Nature and Culture in Alaska

We love Alaska. There are so many interesting things to learn. There are two main parts to Alaska. The larger, northern part and the narrow, lower part called the panhandle. Can you guess why it is called the panhandle? It is not possible to drive from one part to the other through Alaska. Some parts of the panhandle can be reached by road through Canada or the state of Washington. But the capital city of Juneau only has 40 miles of road and can only be reached by air or sea.

We visited several glaciers. They are huge. About 11,000 years ago glaciers covered much of North America, they melted and these glaciers are part of what has not melted. One glacial field is the size of the state of Rhode Island! The ice in the glacier is bluish because the weight of the snow has been compressed over the years making it denser causing it to look blue. We took a boat up to where the glacier meets the ocean. Pieces fall off making ice bergs so we could not go closer than ¼ of a mile. Even so it the wall of ice looks huge.

One day we went hiking on Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau. The sun was shinning so it was very warm, too warm for the way we were dressed. We had to fly up to the top of the glacier on a helicopter where we put crampons (metal things that went over our boots with spikes in the bottom so we didn’t slip on the ice) and were given an ice ax. The glacier was amazing. There are little waterfalls, streams, caves, hills and valleys. We learned how to climb up a hill by using our ice ax and sticking the toe of our crampons into the ice. It worked very well. It was an exciting day but we go very sweaty. Imagine – sweaty walking on a glacier – in Alaska.

We flew to the panhandle but took the boat back to the Anchorage area. The ferryboat took 24 hours. On the way we saw more animals – orca and humpback whales, stellar sea lions, seals, bald eagles, Dall porpoises (they look like little orca whales as they are black and white, too), and puffin birds. We loved the ferryboat. It was big and had a movie theater, a cafeteria, and small rooms for sleeping plus it carried many vehicles.

In Anchorage we visited the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where we learned about the first Alaskans. We especially liked the dance and games presentations. The dancers and players are local high school students who take classes in native culture where they can study native art, music, and/or dance. Today the Native Americans in Alaska live they same way we do so the best way for the young people to learn about their ancestors is in school. We learned that there are several different groups, only the most northern are called Eskimo. However, they call themselves Tlingit (pronounced similar to kling kit), Aleut, Inupiaq, Yup’ik, and Athabacan. They live in different areas of Alaska and have different ways of living based on the geography of the area they live in. For example the Aleuts live on the islands so their life has a lot to do with the sea, use kayaks and hunt seals.

Their songs and dances tell stories, mainly about their hunting and fishing. When they dance the females dance with their legs together, dipping at the knees and moving the hands to the rhythm while the guys dance with their feet apart, bent at the knees, stopping one foot, making stronger hand movements and making noises. They don’t move around when they dance because most of the dancing was done in the wintertime, inside. Their houses were large but often had 100 people living in it so there wasn’t much room so their dances don’t take up much room. The mother is the head of the family. It is called a matrilineal family (notice the word starts with "ma." The children take the clan name of the mother – it would be similar to a last name. We are patrilineal (starts with "pa") so we usually take the name of our father. They use a drum and some groups use a tambourine made of goat hooves. They use to use puffin beaks (a bird) but the puffin is protected, now.

No Alaskan people lived in igloos. The ones in Canada did. The Alaskans would sometime build a wall of snow to keep out the wind, though. Games are ways to train the young people the skills they will need when they get older. (Think about it… playing with dolls and trucks, etc.) They attach a ball on a string, hang it up high, then jump up and try to kick it. The skill of jumping high was used when seal hunting. During the winter, seals scratch small holes in the ice between 50 and 150 yards apart so they can breathe. The hunters station themselves near the holes. They put a feather or something in the hole, it starts to jiggle when the seal comes up for air then they try to spear it. If they get the seal they need help in preparing it and carrying it home so they jump up kicking one foot as high as they can so the other hunter can see it. If they miss getting the seal then they jump up kicking two feet as high as they can, which means "I missed and maybe the seal is coming your way so be on the lookout." They share everything with everyone in the community. They believe it is better to give than receive.

