Bears. Bears. Bears!!

Alaska is known for it's vast wildlife.  While I have wanted to see the various creatures, I have been quite nervous about encountering them in the wild!  When I visited during my house hunting trip in May, I saw two wild moose.  I guess fortunately, I have not seen any since actually moving here.  There was a black bear warning at work a couple of weeks ago, but again I did not see it.

I did want to see the animals the area is known for....so I headed to the zoo!  The Alaska Zoo is fairly small, but has some great exhibits!  So many animals I have never seen that close up.

I do plan to do some more hiking and biking in the near future, so just in case.... : )

Vegas Baby...Sometimes you just need to get away!

Actually, this trip was planned well before I even considered applying for the job in Alaska.  Nonetheless, it is always fun to get away and meet up with old friends!  It was Jonete's birthday and we decided to meet up in Las Vegas, NV for an extended weekend.  I had never been there before and it sure turned out to be quite an adventure!

We did plenty of gambling, walking around, eating and even took in a Cirque du Soleil show called MYSTERE.  I'd probably have to say my favorite was hanging out at Gilley's, a country bar inside Treasure Island.  We had a few drinks and watched some crazy people attempt to ride the mechanical bull.

As far as gambling goes, I probably came out pretty even.  I'm not a huge risk taker and hate losing money.  I won $150 the first day and that kept me playing the rest of the weekend.  Saw lots of great sites including the Bellagio's fountains, a cool bar in the Mirage and plenty of casinos!  

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Having never been to Vegas before, I wasn't sure what to expect.  There is honestly so much to do!  I will need to start saving my pennies for another trip!