Views of Bethel in August

     Bethel is ....flat.... It is considered the hub of southwest Alaska and home to about 6,000 very different people!  56 villages surround it to use it coming and going, and a jet can take you to Anchorage 400 miles away. It is on the Kuskokwim River and is surrounded by the Yukon Kuskokwim Wildlife Refuge, which is huge.

     It was established by Moravian Missionaries next to a small Yu'pik Eskimo village back in the late 1800's. It became a trading center and is still considered one today. Everything that comes in is either by boat or plane as there is not a road system to get here. The port brings in fuel, among other items, and that fuel can continue to be barged up or down the Kuskokwim River to the surrounding communities.

  Bethel does have its challenges. It is a wet
community with the surrounding villages remaining

The Long House Hotel - home away from home

dry. Long ago they had limits on the amount of alcohol that was allowed in, but not any more. So, when the rivers freeze, "jugs" are on the move. Bootlegging is common, unfortunately, so the area has issues that can come with poverty, alcoholism, and drugs.

Bethel is home to the Cama-i Festival which takes place in March. Traditional dancers come in from all over the state to perform.  January is K300 month, a sled dog race that brings in top racers, from other states and sometimes other countries.







 This is the main road from the airport.

Big dishes all over the place!

Because of the permafrost, pipes don't work underground. It is common to see these large pipes snaking though out the community.

Boardwalks are common everywhere. The surrounding area can be quite boggy. This boardwalk in the bottom photo is as wiggly and wobbly as it looks.