{"id":2086,"date":"2013-07-02T05:00:02","date_gmt":"2013-07-02T05:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?p=2086"},"modified":"2014-01-26T23:25:51","modified_gmt":"2014-01-26T23:25:51","slug":"june-30-july-1-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?p=2086","title":{"rendered":"June 30 \u2013 July 1, 2013 Touring the City of Anchorage"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Downed a hearty breakfast before traversing the breathtaking mountainous roads that leads to Anchorage, dropped KatieBug off for a much needed grooming and settled in for a day of discovery.\u00a0 Always first on our list is the Visitors Center, Anchorage has two, to gather as much info as possible to plan our next few days.\u00a0 The little cabin was closest and looked far more interesting.\u00a0 \u00a0The little cabin, built in 1954 using logs cut in Homer, was built wilderness fashion with a sod roof but includes a window not found in remote cabins and a stone, rather than metal, stove.\u00a0 The cabin also faces North, opposite the direction of most cabins.\u00a0 Very neat, very cozy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2107\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2107\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Anchorage Visitor Center front\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Anchorage-Visitor-Center-front-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2106\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2106\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Anchorage Visitor Center back\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Anchorage-Visitor-Center-back-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The second is the Federal Building across the street.\u00a0 You check your guns and knives, walk through a metal detector and are visually checked by Federal police before entering.\u00a0 There is a theater with movies that rotate, Gold Fever, A Gathering of Bears, Heartbeats of Denali, Alaska\u2019s Coolest Animals, throughout the day and life size stuffed wild animals that are local to the area.\u00a0 With the exception of Dall Sheep, we have seen all of them in person, but our pictures were not taken in Alaska\u2026in fact, most came from British Columbia, Canada.<\/p>\n<p>We parked outside the Alaska Mint, a large store with offerings of gold and silver coins and jewelry intermixed with early 1900\u2019s safes, vintage miner portable gold weight scales, cash registers, huge bank weight scales, estate jewelry and the ever present Alaska Eskimo tourist souvenirs.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2110\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2110\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Alaska Mint\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Alaska-Mint-99x150.jpg\" width=\"99\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2112\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2112\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"1916 National cash register\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/1916-National-cash-register-99x150.jpg\" width=\"99\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2111\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2111\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Alaska Mint safe\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Alaska-Mint-safe-99x150.jpg\" width=\"99\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>John wanted to take the trolley tour, so we hopped aboard and our guide chatted throughout the hour about the interesting and entertaining facts of Anchorage.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2104\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2104\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Trolly tour Anchorage\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Trolly-tour-Anchorage-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2108\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2108\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Bear and Raven\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Bear-and-Raven-99x150.jpg\" width=\"99\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2100\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2100\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"WyLand mural downtown\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/WyLand-mural-downtown-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Our tour led us through the airport and we were told that 1 in every 8 residents own small planes, the age to get a license to fly is 14 but the age to drive a car is still 16.\u00a0 Surprisingly the statistics for plane crashes isn\u2019t extremely high considering you can see many small planes in the air at any given time and some of them are probably young teen flyers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2103\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2103\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Bull Moose by the airport\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Bull-Moose-by-the-airport-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2102\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2102\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Anchorage Airport\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Anchorage-Airport-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Someone spied a moose on airport grounds so our guide pulled over and we took pictures of the grazing Bull Moose.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Later, driving through a neighborhood, we past a lot, or so it looked but was actually an underground home with only a few pipes sticking up and two rounded sky lights visible.\u00a0 That was the particular moment that darn camera decided to freeze up and refused to click.\u00a0 Luckily that was the only thing I missed that day.\u00a0 It was an enjoyable tour but a bit on the pricy side.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2099\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2099\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Weekend Market\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Weekend-Market-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2098\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2098\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Entertainment at the Market\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Entertainment-at-the-Market-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Next we walked back to the Weekend Market and enjoyed rambling through all the tents and checking out their wares, shared a yummy salmon quesadilla and took home some freshly smoked King Salmon to enjoy later.\u00a0 The music was spunky and fun and the parade of dogs that let us pet them was enjoyable<\/p>\n<p>.<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2097\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2097\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"In the business of Pissin off TX\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/In-the-business-of-Pissin-off-TX-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2093\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2093\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"More unappreciated comparisons\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/More-unappreciated-comparisons-99x150.jpg\" width=\"99\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2096\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2096\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"It never ends!\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/It-never-ends-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>And of course, there were the Pissin off Texas shirts and signs\u2026goodness, it never ends!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2095\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2095\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Moose gooser\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Moose-gooser-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2094\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2094\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mountains, from Anchorage\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Mountains-from-Anchorage-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We walked by the Railroad station and got a picture of one of the first locomotives, brought back to Anchorage a few years back and had last been used as a moose gooser to clear moose from the tracks so the larger locomotives wouldn\u2019t smash them flat resulting in major damage to the train\u2026or so the story goes.<\/p>\n<p>We boarded the free trolley to the Ulu factory.\u00a0 I love my Ulu knife.\u00a0 I got it at a garage sale years ago and we use it for slicing pizza, quesadillas and other gooey things.\u00a0 Works fantastic.\u00a0 They had a clearance section so I got an Ulu cutting board before we headed back to pick up KatieBug at the groomers, had dinner at a local diner and drove back to Wasilla for the night.\u00a0 It is still light out until almost midnight.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2092\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2092\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Outside of Anchorage\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Outside-of-Anchorage-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2091\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2091\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Back to Wasilla\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Back-to-Wasilla-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2089\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2089\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"View from the Elks Lodge\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/View-from-the-Elks-Lodge-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?attachment_id=2090\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2090\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mountain came into view out our RV\" src=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Mountain-came-into-view-out-our-RV-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Downed a hearty breakfast before traversing the breathtaking mountainous roads that leads to Anchorage, dropped KatieBug off for a much needed grooming and settled in for a day of discovery.\u00a0 Always first on our list is the Visitors Center, Anchorage &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/?p=2086\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lilypad"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2086"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2088,"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086\/revisions\/2088"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/perrellas.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}