tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3628875477303805352024-03-13T02:25:15.861-07:00The Allgood LifeLife's an adventure...
AND I'm off on the road experiencing it!JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.comBlogger384125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-77707744077033398922013-04-16T09:10:00.001-07:002013-04-16T09:10:12.059-07:00A Day Trip to the Old Iowa Capital...<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amid watching all of the horrific news about what happened
at the Boston Marathon, my jaw dropped yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A bunch of questions popped into my mind...</span>Is violence becoming part of our
society?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or has it always been there and
it was just shown in other forms?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
what can we do to safe guard ourselves against such things happening?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess we could avoid large groups and stay
safely in our homes but then what happens to our sense of community?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we to question what our neighbors are up
to and always be questioning their motives?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And where would all of that distrust and separation possibly lead to? Well,
one only may need to look at the Middle East to get the answer to that
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we all leading that way? Maybe
I’m just over reacting to all of this but I still can’t help but wonder what we
should be doing…</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSoGTNMA5RsdxkgqwsArkKqzUnjkoc8pgyQvc79bPnZqmCrrU7g6OxTDW0-c0SKoU95m57SFBmxWazBNGHUz-vBdi9vDXYa1bx4UnYcl5_eX3dP0b56wO_abbJ7rbbuvCdmY6b-mYeKM/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSoGTNMA5RsdxkgqwsArkKqzUnjkoc8pgyQvc79bPnZqmCrrU7g6OxTDW0-c0SKoU95m57SFBmxWazBNGHUz-vBdi9vDXYa1bx4UnYcl5_eX3dP0b56wO_abbJ7rbbuvCdmY6b-mYeKM/s400/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+043.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Old Iowa State Capital on the University of Iowa Campus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Meanwhile back here in Iowa, last week when the weather was
a balmy 50 degrees and the sun was shining I took a day trip to the Old Iowa
State Capital in Iowa City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Old
Capital with its gold covered dome which is a topped with flags sits
prominently in the middle of the University of Iowa campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the day I was there, students were sitting
on its steps; some relaxing while others were buried in books studying, while
still others were walking around enjoying a day of sunshine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In general the area seemed like a place of openness,
happiness, and hope; but that could have been the sunny day talking to me.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5x9npEUFvWUttxtWk21mxkkXwl989Tqt1TdivX_SRSHUeVC7dzg23EUP1g8xDfH1E3jek7fkFNjVW1F1DU36Kaq6H2EceJEscV46pJ6QRhhw5Rk6DqGmnnwC0SNmhIeBnQx__Qr-X0U/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5x9npEUFvWUttxtWk21mxkkXwl989Tqt1TdivX_SRSHUeVC7dzg23EUP1g8xDfH1E3jek7fkFNjVW1F1DU36Kaq6H2EceJEscV46pJ6QRhhw5Rk6DqGmnnwC0SNmhIeBnQx__Qr-X0U/s400/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The view from the Old Capital steps.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will say that there’s quite the commanding view of Iowa
City from the back steps of the Old Capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There has been a great deal of growth and construction taking place in
the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A great deal of that
construction is rebuilding after the BIG flood of 2008 that took place in the
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That BIG flood happened along the
Cedar River and hit both Iowa City and my hometown of Cedar Rapids very hard, but
more about that in upcoming posts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Old Capital actually served as the State Capital of Iowa
for a very short time frame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was finished
being built in 1842, when Iowa was still just a territory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four years later, Iowa became the 29<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
state and it very soon became obvious that the Old Capital building was not
large enough to serve as a Capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Meanwhile, it was decided that the Capital should also be more centrally
located in Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, a location was
found in Des Moines, Iowa and the present day state capital building was
finished in 1857.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, if you do the
math the Old State Capital only served as the state capital of Iowa for 11
