The picturures below, to me, show the real Barrow Alaska.  You won't find many of the below type photos in the tourist or tour hand outs.  The pictures started at 9:30pm and I shot the last few after 12:30am.  24 hours of daylight gives one plenty of time to explore.

I had the night off so I went for what was going to be a short walk…. 3 hours later I was still out in under 30 degree temps.  It was a lot of fun walking around town, discovering the local business, seeing how the locals live. Also, thinking about how cold it does get and seeing how some of the homes are built I wonder how people don’t freeze.  At least I think it would be a miserable existence.  I may be wrong, I may be out of line, but mostly I think I am just spoiled.  Spoiled by modern convenience, spoiled by having the ability to just go to the store and buy what I need.  There is money in Barrow, the people do have the finances to buy what they need, but sometimes it is hard to obtain or takes a while to get.  You can’t just run to Home Depot and buy a new water heater, or go to Wal-Mart at 3am and pick up a new blender.  You have to plan for what you need, yes, there are stores here.  They do have a selection of the basics, but you will pay a premium for things we take for granted.  You pay the premium price, have it shipped in, or do without.

My walk today made me realize that the lower 48 does have an easier existence.  It made me appreciate the way of life here.  Most of all, it made me wish for a simpler life, less hustle and bustle, less “rat race”, less stuff.  I have only been here a week and I have already changed my outlook on life in general.  I am sure the longer I am here the more it will change me, for the better.  It will make me appreciate what I have, what I don’t have.  It will give me the ability to not worry about the small things in life, cause us as a whole micromanage our lives; this is something that I will change.  The basics are all a person really needs to survive, add in a few luxury items and one can live a very comfortable life. 

I planned to just have an adventure, I planned to just come up here use my education, my training, my skills in Nursing to care for people……but it has turned into a journey of self-discovery.

I Roam to discover, I Roam to learn, I Roam to live………

Welcome to Barrow, Alaska. To the Inupiat Eskimo it is Ukpeagvik or "place where snowy owls are hunted" ... Paglagivsi Ukpeagvik. If you have not figured it out, Paglagivsi means welcome in the Inupiat Language.

PETA & other Animal Rights Groups you have no place in Barrow, Taking Whales is the Native way of life, it is tradition, they do it to survive.

Every one needs one of these!

Yes, that is an Air Stream Trailer.  This is what I talked about above.  This is a basic of life...shelter.  To the owner it serves its purpose, to most we laugh, to the owner he is probably thankful every day to have shelter from the elements.  I too laughed at first, then realized I'm no better than them, I had no right to laugh, I have no right to judge.  I appologize, here in public, for laughing!

On the yellow pallet is a chunk of Bowhead Whale, I believe a front fin, to the left center is a section of baleen, used to filter the feeding of the Bowhead Whale.

A close up vie of the Baleen of the Bowhead Whale. The locals use this as decoration, carve it, makes crafts etc.

I'm not sure if this was a bus line, or what type of transit Barrow was providing.  Obviously  it did not last, boarded up and left to suffer the elements.

I am still trying to get used to the way the local business community operates.  There is no grand front door, no inviting entrance, a sign is all that is required.

Wiley Post & Will Rogers Memorial, they died in a plane crash in 1935 in Barrow Alaska.  They were searching for a more direct route to Siberia via Alaska.

Barrow High School, Home of the Whalers... GO WHALERS!!  Note: That is a natural gas line you see going over the road.  It can't be put into the ground...it's frozen.

Just a typical street in the city of Barrow, Alaska

Chiropractor Office & Massage.  I do hear that the lady who does the massage is very good.  I will let you know as I plan on getting one.  Yup, one of those luxury items I was talking about.

Converted Military Barracks, now apartments.

The dead are put into the ground, it is frozen but the time is taken to dig the grave and give the body to the earth. There is no funeral home in Barrow, no one is embalmed.  The family takes care of washing & clothing the body.  I have already, unfortunately, witnessed death here. 

Just a shot of the gas lines.

Boat frames, they would be covered with seal skin.

Roller Rink, Barrow does have a few of those modern luxury things.

Cariubou Antlers just laying around. 

Just showing the housing, snow is melting, mud is all around.

Caribou Antlers sitting on a sled.  This type of sled is pulled behind snow machines (snow mobiles for those in the midwest)

Just a street in Barrow, Alaska

Snow melting, water standing every place, mud every place. It is still 30 degrees or less daily, but the dry air and constant sunshine melts the snow pretty quickly.

Shelter, Transportation, companionship (dog) I say this person is doing well.

Barrow, Alaska typical street facing North with the Arctic Sea in the background.

Fire Department

The AC, the commercial grocery store in town.  The one I posted prices on in a past post.

Barrow, Alaska Post Office

A small cemetery in the distance, crosses barely visable.

This is the Hospital, larger two story building is employee housing.

A closer view of the cemetery from above, the domed building in the back is a ice rink.  It has to be covered due to the extreme cold temps of the area.

What better than a playground next to the Arctic Sea.

Osaka restarant, I hear it is pretty good food.  I just have not had the chance to try it yet, but I will.

Front view of Osaka Restaraunt next to a private home.

This is a shot of hospital housing, the white and rusted curved things in the front are actually used to keep the ground frozen due to the heat from the building.

I say the ice is pretty thin right now..lol.

Looking out onto the Arctic Sea, no more hiking out onto the ice for me...it is starting to thaw.

Looking out onto the ice from the beach.  It will soon be breaking up and turn into open water.

The Fur Shop, leather, furs..what have you.  It was closed as I was out at midnight, but will stop by when open.

This picture actually caused me a little sadness.  An abandoned home, a derelict truck.  This was someone's home, someones transportation.  I wonder what happened to the resident, the owner, what is the story here.  I futher look and notice a seal skin boat out on the ice, waiting for the thaw so it will once again flot.  Abandoned homes in Barrow are common to see... I think I am better off not knowing the stories.

Arctic Pizza, ate it the other night and I will say it was pretty good.  I'm not sure of the story of the burned out building next door.

Arctic Grocery, three places to get basic grocery items in Barrow.  The AC, Trading Post, and Arctic Grocery.

This looks like a fun vehicle!

West end of Barrow Alaska.

  

Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital

End of my Roaming for the day.  I stopped at the hospital, picked up a package I had mailed myself.  Actually was waiting on 4 boxes, but only one came.  Priority mail is taking 7-10 days on average from what I have noticed. BTW, it was 12:30am when this picture was taken..this constant daylight is still hard to get used to.