Random picture thread for Friday

TODAY, A DAY IN DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE ALASKA, A WALK AROUND THE BLOCK(S)

What started out as a lunch break walk around the block ended up as a three mile "hike" circling Anchorage.

I first encountered a foursome visiting Anchorage for the day from North Carolina. They were visiting the Captain Cook Monument next to my office building. After taking a their group photo for them I pointed out the visible active volcano Mt Spurr, the location of the Ice Field Set from Drew Barrymore's "Big Miracle" and the earthquake damaged area from the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake as I had experienced it. They were leaving the next say via the Alaska Railroad train for Seward where they would board their cruise ship, The Silver Sea.

From there I began my "walk around the block" which ended up taking me all the way to Anchorage's other downtown monument, the Eisenhower Statehood Monument as well as various stops along the way as chronicled in the selected photos following the below linked Video Playlist.

In this below linked seven brief videos Playlist first view the Flags flying over the Eisenhower Statehood Monument that was erected to commemorate Alaska becoming the 49th State on January 3, 1959, the day President Eisenhower signed the legislation so making it a State.

Included is a view off the apartment building next to the monument that was built in 1950 and occupied by my in 1953 as my first residence in Alaska.

At the monument see a small Bush plane fly overhead.

Subsequent videos include a US Air Force C-130 Hercules and F-22 Raptors Fling Overhead in addition to rolling Alaska Railroad Trains Riding the Rails below.

A Jumbo Jet is seen landing at Anchorage's International Airport as viewed from "Downtown" as well and included is the spectacular scenery surrounding Anchorage's Cook highlighted by active volcano Mt Spurr and snow-capped Mt. Susitna seen under billowing white clouds on this splendidly spectacular June day.

Link to Playlist of "Today, A Day in Downtown Anchorage Alaska:"

https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLtb5zi734BfabaX3bZ9Eze8GqoeT9E4Nq

PHOTOS FROM TODAY 'S (WEDNESDAY) WALK AROUND THE DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE BLOCKS:

The Downtown LogCabin Visitors Center and Milepost Fronting it:

A Mural Across from the Anchorage Hilton Hotel:

The Eisenhower Statehood Monument which overlooks the Train Depot and is adjacent to the 1950 built apartment building in which I first resided in 1953 when arriving in Anchorage:

Flowers Along the way:

Today's Spectacular Billowing White Clouds Above including the US Air Force C-130 Hercules and US Air Force F-22 Raptors Flying in them along with the Alaska Railroad train riding the rails below them: