People of Skagway

I've been chit-chatting up a storm! Every time I go into a shop or meet someone on the street, it just feels right to exchange names and get a bit of their story - it's that kind of town.

It'll be interesting to see it when the streets are flooded with tourists, though. Apparently you get to know or at least recognize everyone who's here the whole time, as you see the same faces amid the thousands and thousands of cruise ship passengers cramming the streets. Right now it's totally weird but awesome here. It looks like a movie set, because the buildings are so period, the backdrop is so beautiful, and the streets are so utterly empty.

Anyway, I've been taking notes on the people I've met, because they have interesting stories and also because I want to actually remember their names!

John grew up here and now lives in – if I remember correctly – Seattle, or possibly somewhere else in Washington State. He works in the ice cream shop and has been back every summer since he left, but might not return next summer!

Steve is from Indiana right outside of Chicago. It's his first summer up here, and he's working in his aunt's (I think!) gift shop art gallery.

Ashley is also working in the ice cream shop, and is up from Idaho for her second summer – some of her college friends had come up her before and it sounded good to her!

We also met a couple in the street yesterday – Michaela and Lenny. Michaela came up a few years ago to work in a jewelry store – her first day was the same as Skipper's and Niles' first day! They quit working in the jewelry store pretty early – apparently it was awful – but Michaela stuck it out the whole summer before returning home to San Diego. After she and Lenny got married, he wanted to try coming back up here, but she was determined not to work at the jewelry store anymore. So now they're tour drivers! She drives a street car around town on a historical tour, and he drives a bus up and a bit out of town, apparently. They're super excited to come see the show again!

Also, I was chatting with Michael again, and he told me that he goes foraging for wild mushrooms, and said that he was willing to teach me how! He says it's very easy to recognize different varieties and avoid the poisonous kind.

More pics soon, probably! I want to show y'all my room and my view and the town!