Anchorage about the 25th of June 2013

From our Denali campsite to Anchorage is about 238 miles.  Anchorage is a city located on the east of Cook Inlet and bordered by the Chugach Mountains, so you can't get too lost.  The Midsummer days are long in Alaska, and here is no exception.  On the Summer Solstice Anchorage gets 22 hours of daylight and that was only a few days ago.  The long daylight hours have not been a problem for us.  There is a lot to do here and it is one of the few places we will traverse twice.  We decided to stay 5 nights here.

This is our little spot in the Golden Nugget Campground.  It is basically a large parking lot with full hook-ups in town.  Since Costco is right across the street you know it must be a busy place.   The first night we settled in, filled the water tanks again, and cleaned up the bug mess as much as possible.  Guess what?  The mosquitoes are still with us.  
The next morning we started with washing the Honda--so we could see out the windshield.  It gets dirty pretty fast behind the RV and when there is construction (when isn't there?) it's even worse.  So with the Honda once more shiny and clean, we headed downtown.  We visited the "Gift Shops" that offered free gifts from the "Alaska Toursaver" book, and saw a few interesting things there too. 

A mounted or carved bear is in nearly every store or building you go into.  This was a pretty good (& big) one.

A central feature downtown--and particularly enjoyed by Pauline--around the Convention/Theatre complex were beautifully coordinated colored annual beds.





So I took pictures:  Loved the combinations

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Alaskans really show their love of flowers.  Everywhere there are colorful plantings and big-big hanging baskets.   Such a contrast with the snowy season!  Come to think of it most anything is better than snow--unless you are a snow lover.  I'm not..

At this Log Cabin Information Center we found out about a walking tour of the city, which was to start very soon.  So-- of course--we just HAD to go walking.  I have mentioned that Anchorage is a large city, didn't I?  So we got there in time, and away we go on this tour. 

 Now the tour guide was a young National Park Ranger, dressed in period costume, and she did enjoy her job! She did a great job.  I'll show a few pictures of her doing her "job", and then you will see what she was showing us.  OK?

She told us about the totem poles she is standing by, how the city got it's name, etc.

A very expressive young woman, an acting major in college.  And she was well-schooled in her history too!

These are metal models of Captain Cook's fleet of three ships, located on a main street downtown, to be enjoyed by all. 

This was the HMS Resolution,  one of Captain Cook's ships.  It was only about two and a half times bigger than our RV.  Just imagine the conditions of being on these ships for 3 years at a time.  WOW!!  A big killer was Scurvy:  they just didn't get their Vitamin C.

 This is a Raven on the totem pole.  You can tell it from an Eagle because it doesn't have a hooked nose.  Both are on a lot of poles.  So now you know the difference.

Saw this in a window.  Guess I got to work for a living up here.  

Captain Cook overlooking Cook's Inlet.  I could go into the history of his voyages but there are a lot of other places you can find out this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cook_captain_james.shtml 

After walking about 7 or 8 miles on this tour (if you believe him on that, he has a bridge to sell you!!) we had to go back to where we started. Then, after lunch at a little cafe, we drove a little, with little fear of getting lost--we had our "Betty" (the GPS) with us.  How did we ever find our way around before her?  
We went passed the Municipal Airport, where there must have been a 1000 small planes parked.  We learned that in Alaska one in every 16 adults has a pilots license, and about one family in 60 has a plane.  I wonder why?? 
The next morning we decided to find more about these Alaskan planes.  The best place for that is  Alaska Aviation Museum:  a great stop, and one of those 2-for-1 deals in our Alaska Toursaver book.  Once again I will show you a bunch of the planes, but I don't remember a thing about them.  Sorry about that.

Lake Hood, the large lake next door to the museum was very active.

 

This is the Piper Super Cub, one of the most popular planes in Alaska regardless of there being over 40 years old.

Here is My Dear Bride test flying a 737.  She did not get it off the ground.

Maybe she pushed (pulled) the wrong switch here.

Meanwhile I was having no problem with the F-16.

Real 737 parked outside.  Pauline didn't want to try this one.

Right behind the Museum was Lake Hood, the float plane airport.

The way I understand it, the air traffic is controlled from here, not too far from the main Anchorage International Airport.  Bet that could be a problem sometimes.

On the way home we passed this sign.  Do I have to tell you what happened next?

 Dumb Question, Garden and a trail.  I didn't dare NOT stop.  It was nice and not a real long trail. Maybe 4, 5 Miles. ;-)  Once again the captions for pictures are for my Dear Bride to add.

First I got to tell you about this 8 foot fence and gate.  Why, you ask?  Moose:  anything lower they can get over, and eat everything!  This is a relatively new garden, and just growing up.    
Now to the flowers:
 

 Some familiar plants here:  Foxglove

a true blue Poppy

Peonies just started to bloom

Nice Foxglove with a bee inside

Patriotic ensemble

table decorations

pretty peony

decorative Gabiens

 As you can see here, it is early in the season, so the plants are just getting started.  This is the new Herb Garden, & nicely done.

Nice new sturdy bench

new paving with stone tile edge detail

Rusty dragonfly

interesting edging

new Amphitheater area

It would be interesting to see the Garden later in the season as things fill in a bit.

By the time we got out of the gardens it was too late go all the way back to the RV, so we had dinner at Applebees.  They are civilized up here; ha!  Then we went grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.  Fresh fruit or veggies are at a premium--and not so fresh.  So back to RV.

The following day we went to the Alaskan Native Heritage Center; really interesting.  Spent quite a while touring there:  First the dancing girls  

They are demonstrating the native dances, with the band and singers are behind them.  I found it interesting that since "First Nation" dances were sometimes performed indoors (as in winter), arm movements (not legs) are the main movements, due to the limited space.  The dances tell stories, some ancient and some new.

Bead worker inside the center,  tried to sell me what he was working on.
We then went outside where we had a guide

This native explained 5 different major cultures, and the typical shelters of each.

The different house or shelters samples would be around this pond.  I will show you some of the things we saw. 

Indoor totem

Interior view of Entrance

Outside of same entry

Nice & cozy sitting around central fire

Shelters were built underground for insulation & warmth

Every part of the whale was used for something

Grey Whale skeleton

Pauline and a whale rib--huge!

For some reason, (well; this was the main mode of transport, remember) right in the middle of the tour they show us a dog racing kennel.  And you can take a two minute ride on this pulled by the dogs for only ten dollars.

We passed.  After a couple more shelters, some more dancers, we had learned a lot.

We were going back to the RV when we saw this store called The Alaska Fur Exchange so we decided to check it out.  This is the first thing you saw when you walked in the door. 

Impressive---even before we got into the store.  It was full of good stuff.  

 Like this fur coat; nice & warm in the winter.  Did she like it?  Well, what do you think?

Take it off, no way!!
(well, Yes!! and before I melt, please.  It's summer!)

Only costs a few thousand  .  .  . 

How's about this intriguing hat?






Maybe this one's better .  .  .

OOOh!  I like this one best!  Just a few hundred!  Just the thing:  Oh yes, I'd wear it all the time at home!


After looking around for a while
---and playing for a while 
---and spending some money for a while, 
it was time to go home.  

Tomorrow we are going to do something real exciting.  (well maybe not exciting, but necessary anyway.)
The laundry/housekeeping!  See you later.