My last day working was May 31st, so naturally 2 days later I was on my way to Fairbanks, Alaska. Visiting home for the first time in 4 years to see my family and new baby nephew, Kilian Kuzey. Over 9 days we visited the best restaurants from Bun on the Run to Souvlaki. We went to Alaska Land, Angel Rocks, drove through delta junction, and had dinner at my parents cabin in the woods down by the bear baiting station. In case you ever find yourself in Fairbanks/North Pole Alaska, these are a few of the places I enjoyed.

At and Around Angel Rocks

We went to the cabin to have dinner, grilling packets of vegetables and potatoes and making kebabs with steak and mushrooms. SOMEONE (aka my father) claimed they couldn't find the mushrooms, so it was mostly steak kebabs. There was wine too! When there aren't any glasses simply fill an empty la croix can. 

Everything's pretty much the same since last time i was here. The addition on the cabin is still unfinished, the loft area has a weird medicine cabinet and two naked mattresses. The only real difference is the creek thats getting closer and closer to the cabin. While my dad stayed at the cabin to wake up at 4 am to check his bear baiting station, mom and I went to hike angel rocks before driving home. 

Again, pretty similar to the last time I did this, except now people started tagging the rocks at the top of the hill (see picture above) Don't worry, the guy who did it felt pretty guilty after seeing a news story about it and turned himself in. 

Ester, AK

Ester is very, very small. But still it's own town. They have their own post office, bar, chapel, and soon a new library. Visit the Golden Eagle Saloon, or as we call it, the eagle, to get a drink. If you get hungry you can buy some meat from the bartender and grill it yourself on the grill pictured behind my dad. The Chapel is new, built by someone from Switzerland according to dad, and home of the nicest outhouse in the history of time. 

Food & Activites

If you find yourself spending a day with baby Kilian and needing an outing/baby adventure I'd have to recommend bun on the run, the falafel place, Alaska Land, and creamer's field.

Bun on the run is a pink trailer offering sandwiches, desserts, lemonade, and cinnamon rolls. It's been there as long as I can remember, although it has changed ownership a few times over. It's in the parking lot of beaver sports, only in the summer. 

The Falafel place, is just around the corner from bun on the run. I remember seeing it there before, but they've expanded since. Business is booming and it gets cray here around lunch. 

Alaska Land can be a confusing place, seems a little bit like a ghost town. There's a park, a small train, a boat, and a number of shops set up in historical buildings. The best place to go in Alaska land, if you're an adult (there's a carousel for kids), has to be Souvlaki. 

Creamer's Field is a migratory bird refugee with nature trails, view points, the fish and game building, and a gift shop. Earlier this summer they saw over 200 swans come through.

Driving Through and Past Delta Junction

I got to see the Alaskan scenery! Didn't climb any mountains this time but I did get some good pictures although my camera died towards the end. 

What did I learn from this trip? The mosquitos were real, not just in my head. They attack. People love food carts/trucks there, despite the fact that they can only exist for 3 months in the summer. It doesn't matter that it's still light out at midnight, I can sleep through sunshine.