June 25, 2008

What's 'cajones' in Portugese?

Got briefings from Elmendorf's Wing leadership, to include another 3-star general -- everywhere we went, in fact, we were treated like VIPs, and not just because we had the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff on our trip. They truly went out of their way to make our military guests welcome. While they all got a tour of one side of the base, my General called an audible and wanted to go check out the new fitness center, so I went with him, should he need a breath mint. I was also his official coin hander-outer repository. I was trying to figure out a way to stick them up my wrist brace so they could come out one at a time like a change person at Vegas. Or Spiderman.
After a quick tour of a C-17, we changed into casual clothes and drove back down along the inlet to have lunch at a 5-star restaurant 2500ft up the side of Mount Alyeska (a ski resort in the winter). While some attaches took pictures in the snow, others remarked at my extreme lack of coat in the ~30 degree weather (hey, it's a summer tour, after all (in Alaska, the Brazilian reminded me.))
After a quick tour through a nearby animal conservatory (with orphaned or sick bison, caribou, moose, and others), it was back into a blazer for a catered meal in the main floor of the Alaskan Heritage Museum, where our Air Commodore exchanged gifts with the Elmendorf 3-star.
I went to bed a little after midnight, wit the sun still setting on the horizon, before having to get up at 4:15, with the sun already well in the sky.
Now I know why the Russians gave the place away.

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