downtown anchorage

I wrote this in the morning before I got out and took pictures. I was going to keep in private but I decided that it perfectly conveys the feeling of this morning.
 
I feel like writing this morning and I didn't bring a journal so I'm using my blog. Right now, I'm sitting in a kitchen in Spenard Hostel in Anchorage Alaska. The rooms here are different colors and none of the furnishings match. The table that I am sitting at has four different styles of chairs with it. It reminds me of the old Red and Black or the kitchen at Lenin's place in Berlin.

I had to wait behind a elderly Russian man who wanted his own room this morning before I could check in. Two guests, presumably a couple, started watching Angels and Demons in the living room. I have no interest in seeing Ewan McGregor play the action-hero priest so I'll probably leave before too long. The guy who slept in the bunk above me last night joined them and is wearing a "Snow Makes Me Horny" hoodie.

The sun is out, the sky is clear and there's a vegetarian breakfast place three miles away that I plan on visiting, even if I have to walk.

What else?
After heading out from the Hostel, I walked almost four miles to downtown for some veggie biscuits and gravy. I ended up at the Snow City Cafe which I highly recommend. The food selection was good, the staff was friendly and the b&g was probably the best I've ever had.

My parents called after I got on the bus and headed back to the Hostel where they picked me up. My dad, my cousin Allen and I ended up hiking up the Flattop Mountain trail which overlooks Anchorage.

In the evening, we all headed to the house where my cousin was having a gathering. Traditionally, it would have been the rehearsal dinner but the wedding is going to be very casual and requires no rehearsal. Therefore, we just used the gathering as an excuse to get together and drink. It didn't get really dark until after 10pm. It's pretty cool because it's like an endless evening. However, it also meant that people kept drinking including myself. We told a lot of family stories from growing up together. It was super-sweet.

I was also happy to see that my cousin's soon-to-be groom has two gay guys on his side of the family and they each brought a partner. Yay! A good hike, vegetarian food, friends and family and other gays! What a vacay!