Alaskaphototravels.com

That and This Finding the Famous Dead by Mark Arvid White click for larger pic     An interest that I have acquired over the years is learning about and visiting the final resting places of famous individuals. Alaska has its own share of course, such as Joe Reddington, father of the Iditarod Sled Dog trail race, whose body lies buried in Wasilla's Aurora Cemetery, pictured above. Cemeteries and tombs hold of course a wariness for some folks, and a fascination for others. I am in the latter category, and find them endlessly rewarding for photographic reward. I have not contented myself only with seeking out famous Alaskans, but others across America and around the world. Lakeview Cemetery in Seattle is home to the mortal remains of many dignitaries, including the daughter of Chief Seattle. Most notable however to many Americans, and a host of fans around the world are martial arts superstar and actor Bruce Lee, and his son Brandon, buried side by side with two beautiful headstone markers. When I visited their graves, a wind kept knocking over a vase of flowers that someone had set inbetween the two. I resettled the vase in front of one of the stones, shielding it from the wind. It was a satisfying personal moment to accompany a rewarding pilgrimage.:   My trip to London in January of 2006 was amazing, as one might expect. Of course anyone seeking out the famous dead has to put London at the top of the list. My first encounter was at the little Lambeth Church, which has now been changed into a Museum of Garden History. Within the church's courtyard, however, is a famous personage for anyone who has ever seen Mutiny on the Bounty. Here indeed is the final resting place of Captain William Bligh, who presided over the Bounty at the time of her mutiny, and more impressively commandeered the open boat that contained the ships's officers back to safety, thousands of miles distant. Westminster Abbey has been the place of cornations, weddings, and funerals, rightly so considering it is the final resting place of perhaps more famous individuals of world renown than any single spot on earth. Herein lies the likes of Queen Elizabeth 1, Charles Darwin, Laurence Olivier, Charles Dickens, Henry V, Mary Queen of Scotts, and Geoffrey Chaucer, among a host of others. The stone, glass, and ironwork without and within are truly magnificent.   St. Paul's Cathedral is the largest church in England, and one of the largest domed churches in the world. As well as being the seat of the Bishop of London, it's crypt holds the remains of a number of famous dead, including Admiral Horatio Nelson, and Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington. Here also in another personal quest, I sat down next to the tomb of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, hero of the naval battle of Jutland during the First World War. An honorable and courageous man that I have admired. It was a fitting conclusion to my travelling among the famous departed of England.