i've spent 4 days in Skagway, Alaska. located in the south east region of alaska, skagway holds a population of 800 year round residents. during the summer, tourists fled the petite town, arriving in herds off cruise ships to spend a day in this beautiful town. one million tourists a year.

the weather was perfect and the town was literally empty. i enjoyed relaxing in a very warm family-feeling hostel, learning to play the piano and spending some time in the local bars.

i took some walks and hikes in the area and up the mountain. i always keep an extra eye open for bears. i just watched grizzly man last night - yikes - i don't want to be part of a bear's dinner menu.

i looked for some hardcore adult entertainment while i was in town, and - oh boy, was i in luck!

i sat with some kids at the local school and sang funny songs with the man in yellow above. he provided some true entertainment.

from Skagway i caught a ferry to Haines - where i first encountered a bear.

but he didn't mind me and the other homo sapiens - he had plenty kosher salmon to eat. this time of the year, haines is one of the last places where you can find salmon on their way to a nice spawning resort, up the stream. therefore hundreds and thousands of eagles come for a big feast. bears are also happy to grab a snack.

mmmm... fish...

the next ferry took me to ketchikan. the ride took 12 hours, most of it during the night, so i got a chance to get some good sleep in my sleeping bad on the boat's floor. the view outside was spectacular. they say that south east alaska is one of the most beautiful places to wander around by water. this is mainly because the channels we take are surrounded by mountains that shoot straight up from the water.

(that's me!)

ketchikan was a real treat. i put ketchikan on my favorite two list, together with barrow.

ketchikan is a rain forest. a rain forest is a forest that receives more than 2.5 meters (8 feet) of rain every year. in other words - it's wet out there. damn wet.

i was having trouble capturing the experience with a camera, since it is so much more than visual - so i'll focus on the verbal in this section.

it rains almost constantly. water is rushing and gushing everywhere: lakes, streams, little waterfalls, the sea, splashes from cars speeding through a puddle. parts of town are built on the water. literally. you can see fish and seals swim under the houses.

lots of fish!!

(people don't fish these guys in the photo above because they are weak and rotten. they aren't able to swim upstream to spawn so they hang out in a lower level currentless lake by the houses and rot to death. moohaha.).

everything is made out of wood, and the wood is wet. you can smell it. you can also smell dead fish at certain areas. the fish rule the lakes. they occupy every inch. you could catch a dozen just by swooping them up with a net.

the photo above was taken from a lift that takes you up a steep hill in town. a vast part of town is integrated with the forest. houses are built on or beside the lakes, mountain hills and rocks, small water falls. it has a very special feel to it.

not only does the town feel integrated with the forest by being built literally inside it, the never ending rain on your head is a constant reminder that you are part of nature - you are one with the outdoors.

the experience is fully sensational; you see nature's green, brown and gray, you see running water. you hear the water running everywhere, falling from the sky, running in the lake beside you, you hear the fish jumping in the water, the birds taking position to better see its prey. you smell nature at its prime - prosperous life of trees and cruel death of fish. you feel the water running all over you, taking you in as part of nature's child. you can taste the fresh rain drops running on your face down to your lips. and you can feel the power of this very spot, where salmon come to spawn and die, birds and bears seeking food, and evolution's finest living in harmony beside it all.

totem poles are not uncommon in alaska. i've met quite a few artist that specialize in native art, such as totem poles and ancient hunting equipment. i've seen them all over alaska, decorating businesses, homes and city parks.

"locals don't use umbrella's. if you see somebody with an umbrella, it's gotta be a tourist", said dale, the guy who owns the lovely eagle view hostel. i decided to blend in with the locals. i learned that as long as you have your rain gear on (waterproof coat, waterproof pants, waterproof boots, a couple of cigars), nature's shower doesn't bother you at all.

i hiked deer mountain, which is located just outside of town. it was the best hike i ever did. coming to think of it, hiking isn't usually all that fun - all you basically do is walk up a mountain, occasionally stopping for some air, food or view. after the first 10 minutes you get used to your surrounding and focus on getting to the top. but this was something completely different. i was soaking wet, jumping in the puddles, walking on logs that took me across streams, hugging trees as i swung by them, drinking fresh water from channels on the way, studying the various types of mushrooms and berries. the mountain was 3000 feet high, so it took a good 3 hours to get to the summit.

since i was all alone on the mountain i decided to do some singing. (of course if there was somebody else on the mountain while i was singing i would have been shot). as i was approaching the summit, i proudly sang hatikva and lit a cherry cigar.

i am currently in vancouver, canada, staying at a friend's house - jon. the weather is gorgeous and the city is beautiful. my next goal is to find a job, a social circle, and settle down for a while.

michael hermon, north america.