My most memorable trip was to Anchorage, Alaska fabled as the “land of the midnight sun, land of the sleeping giants.” I flew there from the Washington, DC area. The trip took me by way of Seattle and we arrived there at approximately 7:00 pm EST in early May. Upon arrival in Seattle, we changed plane and continue the trip departing around 8:30 pm EST just as the sun was setting. I had settled into my seat and prepared myself for a nap as the sun was setting; I was tired. I had been up since 7:00 am EST. I closed my eyes for several minutes, but suddenly seemed blinded by the light coming thru the window. The
sun rising? Imagine that! It just went down but seems to be rising much faster than it had set. What kind of a trip was this going to be? I was tired but in awe – so much so that now I couldn’t sleep. Seems I was there in the ‘twilight zone.’
Our plane arrived in Anchorage around midnight EST (8:00 pm Alaska time) but the sun was just as bright as ever over those mountains, unbelievable, huge and purple, but snowcapped. Never on any trip had I seen or imagine anything more beautiful. The beauty and serenity of this isolated land were surreal. I was in awe of those mountains so large – huge and the height and length seem to go on forever in what seemed to be curves or figures shaped like huge bodies lying on the ground. I wondered, is this why they are called “sleeping giants?” Those huge mountains could have been the bodies of women lying sleeping and covered in snow. I could see outlines of what looked like heads with noses, chins, breasts, tiny waist lines, and curved hips. Here again, I thought of the stories I had heard as a child “land of the midnight sun – land of the sleeping giants.” There really was such a place; it was not a fairy tale! And yes, at that moment I did believe it was going to be my most memorable trip.
Upon our arrival in Anchorage my companions and I were picked up and taken to the Capitan Cook Hotel. Once in my room, I immediately closed the drapes as once again I was blinded by the sunlight. I also felt a little crazed as if perhaps I was on another planet. Here it was midnight EST and the sun was shining as if it were 9:00 am.
After an hour or so, I somehow managed to sleep – waking up the next morning (the sun was still shining as bright as ever) to a breakfast which included reindeer sausage, eggs, toast and juice. Yes, reindeer sausage at the Capitan Cook Hotel and outside my window, was that Russia in the distance?
The trip was short, only a week in which I visited the country side; participated in a conference; a ball; a banquet, and a fashion show–modeling alongside the Eskimos showing off the native clothing and furs. And oh, I had the most wonderful tasting seafood straight from the Gulf of Alaska. It was a great variety, some I had never eaten before, some I had tasted before, but never like, but now all of it was yummy—everything was so fresh and so delicious!
Ask me to describe Alaska and I would tell you that it has the world’s most beautiful
wilderness, yet its beauty is quiet and serene. Alaska has awesome rivers with great Beluga Whales chasing salmons. It has stunning glass-like blue and green ice glaciers that are breathtaking and Alaska itself could be like the states of Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Colorado, Texas and Virginia all rolled into one. And, it has the world’s best tasting and freshest seafood. But, please don’t believe it when people tell you it’s all ice and snow. Yes, it was my most memorable trip and one that I will never forget.