Shore leave

We left the island today.  A first time for me since last July.  I envisioned it in my head more than once.  It was similar to playing an episode between a co-worker or friend gone wrong prior to the actual event...  Well, today we did it.

Shore leave.  It really was like shore leave.  We arrived in Anchorage, helped out a student that could have done the check in process by herself, but acted as a support system, then left.

We walked up to the first cab we found and went to the Moose's Tooth pizza place.  Holy awesome.  At first I thought I would have culture shock or an anxiety to be around people.  Not at all.  It was like being back in America after a retreat.  As we settled into the restaurant the atmosphere it did set in.   The people, the smells, the sounds...  Outside the window were fast moving cars, yet inside the white noise of many people chatting all at once began to crowd my thoughts.  I felt like I was Red off of the Shawshank Redemption after years in prison.  And no I am not implying the island is like a prison, it is just very isolated and very silent.  

Next, we walked to a movie theater nearby and watched Bridesmaids.  It was hilarious.  I could not believe they let us in with backpacks.  No questions.  For $7 a bag, we dropped off our check in baggage at the airport and stuck with our carry ons.

Happiness is a eating a philly cheese steak wrapped in what looked to be a pizza crust, while drinking a local microbrew that made my fingers have a sticky syrupy residue left behind by sugar that the yeast didn't consume--any home brewer out there may know what I am talking about here.  Follow that up with a movie and popcorn...  We had a real date.

So far being back these are the things that have struck me... 
-Airport prices aren't too bad compared to isolated prices.  Anchorage prices are even better.
-The trees have leaves here.
-I feel overheated even though it is in the high 60's.
-People here know people from that little isolated place that we thought nobody really knew about...  Both cab drivers personally knew folks from where we just came... 
-Lastly, people are really friendly here.