Where Is Haines?
The visit to a small place called Haines, was a detour from our ship sailing South. Since we didn’t get on the list for the excursion to see bald eagles, we decided to visit what used to be a Fort William H. Seward. After stepping out on the shore, we were greeted with blooming poppy flowers and we were attracted by a gift store called “The Wild Iris”.
The garden in front of the store that was in a house, had many flowers including irises. The owner of the store shared with us that after studying chemical engineering, he left Chicago, travelled throughout the United States and Canada, came to San Francisco in 1977, but instead of staying there, he flew to Alaska and ended up in Haines, where he has resided for forty-one years. There he rebuilt a house, became a jeweler, and has a rock band. His son, who was born in Alaska, lives nearby, and his wife plants flowers in their garden. When I inquired how he makes a living from selling jewelry, he showed me an impressive calendar of visiting cruise ships.
The feeling about this special place, located between the snow covered mountains and the bay is impossible to describe. When my wife Elfa asked me if I would consider returning and to stay for a month or two to explore the surrounding area, I agreed. The question was what about our dog Max? Of course we could take a car and to drive here through Canada, but I’m not planning to stop working any time soon. Meanwhile, please enjoy these three images.
Enjoy and Share Love!
