Right now I am writing this from the Hotel Rex in Union Square. In a Willy Wonka ‘must go forwards to get back’ I left Anchorage last night at 11pm, flew a red-eye to Dallas, got off the plane, bought a chocolate croissant and immediately boarded a flight to San Francisco which landed at 10:20am. In all, I have been on a plane for 10 hours. And I have been traveling with vacuum-packed, frozen yet thawing, smoked salmon and hallibut. Yes, I took them as carry on. They were frozen for days, began to thaw and on both flights the airline attendants put the fish in the beverage cart on ice. Thank you American Airlines for being so accommodating. That’s American Airlines, who understands I have a choice of airlines I can fly and I chose them, American Airlines. I am hoping product placement and endorsement will score me a ticket or upgrade with American Airlines which is part of the One World Alliance. I feel safe and confident flying with an Alliance. It is all about who you know and who you hang with and I hang with an alliance. Of the world.
I am in SF for a few days for meetings and then home to Miami in time to see Barack Obama on Saturday.
There is much to tell (and much not) about my last days in Alaska. These last days are not to be confused with the last days of Pompeii although there was apparently a volcano warning in Anchorage before I left. I have many photos, many funny anecdotes, as many memories as bottles of wine consumed and relatively few mosquito bites.
I believe this photo gives a great summary or tease of the weekend. This is Justin fishing. (When he wasn’t fishing he was playing poker and drinking wine.) We spent the weekend at a lodge south of Denali. It is owned by Nate, a friend of Jason’s. 11 adults. Three dogs. One puking puppy. No electricity. No running water. And fortunately, no bear. (That we could see.) Justin was fascinated with a beaver lodge about 20 feet from land. He canoed out, stood on the lodge, and decided to get one last cast in. Just as our seaplane was landing, he had a bite and reeled in a pike. A 34-inch pike. The pilot had to wait while we gutted the fish and threw it in a garbage back for the flight home. We grilled it that night and it was fabulous. Justin checked this website that gives the weight of pike based on their size… yes, such a website exists, I know crazy, huh? 10.8 pounds. A pike caught off a beaver lodge, just as the plane was landing. And did I mention it was goose fed? But that will have to wait until another entry.
I do believe I need to take another nap. My laptop says it is 5:49pm. My phone says it is 2:49pm. It’s 1:49pm in Anchorage yet my body, has no clue where it is or what time it is. I am meeting my friend Greg for dinner tonight. It will either be at 9pm, 6pm or 5pm – depending on which clock I finally decide to go by.
