Juneau – Day 2

The day didn’t start particularly well when Greg, the guy on the reception desk, asked me if I caught the game yesterday. I know he was asking out of interest and was unaware of the pain I suffered in failing dismally to see it.

Well, as suspected Juneau was shut for the day! I toured around the points of interest listed on the “Historic Juneau” map. The only things I did get to see were the bits outside, i.e. statues and monuments. Closed buildings viewed from the outside:-
Federal Building, Governor’s House, House of Wickersham, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Scottish Rite Temple, Alaska State Capital, Juneau-Douglas City Museum, Alaska State Museum, State Office Building.

Having realised I could have seen some of these places if I hadn’t wasted my day yesterday only brought back some of the gloom and the steadily falling rain didn’t help. Everything was grey. The wind at times was particularly vicious and was instrumental in my abandoning ideas of doing one of the hiking trails. It started from out by the waterfront and after being struck about the head body and legs with flying debris – mostly wood – I decided “bugger this for a game of soldiers and found the Heritage Cafe was open. I treated myself to a mega latte and got stuck into some book reading.

I did venture into “The Hanger on the Bay” for lunch which afforded a wonderful view of the bay as it was whipped up into whitecaps by the wind. With the ebony brooding mountains in the background shrouded in shredded dark grey clouds, one would not have been surprised to see a sailing ship bearing Dracula’s coffin heave into view having been blown off course for Whitby. A few cawing crows and howling wolves would have finished the scene off perfectly.

One of the highlights of my day was meeting a couple of morons, oh sorry, Mormons on the street. Bearing in mind it was pissing down with rain – and they didn’t have a celestial umbrella with them – and I was wet and miserable, they didn’t pick the best time to try and save my already soggy and jaded soul. The idiots tried to tell me that some bloke named Jesus died for me to be saved. I refrained from telling them that the only people who died for me to be free were in a civil war and two world wars – the second being the most important. There may have been some people named Jesus involved but I never heard of them in the popular war stories. If they want some fictitious bloke to be their lord and master then fine, but don’t try and sell it to me. I actually said to them “If that is your delusion of choice then I respect that, but I don’t share it. Have a nice day.” They then asked me if there was anyone I knew they could talk to. As if I would inflict that sort of bullshit on anyone I knew and didn’t want to offend, let alone friends. I said “I haven’t a clue, I am only visiting here.” They asked where from and I told them the UK to which they replied “there are missionaries there you know.” Of course I know, I’ve had the bastards invade my space and privacy by ringing my door bell! I said “Yes, the UK is infested too.” In the hope they would go away without me being rude to them. “Well if you want to talk to any of us or need any questions answered, get in touch.” What is this? Are they on some sort of “celestial points scheme” or are they saving points on their “salvation clubcard” to get a free toaster? If these deranged people believe they have found “the answer”, and it is true, then it will come to everyone in time. Don’t try and peddle it to me.

After this I headed for the Heritage Cafe to indulge my sinful caffeine habit – but it was shut! I suppressed the urge to go and find them just to let them know that Jesus saved me from a coffee because being morons and Americans the irony would be lost on them unless it was in the form of a spear.

Having had an all-round depressing day of achieving nothing I went in search of food and the hostel.

I treated myself to a game of Supreme Commander where I could strategically and systematically destroy Mormons, lying bitches in sports bars and foul elements with the use of Heavy Artillery and Experimental Gunships. It was great fun and I won. As I was playing on a large map it took longer than I thought and it was midnight by the time I got to bed.
Never mind, I would be moving on tomorrow so there was something new to look forward to.