Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

We made it to Dawson on Tuesday afternoon. What an interesting, charming, unique place! This is where gold was discovered in 1896, causing the Klondike Gold Rush. We visited the spot on the Bonanza Creek where it was found and we even panned for gold just upstream from there. We found a few tiny "nuggets" of gold!

Panning for gold in the Bonanza Creek. It's not easy!

The town of Dawson City has kept the town looking very much like it would have in the early 1900s. The streets are not paved, and the buildings have been preserved as much as possible. It's a bustling little place with lots to see and do. We had a wonderful walking tour with our guide, Sue, dressed in vintage style, and learned about the history behind Dawson and the buildings. She was a character, and she told stories that made the town come alive.

Our guide Sue entertains us with a story.

Our favorite is the story behind the "sour toe" cocktail. Winters up here are long and cold, and as she said, people come up with some crazy ideas while sitting alone in the dark. An old timer found an abandoned cabin, and sitting on the shelf was a jar with a little toe preserved in alcohol. (It was common up here to chop off a toe that became frostbitten). He came up with the idea to make the sour toe cocktail...a shot of alcohol with the toe in it. You have to drink the shot, and your lips have to touch the toe. We saw a TV show...Canadian Pickers...on our way up here, and the two guys were picking in Dawson and did the drink. Believe it or not, over 50,000 shots have been done since the first one. You are awarded a certificate. And no, we won't be attempting it.

Standing at the spot on Bonanza Creek where the discovery of gold was made in 1896.

We visited the cabin of Robert Service, the "bard of the Yukon". We've heard much of his poetry over the last several days, and it was fun to sit in front of his cabin and hear readings of his poetry, based on his experiences in the Yukon.

Reading select poems of Robert Service.

We also visited the cabin of Jack London, who lived here for a year in 1896. I was fascinated to be there, having just reread "Call of the Wild", his book based on the dog of a friend. Seeing pictures of the inspiration for the dog, "Buck", made it more real.

I love the sod roof~common here in the older places.

Today was  a "free day" on the tour. Butch went off with some of the guys in their Jeeps and 4 wheelers. They headed past the end of the road on Bonanza Creek and up to the gold mines where the TV show Yukon Gold is filmed, saw beautiful scenery, elk, porcupine, and a moose. I had some much appreciated free time to catch up on reading and blogging!
Today is our anniversary and we went into town for dinner with Pat and Don from Louisiana. Pat and I got a little slot time at the casino before dinner.

Dinner at Klondike Kate's was a treat. We highly recommend it!

We are about 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle...definitely experiencing the Midnight Sun! When we go to bed around 11 at night, it is bright daylight!
Tomorrow is another free day, ending with dinner and the Can Can show at Diamond Tooth Gertie's, the casino in town. Then, on Sunday, we head for Tok, Alaska via the Top of the World highway, crossing the Yukon on a ferry. Yikes!