Anchorage, City Tour (Part 2/4)

Alaska is at the northwest of North America, situated between Russia, and Canada. When I told people that's where I was going, they said, "Oh, it's close to the North Pole." Well, it depends on which North Pole you're talking about. There is a place called North Pole which is a small city in Fairbanks, Alaska. 

But there is also the Geographic North Pole which is at the northernmost part of the earth, does not belong to any country, is not inhabited, sits on a shifting sea ice, in the middle of the arctic ocean (there is no land). To get there from Alaska or from anywhere is a challenge, quite expensive, and you need to be part of a tour/expedition.

The Ulu Factory. At the Ulu Factory, they demonstrate how they make the Ulu knife, and how the rocking motion makes it easier to use with one hand.

This knife was made, and used by the Alaskan natives 5000 years ago for preparing food, and making clothes from animal skin. Originally, the blade was made of stone. I bought a few as souvenirs, and one for myself. It cuts well. Do recommend.

There is a sled, and food cache outside the store. The Russian couple in the above photo had a great sense of humor, and were super friendly. They agreed to pose for me with the sled. 

Since Russia is right next door, Russians used to get on a sled, cross the snow, and come to Alaska without having to go through border control. They would meet up with friends, and sometimes with a friendly community, willing to share their food. They would gather, have fun, and then return home in their sled.

Food Cache hiding behind a tree. Food cache was used to conceal food from wildlife. When there were no refrigerators, people also kept their food outdoors under the snow.

Earthquake Park. This area was home to a community before it collapsed because of the 1964 Alaska earthquake. It's now a memorial, and there are educational boards along the park's path to give visitors a better understanding of what exactly happened, how the earth shifted, the land slid, and the geology changed. 

The earthquake had a magnitude of 9.2, lasted 4 1/2 minutes, and was the most powerful earthquake in the U.S. history, causing tsunamis that travelled across The Pacific from Oregon, to California, to Hawaii, and to many other places. 

Tip: There are a lot of mosquitos here. Make sure you take a repellent before your visit. I had none. A very kind lady had an extra one, and gave it to me. I was grateful. 

Also, if you plan on walking in the park, beware of wildlife such as moose. I learned that they are stubborn animals, and don't like to be surprised. So, take a small bell with you, and make noise every now and then, letting them know that you are nearby.

Point Woronzof. On a clear day, you can see views of Anchorage, and Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America.

The above photo is of Devil's Club, a healing shrub. It's used by the natives for medicine. The bark, and root can be made into teas. You can purchase it in the form of Salve to apply it to joints, and muscles to help them heal. I had an injured ankle before my travels. Melissa taught me how it works, and when I returned home, I bought one. It does work, but it takes time, and you have to massage it in the injured area at least once a day.

 

Cook Inlet. The inlet has powerful tides. The water is a combination of salt water, fresh water from the rivers, and silt from the glaciers. When the tides recede, they leave behind mudflats. There are signs around warning not to walk on mudflats. 

The Cook Inlet is actually called Tikahtnu (means big water river), and Cungaaciq (means blue), named by the natives who inhabited the area for thousands of years, long before the Europeans got there. When the British explorer, Captain James Cook, landed there, he named it after himself.

Lake Hood Harbor. This area is close to the Anchorage airport, and is where seaplanes land and takeoff. Melissa told us that all you need is 40 hours of flight experience, to get licensed. She also said that some pilots love their aircraft so much that they want to be buried with it. Since this is not possible, their burial request is to use their seaplane propeller as a headstone.

My tour guide, Melissa, and me. She is an Alaskan native, an Inuit tribal member who can speak Yupik. Many refer to Inuit, and Yupik as Eskimo. But some natives may find the word Eskimo offensive, and prefer to be referred to as Alaskan native or Inuit. She said that she didn't mind to be called Eskimo. Many live in the U.S., Canada, Greenland, and Russia.

Wild Berry. When you walk in, there is a large version of a chocolate fountain you would find when you go to a holiday brunch, except that you're not allowed to eat from this fountain. In the video, I was thanking someone for not jumping in front of my camera.

They are quite generous to their customers. They not only have samples sitting out, they also let you try something from behind the window before you purchase it.

