for the announcement, there were more than 50 pictures...
Stay tuned, to be continued!
Celebrity Cruises is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Official Royal Caribbean Facebook page:
- Day 1. Anchorage
- Arrival in Anchorage, transfer from the airport, city tour, hotel accommodation.
- Most of the group arrives from Seattle on an Alaska flight. Airlines #91 at 11:30. For all those arriving between 11:00 and 12:30 a group transfer is provided. If you arrive at another time, then an individual transfer or taxi order is possible (no more than $15 from the airport to the center). From the airport, the group goes for lunch (approximately from 13:00 - 14:00,lunch included ), and immediately after lunch, a sightseeing tour (approximately from 14:00 to 18:00).
- Anchorage is a modern, prosperous city, a major commercial, transportation and tourist centre Alaska, where almost half of the state's population lives. During sightseeing tour you will get acquainted with the sights of the city and learn about its rich history. Overnight in Anchorage. Springhill Suites Marriott with breakfast
- Day 2. Anchorage - (385 km / 239 miles) - portage lake spencer tour
- After that, a 20 minute train ride to Lake Spencer. This lake is extraordinarily beautiful - icebergs float on its surface - fragments of a glacier that you can touch with your hands while canoeing between them. Lunch is provided during the tourlunch included )
- Overnight in Anchorage. Springhill Suites Marriott with breakfast
- Day 3. Anchorage - (362 km / 225 miles) -Denali
- On this day you will go north, towards national park Denali. Along the way you will visit:
- - The village of Eklutna, where the old Russian church of St. Nicholas built in 1870 is located (one of the oldest buildings in this part of Alaska), as well as a unique Orthodox cemetery, often referred to as the "Ghost Cemetery".
- - The headquarters of the most famous annual dog sled race in Alaska - Iditarod ( Iditarod ). During the tour of the headquarters, you will see sled dogs that took part in real races, you can also pet their young puppies. You will learn a lot of interesting things about this sport, get answers to many questions: why do they run, the role and upbringing of the team leader, and many, many others. In the center you can chat with the racers and watch an informative film about both the dogs and the race.
- In the evening, check into a hotel in Denali. Grizzly Bear Lodge
- Day 4 national park Denali
- Early in the morning, you will go to the treasury and the main attraction of Alaska - Denali National Park. It's huge biosphere reserve an area of almost 25 thousand square kilometers, where you will have the opportunity to be surrounded by untouched wildlife and see wild animals: elk, deer, bears, wolves and more. etc. In good visibility you will be able to admire the splendor highest peak North America – Mount McKinley (6194 meters).
- In your free time after the tour, we recommend that you go toexcursions park for extra fees listed at the end of the program. Overnight in Denali. Grizzly Bear Lodge
- Day 5 Denali - (198 km / 123 miles) - Fairbanks - (100 km / 62 miles) - China
- - The world's largest ice museum "Aurora"(ticket included) where the temperature is -7°C throughout the year. You can drink an alcoholic cocktail (for an additional fee of $17 per person) in an ice bar from an ice glass, which you can keep as a keepsake. The only pity is that this "memory" is quickly melting away.
- The highlight of the day will be bathing in natural hot springs (ticket included) known for their healing properties. Night in Fairbanks. Regency Fairbanks with breakfast
- On this day you will go on an exotic walk on paddle steamer times of the gold rush. Along the way, you will see a sled dog school and an Indian fishing camp, and in the village of the Athabaskan tribe, you will learn a lot of interesting things about their culture, way of life, you will see buildings and costumes not only of the Athabaskans, but also of other indigenous peoples of Alaska. After the scheduled lunch(included in the price) , you will go to the historical themed "Pioneer Park" and continue your acquaintance with the history, culture and traditions of Alaska.
- This crossing will take place along a picturesque route, along the border with the territory of the country's largest national park "Wrangel-Saint Elijah" ( Wrangell-St. Elias ), which contains over 100 glaciers and some of the highest mountain peaks in North America. Along the way, magnificent landscapes will open up in front of you: views of wide valleys, lakes and the tundra of the Alaska Range. You will also drive along an engineering marvel: the legendary Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which stretches for 1,300 kilometers.
