"Art is for sharing"

So says the artist Rachel Hoover in Cordova, Alaska. And I agree. And I loved this piece, which Rachel kindly let me take a picture of, and share with the world - well, the very few people in the world that read this rubbish.

But first let me get a little moan out of the way about Hurtigruten. In conversation with Jessica and Rachel we established that Hurtigruten had contacted the Cordova Chamber of Commerce some time ago, to ask them to set up some local artists and craft makers in the town in readiness for the first cruise ship to call at Cordova in several years. Great idea. The Chamber were only too happy to oblige. Then Hurtigruten completely omitted to tell the passengers! Brilliant, great job Expedition Team.

As it happens, Cordova is not that big (roughly 2500 people) so if we found the various local events I am sure that most others did too. We even went through the town drumming up trade - before we got waylaid and ended up in the local pub! But more of that later.

First, the wonderful experience of chatting to local artists, jewellers, macrame crafters, jam makers, food vendors, hot sauce makers and others in the local “village hall”. I really was tempted to buy this picture from Rachel, but even with it rolled up it was not going to fit. She offered to freight it for us but in the end we have bought enough, spent enough and of course, until we move into our new house we have no idea where anything is going to go. If anyone reading this is interested in the painting, I can put you in touch with Rachel the artist!

But we couldn’t leave without something so a bottle of Rachel’s very special “live” hot sauce was purchased and if it gets home successfully I will let you know at some later date its effect! I’m expecting (and dare I say, hoping for) serious damage!

Another local artist, Shulammite Reece, provided us with an opportunity to buy something a little more manageable in size and so we now do have a permanent reminder of what turned out to be rather wonderful and memorable visit to this charming isolated town. The road goes about 50km out of town, and I think only about 20 of that is paved!

And our visit was made all the more interesting by being (as far as we could tell) the only boat passengers to venture into the Alaskan Hotel Bar. So glad we did. This legendary hotel built in 1908 has been a feature of the town for over a hundred years. It has changed hands many times but nobody seems to be able to explain the reason why the sign outside is upside down, despite it being the most talked about feature of the hotel. Although one local did suggest it was so that when you left drunk you didn't know if you were upside down!

We managed to sink a couple of Alaskan Brewery pints with a local who chatted away about the bear he had recently killed, skinned and used all parts for meat, clothing, and whatever else you do with a dead bear. Apparently bear sausages are really good! We are definitely in a part of the world that is different to home. The essence of travel, I guess. It has certainly broadened my mind. The perfect place to enjoy a late afternoon pint ... or two!

As we said goodbye to Cordova, the sun, the still water and the light conspired to give us one last wonderful shot. Goodbye Cordova, we had a fabulous time, and thank you Rachel, Jessica, Shulammite, Logan and the bartender, whose name I, unforgivably, forgot to ask, for making us so welcome. In the somewhat unlikely event that I return I will be sure to look you up. And if friends visit I will tell them to find you and at the very least have a few pints in the Alaskan!

Today we are in our last fjord before we disembark tomorrow at Seward. One last picture for now (I’ve already had people telling me they are bored of icebergs!), of the magnificent Harvard Glacier in College Fjord. We are out on the zodiacs later, but although I will of course take the camera, I am intending to just enjoy, not worry about the “perfect shot”, and just stay in the moment.

Tonight we pack, to head for Anchorage via Seward tomorrow so there will be no blog - there is only so much one can say about glaciers, icebergs and fjords. And let’s be honest I have said most of it - endlessly! Although ... as I write this there are huge chunks of ice calving from the massive glacier all the time, so if I do end up getting a great shot of that, you will doubtless see it and hear about it!

Bye for now, I will leave you with a picture from our balcony when we woke up this morning!

Next update, which might well be the last of this trip will be from Anchorage, later in the week.