Alaska Post 7

Sunday August 20 'bout 2:30.

I found an internet cafe here in Skagway, so I paid 2.50 for 30 minutes, can't beat that.

It is actually supposed to be Skaguay -- based on a native word. Foreigners butchered it over the years, sigh.

Yesterday in Juneau I learned that there is apparently somewhat of a Filipino presence and has been, in Juneau. I passed a Filipino community center. Then later I located a Filipino market and restaurant. The market is one of those "ethnic" markets where the toiletries (one or two of an item) are next to 40 bags of egg crackers or "summat summat" noodles. Love it! Pretty much closet sized and I had the urge to buy one of every thing (didn't). Their restaurant was downstairs. The man was VERY nice, just had a sunny personality, a welcoming spirit. I was the only person there (it was about 3 p.m., not really lunch or supper). I had rice, pork adobo, a fried squid (whole fried -- didn't eat it all of course, just the outer body = calamari), and a vegetable mix with eggplant and a bitter melon. He warned me the melon was bitter and he was right, I could only eat a couple before I picked them out. But I had wanted to taste it. The flavors were okay, not anything better than I could do, but I had fun eating and watching Filipino tv on the big screen. I finished with Ube ice cream. Ube is purple yam. It was very purple and unutterably yummy.

Today I and some of my relatives walked the several blocks to the Latter-day Saint branch building to attend church. My desire to attend church was an ache and it was satisfied by being there. Needed to hear everything that was said.

Like the other places we've stopped, Skagway is full of cute colorful old fashioned western facades and tons of gift shops. But still fun to walk down. I found a shop with homeade cupcakes. There were five kinds. I asked her if I bought all five kinds, would I get a discount. And she said, Only four will fit in the box. I said, I will carry and eat one! He he. She did give me one cupcake for free. She said, "I am all about helping people's dreams come true." (The shop's name was Sugar Mamas.) But when I asked she said she had not made the cupcakes. But they were obviously homeade as the frosting presentation was that flat way that you get at home instead of fluffy at commercial places. But it was yummy buttercream. I have a maple buttercream one I haven't tried yet.

Ate a salmon sandwich and sweet potato fries at a pub.