The "elusive Martzy" has been spotted

So, I'm sure my MANY blog fans out there have been wondering... "Where in the world is Martzy, INDEED?!" And I apologize for my extended absence. That last blog was from Summer Solstice and there is no possible way to fill you in on the activities, events and drama that has passed since then. I can tell you, however, that I've been BUSY! Very, very, very busy (Plus I have a substantial social life that I have to maintain). 

This summer has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, life lessons, psychology, patience, acceptance and climate. I speak of it in past tense because we are down to the last week of the season. When did it become September? I can't believe how fast (and yet dreadfully slow at the same time) this summer went by. I leave Copper Center next Thursday morning and it feels as if I just got here. 

Beluga whale back, Beluga Point, Alaska

View from the boulder I was on

I did get to cross a few things off my list of things I've wanted to see in Alaska, and the big one is the Beluga whales feeding at Turnagain arm, outside of Anchorage. My friend, Melissa, had come from Ohio to visit and I told her my goal of seeing them. As we were driving towards Girdwood from Anchorage, I spotted a white back in the water and freaked out. Melissa said she hadn't even stopped the car before I was out of the car, crossing a "no trespassing" sign, running over the train tracks and scaling an extremely large boulder to get a better view of the water. About 10 minutes later Melissa showed up around the other side of the rock and explained that there was, in fact, a much easier way to get up there. But then she turned to see what i was seeing...and there were literally dozens of Beluga's feeding in the water below. It was spectacular! The picture above doesn't show you much, but that was just one of MANY whale backs I got to see.

After the Beluga's, we headed to the Wildlife Conservation Center that I had originally wanted to work at last year when I was applying for jobs. It was a really remarkable place. They rehabilitate wildlife and release them back into the wild. They have a herd of Bison that will be released in 2012.
http://www.alaskawildlife.org check out the link.

I got to see Salmon spawning in a nearby river after that and then we headed down to Homer, Alaska, at the end of the Kenai peninsula, where we visited the famous Salty Dawg Saloon, hob nobbed with local artists, walked diagonal in hurricane size winds, and skipped out of a restaurant after seeing the $72 appetizer on the menu.

 

Me and Melissa at the Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer, Alaska

After sneaking out of the incredibly overpriced restaurant, we hurried back up to Cooper Landing to stay at the Kenai Princess Lodge there and get some food. I have now stayed in all 5 lodges that Princess has in Alaska and I have to say that I liked the rooms at the Kenai lodge the best. Our lobby and seating area is the best though.

Anyhoo-Melissa came up to Copper for about a week and just left Monday morning. We even showed her the Northern lights, so she was content heading out of Alaska.

Now on to my next adventure...Hawaii. Yup, that's right, Hawaii. My friend Lauren and I are headed to Hawaii from Portland, Oregon on September 30. Our boyfriends may meet us there shortly after that. We're going to do theWwoofing thing that I did overseas in Greece and Ireland in 2007. Wwoof stands for worldwide opportunities on Organic Farms. We work in exchange for room and board, and get the chance to immerse ourselves in local culture, not to mention work a hard, honest days work and eat spectacular organic fruits and veggies.  http://www.wwoof.org/ We can't wait!

I will hopefully have the chance to update this a little more often, but I can't promise that I won't rather be at the beach. And by the way, you may receive Alaska postcards after I leave here. I have a whole stack that I never had a chance to send out this summer. I will send those before i buy any from Hawaii.

Aloha everyone! Hope you had as great a summer as I did.