From The Storyteller
|
Hello All: Our recent ten days in Alaska brought me several interesting moments, which bring repeated smiles. Enjoy. Doug
Vacation First big smile - I discovered that long (5+hrs) plane flights in the middle of a three-seat row, while not particularly comfortable, can be handled with ease having a “good” fairly long book. Note to self, confirm isle seat in the future. Second big smile – The weather. We learned we are a part of the 30% club. Fact, only 30% of the people who travel north to view Denali (20,310 ft – tallest mountain in North American) get to see the whole mountain, base to peak, because of clouds. Thank you, God, for 10 consecutive days in Alaska with temperature ranging in the mid-70s and clear skies. Being able to enjoy Alaska without enduring their usual chilling spring rains was a big plus. Third big smile – A sign in the Anchorage Zoo brought me a smile then and now. It read “This is the only place in Anchorage you will see a Polar Bear”, while the sign that hung next to the Polar Bear exhibit, “Our Polar Bear is currently on loan to another zoo”. How Polar Bear loans and repayments work remain unanswered questions. Fourth big smile - Being able to hear glaciers cracking like a shotgun being fired, and then watching them calve huge chunks of blue ice into the sea. Seeing sea lions with pups, mother/young Orcas, Humpback whales sounding, young and mature eagles, Black and Brown bears in their natural habitat, moose in the wild, and then there’s waking up each day to the ever-present mountains and forests that surround Anchorage. Oh, I can’t forget the fresh caught seafood, the Alaska Railroad trip, deep rich coffees, creative pastries, and breweries. Wait, this sentence could go on for quite a while, but June is coming to an end and this month’s smile story needs to come to an end also. Moral: Vacations are good! PS: Elaine said the Anchorage Museum, with it fascinating exhibit covering the many different indigenous tribes, was to good to not be mentioned. |