2006-08-18 Valdez, AK 04

We took a short walk around Valdez and along the docks. It's a pretty town, even in the rain. We think it's pretty chilly, we're in jackets and raingear. The locals, however, are in shorts, t-shirts and sandals, many riding bikes. We've noticed that there are more espresso shops and ice cream shops here than anywhere we've been. Some places we'd pass were not really even towns, just a gas station and espresso/ ice cream shop. We were surprised at the number of ice cream shops in a place known for being so cold. One local told us that Alaskans eat more ice cream than anywhere else in the country. In a place that the sun never sets in the summer and never really rises in the winter, I guess you'd need an espresso jump start every now and then. Hopefully, the weather will clear and we'll see the tops of the mountains soon.