Alaska Adventure; Part Seven

13 June 2013; In and Around Anchorage --

Today was an "off" day: no scheduled tours. So we put together a set of objectives that seemed compatible for everyone: Zoo, "Oomingmak" (Muskox) Co-op and a Bird Walk along the shore of Knik Inlet.

The Zoo was not a high priority for Grumpy and his sister. However, they were good sports and went along. What they saw made the diversion worth the two hours that it took out of the day. A special treat was seeing a pair of moose calves (unrelated) that had been orphaned. These creatures (the baby moose) are comical to watch, with their gangly legs and ungainly movements -- it's like watching a left-handed person put peanut butter and honey on a slice of homemade whole-wheat bread.

Another potential attraction at the Zoo was the Brown Bear; this is the Alaskan name for Grizzly bears that feed mostly on fish, and includes that special strain of Grizzly Bear known as the "Kodiak" bear. However, what we saw for the Brown Bear exhibit consisted of very poor habitat and a too-small enclosure for these normally solitary animals.

At the end of our walk around to see the different animals, Grumpy captured this photo of a "Christmas Cactus" in full bloom. The plant did not look so healthy, but had obviously survived more than a few winters in Alaska.

Upon leaving the Zoo, we went for lunch to a locally-famous place known as "The Brew House". It is noted for the several different styles/types of beers that they brew on-site. Grumpy had a "Raspberry Wheat" beer with his Macadamia nut-crusted Halibut lunch. Both were very good and went together rather well, although I'm not sure what other dishes would be compatible with Raspberry-flavored beer.

After lunch we walked two or three blocks to the Oomingmak place where we saw various kinds of goods being knitted or woven using yarn from the under-fur of the Oomingmak. This wool-like material, called "Qiviut", is shed [much like the winter coat of a Bison] and must be gathered by hand from shrubs and clumps of grass. The yarn is very light-weight, but capable of holding in the warmth that is needed in windy, winter weather. The Grand Mother had a head scarf that Grumpy had purchased for her 25 or 30 years ago when he was in Alaska.

From the Oomingmak place five of us walked several blocks West and North to a landlocked lake named "Westchester Lagoon", where there were many water birds making noises and supposedly also nesting. Do baby birds enjoy the constant din of the adults all day -- and all night?]

Back at our motel, we feasted at the in-house restaurant, which featured a chef-owner who had spent many years in Brazil, mining for Amethysts, Aquamarine and Sapphire gemstones. He expressed a great deal of interest in the fish tales that Grumpy and his brother spun about their expedition last Fall. Grumpy will send him photos! [And so the world-wide fame of the two Aviating Octogenarian Brothers widens!]