- Overnight at Glennalen. Black Rapids Lodge
- En route to Anchorage, you'll continue your journey along one of Alaska's most scenic highways. You will see the glacier and the Matanushka valley and make a stop in the town of Palmer, where you will visit a deer farm (ticket included) . Here you will learn a lot interesting facts about this traditional resident of Alaska, you will be able to feed deer from your hands and take memorable photos. More than 150 reindeer, 35 elk, 13 horses and other artiodactyls will live on the farm.
- According to the program of today, a trip to Girdwood is planned for you - a cozy and picturesque town located at the foot of mountain range Chugach is surrounded by seven eternal glaciers. Here on the high-speed funicular(ticket included) , you will climb one of the mountain peaks, from where landscapes of stunning beauty will appear before you. And in the gold mining museum "Voroniy Ruchey", you can feel like a miner and pan for gold(ticket included) .
- Night Anchorage. The Voyager with breakfast
- Day 8 Whittier - (97 km / 60 miles) - Anchorage: 26 Glaciers Cruise
- After the end of the tour at 18:00 - group transfer to the airport or hotel in Anchorage. If you are going to fly out of Anchorage this evening, then your departure should not be earlier than 22:00. Transfers at other times - for an additional fee.
Today, by train from Anchorage, you will go to the town of Portage, from which your unforgettable journey will begin!
Upon arrival in Portage, you will drive to the wildlife center where you will get acquainted with the rich fauna of Alaska. Several varieties of deer and bears live here, including grizzlies; moose, coyotes, bald eagle, bison, bison, lynx and many others.
At the end of the tour, you will be transferred to Anchorage.
Today, you will get to know Fairbanks. During the tour you will see the main sights of the city and visit:
Observation deck of the University of Alaska.
Day 6. Fairbanks - (400 km / 248 miles) - Glennalen. Cruise along the rivers China and Tanana, "Pioneer Park"
Moving to Glennalen.
Day 7. Glennalen - (571 km / 355 miles) - Girdwood
For more things to do in Girdwood, see the list of additional attractions.
On the way to the town of Whittier, from which the cruise will begin, you will pass through a unique tunnel, which is the second longest in all of North America.
Upon arrival, you will transfer to a cruise ship that will be able to sail up close to the sliding glaciers. You will see how blocks of ice fall into the water with a roar, swim past transparent blue icebergs. You will also see views of lush forests, and in the water - an abundance of marine life - whales, seals, sea otters, birds.
A recent webinar "To Alaska from Russia: opening summer season 2017”, which was attended by representatives of the Russian and American travel industry, showed that there is interest in the destination. But there are still many questions. To increase the tourist flow Russian side special conditions (special offers) are offered, as well as the opportunity to become an expert, thereby increasing customer confidence and increasing sales of tours to Alaska.
The Far East, figuratively speaking, is next to Alaska. The Bering Strait separates two continents and two countries, the smallest width is 86 km. It would seem, go to visit (the conversation is not about visas yet), but no such luck.
The air bridge connecting the east of Russia and the west of the USA has been operating for a long time. It suffices here to recall the 15-year period that ended in 2006, during which Aeroflot, MAVIAL, and Alaska Airlines operated weekly flights. Since the summer of 2012, Yakutia Airlines has again connected the two coasts of the Pacific Ocean - Far Eastern Russia and western in America. The connecting link was the weekly flight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Anchorage (Alaska) on a Boeing 737-700 aircraft. And for five years now, the air carrier has been regularly carrying out these summer programs.
