The Ratbeast

Four pounds of deaf and half blind bones with sparse fur. One second it looks like a sad little Ewok, the next your brain can't help but picture evil little old ladies scuttling about in horror films.


I'm so cute and innocent.



I would never devise plots to drive you slowly insane.


Or secretly think of eating your face.

I haven't figured out why this app distorts my pics or how to fix it but for now, we'll just live with it.

Views of Juneau

More of the Alaskan Brewery



The view from our rooftop spa at the Silverbow. I loved this hotel. Free breakfast and good coffee from their bakery every morning, local art exhibits and movies played in a back room and very friendly staff.


The Govenor's mansion.



A walk along the wharf in gorgeous weather.


A mural on the wharf.



Russian Orthodox church



I love this town but with no roads out, I think I'd get claustrophobic pretty quick. However, even with many attractions closed for the season, Juneau was the perfect choice for spring break.

I <3 Juneau

Bear eating my head at the state Capitol building.



Rode the bus to a stop on a highway and then walked 1.5 miles to the Mendenhall Glacier down a very wet road. My boots were still soaked a day later. Had to document Kelly's pit stop on the way but I missed the part where she sank knee deep in the snow. Why rent a car when you can have an adventure with a dear friend?



The Mendenhall Glacier



More glacier


Waited an hour for the bus at the glacier stop make it to the Alaskan Brewery where the samples flow freely and the employees offer rides so tourists don't have to wait for the bus again.


Instead we got picked up by Joseph. A nice guy with a case of Labatt Blue under his seat and an aversion to seatbelts. He gave us a tour of Douglass and offered to take us home to meet his wife. Thanks, maybe next time. I love meeting the locals.



Went to dinner at The Hanger and were surprised by a full bagpipe band. Best St. Patrick's Day ever. More later but now I have to find the hostel and I have a date with the most ominous set of stairs I've ever seen.

Ice Alaska 2011

I just downloaded a new app to my iPhone to help me be a more mobile blogger so we'll see how it goes. Here are photos of Ice Alaska 2011 in Fairbanks. It seemed much warmer this year and we hit the festival at the tail end so there was a lot of damage but some of the carvings held up. Here are my favorites.


The gang headed through the ice maze. No fair when you can just look over the top!












Kelly and I have been in Juneau now since early Wednesday morning. Despite bad news from her family and a dreaded trip to California looming, she's been a trooper and we've had a fantastic trip. She flies out this afternoon and I stay until Sunday so I'll post all about it a bit later.

Fairbanks

Got in to Fairbanks on Friday night and had a bit too much cheer in all the excitement. Woke up on Saturday with the need for a long soak in hot water so we hit the Chena Hot Springs. After coffee and excedrine of course. We were hoping it would be colder for the full experience but it was a warm 20 above and still felt magical.

Where's Waldo? I'm in there but a little hard to spot.

After the hot springs we attempted to recapture our youth and ventured out to a hip hop show. Let's just say that the local opening acts were entertaining but the headliner has seen better days. It was no "Gangsta Paradise" at the Blue Loon in Fairbanks Saturday night. More like a contest to see who could get sloppier, the crowd or the performer. "Oh how the mighty have fallen" was the quote from Kelly. But the race to total disgrace left us with some prime people watching and since we weren't partaking, we got to see it all reeeal clear. Way too clear.

Sunday was the famous Pump House breakfast buffet. All you can eat, freshly prepared food and bottomless mimosas. Now that is true happiness my friends.

Tonight is the ice carving festival and dinner with more of Kelly's friends. Wednesday morning we leave for Juneau. Today it's me, a couch, a pup, a some Dr. Mario. So far verything I've ever wanted in a spring break.

Heavy

I'm loving this song but when I went to get it from Youtube I learned an unfortunate fact. It's on the twilight soundtrack and I detest Twilight. But, I still like this song. I just bought the album and haven't had time to listen to it all yet but there's a cover of everybody's favorite song, Addicted To Love, that I think is pretty good. Give a listen, see what you think.

It's All Good

I thought it would be cold in my little home in Deutschland this week but all I needed was a new bedmate. We've been snug as a couple of bugs in a rug and actually had to shed a few layers. I never knew 20 degrees cold be so warm. Tomorrow afternoon I leave the Haus der Kasch for Fairbanks and then on to Juneau. I'll miss this little guy and the cutest baby in the world that happens to reside here but good lord, I am ready for some spring break.

Jetty's owners got home today and brought me some vanilla from Mexico. Can't wait to make something delicious with it but I kinda need a kitchen first.
Dogsitting duties are done for a few months now. It's nice to not have to worry about anyone but also sad to loose my winter friend. I wonder what my mental health status would've been without this little gal the last few long months of winter.
This week I get a real baby to play with. Not much different, right? Feed once or twice and leave in the house with a blankie most of the day. Can't be that hard.