Christmas Season in Anchorage

I have several drafts which will not post, so I'll try to update the October posting here, and if it does work, I'll tell you about our Christmas season, because there's a lot happening in Anchorage, and to me, personally, too!

Calm January in Anchorage

Unbelieveable, beautiful sunny weather in Anchorage while the rest of US is buried in snow, freezing, desperate. The image above is Madison, Wisconsin.

So why am I indoors on my computer . . . guess it's an addiction, but I have been outdoors plenty. This is SuperBowl weekend, and that's more indoor time for me, as our club has a big roast suckling pig, plus other attractions. But, if you have a minute for a laugh, try this link.

Well, now that this has turned into a comedy blog, I'll share another one that just cracked me up. I don't know who to credit on this one, but it was sent to me, to help determine the dog that's on meth. I don't know these dogs personally, but I think I was smart enough to figure it out. Can you?

Wild Winter in Anchorage

If 'wild' and 'cold' go together, this is the winter of both. However, everytime I compare our winters with those back East, I think this is still the place to live. There was a period of time when the temperative did not rise above zero, but now it's a balmy fifteen degrees or so, and there are indoor and outdoor choices to fill your days. The ice sculptures in Town Square are quite beautiful and a stroll thru this park is a delight.

The University offers so much that you could be flitting back and forth between the Planetarium show at the Conoco-Phillips Science Building, Folk Festival in The Wendy Williamson Auditorium, Jazz Benefits at the Arts Building, and Sports events on both the campus and the Sullivan Arena.

Skiing dominates the outdoor sports, with downhill skiing at Alyeska Resort, which is 40 miles south of town, and cross country skiing at Kincaid Park being the dominent venus for these.

Plans are gearing up for the Fur Rendezvous celebration, which promises to the big lead-in weeks to the Iditarod Raes. So it won't be long until the long dark days are over and we will have survived another year of an Alaskan winter. It's still a good time to visit Anchorage before the big crowds of summer start arriving.

Christmas comes to Anchorage

This tree was decorated by someone who obviously felt the spirit, and if you're driving into Anchorage, you'll see it along the highway. There are so many events coming along this month that sometimes they just overlap. . . the weather has been cooperating and we have just enough snow to make everything look Christmas-y. Between getting cards and letters out, it's time to decorate and cook goodies, and there's just a lot to do. I think our city has as nice a Christmas season as any other, and our Town Square is so beautiful with all blue lights, it makes you feel dreamy.

The First Friday Art Walk is always joyous, and this month, it includes the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Museum of Art and History. On a sadder note, the beautiful Steinway Piano Gallery just across the street is going out of business. Such an opportunity to buy a Steinway, which has never been equalled. That includes the Yamaha, which is a close second.

Sports events clutter the newspaper, with an eye on national sports, too. This is the time of year that some school events necessarily move to The Dome, which is a huge inflated building adjacent to a mega-church in the area of the airport.

Ah, me, which way to turn. But you can do everything, or nothing at all. Some evenings that is the best option. And so we look forward to another year in big A.

February Flags Anchorage

On the downside of winter, things are oh, so busy, in Anchorage. The city has Fur Rendezvous competing with the Winter Olympics (on TV) for our attention. The coronation of the King and Queen Regent takes place first, followed by the queen and her court, the Reindeer Run, the Dogsled Races starting on Fourth Avenue, and of course, the big parade. With all the activities, sadness also has taken two of our well-known citizens.

First, we were sorry to lose Betti Cuddy, whose beautiful park was donated to the city, about two years ago, hidden behind the library in mid-town. It has a beautiful pond, and they even created a speed skating track for the athletes to practice their sport-of choice. A real jewel, and Betti leaves a wonderful family to carry on her community services.

Second, an avalanche took the life of the president of Alaska Conoco-Phillips and a companion he was snow-machining with in the beautiful mountains on the Kenai Peninsula. This oil company is the successor to Arco, who has been very generous in donating to the arts, and other non-profits in Alaska.

Our weather is mild, and we watch the weather reports of the Eastern states, and mid-West. What a horrible time they're going thru. I had to smile at the report that our congressional delegates reported for work-as-usual in Washington D.C., as it didn't seem that different from home. I guess they didn't stay the day. This just confirms what I've been saying . . . Alaska is a super-duper place to live!

The Beauty of Winter in Alaska

This blog is turning into a photo album, but my good friend Shawneen, took this picture from the Kenai Peninsula and I think it's great . .. I never used to steer clear of the cold weather, but I have to admit, as I get older .. . hmmm, did I say that . .. I like to look out from indoors by the fireplace. January is the entry to the big political season, and also the forthcoming Fur Rendezvous, so I've been busy attending meet-and-greets of several friends running for office. I don't know why. . . but I won't get into political speeches here on my travel blog. So just enjoy this moose.

One of the treasures of the winter sky is the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. It's pretty hard to capture these in a photo, as they 'roll' and even the videos don't really show it well, but you get the idea. I have to remember to keep looking up because when I'm out that late at night, I usually duck my head and run indoors.

If you don't believe me, I'll post a map of the weather here. Remember, I'm in Anchorage, not Fairbanks.

Fur Rondy Reigns

This is a pretty cool Rondy this year. The weather cooperated, and the snow fell gently for the parade. I don't have pictures of that, but I need to get one of my good friend on her horse, soon. .. not too many bands because the instruments do freeze up. I was unable to actually attend, altho' I was very closeby at the Pioneer Hall, where the Pioneers of Alaska traditionally serve a full, hot breakfast for a minimal cost. Saturday, we served over 800! Sunday not so many.
The dogsled races run for 3 days, and in addition to this there is a snow sculpture competition near the railroad depot. The usual arts and crafts continue thruout, and dogsled rides are available on the parkstrip. I don't have any pictures of these, but hope you enjoy the picture of the running of the reindeer. Someone got the great idea from Pampalona, but we don't have any bulls here, just other wildlife. This is a fairly new event, and really a kick in the pants.

The Senior Center has a first-class party, where old-timers, and long-timers, tell tales of the real Alaska. They also host several contests, and today I played in the cribbage tournament. It went on forever, so I didn't wait for the finish, not that I was heading for a blue ribbon, or anything like that. But this is a fun week to be in Anchorage, and it will be topped off by the start of the Iditarod Races.

In addition to doing travel consulting, I'm now writing travel insurance, which is a really good idea in these uncertain times. When you book your next trip, with whomever, think of me wanting to write up the insurance part. Rest easy knowing you're covered!

Winter in Alaska

Ah, it's great to be back in Alaska after a month in the lower states. Just to see our beautiful landscape was a wonderful welcome home.

Of course, I escaped during the extremely cold spell, but not totally. It was below zero when I was in Chicago, and Lake Michigan can't compare to Denali. (I do love Chicago, tho', in spite of their bizarre politics).

January is the 'lull before the storm' in Anchorage, because things are gearing up for the big Fur Rendezvous celebration, and the start of the Iditarod Dog Sled Races. These two events have unofficially merged . . . back to back at the end of February. In the holding pattern, there are many offerings in sports and arts. The Anchorage Opera continues and Anchorage Concert Association is filled with programs throughout the 'school year' . . . . The University of Alaska (UAA) is noteworthy this winter for the nationally recognized women's basketball team. Unfortunately, women's sports still don't draw a crowd, but it's probably better entertainment than men's at this time.

Come to Anchorage in the winter. You'll love our Town Square. And the best part is that there's no construction going on . . . remember the old adage, "There are two seasons in Anchorage, winter and construction".