Moose Overboard in Alaska Waters

ON THE CORAL PRINCESS — Her name is Boujke Bijlsma and one morning at 6 a.m. she was sitting in her office on the Coral Princess. She looked out the window onto the waters of Alaska and there, swimming furiously, was a moose. She watched for a few seconds, then turned back to her deskwork.… Continue reading Moose Overboard in Alaska Waters

Going to the Dogs of the Iditarod

TALKEETNA, Alaska — Until now, Iditarod was a word that we always found difficult to spell and harder to say, but that was before we had a hand in training the dogs that run 1,049 miles in temperatures of minus 60 degrees. Yes, indeed, better them than us. So when the first Sunday in March… Continue reading Going to the Dogs of the Iditarod

Alaskan Wildlife Sanctuary a Hit

KENAI, Alaska — The three bears, said the young man from the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, are called Hugo, JB and Petrone. In a strange quirk of giving bears names, Hugo is female while JB and Petrone are male. Their names do indeed have something to do with alcoholic beverages. And why is a female… Continue reading Alaskan Wildlife Sanctuary a Hit

Anchorage: Gateway to Education

ANCHORAGE — In most of North America, this would be considered a small city. In Alaska, where everything else is big, it is the largest…and home to about half the state’s population. Along with its temperate climate — relatively speaking — that makes it something of an oasis in the wilderness…and a wealth of information.… Continue reading Anchorage: Gateway to Education

Barcelona's Cruise Ship Bonanza

For months, we’ve been hearing about how European countries are on the verge of bankruptcy…first Greece, then Ireland, Spain, Portugal and even Italy. While it’s not exactly a bailout, cruising is giving Spain a shot in the arm, at least this week. Last Saturday, eight cruise ships delivered 31,000 passengers to Barcelona. This weekend, nine… Continue reading Barcelona's Cruise Ship Bonanza