Picture: The famous Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau.

In 2009 I took my parents on a cruise from Seattle to Southeast Alaska and of course Juneau was one of the destinations. In summertime, there are often up to three gigantic cruise ships tied up downtown each day. They look more like high-rise buildings than ships. Before arriving I had arranged to borrow a car from a friend so that I could show my parents around the area rather than just visit the tourist shops. I remember I was so proud to be their guide because Juneau was one of my stomping grounds. I took them to the Mendenhall Glacier to see the magical ice field. Downtown has a fascinating history so we looked at some of the ancient buildings and the remains of mining activities from the gold rush. In 1880, Juneau was the site of Alaska's first major gold strike, triggered by the discoveries of Richard Harris and Joe Juneau. The cruise and the visit to Juneau with my parents was a precious time for the three of us. My father passed away last year. Memories like that make me love to come back to Juneau.