02 – Day 1 in Sitka, Alaska – July 20th

After a lovely visit in Seattle with our niece and her family we flew to Sitka. SEATAC airport was heaving and systems were still recovering from the global Microsoft outage overnight. Now eight hours after landing we still don’t have our checked bags.

Bags being held on check in as baggage system overwhelmed
Deep fjords halfway from Seattle to Sitka
The view from our rented digs

First impressions of Sitka is that it’s larger and more populous than we expected. Alaska was settled by Russian fur traders in the late 1700s and Sitka was its capital. It was the largest settlement north of San Francisco for many years. In 1867 Alaska was ‘bought’ from the Russians which remains controversial to this day. Native Alaskans prefer to use the word ‘transferred’. Here’s the wikipedia entry for Sitka where we are staying. It’s the first part of Alaska for non-natives so it made sense to start here.

Overlooking the sound in Sitka before grocery shopping. Note the city shoes as we still don’t have our baggage1
The Prospector statue in front of the Pioneer Home which was a soft alms house built back in the 1930s
The main drag was quiet, no cruise ships in today. The rebuilt Russian church St. Michael’s Cathedral dominates. It is the earliest orthodox cathedral in the new world having been built in 1848. The original burned down in 1966.

Wikipedia entry for St. Michael’s Cathedral

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Michael’s_Cathedral_(Sitka,_Alaska)?wprov=sfti1#

Phil Shatz
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2 responses to “02 – Day 1 in Sitka, Alaska – July 20th”

  1. Jo Denham Avatar
    Jo Denham

    Poor you not having your luggage. Hope it catches up with you soon.

    1. Phil Shatz Avatar
      Phil Shatz

      Carolynn was missing her bag for one night, and I just got my bag an hour ago so I was missing it for two nights. No big deal though.