Mosquitoes are part of Nature. I have to keep saying that. I keep trying to find healthy keep aways for them and sometimes resort to the horrible stuff. In Alaska? Horrible stuff. “All day, all night, sucking blood…” (If you’re old enough, you’ll have trouble getting that earworm outta your mind!) My One with Nature philosophy gets completely disrupted by that high pitched whining in your ear. Although these are the basso profundo o mosquitoes! It’s a wonder these puppies fly. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

One of the ways you knew you had begun to see your fellow travelers as your village — as folk waited for the bus to go to the train, those who had had enough foresight (and had believed the rumors) to bring their bug spray along, ritually handed off their deep woods off on the veranda as they left. People were practically weeping. “How can I repay you?” they asked. “Share the wealth!” was always the answer.

But they were the only downside to this incredible park. Somehow the magic of sitting on a deck at 10 pm in the midst of incredible beauty wasn’t tainted by the darned bugs (at least if you shared liberally in the magic potion). The golden light in the season of the midnight sun is an astonishing gift. (Just make sure you make sure the bugs have left the room before you go to bed. They are not fun overnight guests!)