Michael Angelika had the crazy idea to fly to icy cold Alaska for ten days in the middle of winter. As preparation for the trip into the cold, we borrowed all the episodes of "Northern Exposure" from the DVD rental service Netflix. This TV series was dubbed in Germany in the 80s under the title "Ausgerechnet Alaska." In the series, the state of Alaska forces the newly graduated doctor Joel Fleischman to serve as a village doctor in the fictional small town of Cicily for a few years in order to pay off his student loans.

Angelika Train travel in America is known to be less suitable for getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible, since the infrastructure is built around cars and, for longer distances, airplanes. High-speed trains like Germany's ICE or the Japanese Shinkansen are nowhere to be found in the USA. Instead, train travel here is enveloped in an aura of nostalgia. We therefore decided to take the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks. The train route is considered one of the most beautiful in Alaska, as the train passes by Denali National Park as a bonus. In the depths of Alaska's winter, it runs only once a week and takes a leisurely 12 hours to cover the 580 kms.

Angelika Alaska is located near the Arctic Circle, which significantly affects the daylight depending on the season: In the summer, it stays light for an extremely long time, while in the winter, it remains dark for a long period. In some places in Alaska (such as Barrow), the sun doesn't set at all for several weeks in the summer, and conversely, it won't rise at all in the winter. It's not quite as extreme in Fairbanks, as the location is about 200 miles (approximately 320 kilometers) south of the Arctic Circle. On average, we had about six hours of daylight, as the sun rises around 11 a.m. and sets again at 3 p.m. at the end of December, but there is also a longer twilight. Around 10 a.m., the first light appears on the horizon, but at 9 a.m., it is still pitch dark. During the day, the light seems somewhat strange because the sun never really rises high up in the sky.

Michael Native Alaskans would never wear a Gore-Tex jacket; instead, they consistently dress in what I call the construction site look. They prefer to order from online retailers like Carhartt , offering work clothing for the various professional branches in the fishing, oil platform welding, and truck driving industries.

Michael In areas near or north of the Arctic Circle, a strange celestial phenomenon often occurs at night: a green, sometimes red light that seems to dance in astonishing movements, sometimes covering the sky from horizon to horizon. This is known as the Northern Lights, or "Aurora Borealis," a term even recognized by Americans who are not typically fond of Latin.

Michael Even after 13 years in America, I still can't make sense of the Fahrenheit scale for temperatures. Well, by now I know that a thermometer shows a body temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit for a healthy patient, and that on an arctic cold winter day in Alaska, it's 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Angelika In Alaska, there is not only permafrost but also the occasional active volcano. Therefore, it is not surprising that hot water also bubbles up from thermal springs. And lo and behold, near Fairbanks lie the so-called Chena Hot Springs, inviting visitors to take a leisurely dip. Conveniently, the springs are easily accessible by car via a country road, which was even well-cleared in winter. In 1905, two gold prospectors discovered the springs, and soon the hot water was used for tourist purposes. Back in the day, the journey to the springs naturally took a bit longer. Nowadays, in Chena Hot Springs , in addition to the bathing fun, there are various accommodation options and a restaurant. However, everything still has the rustic charm of Alaska. It is by no means a chic, modern wellness center.

Angelika Alaska is not only blessed with natural beauty but also rich in mineral resources. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay by the end of the 1960s brought the state an unexpected windfall and supports its finances to this day. However, some environmental sins have also been committed.

Michael At temperatures below minus 20 degrees celsius (0F), a cold engine often has trouble starting, and that's why in Alaska, a power cable from a so-called "plugin" sticks out of the car's hood. This cable leads to a heating element in the engine compartment, which keeps the vehicle's radiator nice and warm. If the car also has a fairly new battery, it will start instantly, even at minus 50 degrees.