Good morning! Today is my glacier hike. I don’t think I mentioned it but I didn’t bring a jacket or coat at all this time. I had a heavy coat in my car ready to go but the night before I looked at the forecast for all of the ports and it just wasn’t bad. I have a couple of hoodies and my hat and gloves. That’s the extent of my cold weather gear this time around

That’s how I slept last night. Not that it’s hot in here. It’s 70 and comfortable. But last night it said 71 which is getting on the warm side for me. I turned the heat totally off and hooked the fan up. 

Looking out the bedroom window that black building is 49th State Brewery. And the blue building next to it is the Wild Scoops ice cream place. This is a pretty outstanding location.

People use this place for free parking all weekend. It’s a little weird. That white one pulled in at 10pm last night when I was walking back.

I hear a lot of trains which had me a little concerned about sleeping. But if they blow their horns at night, I’ve slept though them.

This is the original city hall and the log cabin which is where pretty much all of the tours meet.

The old Federal Building now has free movies on Alaska.

This street is where they have the ceremonial start the Iditarod. And apparently they have a running of the reindeer here as well. Those are a couple of tidbits I picked up from the Trolley Tour that I didn’t post.

There are two places everyone talks about. One is Wild Scoops ice cream I had last night. The other is Snow City Cafe.

The streets are empty but this place is packed. People are waiting inside for tables. People are waiting outside for tables.

Fortunately the counter is open seating and they had one seat available.

It’s going to be a lot easier for me to eat here than it is for someone who needs a table. Every place I go has a wait. But bar/counter is open seating.

Here is their menu. I ordered the Kodiak.

This is basically eggs benedict with crab cakes on it.

It’s more crowded now than when I came in. 60-90 minutes I heard someone say It’s going to be a 60-90 minute wait for a table now. I did notice their website has a link where you can join a wait list now and see the live wait time.

The check always surprises me because they have no tax here. I guess I’m used to adding 10% in my head to everything.

This is a place I’m  pretty sure I heard had a good donut in their back cafe. I can’t catch it open though. Yesterday afternoon it was closed and now it doesn’t open until noon and it’ll be closed when I get back. 

Like I was saying all of the tours leave from in front of the log cabin and city hall area. Here is a good look at the old city hall.

I had some time to kill so I stopped in a store across the street. I like this shirt.

Hamilton is playing.

This is the log cabin. Apparently that rock is a large piece of jade. If you’ve followed my Mayan adventures you know jade was big in the Mayan culture. This is by far the largest piece of jade I’ve ever seen or heard about. The crown jewel of Belize, the jade head, is tiny compared to this.

I found my tour van. For full coverage please check out Matanuska Glacier Hike.

After I got back I watched the end of the saints preseason game. Then I showered, changed and headed out for dinner.

 

This was the first building in Anchorage. It was a general store in 1915. That’s a tidbit I got from my glacier tour guide.

I went to glacier brewhouse and took a seat at the bar. The place was packed again at 8:30. The bar started to empty at 9:30 but the restaurant remained packed and they close at 10 on Sunday.

Last time I got the flagship. This time I’m getting the summer harvest 

 I ordered the all in fish n’ chips. It includes chowder and cole slaw. 

This is the dessert I wanted to get last night. Peanut butter pie. If you like Reece’s peanut butter cups, you’ll love this.

On my way back to the Airbnb. I think Hamilton is letting out.

Sunset from a parking garage one block away from my Airbnb.

The sunset from my Airbnb balcony.

I’m off to bed. Tomorrow I’m taking a train to Seward to board the ship.