In memory of the airway between Alaska and the USSR, built and operational in 1942 (Photo: Anchorage Tourist Office)
This year, the company again entered the route. Flights will be operated on Mondays from July 17 to September 4, 2017 on a Boeing 737-800 with business and economy service classes. Such a link to summer is connected with the weather - July and August in Kamchatka and Alaska are ideal for tourists. The schedule is formed in such a way that having reached Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky from anywhere in Russia, you can always catch this flight. Basically what residents prefer western regions Russia. Someone even arrives in advance in order to get acquainted with the land of volcanoes, thermal springs, natural contrasts and extraordinary diversity.
crossing Pacific Ocean, passengers bypass the “interchange date line”, where, depending on the direction of the flight, “today”, “tomorrow” and “yesterday” meet. Departing from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the direction of Anchorage, not through Europe, but across the ocean, you find yourself in the past, in the day you lived. And when you fly from the USA in the opposite direction, you are already returning to the future.
Alaska is a real wild North, a riot of colors, sensations and feelings. snow covered Mountain peaks adjacent to endless plains, rivers and lakes amaze with their crystal water and an abundance of fish, the aroma of coniferous forests penetrates inside, sliding glaciers demonstrate the laws of nature. The pristine nature and the harsh climate attract and frighten at the same time. Maybe that's why tourists go to Alaska, but could there be more of them? And for a Russian tourist, Alaska is not only gold, cold and grizzlies, but also something of their own, dear. Suffice it to recall 130 summer history– opening, management of the Russian-American company, signing the sale agreement.
Russian footprint in Alaska (Photo: Anchorage Tourism Office)
“The direction, although not massive, but interesting. The desire to see the land that Jack London so vividly described was a long time ago. If you calculate the costs, then a trip to Kamchatka with its beauties, volcanoes and nature cannot be called cheap. Some positions are tangible in price, and something seems even less in value, - I'm sure Kirill Potapenko, director of the Pacific Tourism Union.- We tried to capture everything - history, nature, visiting nature reserves, boat trips, fishing, we went by car ourselves. The trip was planned by ourselves, without resorting to the help of travel companies.”
This is what fishing is like in Alaska (Photo: Anchorage Tourism Office)
The issue of price is not the last. If we take into account these two months, during which the Yakutia airline operates flights to Alaska, then the price of a flight from Vladivostok via Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is about 75 thousand rubles. If you fly, for example, through Seoul, and then land in Seattle, then the price of the flight will be from 80 thousand rubles.
“Today it is faster and cheaper to get from Vladivostok to Anchorage via Kamchatka, but many people still fly other routes, such as via Seoul/Tokyo, Seattle/Los Angeles. The airline "Yakutia" flies only in summer, and this option is not too ideal for everyone, - noted Regional Director for North America and AirRussia Mark Dudley.– Last year, the volume exceeded 1,000 passengers on 8 flights. Passenger traffic is growing every year, gradually, not sharply. Of course, we are interested in its increase. We post information about flights both on our website and through other channels.”
Judging by flights in previous years, about a third of the passengers are Russians. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be tourists. Most are Russians or Russian-Americans who fly both ways to visit relatives. There are tourists, but they are still relatively few. I am glad that every year the number is slowly growing. This is confirmed by our dialogue with agents and passengers,” he added. Mark Dudley.
The direction, although not massive, is in stable demand among Russian and American tourists, hunters, businessmen, as well as transit passengers. There is one more position - education. Today, in accordance with internal politics University of Alaska, Anchorage, the cost of education for students from the Far Eastern cities of Vladivostok, Yelizovo, Magadan, Mirny, Noglikov, Okha, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Providence, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Yakutsk, which are sister cities of Alaska, is much lower . Far Eastern students pay tuition at the same rates as Alaska residents, that is, approximately 3 times less than other international students and students from other US states.
Cosmopolitan Anchorage is nestled between Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains (Photo: Anchorage Tourism Office)
“Tickets to Alaska are bought when it comes to summer flight programs. But not so much. There used to be more of them. Compared to previous years, their number has almost halved. And these are most often parents whose children study there. More precisely, they are learning. If we talk about visiting America, then, of course, they buy tickets. This is Los Angeles, New York, California. Someone flies through Seoul or Tokyo, and someone goes through Moscow and Europe. The issue of price is a priority, ”explained director of the Vladivostok sales agency Sky City Evgenia Belozor.
