Sitka, Alaska !!!

Southeast Alaska is like another state, due to it’s distance from Southcentral (my Anchorage home).  Sitka is the original Russian Capital of Alaska, and re-visiting there, it’s wonderful that it hasn’t become the chrome and glitz city that Anchorage has evolved into of late. 

  Visitors from the cruise ships frequent the small fishing village throughout the summer, and the merchants open their doors to them, whatever hour/day they arrive.  Plan ahead and don’t get caught downtown on a Sunday with no cruise ships in the bay, because all the stores will be closed!  (I didn’t – ahem!)

The reason for my trip was not related to tourism, tho’.  This was the long weekend for the annual convention of the Pioneers of Alaska.  Last year, the convention in Nome celebrated “100 years on the trail”, so figure out this year’s theme.  Tradition has it that there is a costume ball, and there were some outstanding dresses and riverboat style men accompanying the ladies who were adorned with the dresses and huge hats with flowers and feathers.  I’ll have to get some images to post, but I don’t snap a lot of digitals anymore. 

To tell you a little more about Sitka, it is located on the west side of Baranof Island, so it’s not easy to reach.  The detour from the Juneau-Ketchikan leg of the cruises is about 12 hours, and the airport lies on another island just across a fairly new bridge connecting the main part of the island.  Mt. Edgecumbe is on the adjacent island with the airport, and was once a thriving school housing / boarding natives who came in from the bush for their high school education.  This is pretty much a thing of the past, and the numbers are really down.  However, the lady Pioneers were treated to a great lunch in their dining room, with the male basketball team serving. 

One thing to remember should you visit — carry your raingear.  I didn’t see one umbrella there the whole time, but raincoats and hats are prevalent and necessary.  Just when you think you can’t take any more rain, out pops the beautiful sun, and you get to enjoy a well-loved town.  The fishing boats coming and going make a beautiful backdrop to the beautiful islands, and landscape.   This is a trip I recommend, if you can just make this slight detour.  See Alaska, before you die!

Traveling Out of My Alaska

Walter Zaney Blaney with daughters Becky and Carol

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I just left the state for a short time because I wanted to attend the annual convention of the Texas Association of Magicians, which was dedicated to Walter Zaney Blaney, who has spent 60 of his 80 years in the field of magic, and as the honored guest, he seemed to be everywhere . . when he wasn’t on the stage performing, or being interviewed, he drew a crowd of admirers in the halls of this beautiful hotel.   Two of his three daughters were there, as you can see in this picture.

The chairman of talent was another great organizer, David Hira, who left no detail untouched.  He didn’t get a chance to perform himself, but had Dana Daniels on the first night, with his ‘psychic parrot’ and that was a treat.  Also, Lonnie Chevrie, the outlaw magician, performed.  I could continue this post with a heap of names of the other magicians that are well-known among the magic community, but I will spare you from my endless accolades. 

Of course, when I arrived at ‘my’ hotel, the lovely Worthington Renaissance, a cowboy greeted me at the registration desk, and noting I am from Alaska, told me about our governor being selected as the vice-presidential Republican candidate.  What a nice surprise.  That puts us on the map, but it hasn’t helped out gasoline prices, as we’re still a dollar more per gallon than the price in Texas. 

So now, it’s time to play catch-up.  Thanks to the internet, we are never out of touch these days, so we don’t miss much home-town news, and the obituary columns keep coming in my daily subscription.