This picture is from the Native Heritage Center. We were talking to one of the guides. Looking from left to right you will see the skin of a fur seal, then a river otter, and finally a sea otter. The sea otter has 650,000 hair follicles per square inch. That is how they stays warm and can float. They roll over in the water, which traps air between the hairs and it helps them float. Some, like the Aleut, believe that when they die their spirit goes into the sea otter. That way when they are out alone in their kayak and the sea otter, who is very inquisitive, swims up to their boat, they feel a sense of comfort, like someone is watching over them. It makes them feel a home even when they are far from home. Also, when the skin of the sea otter is taken off the skeleton and internal organs are similar to humans. We have learned a lot in Alaska. It is a big, beautiful state, with many interesting things to see and do.

Nee How from Taiwan

Nee How is how we say "Hello" in Taiwan. The main language here is Taiwanese (Chinese) but many people speak English. We have a new travel partner. Globee is part of a UNWTO project and he loves to travel with us.

Taiwan is very modern. The tallest building in the world is in the capital city of Taipei. It is called Taipei 101 because there are 101 floors. It is 1,674 feet high. The building is suppose to look like it is made of bamboo, which is a respected plant in Taiwan because bamboo is simple but has many uses. The big round shapes on each side of the building look like the old Chinese coins. They are lucky coins and also the symbol for one and zero, so it goes with the name 101. However, it won’t be the tallest for long because bigger buildings are going up in other countries.

One of the best places to see Taipei 101 is from National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial. On the weekends it a fun place. Dr. Sun Yat-sen is their national hero. We watched the changing of the guard in front of a statue of him that is similar to the statue of Lincoln in Washington, DC. We also listened to a musical group and watched the girls dance.

Taipei 101 is not the only modern marvel in Taiwan. They also have a High Speed Train. We took it to the countryside south of Taipei. The train reached a top speed of 180 mph! It didn’t seem fast because it was so smooth and quiet. We visited a farm area where they grow tea and coffee and made four new friends: Sandy, Alva, Jimmy, and Nick. They were studying English in school and picked "American" names. Jimmy’s grandfather lived in the United States for many years and now volunteers to teach English in their school. He thought our visit would be a good chance for them to practice their English. We did, too. We tried to learn some Taiwanese words, too. We thought it was a "hang how" idea or a "very good" idea.

The area was hit by a 7.3 earthquake of September 21, 1999. That was "boo how" or "very bad." They call it 9-21. When they rebuilt the area they decided to develop it into a tourist area so people could learn about tea and coffee production. Our new friends took us to a tea museum and a tea farm. Because tea grows best on the hillsides the leaves have to be picked by hand which is hard work. We spent the night in a small hotel called Pine House. It reminded us of the Adirondack Mountains because hotel was built out of pine logs and air was very fresh.

Sandy, Alva, Jimmy, and Nick introduced us to some new foods. Taiwan is an island so they eat a lot of fish. They also eat a lot of rice. Our favorite food was the desserts made out of sweet potatoes. We told them the sweet potatoes were "Hang How." There was a lot of food! Mr. Sam said, "Taiwan people love to eat!" We think it is because of the way they serve the food. In the center of the table is a large Lazy Susan. Many bowls and plates of food are put on the table and we can choose what we want to try. It is a fun and friendly way to eat.

Hopefully, we can return someday to see our friends and visit other parts of Taiwan.

The Revolutionary War

"The British are coming! The British are coming!" That was what we heard so we went to Mexico Point to check it out. It was true! We found New York Loyalists reenacting an incident of the Revolutionary War that happen at Mexico Point more that two hundred years ago. We met Leslie who was traveling with her husband. Even their daughter, Hannah, was with them. They were cooking. Hannah said, "I like to help with the cooking. But, it is a lot of work." We were surprised that families traveled with the army. Leslie explained, "It was common. The women cooked, did the laundry, and were nurses."

In 1777 we were at war with Great Britain because America wanted to be independent. The English plan to win the war included capturing New York State. As part of the plan Col. Barry St. Leger and his army which included, Joseph Brant, a Mohawk chief and guide, other Iroquois and Loyalists. Loyalists were Americans who supported the British. They spent the night at Mexico Point.