Alaska has a huge tourism potential. It is not only the largest US state in terms of area, but also the richest and most diverse in terms of tourism. There are 23 national parks and reserves here, which is much more than in any other state of the country. Despite the remoteness and northern accent, Alaska is interesting for its nature and culture. For example, in Anchorage, at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, you can see everything that the indigenous population of this state is engaged in - national dances, wood carving among man-made crafts, making household items, clothes, leather dressing, etc.
Tlingit Indians who have lived for several thousand years in southeast Alaska (Photo: Klondike Travel)
The city impresses with its possibilities - you can get acquainted with it through hiking riding a bike, sitting in the cockpit of an airplane small aviation. And if during land walks on the sidewalk you encounter an elk, do not be surprised - this is a common thing. As for small aircraft, here it is a taxi, personal transport, ambulance, post office, etc. And there are more cute charming airplanes here than cars.
Alaska Small Aviation (Photo: (Photo: Anchorage Tourism Office)
It is on these winged taxis that tourists get to the very high point North America - Mount Denali, which in translation from the language of local Indians means "Great". And greatness is felt here in everything. This two-headed mountain is located in the center of the national park of the same name. Currently, this park is visited by more than one million tourists a year. By the way, Denali Park is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. From glacier and wildlife day cruises to numerous forest and mountain hiking trails, from world-class museum exhibits to bear watching and fishing, Alaska has it all!
Alaska - people and bears fishing (Photo: Klondike Travel)
“Tourists are surprised to learn that it is possible to visit Alaska. And plenty of options. One of the most commonly marveled is that this can be done during cruise tours, that big cruise ships also come to Alaska. You can visit one of the most picturesque cities in North America, the capital of Alaska, Juneau, which was founded during the gold rush, and today provides an opportunity to visit many gold mines and get acquainted with the history and technology of gold mining in Alaska. Or, for example, Ketchikan - an ancient Indian settlement, where national cultural and historical parks are located, allowing you to get acquainted with the life of the indigenous peoples of Alaska. It also has a wonderful collection of Native American art, including amazing totem poles. There is something to see, but after asking in detail, tourists choose a cruise along warm countries", - comments Fregat Aero manager Galina Molokoedova.
Humpback whale - this inhabitant can be seen during the cruise (Photo: Anchorage Tourism Office)
Indeed, the people of the Far East, with their taiga, hunting and fishing, frosty winters, bears and the ocean, are set up for somewhat different impressions. Yes, and for such a cruise you need two visas - American and Canadian, which increases the cost item.
“It is easier for residents of Primorye to apply for a visa - the consulate is at hand. And Kamchadals need to visit Primorye for an interview. Plane tickets are about 25 thousand rubles - this is ideal. And still it is necessary to solve questions with food, accommodation, transport. AND visa centers not in Kamchatka,” noted Yaroslav Sologub, CEO of the Kamchatka company VAYAR TOUR.
Indeed, Kamchadals themselves often prefer to visit countries with visa-free regime entry. And if you really want to apply for a visa, then they try to time the interview at the consulate to coincide with a business trip. So, we return to the starting position - this direction cannot be called massive.
Fur auction (Photo: Klondike Travel)
You can draw a parallel between the islands Mariana archipelago and Alaska. In the first case, the abolition of the visa regime and the emergence of charter programs have sharply increased the flow of tourists from the Far Eastern regions. There were guides, maps in Russian. In hotels, employees who speak Russian appeared in the staff. In general, everything for comfortable rest. And although about 4.5% of Russians vacationed on the same Saipan, their spending gave the impression that almost 18% of tourists from Russia. Of course, after the crisis, the tourist flow was blown away, but now it has already begun to grow, which cannot but please the local tourism industry.
Alaska, hot spring vacation (Photo: Klondike Travel)
You can touch on the topic of creating a representative office of Alaska in the Far East. They will position their region, talk about opportunities, conduct awareness campaigns, participate in tourism events, enhance marketing work, etc. But if flights are only on the schedule for two months, then it will be too expensive. Representatives of the local tourist industry believe that flights from Petropavlovsk are not very convenient. If flights started, for example, in Vladivostok, then given the presence of a consulate in the city, the tourist flow in this direction could increase by almost 30%.
