Technology Conference

Every year there is a technology conference in Anchorage for teachers, administrators and salespeople.  I attended this year for the first time.  The event was hosted at the Captain Cook Hotel.  It was a fairly large hotel that consisted of three separate towers.  We were in tower one.  Most of the events took place at the lower level, and navigating the hotel was pretty seamless.

While at the conference, members attended events that were centered around the use of technology.  Despite asking a colleague about it last year, the conference seemed somewhat mystical.  After attending it though, I get it.  What is a technology conference?  Well, we learned how to incorporate computers, Ipads, websites and many other things in the "digital" world into classrooms.  Overall, it was pretty reviving and refreshing seeing people at all skill levels trying to boost their knowledge.

In town we checked out a lot of restaurants.  I was surprised that many places were located around the hotel.  Within walking distance were great fur stores, a large mall, and many restaurants.  Of the restaurants we found Humpy's, Snow City Cafe, and the Brew House.  Next time we hope to check out Club Paris, I hear they have great steak.  There were many more, but it was nice to have options within walking distance.  

After adjusting to the culture shock of the city, meaning the hum of people in public places and fast moving cars, the visit to Anchorage turned out to be a much needed break. 

I didn't take many photos, which was very difficult for me.  Having a big camera is a great, but it is hard to lug around and a tad too large to conceal while walking through the city.  Sad.

Fur Rondy was going on at the same time as the conference.  Fireworks took place on the second night there.  It felt like stimulation overload.  On a quite, remote island one moment to a bustling and exploding city in the next.  We took this picture from a parking garage but could smell the sulfur as if we were at the detonation point.

Fast food cheeseburger, my guilty pleasure. 

View from the quarter deck in tower 1, of the Captain Cook Hotel.  10th floor view.

That mountainous hill on the right is not soil, it's snow.  There were several "snow dumps" located around town.  Up close they were huge.  Navigating through town was difficult because of the accumulation of snow.  Signs were covered and most entrances to establishments were not visible.  Also, it was SLIPPERY, we had studded tires on the rental car and slid all over the place.  Nate saw one person drive into a snow bank, and we both witnessed a lady that had barreled off the side of the road and became stuck.  Was a greasy mess.  People were sliding, fishtailing and crashing all over town.