When your plane lands and you arrive at the Anchorage airport terminal you are greeted by a giant stuffed bear and a stuffed fox. The bear is a record holder- for his 30 inch skull- and he certainly looks imposing standing on his hind legs, towering over every daring traveler who passes him dragging their wheeled luggage and clutching their cell phone.
The more I traveled throughout Anchorage the more I realized that stuffed animals were everywhere. Taxidermists must actually make some money in this town. Around Philadelphia, I always thought that Taxidermists were kept in business mostly by western PA deer hunters and the Academy of Natural Sciences. In Anchorage- animals of all shapes and sizes, frozen in all kinds of menacing positions lurked around corners and surprised me once- even in a restaurant restroom.
So i may be forgiven for asking my colleague if the giant Bull Moose standing outside our hotel one evening around 4:30 was real. We had seen A LOT of stuffed animals and it is getting close to the holiday season. My reasoning-- who needs lighted animatronic reindeer in their yard when you've got moose?
However, this furry creature was happily eating, breathing, and walking- if this was animatronics this was GOOD!
Our moose was eating the last berries off of a tree right outside our hotel door. His antlers were huge-almost an inch of snow was trapped on top of them. Our moose was beautiful, dignified, and unperturbed by our flashing cameras. So, if you happen to be heading to an evening business meeting in midtown Anchorage- Look both ways on your way out of your hotel- you just might see a moose.
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