Alaska was my place because people were all wearing rustic and expensive clothes. I totally didn't bring the right set of clothes so ended up wearing the heavy jacket (my one and only) for most of days and the wind pro fleece which I had owned for many years. Everyone else was the same, wind jacket and fleece, love it.
There were a couple chances to chat with the real Alaskans. They were honest and they were curious. Here was one instance and there was a point to making it to the writings -
The first day into Valdez, be ferry, it was all haze and rain. I walked into the visitor center and wanted some advice. The lady was asking me what I wanted to do, so I used these words like optimize and maximize, not exactly your Alaskan vocabulary. She explained a lot of things, recommended several unexpected places such as earthquake memorial, cemetery and gold miners route ... not your typical trip planner would tell you. She constantly referred to as worldly famous, people from around the world (guess I was too), 1897 ... She had a stare when I questioned her rationale, so I understood and I played along. I pretended and I took notes. Of course, her directions were accurate but her recommended places had the least interests for me. They were not the least impressive in whatever way. I guess I could understand why their former governor's pride had come from, it was Alaska where nature bestowed the land for its fortune and means of living. The problem is that they hardly stepped out of this land and seen other lands where the offerings could be equally gravel just in a different possible way. There are may wise sayings about these situations so I wouldn't repeat.
Not an Alaskan doesn't mean that this syndrome is none existence, though.
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