DAY 5 - 7.3.04

Today we took a road trip to the Portage Glacier, about 1 hour south of St. Mary's. The drive down was very majestic, and the further south we went, the higher the elevation became. We saw the beginnings of snow, which ultimately turned into glaciers. We arrived at Portage Glacier Park. Once there, we purchased our tickets and got on the boat, some more willing than others. our captain, Tom (see picture), was awesome. During the boat ride, Tom explained how a glacier works, how it is formed, and why it is so bright blue (see pictures). The pictures of the glaciers have not been enhanced, that is truly what they look like. We arrived at the main Portage glacier which was half a mile wide and 4 and a half miles back from our position, to where it then turned up the mountain. Even though the ride was very cold and windy, it was a very awe-inspiring journey.
After our glacier trip, we drove back to downtown Anchorage, where we were allowed to go in small groups and shop in stores and the Anchorage Saturday Market. We returned back to the church and had a much needed rest, and had some quality time as a group by reflecting on what we had done up to this point. We ended our night by watching "Keeping the Faith." We highly recommend it if you haven't seen it! Everyone is doing well and having a good time - we'll be home soon!

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