UPSIDE DOWN FLOWERING TREES

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL
Generally I don’t plan to blog about U S sites unless I come across something really unusual like I did on a recent trip to Juneau, Alaska. The Glacier Gardens did not exist when I made my first trip to Alaska twenty years before.

In 1985 a huge landslide in the Mendenhall Valley destroyed much of the Smith dairy farm. Ten years later nurseryman, Steve Bowhay, bought six and a half acres that bordered on the Tongass National Forest. While working to redirect a river stream to its original path, because of its diversion by the landslide years before, he caused some damage to the expensive piece of rental equipment he was using. Frustrated with the rock he was trying to move and at the expensive machine repair bill, he picked up a log with the machine and slammed it six or seven feet into the soft soil ---upside down.

Frustration subsiding a bit and being the creative man he is, Steve started to survey his newly planted 'tree'. By trimming the roots he formed a bowl which he lined with a very fine mesh. Then he filled his pot with peat moss, topping it off with some soil. Before long the plants he planted were flowering and cascading down the edge forming a gorgeous flowering upside down tree. Now many such trees are scattered in the gardens. The area gets plenty of rain so watering is not a problem.

In the late 1990s Steve negotiated with the National Forest Service and the City of Juneau for access to an additional 44 acres. A narrow winding road, wide enough to accommodate a golf cart, takes visitors up 600-feet to a wooden platform for a fantastic view of the valley and city. Colorful blooming areas are along the way on the forest floor. A guide/driver points out various plants in this temperate rain forest.

The Glacier Gardens were so much more than I expected and one of the highlights of the trip.

MORE FRIENDLY PEOPLE

In Glasgow we were looking for a post office that seemed to elude us.
We asked a fellow on the street where it was, but he was a stranger in town and was just doing some shopping while his wife had her hair done. He was sorry he couldn’t help us. We thanked him and continued on. A couple of minutes later we heard, “Ladies.”
When we turned around we faced the same fellow we had asked directions of. He explained while he was walking in the opposite direction that he remembered where the post office was and proceeded to give us directions. He had turned around and found us to relay that information. How nice was that! As it turned out we were only a block or so away. We entered, made our money exchange and then visited a large department store for a look-see.

Riding the escalator down an hour or so later, the young man standing behind us overheard us discussing finding a restaurant. As we stepped off, he called to us and proceeded to tell us where we could find an arcade of restaurants and recommended a couple he particularly liked. We took his advice and enjoyed a wonderful meal.

When biking in Germany, I was standing outside a bakery waiting for a companion to complete her purchase when an elderly man approached me asking, " Are you American."
 After I said yes, he went on to tell me how during WW II he had been in a concentration camp in the United States. I can’t recall the state, but it was a surprise to me, as I was unaware we had a camp there. He apologized for his English. He told me he had been well treated. What a small world.

In Moscow we were looking for a grocery store to buy a gallon of bottled water. We would be in the city long enough to empty it by refilling our small drinking bottles. Unknowingly we turned back when only two blocks away from our destination. Back on the main street we asked directions of a fellow walking with his wife and small child. The wife ducked into a store with the child, but the fellow tried to tell us, but he spoke only Russian. Finally he decided to show us where to turn, so as he hustled down the street he kept up a constant stream of Russian chatter. Jan kept smiling and shaking her head like she knew what he was talking about. I followed smiling. It was a kind gesture on his part and we did find the store and made our purchase.       His wife obviously was more skepital of strangers.

In Beijing we were returning to the hotel through a lovely little park. About half way, a young man stopped us and asked if we were American. He was a part time guide and was looking to improve his English speaking skills. We had a delightful conversation with him for 15 min or so.

In Melbourne there is a free tram around the center city during certain hours. We knew we were a few minutes late for the free ride, but we hopped on anyway expecting to pay the fare. The lady driver got to talking to us and asked where we were staying, where we were from etc.
She then said, “You’re just a couple of minutes late for the free tram, but just take a seat and make believe you didn’t know there was a time limit.”
We did and she alerted us when our stop arrived. We thanked her.

If you’re ever in a place where English is scarce look for a young person, preferably a male. The young people know English and the boys have a bit of an edge on the girls. At the Budapest zoo everything was written in Hungarian. A couple times we were a bit puzzled by the foreign map. I looked around for a young man and sure enough both times he spoke English and was able to show us where we were. Both times we were close to where we wanted to be, but the reassurance was nice to have!

We have run into so many friendly and helpful people around the world, and because of that we have had some delightful surprises.