The Nome Nugget

Wien's First
Tourist Group
Pays Visit to Nome

By Virginia Brown

Wien Airlines brought the first official tourist group of the season in Saturday--a group made up of easterners, who had attended a bankers convention in Seattle

Following the convention two tours were planned. One group went to Hawaii and others chose Alaska

The following eight picked Alaska: Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Smith, N.Y.; Mr. and Mrs. Harmon S. Boyd. Woodbury, Conn.; Miss Eleanor Provencher, Concord, N.H.; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tatnall. Wilmington, Del; and Howard B. Smith, Middletown, Conn.

Aside from the regular Wien tour which features Nome's king host Charlie Jones. and tour director Willie Brown: the group was treated to several Nome style fringe experiences.

Mr. Howard Smith attended the Republican dinner where he was very impressed with the speeches. delighted with the hospitality, good food and music.

At the dinner he met Nome's hostess. Christie Waldhelm. a fellow Dane. This led to an invitation to Sunday. morning waffles, for our guest the writer. Mr. Smith was so impressed with the lovely collection of brass, copper and porcelain from Denmark. that decorates Christy's home: that he requested the tour director to return to the North Star Hotel to bring the rest. of the group that they might enjoy it also.

Those who appreciate fine art are always thrilled at Christie's collection of not only treasures from Denmark, but the Alaskan collection that includes Eskimo pictures which she has taken her. self, developed and preserved over the years. All of the group ordered photos from the album which is now available to the public.

After a short trip out on the Bering Sea, where the group did some tomcod fishing under the supervision of Theresa Kunick and took pictures: they returned to the Seaview Room for lunch, and departed for Anchorage.

The main question was regarding the Midnight Sun Festival They wanted to meet the lady who dreamed it up. They had heard of the festival through the Chamber of Commerce brochure. and the tireless efforts that Johnnie Stephenson put forth on her trip to the lower 48. Some of the group are planning to attend the festival in 1963. where one of the gentlemen has promised to show us his talents as a singer

Nome was very lucky to play host to such charming and enthusiastic guests, They were not only charming but hardy. They took a walk out on the Bering Sea in low shoes with no boots. This takes courage.

As the wife of the tour director, may I say it takes tourists to show us the finer points of our cities. They know what and where to look for interesting things in the places they visit. It was my first time to fish through the ice Also one of the gentlemen, sent me a gift of packaged reindeer (cooked) from the airport. It is delicious and can be secured from a dispenser in the airport waiting room.

May I also say that we have wonderful possibilities here to make the tourists glad they came. May they all be as nice and as much fun as the first group of the season!

You can hold a queen bee in your hand in perfect safety all she will sting is- another queen bee.