Anchorage

Alaska, it seems, is a good place to begin this blog. I have visited there many times, most recently in February of 2006, and while it's always a beautiful place, I think my favorite time is the Winter.

This is 4th Avenue in Downtown Anchorage. Kind of a main drag through town, it's also the site of the ceremonial start of the famous Iditarod sled race. Looming in the distance is the Chugach Mountain Range.

Anchorage is a substantial city, the largest in Alaska, with most everything a city would be expected to have.

The Chugach Mountains illuminated in the colorful evening light.

In winter, Anchorage at night can also be very pretty, its snow-whitened streets reflecting the light in an eerie glow.

During this first Anchorage segment, we stocked up on items needed for the trip and got settled in and re-accustomed to driving in the winter conditions, and took some time to visit family living in the Wasilla area.

A favorite Anchorage restaurant is the Glacier Brewhouse. They have recently opened a sister operation in the same building called Orso with a little different style menu. Each has access to the other's extensive wine and beer selection and other treats.
Some of the local population are ... quite robust indeed.