years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GMyoMupAFh4esedZwfH17bez_4Oh40po5FOKIgTDTS0LcuSwksfH9hNqbuH6dJS44HnXo_ZcsbomJI2q8lde9UlA541KOcItFLUK2Y4AEO_zWLAfkBjriG8PWkOGQ6AbBrbxy0mLbFM/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GMyoMupAFh4esedZwfH17bez_4Oh40po5FOKIgTDTS0LcuSwksfH9hNqbuH6dJS44HnXo_ZcsbomJI2q8lde9UlA541KOcItFLUK2Y4AEO_zWLAfkBjriG8PWkOGQ6AbBrbxy0mLbFM/s400/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+015.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Iowa's earlier currency on display.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After those 11 years, the Old Capital building became the
first permanently owned building by the State University of Iowa which later got
name changed to the University of Iowa. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until the mid-1970’s, classes took place and
offices of the University were in this building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after a while, the University of Iowa
outgrew this capital building too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6kMnywtTl2IvnHxlCq7lUHovgRq_6Kpu1UsDsyatL7oZgY5lSdBIGS6teAF8_AnJNcVwgl22TS52sxRqO7Vs3Ir8OLeh1jP1diGPuJh3CdOwoJlQ2Fnt_-dfl5jKb2_1EGIlYEh-Ldw/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6kMnywtTl2IvnHxlCq7lUHovgRq_6Kpu1UsDsyatL7oZgY5lSdBIGS6teAF8_AnJNcVwgl22TS52sxRqO7Vs3Ir8OLeh1jP1diGPuJh3CdOwoJlQ2Fnt_-dfl5jKb2_1EGIlYEh-Ldw/s320/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+006.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The central staircase in the Old Iowa Capital building.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In July 1976, it was reopened as a restored National
Historic Landmark and served as a state museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But the history didn’t stop there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On November 20, 2001, contractors using open flame torches and heat guns
on the cupola supporting the building's gold dome accidentally set the cupola
on fire. Ooopps! Thankfully the actual fire was limited to the cupola area due
to a concrete slab that had been installed during a 1920’s renovation but there
was tons of damage done by water to douse those flames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A new dome was built on the building in February
2003 and the building was restored and reopened to the public in 2006.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The building was designed with large windows to allow for
light and there were wood stoves installed in each of the four corners of the
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, they discovered those
four stoves were not enough to combat the cold Iowa winter and they installed
more stoves in the halls where pipes had been installed throughout the walls to
help circulate the heat in the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was years before duct work had been created and I guess you could
say it was one of the pioneers to the idea of doing something like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the cold of the winter and the height
of summer heat, cloth covered shutters and wool curtains helped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the 1920’s there was a switch to steam
heat in the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, I find this
fascinating and I guess that’s due to working in the heating and air-conditioning
business for 11 years of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivTsA1dXVGrU1lJOAUYVi4rwAFNlMiPT4V8rOQVlVuPNiwQX7jPQD6_WwPfc4XkHT1dCUnItUE13M4bXyTL2HBR8e9CeG7Te68P8eCxvMJRuDejcyTzNx4zDvZ6NI_hWf0Iwpuo4STmY/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivTsA1dXVGrU1lJOAUYVi4rwAFNlMiPT4V8rOQVlVuPNiwQX7jPQD6_WwPfc4XkHT1dCUnItUE13M4bXyTL2HBR8e9CeG7Te68P8eCxvMJRuDejcyTzNx4zDvZ6NI_hWf0Iwpuo4STmY/s320/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Old Civil War guns on display in the downstairs of the Old Capital.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Downstairs in a small exhibit hall, there was a Civil War
Exhibit and it was interesting going through and reading about the Union’s 22
that were based out of Iowa at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The 22<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> was instrumental in the battle of Vicksburg and amid
all of the guns, swords, and artifacts there were stories of University of Iowa
students that had served their part in the Civil War, both for the North and
the South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very interesting
exhibit.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy7EJWi-4w2gysr74YRWNx3ESq-dEWc_Va1JoH6edK4YEdy3G8T4FWne_knDNragRmdgH4FC-ohmIHv8hyxYSfT9hA2GTtDNA6ieCKbIkEggy5-h3vDSffEJSTnwef8ctWsBGKEuumJM/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy7EJWi-4w2gysr74YRWNx3ESq-dEWc_Va1JoH6edK4YEdy3G8T4FWne_knDNragRmdgH4FC-ohmIHv8hyxYSfT9hA2GTtDNA6ieCKbIkEggy5-h3vDSffEJSTnwef8ctWsBGKEuumJM/s320/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+019.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Part of the restored Library room in the Old Capital building.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the main floor area there are offices that have been