"Be careful," said Hannah, "there may be Americans spies around." There was a spy! His name was Silas Town and he overheard the plans St. Leger and Joseph Brant. Town hurried to Fort Stanwix in Rome and warned them that, "The British are coming by way of Oswego."

We decided to visit Fort Stanwix in Rome. The new informational center was especially interesting because it explained why some people supported the British while others supported the American. The fort was very quiet. We were surprised to learn that the soldiers were often bored. When their guard duty and other chores were completed there was very little for them to do. They often played checkers. We played checkers with Diana and Sterling. They were from Houston, Texas. Diana told us, "We don’t have any cool forts like this in Texas." The fort is "cool." It has a drawbridge, sally ports, and other "cool" things.

Sterling said, "I want to be the general. They get to sleep in a room all by themselves. Other soldiers shared a room with about 20 other people. They even had to share their bed!"
The people at the fort had been warned so they were prepared so the British were not able to capture it and the big battle took place about five miles away in Oriskany. Today it is a very quiet spot. It was hard to image what it was like on August 6, 1777, when nearly 500 Americans were killed. The Americans led by General Herkimer and were able to force the British back to Oswego. Herkimer was injured during the battle and died a few days later.

Learning about our history is very interesting so we continued to Johnson Hall. Johnson Hall is a beautiful home and was very fancy for the time. Joseph Brant and his sister Molly were friends of the Sir Johnson. Johnson sided with the British so when the American army approached the Johnsons and others loyal to the British fled to Canada. A legend says that Chief Brant used his tomahawk put marks on the mahogany stair railing as a sign to the Indians not to burn the house. That may not be the complete truth but the house was not burned.

Continuing east we went to Saratoga where we met Private Spillane of the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment. He showed the items he carried with him and explained, "The British plan was to have Gen. St. Leger met Gen. Burgoyne and Gen. Howe, each conquering New York State along the way. Gen. Howe never made his way up the Hudson and St. Leger was defeated at Oriskany, so Howe did not have all the helped he planned on. The big battle between the British and the Americans took place here in Saratoga. It is called the ‘Turning Point of the Revolution’ because the big British plan to win the war was unsuccessful and France decided to help us." As everyone knows, America won the Revolutionary War and American became an independent country. We have a very exciting history.

You might say we had a Revolutionary summer. Learning is fun - even during the summer!

The Brazilian Amazon

"Eaa" is the greeting in the Baraçana language, an indigenous group that lives in the Amazon in the large South American country of Brazil. "Ayutemanaçan" means "How are you?" We went to visit a Baraçana village about an hour by boat from EcoPark, the jungle lodge where we were staying. The Baraçana lifestyle is very primitive, which is amazing because their village is not far from the modern city of Manaus.

The Baraçana showed us some of their dances. The children loved us. They loved us so much they tried to run away with us. We explained that we couldn’t stay but we had a gift for them – pencils that say "Annie and Blue – Your American Friends." That made them happy because they have a school but they have a hard time getting pencils and paper.

Another day, Iury, our guide who was born in the jungle, led us on a nature hike. He explained many things about the forest. He carried a machete, which he called "his best friend." There was one big tree he called "the telephone." He hit it with his "best friend" and the sound reverberated through the forest. He used the "telephone" if he was hurt or had a big animal to take back to the village and needed help.

Another tree was leaking white, milky sap. Iury said, "We use this for many things. We boil it down and put it on our boats to make them watertight. When we put it in the fire it keeps the mosquitoes away. If we have a headache and smell it our headache goes away." Iury learned about the forest from his father who learned from his father. Pointing to a big thick vine he said, "If I need water while I am in the forest, I just cut this vine and drink the water in it. If I am hungry there is plenty to eat. This is good rule to remember. Fruit can be hairy, bitter, and/or milky. Only eat the fruit that has just one of those qualities. If it has two or three of the characteristics it is not good for you."