Alaska offers a variety of recreational opportunities (Photo: Klondike Travel)
“In general, 1.85 million tourists visited Alaska last year. Compared to 2015, the growth was about 4% and 19% more than in 2011. Almost 90% of visits are tourists from the USA and Canada. About 9 - 10% are foreign guests. The largest overseas markets visited, in descending order, are Australia and New Zealand, UK, German-speaking Europe, Japan and Korea. Russians are much less than 1%, ”statistics announced curator of the Russian market Jara Haas, director of sales and press relations, Anchorage Tourism Office / Visit Anchorage.
Sled dog racing (Photo: Anchorage Tourism Office)
Note that in 2013 Jara Haas visited Vladivostok and took part in the tourism exhibition PITE together with colleagues from Alaska. Then it was noted that Alaska and Far East good prospects for the development of joint business, there are interesting events that need to be popularized on both sides of the Bering Strait, which will attract tourists, there should be constant information support.
Our big trip to Alaska in 2008 started from the city of Juneau. When approaching, thoughts appeared in my head: "Where have we arrived? Why is everything so gloomy? It's always cold here!))" and so on...
But it turned out not quite so.
We flew on a very interesting plane of Alaska Airlines with the image of the face of the Aleut.
The airport was no less interesting. In Alaska, they like to hang the heads of dead animals on the wall.
We came to Alaska under the Work and Travel USA cultural exchange program when we were students. For certain paperwork, we needed to visit the city of Juneau before going to the main location in the city of Sitka.
Having issued Required documents we went for a walk in Juneau. Juneau is the capital of Alaska, although it is not the largest. The population here is just over 30,000 people. Most Big city Alaska, with a population of about 300,000, is Anchorage.
We took the funicular up to one of the tops of the city. From here opens beautiful view. Check it out)
One of the fat sources of income for coastal cities in Alaska is tourism. A large number of America's retirees and many other tourists disembark daily from Cruise ships and buy souvenirs in special. shops, which are at every step, on the streets near the coast.
Well, we took such a cool photo in the mountains. Hello Central Bank!
After 8 hours we are in Sitka! When Alaska was Russian, this city was called Novo-Arkhangelsk and was the Russian capital of Alaska. The town is not at all large with a population of about 9 thousand people. It is located on the island Baranov.
This summer we worked at a fish factory. The plant is engaged in catching and processing of fresh fish, packaging of fresh frozen fish, production of fillet and production of salmon caviar. We were engaged in the processing of such types of fish as: all types of salmon (pink salmon, chum salmon, trout, etc.), halibut (from the flounder species), cod, stingrays and others (not in such large quantities that I don’t even remember the name) . Our factory is called .
We lived in a hostel for workers. Two steps from the factory.
Our biggest meal of the day was breakfast. Here is one of our morning meal options. 
It happened like that. It's dinner on the day of "Mexican cuisine." Looks like it was on Thursdays
This is picnic food. Well, you understand, traditionally American.
The next few shots are from our fish factory. From the signs you will understand that the main priority is quality and hygiene.
And this is Halibut. 208 pounds is about 90 kg. The fish belongs to the Kambalov species.
In the evening and on weekends we walked around the city. We went to the library (there is free internet there))
most american cars 
This is a bridge connecting two islands. One of ours (O. Baranov) and a small island on the Cator is Sitka Airport. And the mountain looks like a volcano.
In one of the souvenir shops. 
Kind of matryoshka) 
Sewer cover 
The streets of Sitka
The city has an Orthodox Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel
We also visited the Sitka National Historical Park.
Many evidence of "Russian Alaska"
city map
Binoculars for watching whales in the park.
The salmon is going to spawn. All rivers are simply filled with fish. At this time there is a ban on Salmon fishing. About two weeks.
There are some videos. The characteristic sound in the video is the salmon hitting the barrier, trying to jump over it and swim further up the river.
Life is good. Anyway. 
I managed to photograph a sea lion while hunting. He has a fish in his mouth. 
I managed to get some video footage too.
Some landscapes of Alaska. 