restored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of those offices are
restored to the time when the Old Capital was an active Capital building and
other offices that served as offices for the president of the University of
Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s also a room that was used
as a library for the University at one time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo0z5-M3OkMF1Qbk6XOtEEAhUd_orfx2tWwMHxD7Ay2Vp8CSnRTm8bBCrQyirRcRs-lmQRK0g2d3KqQHBzvHM9kC6GMfGjZFgA0qc3Nnj5eSRj-jQ_1A7WOh3uSB1thTn3O_miX0SSz0/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo0z5-M3OkMF1Qbk6XOtEEAhUd_orfx2tWwMHxD7Ay2Vp8CSnRTm8bBCrQyirRcRs-lmQRK0g2d3KqQHBzvHM9kC6GMfGjZFgA0qc3Nnj5eSRj-jQ_1A7WOh3uSB1thTn3O_miX0SSz0/s320/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Herkys' signed by the freshman classes in the upper foyer area.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAfeULLmqIjb0Xw6STV_sdNP18TgPyGJD8XQahtx66BwebRgpQ-1I_6eTYCr8ldNRnW7Gi18XUgn1mqbW0qesONATvtcn_sJGgA7JKZMUo5xeH55r2H4K-yuqp_iB3B_MelK1e863j6E/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAfeULLmqIjb0Xw6STV_sdNP18TgPyGJD8XQahtx66BwebRgpQ-1I_6eTYCr8ldNRnW7Gi18XUgn1mqbW0qesONATvtcn_sJGgA7JKZMUo5xeH55r2H4K-yuqp_iB3B_MelK1e863j6E/s400/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+024.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Upstairs in the foyer area, are four large white Herkys’
which are covered with signatures and stand on dated pedestals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Herky is the school’s mascot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The signatures are from the University freshman
who sign when they start attending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
dates on the pedestals are the four most recent years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s an interesting tradition of the
University of Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forgot to ask
where these Herkys’ go when each year as those freshman graduate from the University. Is there a Herky Heaven?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DuhnB2Ib6awNhIo9WAqyWzbioV7g3Dptrz2AxU2aIxgtDM04w6I7ehbMtj5N_rI2mYNBoyb0ZJ3HEa1OT-wMmkr4iWNrpWJf0iWsRiXj6iwqi-p6Ec55BXlhb5p7u4Tk9qAz2-EdEnA/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DuhnB2Ib6awNhIo9WAqyWzbioV7g3Dptrz2AxU2aIxgtDM04w6I7ehbMtj5N_rI2mYNBoyb0ZJ3HEa1OT-wMmkr4iWNrpWJf0iWsRiXj6iwqi-p6Ec55BXlhb5p7u4Tk9qAz2-EdEnA/s400/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+025.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The House Chambers in the Old Capital Building.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also, up on the upper level is a where the restored House
Chamber and the Senate Chamber were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
House Chamber serves as a museum area and is preserved where the Chamber
appears to be used for possible meetings and other events for the
University.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, there was student
playing a piano while I was there and getting feedback from a teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had wondered where all that wonderful piano
music was coming from while I was touring the building.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNNNRp92cJFuo-cnhwbii4t4a6q1S5eA-NKpZE6K6HDaVc8NZ-VLgRN31q_S8mULhCSWrb_HY-5KzY7KPLdGxpE3s7cgShJPpKOWQvZ1Cdu3QIvNCrQZ4ktuotW2v6a9cvXOyy223YBE/s1600/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNNNRp92cJFuo-cnhwbii4t4a6q1S5eA-NKpZE6K6HDaVc8NZ-VLgRN31q_S8mULhCSWrb_HY-5KzY7KPLdGxpE3s7cgShJPpKOWQvZ1Cdu3QIvNCrQZ4ktuotW2v6a9cvXOyy223YBE/s400/Old+Iowa+Capital+Day+Trip+034.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The elegant Senate Chambers where the piano music was wafting from during my tour.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-54446223670148118642013-03-31T20:47:00.001-07:002013-03-31T20:47:25.395-07:00Catching Up in CR...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog. In fact, its been about 2 months. It’s hard to believe that time can sometimes
fly that fast. So you may ask what have
I been up to? Most of my time has been
spent between two different jobs. I’m
working on saving money up for my next tangent of road adventure. But today, I had my first day off from both of the jobs and so here I am doing a bit of updating...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the jobs I’ve been working is a on-line tech support
job for an educational firm. Yes, I know
those of you out there that know me find this rather funny. On-line tech support? She had to bring a guy friend over the last
time to set up her stereo/TV/DVD Player.
