Nome

Well where to start. The plane was an 18 seat Cessna, had to stoop over to go down the aisle. Twin prop, they supplied foam ear plugs and you needed them. The flight was smooth, the crew was great, got a chance to talk to them while waiting on the flight back.
Nome is really the end of the world as we know it. There are only 3 dirt roads out to smaller towns. Nome has 5000 residents which include miners, construction people and the usual support residents, i.e. shop keepers, gas stations, post office etc workers. Very friendly.. We were the only tourists in town, but apparently they do get cruise ships in during the summer. Gold is still found in the area and a new gold mine opened a yr and a half ago just out of town in the middle of berry country which of course means lots of bears.
We walked around town, there are 2 cabs and for $5.00 they will take you anywhere in town except the hospital and the high school. Don't know why the exception. There is a minimum security prison with 130 beds of which 112 are filled.
Nome is the 3rd largest city in Alaska, and had a judicial district #2 covering the entire coast. The people are very friendly, willing to talk about where they are from and why they stay there including all winter when the only way out is by plane.
The best thing about the trip was on the way back, Mt. McKinley loamed up out of the clouds to the south and we could see over 2/3s of it for over 30 min.
All in all worth the expense just in talking to people.
One more thing did you know that Wyatt Earp came to know and with a partner built a hotel? It burned down in the fire of 1937, but was rebuilt in a slightly different spot in order to widen the main st. - Front St. Will try to send a picture
Betty