Juneau: Into the Heart of Alaska Darkness

Juneau is the Heart of Alaska Darkness.  And it has the mega-cruise ships in the harbor to prove it.

My first impression of Juneau is that it is a tourist town.  And not just a tourist town, but a cruise-ship-tourist town.

But, then again, on the trip on the high-speed ferry I kept thinking that I was journeying into the Heart of Darkness.

But, then again, anytime I'm on a boat/ship/ferry/watercraft going up a river/inlet/body of water, I think of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness."  ("Apocalyse Now" is you're more of a movie than literature person.)

And soon I arrive at the very heart of Alaska darkness.

I'm staying at the Driftwood, because (a) it had a shuttle to pick me up at the ferry terminal way way north of town and, more importantly (b) it seemed to be the last hotel room available in Juneau when I finally got around to booking this trip.

Any place in Juneau has great views, with a giant wall of mountains on one side of the town.

And this one is for Daniil, the Russian-German exchange student ... look, in downtown Juneau, a pelmeni restaurant (called "Pel'meni") with Cyrillic lettering in the window.

Not being in the mood for Russian dumplings, and not sure what was open at this hour in downtown Juneau, I ate Mexican.

This is the heart of tourist darkness in Juneau:

Tomorrow I shall explore the city more.  Or maybe not.  I have a walk on a glacier to have happen first.