Aishani, our youngest traveler was quick to ask, “Uncle, what is Beluga? Aarit, an avid reader lost no time in scoring over his younger sister. “Beluga refers to a type of whale which are relatively small, often measuring less than 16 feet. Younger whales look blue-gray in color and then turn white by age five or six. Belugas are the only all-white whale”. We were lucky enough to catch tiny glimpses of the white whales, raising their brows momentarily through the glacial silt like shooting stars in a turquoise sky. We drove another half hour and came to the quaint town of Girdwood. The main attraction here is Aleyska resort. Set amidst lush mountains, this area has many hiking trails and summerhouses of rich Alaskans. Mount Alyeska is part of the Chugach mountain range and the Alyeska Resort is the largest ski area in the state. This resort has several transporting systems to take travelers up towards the mountaintop. Of these, only the aerial tram was in operation this season due to COVID related issues. We took the ride and were blessed with a heavenly vista of the wide valley below. Now we had to rush as we had a cruise booked in Portage Lake at noon. Our driver valiantly sped along the winding road while casting disapproving looks at us for not keeping on time. The 144passenger boat MV Ptarmigan was blowing its horn as we ran down the jetty to its ramp. Portage Glacier On the cruise, we came to experience the stark, breathtaking face of a mighty Alaska glacier located within a couple of hours from Anchorage. During the cruise we came within 300 yards from this relic of the Ice Age. The elderly narrator made a brave effort to educate the passengers on the glacier, but we were too engrossed in the immediate visual delight. From Portage, the highway veered sharp south and coursed through the mountains, offering dramatic views of wild Alaska. We reached the precincts of Seward in another 2 hours. Before entering the town, we deviated to a branching road towards Exit Glacier. “Hello”, said Aishani, “will anyone tell me who made up these crazy names? Why would a glacier be called Exit?” Aarit came to the rescue again. UPAHAAR 2021 উপহার ১৪২৮ 18
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