Most people do not ever get a chance to go beyond the purple mountain majesty to see the snowy splendor and lush greenery of Alaska.  The fjords, the waters and the glaciers go beyond what is imaginable. And don't let me forget to the mention the Alaskan people.  They are as much a part of the land as it is a part of them. There's a sense of unity and "niceness" that emanates from them.  I feel so blessed to have been able to visit there this past spring during my first military Space-A travel trip with my husband.

We lodged in Anchorage but experienced the most memorable aspects of our trip in Seward - a small but important port for fishing, train transport and tourism on the Kenai Penninsula.  To get there, we drove along the Seward Highway, which is one of the most beautiful scenic routes we've ever taken.  Once there, we stopped and took in a bit of the scenery as one can only do while in Alaska.  Here are a couple of pictures of what it looked like in the past and what it looked like the day we went.  The pictures aren't of the same scene or angle, but, it is of the same place.

After we took a few pics, we popped into the visitor's center to learn a little more about Alaska before we departed on our fjords and whale-watching cruise.   While there, we met an exceptionally nice park ranger who informed us that her birth certificate says territory of Alaska and not state of Alaska.  Hearing this reminded us that Alaska is but a baby of a state having come into the union only in 1959 after being purchased from Russia in 1867.  Here's the treasury warrant/check in the amount of $7.2 million which turns out to be less than 2 cents an acre for 600,00 sq miles of land.

So did we get a good deal?  You betcha.  As it turned out, the great Klondike Gold Rush quieted the critics of the Alaska Purchase who persistently called it "Seward's Folly" (reference Seward, AK named after Sec. of State William H. Seward) because they thought it was a waste of money to purchase such a remote and worthless piece of land.  Thank goodness that Seward had the right mind for expansion and the right rank of Secretary of State.  The Gold Rush brought tens of thousands of people to the region who contributed to the economic development of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

We continued to support the Alaskan economy by taking a four-hour cruise to see the fjords and whales in the Gulf of Alaska and Resurrection Bay.  I've got one word for our experience - majestic!  Granted, it was cold, but, our hearts were warmed by the sights and sounds of the deep water, sea lions, birds and whales.  Alaska will forever be a trip in my memory.  I'm glad that I got to experience it so I can share it, and share in it, with others.

Postcard of Sea Lions near Seward, AK between 1856 - 1936	Sea Lions near Seward, AK May 2010
Postcard of Resurrection Bay, AK between 1856 - 1936	Resurrection Bay, May 2010
Postcard of Midnight Sun between 1856 - 1936	Sunshine at 10:45pm, May 2010