In the back of the Wild Berry building is the "Rock Man," and behind it is the Awaken Church. The Rock Man monument was like a street sign, marking settlements, hunting grounds, and food caches used by Inuit as a guidance. This monument is a large version of what was found throughout the Arctic.

There is a pretty area outside of the Awaken Church. It's nice to sit there, read a book, take a lunch break, or simply chill, and listen to the sound of nature. 

 

Beluga Point. According to the State of Alaska: "Beluga Point is situated along the 'Turnagain Arm' of Cook Inlet in Alaska." Turnagain Arm is named after Captain James Cook, who was forced to "turn again," in 1778 when he realized the waterway did not lead to the Northwest Passage, an important trading route. 

The Beluga Point has views of surrounding mountains, and the inlet with evidence of early human habitation in the area. It's known for sightings of beluga whales, and wildlife. Called the "canaries of the sea" for the variety of vocal voices they make, the beluga whales' spout is inconspicuous. They blow sphere-shaped bubble rings under water as a form of a play, and communication.  The young belugas are blue gray, and turn white when they are five or six years old. They are the only whales that are white.

If you turn away from the water, and look behind you, you will find a mountainous area. I was trying to find the white Dall sheep climbing the mountain, but they were hard to spot. Here, Melissa was asking me to get in a group photo. Instead, I offered to take pictures of all of them. I prefer being behind a camera 🙃 

Anchorage, Alaska, Part 1/4

Although Alaska is part of the United States, when there, it feels like you're in another country. Not a fan of cruises, I flew over instead.  

It takes time to learn about the Alaskan native's rich history, stories of their ancestors, and their culture. So, it's not possible to include everything in this blog. But, here are some of the highlights from my recent visit to the Anchorage Museum, and from what the tour guides said.

From the Russian takeover of Alaska to the sale of Alaska to the U.S., to the Japanese invasion during World War II, and to being forced to live in camps where many died of diseases, life has been a tough journey for the Alaskans.

When the Russians took over their land, they killed all the sea otters, and dug for minerals without respecting their land.

And when Russia sold Alaska to the U.S., the U.S. denied the natives citizenship on their homeland, and they were excluded from schools, stores, lands, and jobs because they were not considered "white."

One of the tour guides said that years after the U.S. takeover, when she attended school, she was shamed for speaking her native language. Languages of various tribes have been lost because of shaming. But today, things are slowly turning around, the Alaskan natives are fighting back, and are much stronger than other indigenous people living across the U.S. There are now vast areas of Alaskan land, protected by the Alaska Federation of Natives, where only natives are allowed to purchase farms, homes, and businesses.

Many of their items were handmade from materials such as coiled grass, birch, brass inlay, and walrus ivory, depicting people, animals, and nature. They made things such as snow goggles to protect their eyes from snow blindness, mourning neck ring, and wooden armbands engraved with animal figures that they wore for one year following a death, and ceremonial batons made of caribou, and caribou hair.

From the museum: Masks were used for specific ceremonies, and celebrations, made of driftwood, whalebone, cedar, and birch. "Each tell a story that connects people to the natural world."

Snow shoes. Wood from birch tree was used to make sleds, weapons, tools, boats, and homes. The bark was used to make baskets, and containers. "The bark also made for an excellent fire starter, as it will burn even when wet."

PFD—Permanent Fund Dividend is a fund paid to all Alaskan residents in the amount of $1000-$2000 per person per year, funded by the oil, and mining revenues. To receive the dividend, you must live there for at least one year, and plan on staying there.

California gets 15% of its oil from Alaska, 29% from in State Production, and the rest from foreign sources. 

On to the food. When I visited, I tried a bunch of eateries, and found the food to be meh. But I did find a few things that were good such as the excellent blonde Ale at the Brewhouse in downtown Anchorage.

All their beers are made inhouse. I recommend sitting in the bar area, and see if you can get a side order of their coleslaw because they use a variety of vegetables that compliment each other. And the dressing is quite good. The dish is small, but you get quality, instead of quantity.

The Wild Scoop, also in downtown Anchorage. Ice cream lovers, be aware. Their ice cream is addddictingggg! This place has one of the best ice creams I have ever had. Make sure you get it in a waffle cone because it is absolutely delicious. They have a lot of different flavors, and I didn't hear anyone complain about their choices. There is ususaly a line, but it moves fast.

