JennyG, being in Juneau on July 4th you can take in the parade if you wish. Juneau people are fond of their parade but it *is* pretty small-town. (Don't tell KT I said that!) It isn't a whole lot like Independence Parades down south (in the lower 48), for instance, there aren't any fresh flowers, there are no horses, there are not many theme floats. Down south a float often takes a week or more to create- here my guess is that most of them take no longer than two days, if that.

I've said for a long time that our music group should get hold of a flatbed truck and make music as we move through the streets. Still like the idea but we've never done it.

However, the parade takes about an hour to wind its way around downtown, the crowds are heavy, the mood is mellow and congenial, the weather is usually nice - sometimes hot - there is free bus service to the island across the bridge where there is sand castle building on the beach, children and myriads of dogs splash in and out of the ocearn, there is grilled food available in the shelters. One can go home sunburnt and pleasantly tired.

Travelling on the Sapphire Princess - man, it is a BIG one- you will probably get here in the early morning and leave again sometime between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm, depending on the ship's schedule.

I would suggest that you NOT sign up onboard the ship for the various activities they promote. It is MUCH cheaper to do it on your own. There is a Visitors and Convention Center downtown who have lots of ideas and in kiosks along the wharf are volunteers who can point you in any direction. In fact, the local woman who makes the smoked salmon that KT and I have taken to the Getaway the last couple of years staffs the kiosk downtown on Tuesday mornings from 8:00 to 11:00 and she takes her duties seriously. (She even has a big red Aussie Shepherd in the kiosk with her- a dog, not a sheepherder).

KT, Jan and Eldon are going to get to town on July 4th too; they'll be here about a week and a half. Get your mando ready!