Alaskans love their beer!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

I start this post with the Alaskan IPA label because I sampled the Cordova bar scene for the first time this evening.  Luckily, my neighbor invited me into the members-only Moose Lodge where I witnessed the dynamics of small-town bars. I learned that 1. Alaskans are very proud of their home-brewed beer from Juneau; 2. women, the odds are in your favor to have a drink bought for you in Cordova's bars;  3. Zwack, a Hungarian liqueur reminiscent of Jager but better, tastes much better without the Monster; and 4. local folks will generously buy you a beer on your birthday : )

One if by Land, Two if by sea!

Here is my little Honda Civic hatchback, loaded to the gills with my folding kayak+gear, a couple of boxes of books and files, backpacking and camping gear, and clothes!  I met many colorful and friendly characters during the next 3 and a half days (yes, the ferry ride lasted 14 hrs longer than expected... more about that later!): J-J, an Alaskan travel nurse living in Seward most of the year who entertained us with the story of how her son saved a gill-net fisherman's family as the boat sank (her son was on the sinking boat!); Jay, a 22-year old vet of Afghanistan and Iraq, headed for Ketchikan to work the tourism trade as a cook for the summer and save money to sail his sailboat to the Carribean; Gordon, an older gentleman, retired from the Alaska Marine Highway and with plans to motorbike to South America; Levi, a 23-year old Alaskan from Haines, who had been living in the big city of Seattle for the last 7 years, and is now returning to Alaska to fish with his dad commercially.

Ferrying to Haines on the Malaspina