Snow flakes, Sledges, Snow men, Huskies- don’t they all mean the same thing? Yes, it was Alaska for me this time for my yearly vacation. So I looked for inexpensive flight tickets to Alaska. With Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines offering cheap tickets to Alaska, I had no trouble getting one.
Booking my flight tickets, I was soon on my way to the Ted Stevens International Airport at Anchorage. Now that I was in the “Last Frontier “of the United States, I had plenty to look forward to, during my stay in Alaska.
Shopping in Alaska:
Being a shop alcoholic, I was ready to go on a shopping spree in Alaska. My shopping binge started early with booking cheap tickets to Alaska. Next I ventured into the shopping venues of Anchorage. I was very impressed with the tunics, scarves, stoles, hats made from the Qiviut or the under wool of the musk ox at the Oomingmak Store. My friend wanted an Alaskan Ulu knife as a gift. So I hunted for one and found it at the Ulu Factory.
The next stop was Glennallen for my fair share of shopping there at the Caribou Hotel gift shop, where I picked up some furs and scrimshaw.
I am a curio-hunter and I amass souvenirs from every trip. So I decided to pick some mementoes of ethnic Alaskan pottery, earthenware and artifacts, jewelry and glassware at Aunt Kaili’s at Juneau. I had heard so much about the glacier silt and its goodness for the smooth skin that I simply had to pick up some of the silt soaps at Juneau’s Glacier Smoothie.
Hummington Hollow was heaven for me to shop in with its native Alaskan collectibles, totems, dolls, ivory and Alaskan beaded jewelry. For my hand-out gifts, I picked up the Alaskan picture mats from the Picture this photo mats store. The Juneau trip came full circle for me with a visit to its premier jeweler – The Jewel Box.
At my next stop Skagway, I hopped in to Casey McBride’s Taiya River Jewelry to buy some trinkets of the gold nugget jewelry handcrafted on the premises. Klothes Rush Gifts also offered a variety of gifts apart from some lip-smacking fudge and ice cream at the Kone Company.
Tok had a huge stock of shopping stuff at it All Alaska Gifts & Crafts- Entsminger bronzes, Lisbourne Eskimo dolls, Ulu knives, Alaskan jade and ivory and more. Burn paw store had Alaskan jade, gold, ceramics and even husky puppies for sale. Jack Wade Gold Company Mining offered a choice in gold nugget jewelry while Snowshoe Fine Arts and Gifts had a good souvenir collection.
Moving on to British Columbia, I headed to Lothar Triebel for a peek at their watches and diamonds. The Trading Post hosted Indian and Eskimo souvenirs, mukluks, moccasins and hats. At Haines Junction in Yukon, Kluane Kampground had a wide choice of T-shirts, sweats and souvenirs.
I am glad I got on a cheap flight to Alaska this vacation, for I got to shop to my heart’s delight here.
