Local Colour

---

It's day number... I don't really know but wake about 5am, Tuesday 8 May Ummm daylight. Des writes up the diary, wakes me and we join Mary for breakfast. Guests Jim and Lisa have arrived from Philadelphia. They decided to join us for the much anticipated (by Maree anyway) Artic Circle trip tomorrow.
Breakhast is delicious but way too much... but should keep the fires buring until tea time.

We wander downtown to the visitors centre where we are advised of local attractions and how to get there. After some discussion of possibilities we make a scramble back down a few blocks to the bus terminal -- our distination Fairbanks University where the museum is located. En route of notice apart from the thrid world look of the place (junk everywhere) is the piles of snow melting on some driveways and ice still floating on some of the waterways. This is a new sight for us. In contrast to the sight so far the UNi is absolutely beautiful, clean well ordered and has striking architecture.
Lots of school kids doing tours... doing all the things groups of kids do on excursions! Just like home really. I couldn't help myself and just had to get involved, take a look at the worksheets pages and of course lend a hand to some struggling boys.

Like at most museums we get the chance to catch up on local history and culture and get a background for the place generally. Seemed to me there were a lots of women poineers in Alaska but everone one did it tough. The whole place (uni) is really well done and well worth the visit. I have to admit that when I was checking out things to do in Fairbanks I had not put the museum on my list of must dos... Shame on me!

Of particular note is a small room "where you listen" A dude at the uni uses data from some met bureau to synthesize sound -- earth sounds. The floor is also geared to vibrate with the sound. The attendant explains that the sound will change with the time of day, sunlight, cloudiness, any earth tremors picked up and Aurora Boreaus (or Northern Lights) which occur apparently about 240 days of the year but circumstances have to be just right so that you can see them - so appearances are treasured.

An Aside -- A fellow guest at the B&B a US Govt fellow from Anchorage says that he is part of a telephone hook-up. So that if anyone notices the lights they call others. To be seen means that it has to be dark, usually winter - so that's usually 2 -3 am in the morning with temperatures of -20F.

The sound we heard is a continuous high pitched noise with an underlying pulsating base whoomff.
The lights apparently sound like bells.
Back on the bus, back to town short wait and then back on the bus and off th the North Pole.

This is a little township just north of Fairbanks where apparently the local inhabitants decided back in the 1940's that 'North Pole' sounded much better that "Mosquito Junction" (you think the mozzies are bad in Darwin... you haven't seen nothin..)

They have cashed in big on the Christmas theme and it's all good fun. They recieve hundreds of thousands of letters each year addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole Alaska. Needless to say we spent some coinage here.. I have a new chiristmas T-shirt to wear to school at the end of the year.

The bus trip back to town was interesting from a social/cultural/teenage level. There seem to be a continuous stream of teenagers getting on an off at varoius stops... one told great jokes the whole time and entertained us all and another group accused someone of having a stolen bike... but hastely assurred the guy that he didn't want to make trouble, just wanted him to know that he knew he was a thief and that was that. I thought it could turn nasty by the conversation moved on to other things!!!
Interesting aside - the buses have this terrific system, a bike rack attached to the front of the bus, for when you don't want to ride the whole way).

Back to town, back to the visitors centre for some more advice then find Dinner. Tonight the Aviators Steakhouse is our choice. Opening the door we are back in the 1950's: decor, service (non alcholic only), 50's movie on the Big Screen , the other guests, and cheese on everything. Steak was good though.

Back home Catch up on emails, diary etc UMM 11pm and still light. Just love it.

---