And this is what our fingers looked like in the morning after a month of work at the factory. 
It was an unforgettable trip!
Today we are going on a trip to Alaska, its southeastern part. Wildlife, scenic landscapes.
1. The unofficial name of Southeast Alaska is Alaska Panhandle, Alaska's Pen. It happened due to the similarity of the image of Alaska on the map to a ladle (pan) with a handle, where Southeast Alaska is precisely the “handle”. (Photo by Jim Alseth):
2. Do you know that bears are omnivores, and some of them generally prefer plant foods? Even polar bears can feed on vegetation during difficult times. And the most famous example of obligate predators - those that feed exclusively on meat and cannot digest vegetation - are all cats. (Photo by Moelyn Photos):
3. The American city of Sitka (until 1867 - Novo-Arkhangelsk), located on the island of Baranov, Alexander Archipelago (Alaska). The population is about 9 thousand people. Novo-Arkhangelsk was the capital of Russian America. (Photo by Alla Khananashvili):
4. Humpback whales live here. Of all the whales, this is the most playful and frivolous, always surrounded by cheerful splashes and white foam. (Photo by Paul Souders):
5. A unique blue glacier is called Taku. It is located in Alaska and is considered one of the most inaccessible places in the world. (Photo by Nenad Basic):
6. The most striking representative of birds is the bald eagle. (Photo by Ron Crabtree):
7. City of Ketchikan in Alaska, USA. With a population of 7,368 in 2007, it is the fifth most populous city in the state. (Photo by Artie Ng):
8. Locals. (Photo by Becky Bohrer):
9. LeConte Glacier By the way, modern glaciers cover an area of over 16 million km², or about 11% of the land. They contain more than 25 million km³ of ice - almost two thirds of the volume of fresh water on the planet. (Photo by Edmund Lowe Photography):
10. Bear. (Photo by Rocky Grimes):
11. And again a humpback whale. Humpback whales often beat and flap on the surface of the sea with their long pectoral fins and tail fin, foaming, roll on their backs, and stick their muzzles out of the water. They often completely jump out of the water in an upright position and fall down with a deafening splash. (Photo by Paul Souder):
12. Totem poles in Alaska. (Photo by Lindsay Miles-Pickup):
13. Johns Hopkins Glacier. (Photo by Suraark):
14. Wildflowers. (Photo by Dagny Willis):
15. Family of otters. (Photo by M. Cornelius):
16. In addition to the mainland, Southeast Alaska includes a huge number of islands - large, medium, small and very tiny. (Photo by Greg and Jan Ritchie):
17. White Pass Railways. This is the most beautiful narrow-gauge railway in Alaska with a length of 175 km. The link to it will be below. (Photo by Royce Bair):
18. Beautiful ice cave. (Photo by Saraporn):
19. Another one locals- two moose. (Photo by M. Cornelius):
20. Morning in the forest near Ketchikan. By the way, the economy of this city is based on tourism and fishing, and the city is known as the "Salmon Capital of the World". (Photo by Carlos Rojas):
21. The duration of diving under water for humpback whales depends on the time of year. In summer, they rarely dive for more than 5 minutes, and dives of more than 10 minutes are rare. In winter, diving lasts 10-15 minutes. (Photo by Paul Souders):
22. Glacier Bay - National Park on southeast coast alaska, west of the city Juno. The national park is under the protection of UNESCO. The nature of the coast of Glacier Bay is glaciers, a mountain range with snowy peaks, covered with forests, deep fjords, rivers and lakes. (Photo by Ramunas Bruzas):
23. Lituya Bay. Known for the natural disaster that occurred here on July 9, 1958. As a result of an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.3, a powerful landslide descended from the mountains. About 30 million cubic meters of stones and ice fell into the waters of the bay. This led to the formation of a giant wave tsunami over 500 meters high. This is the most high wave tsunami known to mankind. (Photo by M. Cornelius):
24. Seal rest. (Photo by Russ Heinl):
25. Magic forest. (Photo by Joe Benning):
26. Here it is, southeast Alaska. (Photo by Richard Seeley):
