Alaska Cruise Day 5: Sitka

Sitka was the stop that helped convince me to choose Holland America for our Alaska cruise. Not every ship stops at Sitka, but I was interested in seeing the Russian influence on an American town. Of course, I'm not too rah-rah about Russia at the moment (see: invasion of Ukraine), but I booked the trip long before that happened and I was still interested in seeing the country's influence on an American town.

The ship docked about a 10-minute drive outside of the city, so the first order of business was a free shuttle bus. Even downtown, nothing was too far away. A 10- to 15-minute walk took us to the Sitka National Historic Park to see a collection of totem poles, tall trees and views.

Paul and Atticus went to the Sitka Raptor Center to see rehabilitated birds, while Edith and I visited the Russian Bishop's House for a tour of a building from the Russian colonial period. It is also a National Park Service site, and Edith completed some activities to become a Junior Ranger.

Every window had a cross.

She and I went to some shops before meeting up with the boys a bit after noon and visiting St. Michael's Cathedral, with its onion dome. Then we walked up Baranof Castle Hill for the views, and then off to the Russian Cemetery -- as interesting of a resting place as I've ever seen, with its gravestones without order practically in the middle of a forest.

It was a bit of a whirlwind -- off the boat around 8 a.m., back on ship around 2 p.m. before leaving Sitka at 4 p.m. -- but I nice overview of a different perspective of American history.