Alaska in December

So I had the opportunity to go to Alaska during December 2007. Anchorage to be exact. A glorious week in the cold, ice, fog, and snow! It was for business--like who would ever go to Alaska in December for pleasure? It was strangely beautiful, during the short about 5 hours per day of day light that I could see it. The beer was great, the halibut awesome and the cold pervasive!

I got to experience four very different weather options. On the day of arrival it was snowing--a lot! The next day it got colder and rained so it was an ice storm. Wednesday of the week I was there it was foggy--pea soup thick. Thursday was a relatively nice (and cold) day and it was the day these pictures were taken by my traveling companion, Larry.

I was fortunate to stay right in the downtown area of Anchorage and where I had to go was within about two miles of where I was staying. I had been to Alaska before--to Fairbanks in 1985. So it was at least not my inaugural visit to the great land up north. I had really hoped to see the Aurora Borealis--but given the clouds that did not happen.

I do have to say--if you can avoid Northwest Airlines when you do--avoid them. No movie! No food and precious little water. I'm glad to have gone, but happier to have returned. I now understand what they mean when they talk about Alaskans being a "breed apart!"