Thursday, March 24, 2011

FAIRBANKS day 5

Checking out a few of the shops in town. Big Ray's was first. A Carhart type store but jam packed with weather gear plus. Interesting shop. Took awhile to go through it.
On to Alaska Rag Company. With a name like that I HAD to check it out. RAG RUGS, that is. They had 5 looms some natives were working with. Making nice colorful rugs, mats, etc. Lovely shops, very nice people.
Next I HAD to go to an interesting looking shop, it said Museum (that I questioned) with fossils, artifacts, skins, ivory and on and on. The ladies at the Rag Co. said it will take awhile to go thru. Its a bit dusty and really PACKED with "stuff". THAT IT WAS. Difficult to get the man to stop talking and following me around to actually check it out. I managed but oh that was a shop!!! The museum part I think might have been a dream of theirs. Still trying to understand how so many people are selling mastedon bones---being 30,000 years old, how many of these babies can they find?
Then it was time to pick up a rental car from the airport. Got a ride out there and now am partnered with a blue Pontiac Vibe, strange looking but ok. So much easier to get around now.
Back to town to the Visitors Center. The Museum (THIS was a museum) was quite interesting. It was small but well done. There was a well done movie of the seasonal changes in the North.  Wonderful movie of the aurora. Seems there is so much info on the aurora as this is in the northern band of activity and many come here to view it. Still looking. It is a 3 tonight out of 7 so maybe...
Went to the Fairbanks Curling Club to meet my new Curling friends!! Four adult games going on and my new friends loved explaining it to me. I am fascinated. Two hours a game, mostly men, a game of stragedy.
Then they had a dinner for $5. Tons of shrimp with veggies on rice, great salad, dessert and fortune cookies (don't know how those fit in). Delicious. Sat with members of the teams, fun and full of energy. They had a meeting and gave out prizes as this is nearing the end of the season. Championship games now.
Then I drove up to the University where I could stroll around more leisurely as I had a car. Waited till it was dark---10:30! Then I roamed around trying to find the darkest area to look for the aurora.
After sitting for about an hour I thought I spotted light coming up from the horizon. Not much more.
Went higher and darker and there right in front of me THE AURORA!!! Green and white in color and wavy. It seemed to form a cone
 above the horizon. It was more brillant on one end and as it '"coned out" it got lighter and more like a fan. I watched it for about 45 min. It changed many times and the color got brillant and then faded. Oh, it was magical!!! Worth getting lost all the way back to town.
Till tomorrow.

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