Sunday, June 13 - Rain, Rain Go Away - A Day in Fairbanks

We woke up to an overcast sky this morning. After having a very good buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant, we went up to get ready for our day and saw the rain! Not a good start to the day! We decided we would take the hotel shuttle to the U of Alaska/Fairbanks campus, where an interesting museum was said to be - a good rainy day indoor activity. So, we went out front and got in the unattended shuttle, knowing that it left ten minutes before each hour. After sitting there a few minutes, we decided to check the schedule we had with us. Unfortunately, the shuttle service did not begin until 1:50 in the afternoon - and it was 9am in the morning! We went back into the hotel and were told "things start later here in Fairbanks than the rest of the country!". So, instead, we braved the rain in our waterproof windbreakers and walked the mile or so over to Pioneer Park to look around. Old restored building had been brought there from old Fairbanks and were on display. Of course, being in Fairbanks, the buildings didn't open till noon, so we just walked around the grounds, which was very interesting. The rain was lightening up, so on our walk home, we stopped at Fairbanks Urgent Care Center to taken care of a little medical problem I was having. I was seen right away, and given my prescriptions, but the adjacent pharmacy was not open on Sunday. A lady in the waiting room suggested we go to the hospital pharmacy, which was on our way back to the hotel. Fortunately by then, the rain had stopped. We ended up at the hotel around noon and then took a shuttle to meet the Riverboat Discovery's 2pm tour. This was a three level paddle wheeler that travels down the Chena River; it was very interesting; had a great commentary, making a stop along side a huskie training area, orginally run by Susan Boutcher, a 4 time winner of the Idiarod race.
We got off the boat at the second stop, a simulated Indian village, where they had display of salmon smoking, native dress and skins of the native animals. After that tour, we got back on the boat and headed back to the starting point. Another shuttle back to the hotel, then a relaxing dinner at the Italian restaurant next door, Pasta Garmabella.