Around town in Bethel

The video store. We don't have a movie theater here, so we must wait for movies to come out on DVD. You can rent a movie for 3 bucks.

A view of the AC parking lot in May.

Another parking lot view. This is why break-up boots are a must have in the bush.

Banana prices in Bethel. I remember when they were $.39/pound in the lower 48.....

The cereal and cracker isle at AC.

Pilot crackers, a popular food in the bush. They taste like stale saltines to me.

Milk prices in Bethel.....

Mouthwash is kept behind the counter in the bush. It contains alcohol, and people drink it.

Bethel's grocery store - AC .

This is our "main street" in down town Bethel.

Here's our truck

This is the 800 Building - the apartment complex for YK employees.

Springtime??? The Kuskokwim River is still frozen and it's May 4th..... I'm off to warmer temps.
I decided to take some pictures around downtown Bethel. As you can see, we have a variety of activities to choose from.... The grocery prices blow me away. Many of the villagers buy their food in Bethel since it is so much cheaper than in the village store. That's scary.

This is spring time in Bethel. It means lots of mud. There are no car washes in Bethel, and water is too expensive to waste on washing cars. I have to be careful getting in and out of my truck so that I don't get mud all over my pants. I also wear break up boots or shoes I don't mind getting dirty around town. You don't want to wear nice shoes here - they will get all gunked up.

I love the picture of the mouth wash behind the counter. Bethel is a damp community. What that means is that you can buy alcohol in Anchorage and ship it here, but you can not buy it in Bethel. The law here also regulates how much alcohol a person can ship in per month. And let me tell you, they keep track of it. My friend Janna checks what is shipped in every day - she works for the troopers, and that is her job. People here are so hard up for alcohol, that they will drink almost everything from hairspray to mouth wash. It's pretty sad. The AC grocery store is the local hangout, and I always get a contact high just from walking in. There are so many drunk people congregating in front of the AC, and they always hit people up for money. All I can do is laugh. The AC is also where "deals" go down. Eric and I have witnessed people buying alcohol by the side of the store. That is illegal here, but it is tough to catch. Alcohol is banned from the villages, but just about everyone knows how to make "home brew."

Anyway, I'm off to Anchorage today, then to Utah for Lee's USU graduation. I hope to experience some warmer temperatures! Eric is in Nome, and won't be able to come with me. We are going to meet in Anchorage when I get back.