Sightseeing in Fairbanks

Yesterday we went to the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. This is an impressive collection of Alaskan art, history, native animals and geography with a special focus on interior and northern Alaska. There is currently an impressive display of Polar Bear still photograpy and film clips. The building itself is of a major landmark due to its distintive architecture. Films on the aurora borealis and human and animal adaption to the extreme winter cold do a nice of job of showing an appealing side to extended darkness and deadly cold of the Alaskan winters.

really big buffalo

another polar bear

We took a morning cruise today on the Riverboat Discovery on the Cheena and Tanana Rivers. Although temperatures here have been near record highs with smoke from forrest fires in the air at times, we were again lucky to have pleasant sunny day for the boat ride. Highlights of the tour included 2 takeoffs and landings of a ski plane very near the boat, a stop at a sled dog training center of a famous Iditerod champion, and a visit to an Athabaskan native villiage and fish camp.We were able to watch this plane take off 2 times.
Barb really liked this coat made by the locals.

The natives stored their food in one of these buildings to keep the animals out.


This is a wheel that is designed to catch the fish for preserving.


In the evening we stopped in at Pioneer Park and looked at some of the exhibits and listened to the live musician. We went to the Salmon Bake buffet for a tasty but we thought somewhat overpriced meal.