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, named after the former Alaska governor. My tour guide recommended this path. I spent my last day here. You can access it from downtown, and walk, jog, or ride a bike for miles along a serene green area that runs parallel to the waters of Cook Inlet which runs from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. There are benches along this path, where you can chill, and enjoy the water views.

See the Alaska mudflats in the above video? Although I did see a few people walking on it, it's not a smart thing to do. The mud may be hard, and you may be able to walk on it. But this mud is not sand. It's rock flour made of rock fragments from the glaciers. When the tide comes in fast, the solid surface turns soft, and sucks you in, holds on to you, and not let you pull back until it's too late. People have died in the Alaska mud flats. 

Side note: When you go to the museum, don't buy your ticket from their machine. Get it at the counter because the machine requests your first and last name, your phone number, your email, and other info. The ticket comes to you as a text, tracks your movement while you're there, and knows exactly when you're leaving the museum. This type of surveillance is uncalled for, and I have never ever purchased a ticket to a museum where they collected so much personal data. Also, see if you can pay in cash so that they will not have access to your credit card info.

 

Rod Stewart

This was Rod Stewart's final concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Full house. 18,000 people, perhaps. Although it felt like much more than that. I hadn't plan on going or even knew about it, even though I do like some of his music and lyrics. So, a when a friend of a friend was giving away their box seats because they had to attend a wedding, I grabbed the opportunity, and said yes, I will go.

 

My brother always makes fun of me, and says that as soon as someone wants to hangout or do something, I grab my backpack, and am ready to go. But I can't help it. I love socializing, being with people, and going to places. The above is Richard Marx, singing one of my favorites—Right Here Waiting. He was the opening act for Rod's concert. 

Apologies for the blurry video. We arrived late because the driver was inept. I took a quick shot of Marx. Also, blogger doesn't allow anything over 25MB. So, I have to cut everything and change the resolution unless I want to load all of it into YouTube. And YouTube can be loopy. It privatizes my videos without my permission, meaning it prevents people from seeing them!

 

Rod Stewart sings This Old Heart Of Mine. Can you believe he is 81? God Bless... Yes, his voice is not what it used to be, and he took breaks, going behind the stage, and coming back on, but his energy was much much higher than when I took my niece to see One Direction. Those kids kept sitting down, feeling tired, and sang only a few songs during the entire concert. Rod went above and beyond to sing numerous songs during his concert, and completely kept the audience engaged.

 

It's a heartache. The evening was interesting. Some of the people around us were stick-in-the-mud audience. Others were blitzed before getting to their seats. A man with his pregnant wife offered us a bottle of alcohol. The couple next to us were so worried that something bad was going to happen, asked if I would move my backpack out of the way in case of an emergency. I'm not sure if the wife even enjoyed being there. She was uptight with pursed lips, and left the concert early. Yep...different crowd for sure.

 

First Cut Is The Deepest. When Rod's second wife, Rachel Hunter who was 24 years younger, left him, he fell apart. He said that she was too young to get married at 21, and to start a family.

 

Maggie May. Rachael put her life on hold for Rod, but after nine years of marriage, and two children, she left. He was heartbroken. She didn't want to live in his shadows, and needed to find her own identity. Rod married Penny Lancaster a year later.

 

People Get Ready. As the evening wore off, the music, and the images became more political.

 

Love Train. It was now all about race, Netanyahu, and Trump's wars. He probably figured that this is his last concert, he can say whatever he wants, and do whatever he wants, and not worry about finding his next gig. Kudos to him...

 

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You. He sang this song for his family who were standing in the front row. As we left, I was glad that I got to see his last concert. 

Security was tight that night. At the entrance, my friend and I got patted down, I think because we were speaking Farsi. Never mind the fact that it was Trump who attacked Iran, and not vice versa. During the concert, Rod kept asking people to sit down because he didn't want the guards to get nervous, but people would not listen. 

I was hoping that he would sing I Don't Want To Talk About It. But it wouldn't have been the same without the Scottish singer, Amy Belle, Oh, well...