I'm in Anchorage, Alaska for roughly 36 hours for work, so I thought I would share some observations with you all, especially if you have never been and don't anticipate going any time soon.
1) It's practically balmy here today! It got up to 71, I think. And the sun is still shining warmly (almost 8 pm here). Thank goodness for global warming.
2) Anchorage has massing, and a street grid, akin to that of Paducah, KY. No lie. Except for that whole mountain thing.
3) The best word I've come up with for this lovely Alaskan city is "hodge-podge". You've got a little modern bungaloo over here and a glassy tower there, some outfitter shops down here, and plop! There's the convention center. Strange, but it kind of works.
4) The best building I've found is the delightful Anchorage Fire Department HQ/Police Department, which looks brand new, uses very simple but bold materials, and doesn't get too crazy on the detailing. The composition from the street perspective is beautiful. The firefighter's practice tower is a glass and corrugated metal shaft. However, and this was slightly disarming, there didn't seem to be anyone there. Looked completely empty! I think I could have climbed the shaft if I wanted. Good thing there were no fires anywhere.
I'm not sure, but I think I'm supposed to eat again. I've lost track of how many meals that would make today. Also, for whatever reason, this seems to be the only web site that will work for me in my hotel room. So look for more posts at some ridiculous hour of the night.
5) You get the sense that with so few people responsible for so much area, if someone doesn’t do their job, it just never gets done and/or they have to leave town, like they can’t cut it. Just a thought.
So it's 9:30 pm now and the sun shows no sign of relenting. It's bizarre. I’m in my 20th hour of daylight and I’m about to crash. I don’t think I’ll make it to see the sun go down. I don’t know if that’s ever happened before.
As I think I am approaching delirium, I will say TTFN.
When I went to Juneau - not *really* even Alaska to those who live in Anchorage, I know - I was impressed by two simple things:
1. It was August, and the gardens were freaking enormous - I mean raspberries the size of golf balls enormous, lettuce leaves the size of a bathroom sink enormous - because during a summer of 24 hours of sunlight things just never stop growing.
2. I ate a meal of steamed (enormous) crabs pulled from the bay half an hour before and oh my god I've never had anything that delectable in my mouth before or since.
And I also noticed one really big thing:
3. Everywhere I've ever been, except Alaska, feels like there are little bits of natural land, pockets of wilderness, left over between areas of civilization. Alaska, even just the area around Juneau, felt to me like the civilization areas were just tiny pockets in a vast, vast natural world. Awesome, in the sublime sense of that word.
Have fun! Also, Alaska Air is my favorite airline by far.
i went to see a movie called alaskan safari with my grandparents when i was nine. i remember a kind of clutch cargo type plane and a moose. about half way through the film my throat started to hurt. the next day i had the mumps.
looking forward to the pics dubK. i'm going next year right round this time. my father-in-law is turning 70, and he is taking the entire family on a cruise up there. never been on a cruise nor would i choose it, but i'll take it where i can get it.
Musings on the Northern Territory....
I'm in Anchorage, Alaska for roughly 36 hours for work, so I thought I would share some observations with you all, especially if you have never been and don't anticipate going any time soon.
1) It's practically balmy here today! It got up to 71, I think. And the sun is still shining warmly (almost 8 pm here). Thank goodness for global warming.
2) Anchorage has massing, and a street grid, akin to that of Paducah, KY. No lie. Except for that whole mountain thing.
3) The best word I've come up with for this lovely Alaskan city is "hodge-podge". You've got a little modern bungaloo over here and a glassy tower there, some outfitter shops down here, and plop! There's the convention center. Strange, but it kind of works.
4) The best building I've found is the delightful Anchorage Fire Department HQ/Police Department, which looks brand new, uses very simple but bold materials, and doesn't get too crazy on the detailing. The composition from the street perspective is beautiful. The firefighter's practice tower is a glass and corrugated metal shaft. However, and this was slightly disarming, there didn't seem to be anyone there. Looked completely empty! I think I could have climbed the shaft if I wanted. Good thing there were no fires anywhere.
I'm not sure, but I think I'm supposed to eat again. I've lost track of how many meals that would make today. Also, for whatever reason, this seems to be the only web site that will work for me in my hotel room. So look for more posts at some ridiculous hour of the night.
Ciao!
-dubK
Another random thought:
5) You get the sense that with so few people responsible for so much area, if someone doesn’t do their job, it just never gets done and/or they have to leave town, like they can’t cut it. Just a thought.
So it's 9:30 pm now and the sun shows no sign of relenting. It's bizarre. I’m in my 20th hour of daylight and I’m about to crash. I don’t think I’ll make it to see the sun go down. I don’t know if that’s ever happened before.
As I think I am approaching delirium, I will say TTFN.
Hey dubK!
When I went to Juneau - not *really* even Alaska to those who live in Anchorage, I know - I was impressed by two simple things:
1. It was August, and the gardens were freaking enormous - I mean raspberries the size of golf balls enormous, lettuce leaves the size of a bathroom sink enormous - because during a summer of 24 hours of sunlight things just never stop growing.
2. I ate a meal of steamed (enormous) crabs pulled from the bay half an hour before and oh my god I've never had anything that delectable in my mouth before or since.
And I also noticed one really big thing:
3. Everywhere I've ever been, except Alaska, feels like there are little bits of natural land, pockets of wilderness, left over between areas of civilization. Alaska, even just the area around Juneau, felt to me like the civilization areas were just tiny pockets in a vast, vast natural world. Awesome, in the sublime sense of that word.
Have fun! Also, Alaska Air is my favorite airline by far.
Hey, can we get some pics of midnight sunlight?
it will not turn even close to dark until around midnight.
Get up to Aleyeska if you can...it is a nice 30 minute or so drive along the estuary...and the view from the top is amazing.
i went to see a movie called alaskan safari with my grandparents when i was nine. i remember a kind of clutch cargo type plane and a moose. about half way through the film my throat started to hurt. the next day i had the mumps.
sounds cool. I always wanted to go to Alaska. WonderK, you get to go lots of places with your job. I'm a little jealous as I love to travel.
I flew Alaska airlines once, verry nice....
I just got back in a little while ago. Actually I took a nap and now here I am. I can't talk for long, but I'll try to post some pictures later.
I haven't seen night in 3 days! Creepy.
looking forward to the pics dubK. i'm going next year right round this time. my father-in-law is turning 70, and he is taking the entire family on a cruise up there. never been on a cruise nor would i choose it, but i'll take it where i can get it.
I posted some pics and am waiting for their approval!
posted where??
Alaska is awesome, be sure to get plenty of crab while your up there. Anchorage is kind of a wierd city though, an interesting town.
I've got the images in two places.
These are some architectural images I thought you would find interesting. Start with this one and hit "next" to see the rest.
Mountain chalet
This is probably my favorite picture of that bunch.
is my photo documentation of the daylight phenomenon. Start with this one and hit "prev" to see how bright it is late at night up there.
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