Ice Skating

Ok, we realize this one is a bit of a cheat, but it was on our to do list and we had to cross it off. Of course, it would have been more authentic if we had skated on a frozen pond surrounded by fairy-lit trees and carol singers, rather than heading down to the Dimond Center Ice Rink.

It all started to go wrong when the guy behind the counter issued us with the wrong size skates and then promptly disappeared so we couldn't change them. The skating itself was pretty disappointing, as we weren't very good, but we made up for it with some clowning around. Daniel entered the ring with a bang, emulating the ice hockey players we saw in April!

We wobbled around the rink a bit, narrowly avoiding the pint-sized skaters weaving circles around us. I tried to copy one of the little girls, but stopped when I caught her laughing at me.

We soon called it a day and hit dry ground. Even though it wasn't the greatest winter experience, we're glad we've done it. But I think we'll stick to outdoor winter sports from now on...

Alaskan Prom

We were invited to attend the before drinks of our friends' daughter's prom. Be warned: this is like a matric dance on steroids! The twelve teenagers in the group rented a limo for the entire afternoon. They drove down to Girdwood, stopping at Beluga Point for photos. They then took the sky tram to the top of Alyeska Ski Resort for more posing. After this they headed into south Anchorage for dinner, and only then, did they go to the Prom. Although the temperature was a fresh 7 degrees, the girls refused to don parkas over their beautiful strappy dresses!

Oh, and by the way, did we mention that the limo was a truck? Truly Alaskan! We just want to know if there's a hot tub in the back...

Talkeetna

Daniel booked a surprise weekend away in the quiet town of Talkeetna. It lies 2 1/2 hours north of Anchorage and is famous for its proximity to Denali (Mount McKinley to cheechakos), the highest mountain in North America. Eager climbers catch bush planes to the Base Camp to commence their attempt up the 20,320-foot summit. We were treated to a beautiful view of 'The Great One' as we drove in, but we missed the photo point. Unfortunately the clouds rolled in before we could capture the spectacular mountain on film, but we were awed by its beauty.

The population of Talkeetna is 800, and we saw quite a few of the locals in the Fairview Inn pub on Saturday night. The Denali Brewing Co. operates out of Talkeetna and there were plenty of local beers on tap. Daniel sampled a Chuli Stout, while I enjoyed a nice brown ale of Moose's Drool.

Talkeetna is the place where three rivers meet to form the formidable Susitna River. On our first foray along its banks, we saw great examples of Alaskan break-up. Ice was cracking up along the surface and the glacial waters were crystal clear in the pebble bed. Our second visit was slightly different as two inches of snow had fallen during the night. So much for spring!

Talkeetna is another quiet Alaskan town just waiting for the summer season. If there's nothing to do, the locals have a couple of suggestions...

Snowman

Finally! After 3 1/2 months in the snowiest state, we got round to building a snowman. It was great fun - we felt like two kids in a playground. Our snowman, affectionately nicknamed Snowy, sports a carrot nose, pebble eyes, pine-cone buttons, twig arms, a Pebble cap, and a Springbok scarf. Not something you see everyday...

Alaska Aces

We received company tickets to attend the final match of the 'regular season' between the Alaska Aces and Stockton Thunder. The atmosphere inside the Sullivan Arena was out of this world. Honestly, Loftus on a warm day with the smell of boere rolls in the air doesn't even come close! It turns out the old adage is true - everything in America is bigger and better. Even though it was just a Minor League match, the crowd stood for the national anthem, before taking up the chant of "Drop the puck!"

Suddenly it was all action! Within the first minute, while we were still getting to grips with the speed and skill of the players on the ice, two players (for no apparent reason) took off their gloves and helmets and starting circling each other like boxers in a ring. The rest of the players cleared the field, the referees went to supervise, and the two started to fight! Apparently it's legal until one of the players falls down. This was achieved quite quickly, but the refs seemed to go down with him. Then it was all over and the two players were sent to the sin bin, only to be replaced from the bench. Bizarre!

The subbing system accounted for another unique and crazy learning curve for us. Players on the bench just pour over the side into the arena as the others skate off the rink. Sometimes all five players come off and a new team takes the field. It seemed to be superbly-choreographed, organized chaos.

We soon worked out that Ice Hockey is all about the entertainment. Matches run for three 20-minutes periods, with a 20-minute break between each period. But with all the stoppages for fighting, ad-breaks and time-outs, the game took 2 1/2 hours. An extremely biased warcry leader provided a running commentary over the loudspeaker throughout the game. There were raffles, pot luck draws, a 'chuck the puck' competition, galloping mascots and more! Even the restarts are action-packed, and the scene after a goal is scored is simply sensational.

In the end, the Aces won 4-1 to finish second on the log and qualify for play-offs. What a great game!

Picture Perfect

It's quite challenging to get around the vast LA metropolis, so we decided to hire a car for the day in order to get our cultural fix. We drove to the Getty Museum, which houses the amazing artworks of J. Paul Getty, oil tycoon and erstwhile LA playboy. The Getty Centre was opened in 1997 to house his collection, which includes paintings by Van Gogh, Reuben, Titian and Monet.

