Still in Anchorage; Anniversary

We extended our stay here for 2 days while most of our friends moved on down the road. We were expecting to get the sunroof window replaced on the car today, since it was shipped overnight to arrive either Friday or Saturday. Today (Monday) we went by the glass shop to see if it was here. A young woman said yes, the part arrived but it would take them a couple of days to process a check and send someone to the auto dealership to pick it up. Don started going into orbit, asking why we paid extra for express shipping so they could let the part sit for 2 more days while they did their paperwork. Finally, a man (who’s probably the manager) who had been helping someone else came over to say he’d see if they could go get it today. He made one phone call and came back to say the part would be there in an hour. Now that’s more like it! However, since we had reservations for an early dinner, we decided to wait until tomorrow morning for the installation. That will give my Kindle another day to possibly arrive, as it hasn’t made it to Anchorage yet. So, we’ll head down the road on Wednesday. We’re flexible, but we hate to miss the fun others are having in Ninilchik. To read about that, be sure to go to Dennis & Carol’s and Larry & Marilyn’s blogs. They met up with Ken & Jan Tilton, who also have a blog.

We spent part of the day driving around Anchorage to see a few interesting sites. A visit to Alaska Wild Berry Products included seeing this unusual chocolate waterfall that goes from copper pot to copper pot over rocks and finally into a huge vat at the bottom, then is recirculated to the top.

The inscription says ‘Constructed in June of 1994…this 20 foot Chocolate “Waterfall” is believed to be the largest of its kind in the world…It contains 3,400 pounds of real liquid chocolate.’ In smaller print at the bottom it says ‘This Chocolate “Waterfall” is for your visual entertainment ONLY! Please Do Not Eat the Chocolate.’ Well, Darn!

We found Earthquake Park and saw Mt. Susitna across Cook Inlet.

Downtown Anchorage looks a little grainy with the zoom lens.

Wetlands lay below the lookout point, with a sign saying Alaska has 174 million acres of wetland, 43.3% of the surface of the state. The contiguous 48 states have 103 million acres of wetlands, 5.2% of the surface area. It’s also interesting to see Alaska superimposed on the lower 48.

We learned more details about the landslide that occurred on this bluff as a result of the 1964 earthquake. A strip of earth 8,000 ft long by 1,200 ft wide cracked apart into large blocks and slid toward Cook Inlet, taking homes 500 feet toward the sea, and breaking apart or crushing many of them. Seventy-five homes were destroyed and four people perished. This monument illustrates what the blocks of earth resembled.

We drove by the International Airport and Lake Hood, which serves as an airport for floatplanes. This is the largest seaplane base in the world, handling an average of 190 flights per day.

We marveled at the number of planes there, and watched one land on water and be brought into port.

Both the planes and their detachable pontoons can be moved around on ground by ATV…

…or by specially modified trucks, that look really weird with no rear wheels.

Cars can drive right up to the planes, and can even go on runways if the drivers aren’t careful!

This evening we celebrated our 3rd anniversary with dinner at Simon & Seaforts Saloon & Grill, overlooking Cook Inlet.

The hostess brought us a tiny anniversary card and some rose petals for our table.

The clam chowder was good.

My fresh grilled salmon was delicious!

Don’s seafood louie included grilled salmon, and extra bay shrimp to compensate for the Dungeness crab, eliminated because he’s allergic to it. I didn’t get a photo until after he cut up the salmon, so this isn’t as pretty as it started out.

Because of our anniversary, the waiter offered a special dessert, so we shared a crème broulee that was outstanding! It was Don’s one ‘treat’ that’s not on his diabetic diet.

It’s great to be sharing our lives and enjoying every day of it!