Ketchikan was the last stop we made in Southeast Alaska.  Approximately 14,000 people live in Ketchikan and the surrounding countryside.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchikan,_Alaska I really can’t say a whole lot positive about Ketchikan, although I’m sure it is a nice place.  A prime cruise ship port, it is very commercial.  The best attraction from our standpoint was the Totem Heritage Center, which preserved and displayed old totems from around Ketchikan and the surrounding areas..  https://www.city.ketchikan.ak.us/departments/museums/totem.html
http://www.experienceketchikan.com/totem-heritage-center.html
The principal purposes and reasons for Totem Poles in the culture of the Northwest Indians were:
- Potlatch Pole – to symbolize the generosity of the person who sponsored the Potlatch ceremony
- Legend Pole – To record a supernatural encounter
- Memorial Pole – To commemorate the life of an important personÂ
- Burial Pole – totem poles were used as grave markers, grave posts or mortuary totem poles
- Heraldic Pole – Recording the history of clans or families
- Portal or Entryway pole – through which a person enters the house, identifying the owner and family of the house
- Ridicule pole, also called shame pole – symbolic reminders of debts, quarrels, murders, and other objectionable occurrences
- Indoor House Pole – supported the roof and bore emblems of the clan
- Welcoming Pole – situated on waterfronts and identifying ownership of the water and surrounding area  (Courtesy: http://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-symbols/totem-pole.htm )
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An interesting topic, meriting further study.Â
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Some shots of downtown Ketchikan:
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The next and last stop of the cruise was at Victoria, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Â Victoria is the capital city of the province of British Columbia, and is one of the prettiest cities we have visited. Â Some background if you are interested. Â https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria,_British_Columbia
Victoria is famous for Butchart Gardens, and rightfully so. Â A beautiful place, and not to be missed if you are in the vicinity. Â http://www.butchartgardens.com
Some views around Butchart Gardens:
Victoria is a beautiful city, as I said the seat of government for the province of British Columbia. Â We happened to be there on a Saturday, and there was a street fair going on around the pretty little harbor.
The Parliament building across a corner of the harbor.
The harbor, The Empress Hotel across the water.
A totem in the park across from the harbor:
A totem in the Empress Hotel:
And, finally Plasterman. Â Put money in his box and he comes to life.
Next morning, we sailed for Vancouver rand disembarked.
