Fairbanks, AK about June 21-22.

This is the second part of our time in Fairbanks, Alaska.  It is too much for just one post and we want to make sure that everyone gets to enjoy our trip as much as we are.

As you know by now we frequent the Visitor Centers.  Fairbanks was no exception, and this one was truly great.  Great Displays, information, and--as you can see above--appropriate landscaping.  (colorful and well designed with detention swales, for capturing roof runoff)  Wonder who took that picture?

The Alaskans really celebrate their summertime with big colorful flower-filled containers, and the Fairbanks Visitor Center was no exception. 

In the entry sidewalk: a very nice tile mosaic of Forget-Me-Nots, Alaska's State Flower.  

 

Inside the Visitor Center we found a big display of Native work.  Some of the above may seem familiar (from our last post) but this is the location where we found it.  Plus a few other things.
For example, this fine Native Basket made with Birch & other barks, plus other materials

This loveseat was made with animal horns, antlers, and skins--could be called the "Horny Chair".

Some great and realistic animal Displays, like this Grizzly Bear.

And this eagle and wolf.  There were more but mostly seems the same critters we have been puttng up since we started.  

At the door we saw this very beautiful Alaskan Quilt to be raffled.

Before we left the Visitor center we found this Arch of a variety of Antlers behind the parking lot towards a Park.

When we get home and I have access to the program I forgot to put in this laptop then I will put us together and maybe remove some of the blue.  











Our next stop was the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) Museum in a very modern building.

 This is what greeted you at the door.  I do believe every store we have gone into has a stuffed Griz.  We don't even get a little bit scared anymore.
But they had a lot of really great displays.  Enjoy, we did.

 We haven't seen one of these yet & really don't think we will.  Found out that polar bears are the only bear that will stalk a human as prey, and when camouflaged in their native bright white ice and snow habitat, they know enough to cover their telltale black nose with a paw to avoid detection.  (thanks to Christopher Armstrong for this information!)  Hard to believe, but check it out next time you are being stalked by a polar bear.

Very good display about prehistoric Mammoths.

 Another great display, something you don't want to see up close.

And there was the amazing blue babe (a mummified Steppe Bison), which died 36,000 years ago!!

Surprising isn't it?  

There was more, as there always is, but I don't want to show it all to you and spoil your visit. 

After we left here we went to the Air Museum at Pioneer Village Park.  There we found they had a lot of stuff and not enough room to put it all.  So I can't label each picture.  But you will see it.

Can you imagine flying this last plane?  Not me.

One of our days at Fairbanks we went to the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum at the Wedgewood Resort.  It is all Vintage Threads and Threads.  In other words really rare, beautiful old cars; plus fashions of both men and women, clothing that is.  So the next post will be all about that place, as it deserves a post to itself.  If you not like old cars and fashions of the times, skip it.  As soon as I can select the right photos--out of the 300 plus--we took.

Until then, keep the rubber side down.