The Biggest Small Town
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8/8/2006
Anchorage has a population of just over half of the state or roughly 260 thousand residents. This fluctuates on the season with summer bringing in many new faces. Anchorage was built mostly during the oil boom of the 70's. We are a state rich in government or perhaps, just a rich government from oil. We have a very strong center for performing arts, a number of theatre groups, a few dance companies, and several performing groups for music. Unusual for our size, we boast multiple museams and even a zoo. We have quite the crop of boutique bistros and restaraunts and no shortage of ethnic influences in culture and cuisine. We are an evening culture. There are many things to do, but our idea of night life is a bit lacking. (I say this from living in London, UK) The city does not sleep at 10, but your late night options are limited.
There is a real frontier mentality that still permeates. This is good an bad. On one token, go off the road in teh snow and in less than ten minutes you will have a fleet of pick-ups with tow straps, on the other, we have 10x the national rates for rape and abuse.
There is a 3rd degree of separation here. You know someone who knows someone who knows you. If you do not get along with ex-romantic partners, this is not a good place to be. On dating, there is a saying harking back to the pipeline days: The odds are good but the goods are odd. In Anchorage, the population is roughly split between male and female. In Alaska, males are still the dominant though it is slowly balancing.
If you love outdoors, this place is a meca. To give you an example, my housemate and I decided to take advantage of a beautiful Sunday evening and start up Flat Top at 9 PM. The trip is 2.5 miles up making for a 5 mile roundtrip. The top requires a touch of actual climbing and the entire ascent is pretty steep. We summited just before sunset (around 10:30) and were thankful to bear witness to such a beautiful sight. Alaska has the most beautiful lengthy sunrises and sunsets of any of the 15 places I have lived.
The long and the short, you love it or you hate it. If you love it, it infuses itself in your blood. You may leave, but a part of you will never go.
Anjli | ,