Nome Sweet Nome

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Suprisingly, Nome does not feel as foreign as I thought it would. Yes, the weater is incredibly cold and looking out the window and seeing a frozen sea is quite a change from Los Angeles, but overall Nome feels oddly familiar. I noticed on the plane that the closer we got to Nome the more talkative people became. Everyone was friendly, chatty and accessible- quite a change from the behavior of people in Los Angeles. It reminded me a lot of Louisiana.

And maybe that's why Nome doesn't seem so odd- it is kind of like the south on ice. The house I am staying in is cozy, if not a little like a hunting camp, most people get around by pickup trucks, snow machines, or ATVs, and the people here are hard working and rugged. If I was born and raised in NYC or LA this place might have thrown me for a loop, but being from Louisiana and having experienced small towns and roughnecks- Nome doesn't really surprise me all that much.

The town is very very small, of course. Look it up on a map and see for yourself. There are a few restaurants, liquor stores and grocery stores. The prices here are exceptionally high and you do experience a bit of sticker shock when you go out. You will be hard pressed to find anything on a restaurant menu for under 12 dollars, and groceries can quickly burn a hole in your wallet. For instance, I bought a yogurt cup, a bell pepper, 2 avocados, a box of spinach, 2 grilled chicken breasts, 3 cans of soup, popcorn and a pack of disposable razors and my bill was 60 dollars. As I left the grocery store, I looked across the street at the gas station and the current price for unleaded is $6.19/gallon. A beer at the bar will run you at least 5 bucks. A bottle of wine at the liquor store will probably be 20 dollars. And we are not talking fine vintage here. Think Yellowtail.

For such a small town in what many would think not a highly desirable location, the price of living is incredibly steep. If I lived here year round I'd probably go panning for gold myself.

It snowed the first few days I was here, and then the skies cleared up and now it is incredibly sunny. All the snow makes it almost blindingly white when you go outside. Now that it is clear I can see how vast the frozen Bering Sea is. It looks like a crazy desert that stretches out to the horizon. The town is also right on the water's edge. I can walk out of my office, across the street and walk right out onto the frozen sea. It is hard to imagine the summer here and what this city looks like not frozen over.

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Photos

Frozen Tundra
FYI, I probably took this picture around 7:45 PM. The sun isn't setting until around 9:15.

Comments

[Kiki Frayard]

Shopping Spree in Nome....
Geez... So there is no equivalent to Rodeo Drive??? Shall I send you a care package? I love your posts...keep them coming! Aunt Kiki