After our trip to Homer yesterday we had a serendipity day here in Soldotna the commercial hub of the Kenai peninsula.It is great fun to explore another place so different from home and yet where we still share the same language .We can ask silly questions and receive a tolerant smile followed by a "You are welcome" kind reply. So on our first dull day with the temperatures at least 15 degrees lower, we ventured out .Freddie's as they call it here was our first port of call .
The Fred Myer's Store in Soldotna is like a cathedral to shopping .I have never been in such a huge store .Yes, even bigger and more exhaustive in the range of things it supplies than Tesco's .At the first visit we walked into the fruit and vegetable section where I saw such a festival of fruit and vegetables of every size colour and season .Apples shine because each one is waxed to tempt you ! If you can't find what you need it must be cultural difference. This we proved .We were searching for egg cups to hold boiled eggs and asked someone else who was shopping the shelves of goods ,"Where can we find egg cups ?" A blank face was the response.I found myself describing an egg cup and its function and it was obvious eggs to not come in egg cups after boiling in this part of the world BUT we did have a smiling conversation afterwards about "sunny side up" eggs and "easy over" ones too.Fred Myers store in Soldotna is so huge I physically found myself dizzy in trying to choose from even just one kind of product !
The post office was next on our list .We moan about the postal service sometimes but here most collect the post and have a post key to collect smaller packages from a box. So you have to put a bit of effort into collecting your mail . Made us appreciate the work of our post girl who has delivered our mail through snow and sun over recent years.
The Moose is Loose bakery is a fascinating place .The smell of baking is a definite lure.
This shop seems to be known for miles around and outside in the back of a pickup truck a friendly beagle lifted his head in welcome. He patiently awaited his owners who were feasting on cinnamon rolls and coffee inside
Jo-Ann's Craft and Fabric supplies is a great shop for those who love making things.I stopped there to pick up materials to make a thank you card for Jan and Stan .Because this is Alaska it would seem that there is a tradition of using the long winter evenings to quilt ,knit and make .Back in the fifties it was originally based on a mend and make do necessity and supplies came in through mail order but this has changed and stores like Jo-Ann's sing out that the fact that the traditional skills of quilting and knitting are far stronger here than at home.
At the other end of town is the Birch tree gallery I shall join a knitting group there this afternoon.
The Birch tree Gallery Soldotna a wool shop and gallery
The Visitors centre is a key place to initially visit to plan a serendipity day .
Finally we turned on to the Kalifornsky road and called in at the fish processing plant where we bought halibut ,king salmon and white salmon for the freezer .We have eaten fish every meal through choice and love it !What is more we were given a pack of salmon rub to flavour our future fishy meals.
Thank you Soldotna for another day full of exploration.
Actually, the Fred Meyer in Soldotna is much nicer and more diverse than most stores in the lower 48. I lived less than 10 minutes from the Freddy you visited and it was wonderful! I miss it every day even though I have access now to many, many more stores and much larger ones.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of stores in Soldotna that I love and miss -- Beemun's on the Kenai Spur highway, CadRe Feeds on a side street behind JoAnns, Trustworthy Hardware and Homestead Gifts on the Sterling Highway, just to name a few. There are many amazing stores, galleries, etc., in Anchorage, too.
*sigh* -- now I really am homesick!