Continuing to recap my trip to Alaska (see part 1 here), our second stop on the cruise was the bustling capital of Juneau; by far my favorite port. It was raining when we arrived, and the mountainsides were full of evergreens. Not entirely prepared for a day out in the rain (oops) I managed to find a weatherproof jacket for a steal (way to big, but I was SO glad I got it when I did – plot preview: big mosquitos)!
This was, easily, one of my new favorite places in the world. Completely remote and surrounded by water, ice, dense forest and wildlife, I decided that I might, just maybe, sell all my crap and live up here.
The outdoor pit was crackling with the juices of fresh salmon, and the wood-burning fireplace inside the lodge was the best complement to the brisk chill outside. Rustic furs lined every inch of the place and you could sense you were sitting in a true piece of Alaskan history (read more about Mary Joyce, her sled dogs and the history of the lodge here).
Now owned by a local couple who regularly participates in the transportation of customers and goods as well as the skillful preparation of meals, the lodge is maintained by a modest 9 people, all roughly my age. Serving 4 - 5 hungry groups per day, this little place has a well-oiled underground while visitors are treated to nothing less than an authentic, Alaskan experience. (Note: I wanted to make it a point that even though this is a highly-trafficked spot for vacationers, we felt like this was the first meal they had ever served to visitors. The staff was genuine, relatable and completely dedicated to making our 2-hour stay as cozy and homey as possible)!
Soon after our arrival, we were treated to a warm home-cooked meal of grilled salmon, biscuits, baked beans, cole slaw, Russian tea, coffee and lemonade; but not before a black bear decided to nibble on the drippings outside the window (thumbs up)!
The lodge has frequent visits from the bears. They are not staged for tourists (no one from the lodge intentionally feeds them to keep them around) and are most certainly wild (hence the dogs on watch and big sticks). The bear could have cared less that we were all taking pictures of him, nor did the dogs mind that a potential threat was in their area (they were more worried about addressing the mosquitos). Oh, that’s right – the mosquitos!
Tons. Everywhere. On you. In you. Around you. On your arms. In your hair. On your clothes. On your shoes. Probably in your underwear. There was really no escaping these guys (actually, girls – it’s only female mosquitos that suck your blood – nerd trivia of the week) unless you were inside or covered head-to-toe; hence, why the jacket was a good idea. I should’ve known something was up when I saw the table of bug spray at the front door… ;) Whatever you’re feeling, don’t let bugs ruin your appetite for this place. Taku was certainly somewhere I’d venture to again and again. If you’re planning for any kind of vacation (cruise, flight, etc.) to Juneau and want an activity to remember, save up – cause this is it!
P.S. – For the record, riding in a seaplane was ten million times BETTER than flying in a commercial airline. You know that when you’re over water it can actually land without inflatable life rafts coming into play (but barf bags are still included) :)