Most people think the rainforest has a lot of scary animals but the "scary" ones are hard to find. We didn’t even see a snake. EcoPark has a rescue program where monkeys that are taken from captivity are reintroduced into the wild. Iury explained. "For the first few months the monkeys are cared for in a cage. Then they are set free but each day they are fed 20% of their dietary needs. When they get hungry they have to learn to find food on their own." One of programs greatest successes is protecting the Red-faced Uakari. They are endangered and are unique because they do not have a prehensile tail like the other New World monkeys. Prehensile means they can use their tail like a hand. They can hang from the tree just holding on with their tail. The Uakari’s tail is thick and only about one foot long.

When we returned to Manaus we arrived at the Tropical Hotel in time to see a rescued jaguar arrive. He was taken from someone who captured it illegally. The hotel has a zoo so the jaguar was brought to their zoo because the hotel has a veterinarian who knows how to take care of wild animals. The jaguar was tranquilized for the journey. They put the box he was transported in tight to the door of the cage the Tropical Hotel built special for him. He started to wake up and stuck out his head. His new keeper got aquatinted with him – through the fence – by talking to him and rubbing his nose. After about 20 minutes the jaguar tried to charge out of the box but his legs were wobbly. He went to sleep in a corner. When we checked on him a couple of hours later he was back to normal.

There is so much to see, do and learn in the rainforest. The Amazon is huge, about the size of the United States.

For now we say "Aiyer" – good bye.

On the Santa Fe Trail

Howdy! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel west with a wagon train like the pioneers? We did, so we joined a wagon train on the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas.

We were on the trail a very short time when our new friend, Shelby, yelled, "Look! Indians!" There were two Indians on horseback silhouetted on the horizon; they had their rifles raised. At first we were afraid but they were friends who came to guide us – Naduah, a Comanche woman, and Steve, a Buffalo hunter.

Even though the prairie looks flat it is really bumpy especially when the wagon we were riding in went rumbling across the creeks. After a while we got use to it. Most of the settlers walked. We found walking was not easy because the wagon train moved faster than we could walk.

When we stopped to let the horses breathe, it was time to learn about the prairie. The prairie is beautiful. The green grass is dotted with flowers and the sky looks so big. We could see 15 miles. It is second most diverse ecosystem in the world. Only the rainforest is more diverse. Naduah said, "By the end of the summer the prairie grasses will be over five feet high." We would like to see that!

The buffalo in this part of Kansas were gone when the settlers went west but we could still see buffalo wallows – indentations where the buffalo rolled around in the mud to get rid of bugs.

Our teamster, Marvin, taught us about driving the team of horses. He explained, "The harness is designed so the horses are really pushing, not pulling." We had a hard time understanding that! That’s where the term "put your shoulder into it" comes from.

The outriders rode ahead to scout the trail; when they found the best place to cross a wet or rough area they would position their horses on either side of the trail. Then the teamsters would drive the wagons between the outriders’ horses.

In the evening while the men tended to the horses and the women made dinner. We helped grind corn and coffee. When our work was done Naduah told us her life story. She was kidnapped when she was a young girl and was raised as a Comanche. Her story was spellbinding!

After dinner we relaxed by listening to songs. One song was about the Santa Fe Trail. One line said it was "traveling through heaven but living through …" well, we can’t say the word but it is the opposite of heaven! Life on the trail was often very difficult. The cicadas and crickets were so loud we thought they were trying to compete with the singing.

The prairie is beautiful at night. There were thousands of stars and fireflies. We slept in one of the wagons and drifted off listening to nature’s chorus. We woke up early. Guess why? The Coyotes pups were yipping because they were hungry. However, we didn’t see any.

In the morning while the womenfolk were cooking breakfast we learned how to lasso and make fire with flint. There was a lot of flint because we were traveling through the Flint Hills.

By the second day we were use to the ways of the trail. We learned so much and there was so much more to learn we were sorry when we had to leave the wagon train. Going west was hard work but the scenery was beautiful, and in the evening, when all the work was done, it was fun.

Happy trails ‘til we meet again.