Sitka, Alaska – The twins have had their fill of totem poles (since the first totem park back in Ketchikan, realistically). And they used up their patience for history museums pretty quickly as well. So this week when Daddio and I had to do research or attend meetings, we sent the twins off to discover fun things in Sitka for kids (tweens).
Alaska Raptor Center
Me (excited): This place is supposed to be awesome! They rescue and rehabilitate raptors so they can return to the wild.
S: You know it’s just eagles, right?
Me: …
S: I mean, it’s not like they’re going to have velociraptors there.
Me: What do you mean? Of course they’ll have velociraptors. Why would they call it a raptor center?
S: (eye roll)
Me: I know we have seen a lot of bald eagles on this trip. But this may be the last time you see a bald eagle for, like, two years or something.
S (shrug): I don’t know… they’re making a comeback.
And so the twins went to the Alaska Raptor Center, even if they had a slight attitude about it. But they were pretty happy afterwards. They saw some cool birds (no velociraptors, but they did fall in love with the little saw-whet owls, which look like Beanie Boos). And they learned some fun facts, such as: approximately HALF of the world’s bald eagle population resides in Southeast Alaska. So that explains why S is feeling pretty confident about their status.
After the Raptor Center, the twins went out for pizza at Harbor Mountain Brewing. Yes, it sounds like a brewery, which it is. But they also have excellent pizza by Campfire Kitchen. (We became regulars at this place.) The twins ate lunch and waited for us there, so no wonder they were pretty happy afterwards.
Sitka Sound Science Center
On a different day, we sent the twins to the Sitka Sound Science Center, where they fondled some urchins and anemones in the touch tank and spied on rockfish and eels in the giant saltwater tank. There’s also an on-site salmon hatchery (complete with a very active salmon ladder), which is fascinating. Of course, we have seen approximate one million salmon this month, so that probably did not hold their attention for too long.
But the twins were sufficiently entertained, and they learned some more fun facts, such as: some species of rockfish live up to 200 years!
Afterwards, the twins came to get us across the street at the Sheldon Jackson Museum, and we went out for reindeer hotdogs. (No magical, flying reindeer were harmed in the making of these hotdogs.)