We caught a tram up to the hilltop museum where we were astounded by the amazing architecture. The four buildings in the complex are a combination of sleek curves and dramatic travertine stone walls, with very modern water features between exhibition halls. We were thoroughly impressed with the extraordinary architecture.

There are also striking gardens around the complex, with zigzagging paths, wrought-iron bridges, and layers of garden features all blending seamlessly.

J. Paul Getty's artwork also includes a collection of Classical antiquities which are housed in the Getty Villa. This is a reconstruction of the Villa dei Papyrii, an ancient Roman villa on the slopes of Vesuvius. It took its inspirations from other Pompeian villas and features as well, even down to the cobbled-stone driveway. The kitchen garden only had plants and herbs grown in Roman times, and the attention to detail in the atrium, indoor and outdoor peristyles was a real treat!

We ended off a great day with a drive up the beautiful Malibu coast. The sky was blue, the sun was shining and we were on a proper holiday. What a luxury!

Livin' LA vida loca!

LA boasts a 75-mile long coastline and has some of the best beaches in America. We stayed in the Marina Del Rey, one of the largest man-made small boat harbors in the world. The view over the fancy yachts was quite a treat to wake up to each morning, and is definitely something we could get used to!

A short walk up the coast from us lies Venice Beach, famous for its chilled, hippy vibe and boardwalk along the beach. Here we encountered 'kush' doctors, guitar-playing Moors on roller skates, weight-lifters from the 1980s and rather posh hobos. It was a bit flea-markety, and tattoos and dreadlocks seemed to be the order of the day, but it was quite fun and very beachy!

A trip to Venice Beach is not complete without some cycling, so we rented bikes and headed down the coast to Santa Monica. This is a more upmarket area, and is strongly characterised by its great pier, complete with theme park and the famous Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

Another typical LA activity is skating along the Venice Boardwalk, so we also hired roller blades and weaved our way through the runners and bikers. I took the stereotype to the next level when I ordered a soft serve ice cream. What a great day at the beach :)

Venice does have some less hippy areas, such as the 2.5 million dollar homes along its canals. We cycled along the narrow paths of the canals, quite taken with the peaceful kitsh and charm of the place...

City of Angels

Daniel's company held its first quarterly board meeting of the year in Los Angeles. Although some of his colleagues may have held some reservations about the distance to be traveled, Daniel and I had no second thoughts about extending his stay and booking me a ticket to accompany him! We spent a glorious week in the second largest city in America, where we wore summer clothes, drove with the air-con on, and even got slightly pink noses!

LA is made up of a lot of city and a lot of beach. The city is typically big, jungle-like and dirty, but not without its own peculiar charm. The suburb of Beverley Hills was a highlight for us, as the stars' sprawling mansions were quite magnificent. And Rodeo Drive was just like in Pretty Woman!

Hollywood was a bit disappointing as it was basically a tacky tourist trap. We managed to forego a souvenir Oscar statue and a photo with a dress-up Spiderman. The Walk of Fame, with its many stars, accounted for lots of bumping around, and the Hollywood sign, although 120 feet long and 15 feet high, is actually quite uninspiring at a distance.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) neither of us was "spotted" in LA, so we were free to explore the cultural and beachy side of the city for the rest of the week.

Salty Dawg Saloon

Salty Dawg Saloon is an institution in Homer, so we had to pay a visit. As the door creaked open and we stepped inside, we were greeted by the dark glares of twelve bearded fishermen seated around the bar. In the ensuing silence, we were sized up and dismissed as ... *gasp* ... tourists! Fortunately we aren't from the 'Lower 48' and we didn't visit during the busy summer season, so we were served (bottles, no glasses).

The walls of the saloon are covered with one-dollar bills, all signed by the various patrons, so we added our 100 cents' worth to the wall.

We enjoyed our beers in the gloomy fishermen's den, but we soon left for the brighter, less fishy pasture of the wine-tasting course.

A Seaside Getaway

On our trip to Homer we stayed at the Land's End Resort, which has been described as the best-located hotel in Alaska. It is right at the end of a long, narrow spit in Kachemak Bay, and is surrounded on three sides by sea. We stayed in a loft suite so we enjoyed quite a special view of the bay.

Unfortunately we couldn't sneak out onto our balcony to appreciate it...

On Saturday afternoon we decided to walk off our lunch and wine with a stroll along the beach. We braved a howling sea breeze and close to -20 temperatures to do it, and it was worth it. We even stuck our fingers into the sea! Brrrr!

We loved the picturesque drive along the spit road, and we were spoilt for kodak moments. Here is one of our favorites.

We were amazed to see so much wildlife around Homer, and we added some more moose and a couple of sea otters to our list. We also saw hundreds of Bald Eagles, which was awesome! These magnificent birds of prey are endangered in the States, but they abound like scavengers around the fishing ports.

The scenery on the way to Homer was typically exceptional, and once again we were treated to spectacular mountain views. We also drove alongside the beautiful Kenai River, which is a rafting destination in summer. All in all, it was another great weekend in Alaska.