Monday, July 26, 2010

marvelous monday (catch up session).

Yes....an entire month's worth.


The natural beauty of Alaska.

Being asked if I was "one of the movie people" on my taxi ride to the hotel - I guess I don't look like I'm from around here!

My orange Toyota Matrix rental car - can spot the thing from anywhere!

The ocean view from my hotel room...could I have asked for anything better?!

18+ hours of daylight...I won't go as far as saying sunlight considering I haven't seen the sun in days. My first night here I woke up in a panic at 3 am thinking I missed my alarm since it was so bright out!

The locals idea of a place that is "far away" - 20 minutes.

Open roads....fresh air....no traffic...vacant land.

Snow-capped mountain view from the office window...breathtaking!

Working across the street from Costco...I now go there at least twice a week.

Clam chowder...everywhere! (Don't worry JM, nothing beats clam chowder bread bowls at Pier 39 with you!)

The seaport town of Seward...nothing like seeing a sea of sailboats with snow covered mountains in the background!

Stellar sea lions at the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward...they were huge! Never been so close to a sea lion before.

Hippy Fest (I'm sure it had a more legit name) in the town of Girdwood. My favorite part was their method of keeping the kegs cold - just dump em in the river!

Alaskan White Ale...quite possibly my new favorite beer. Also on draft at almost every bar! And has a little polar bear as its topper!

Glacier and Wildlife Cruise...bald eagles. whales. sea otters. glaciers. The day just got better and better!

Realizing how frozen my hands were on the glacier cruise - a crew member pulled out a chunk of iceberg and when I touched it I couldn't even feel it. that. cold.

Being close enough to the humpback whale and her baby that I could hear the blow when they surfaced.

Real sea otters are just as cute and precious as the beanie baby version I had has a kid.

Watching the glacier "calf"....also known as white thunder. Nothing like seeing a piece of the ice just collapse into the ocean.

My dermatologist experiences up here in Anchorage....never did I think that I'd come face to face with their receptionist, Bristol Palin.

Saturday - July 17th. The most beautiful day we've seen here in Anchorage. Sunny, blue skies. Spent on a bike ride with Jill and Laura - wind blowing through my hair...I was in heaven.

Peggy's. This major hole-in-the-wall restaurant on the way to the office where the accounting department (plus Chris, our adopted member) have become regulars . The food is fantastic! And the help....definitely has character.

Hiking....in the mud. 47 degrees this past Saturday (these people call this summer?!). I saw a moose and her baby. Came home soaking wet but was worth the entire 3 hours!

Snow City...a cafe around the corner from the hotel that I have fallen in love with. The food...mouth watering. The ambiance...amazing.


Sunday, July 18, 2010

The Last Frontier




My residence for the the next 6 months.
Ocean view from my room...absolute heaven.


First weekend excursion: Seward, AK - a seaport town about 2.5 hours south of Anchorage.
Simply beautiful..nothing like seeing all the boats docked in the harbor with the snow capped mountains in the background.



Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.
Whales.
Dall porpoises.
Sea otters.
Icebergs.
Pure perfection.