But I seem to be managing through with the help of a wonderful on-line
resource and a supportive team spirit of people that I work with. I’m actually solving people’s problems over
the phone and it sometimes amazes me that I’m doing this. But it’s been a fun experience overall and I will admit that I'm learning to be more tech saavy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other job that I’ve been working is for the Cedar Rapids
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. It
seems like a perfect fit after being on a road trip for four and a half months. In that time I have visited an awful lot of
Visitor’s Center and know what I would expect
as a visitor. So, here I am working from the other point of view. Thankfully, because I grew up in Cedar Rapids; I already really knew my way around. The center where I
work is in the Czech Village area of Cedar Rapids. Last Saturday was the St. Joseph Day's Parade in Czech Village. I took a few pictures while I was working.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DCKUoXepRHGLIpJvLwAsjrwMTQJl2-_jlMU0zutOM7jTJUoUtkbMTvGhdw9FEO_aPJXqLvXfcrIZQ5AIQmqxK5fkEv7qR-GKjyKfN6ZC0P2R9h3QCBrKwnScLRAHyEBQZToKfHEu6rY/s1600/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DCKUoXepRHGLIpJvLwAsjrwMTQJl2-_jlMU0zutOM7jTJUoUtkbMTvGhdw9FEO_aPJXqLvXfcrIZQ5AIQmqxK5fkEv7qR-GKjyKfN6ZC0P2R9h3QCBrKwnScLRAHyEBQZToKfHEu6rY/s400/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- It's Iowa, of course there's a tractor in the parade!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBN8vFPq8Mx9-seHOWY5IrsYe-gQFmZxc_dBDqfVkiRvGFbzi6QeqjYsAmAmMR_3WykyAbhVDv0xhkIiF9oTKWEEQeO6tV8xxbFshz5Y7PJ6gZhjLNoZ8DjeuUW4aoF4E4ZkpITtv3dc/s1600/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBN8vFPq8Mx9-seHOWY5IrsYe-gQFmZxc_dBDqfVkiRvGFbzi6QeqjYsAmAmMR_3WykyAbhVDv0xhkIiF9oTKWEEQeO6tV8xxbFshz5Y7PJ6gZhjLNoZ8DjeuUW4aoF4E4ZkpITtv3dc/s400/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+013.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Thing 1, Thing 2, & Cat in the Hat--Hmmm? Not sure what they had to do with St. Joseph <br />
but at least they were wearing red. So, why not?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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It’s been rather fun meeting people from all over the
country and I’ve even gotten to talk with an exchange student from the Czech
Republic. I get to hand out different
flyers and give directions to people .
Some of the places I’ve been to, some that I would like to go visit, and
still others it has been years since I’ve been there that I have
forgotten. A few things that are on my
list are; the Brucemore Mansion, the Grant Wood Studio where he painted the
famous American Gothic, and to Dyersville to see the Field of Dreams Movie
set. Yes, I know it’s rather corny of me
to want to see a baseball diamond set among corn fields, but after all I am in
Iowa. I figure a little “corniness”
is allowable in the Corn State. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvTZkh_-n-x0JvFd7tEr2IFm-rZgmRFEiy2_Gsf9mYeT_sr5rkCI5FQsITkf3AL2khNGawi1Iw4modxsu7CM3fAJ0JIAWKTbtirIdZuGoh6dIv-YsUmgBkkjOvf4pzj_CeIgTm_rXl9w/s1600/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvTZkh_-n-x0JvFd7tEr2IFm-rZgmRFEiy2_Gsf9mYeT_sr5rkCI5FQsITkf3AL2khNGawi1Iw4modxsu7CM3fAJ0JIAWKTbtirIdZuGoh6dIv-YsUmgBkkjOvf4pzj_CeIgTm_rXl9w/s400/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+014.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- All pimped out in Red for St. Joseph! <br />
Did I mention that the local pubs were serving Red beer too?!?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYdGSS-ydx7932-QY3_WsNV6hQD7XEJQIaTIB_LymNex85waclcj4xqGW5LueeKY_PbpWz-WQSJR4go1Q5TmV-BEUf9A4xnBz5l7LnCVEJfm3iyuWDH5jokxDePE5DkTrxAlYXqiD0-w/s1600/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYdGSS-ydx7932-QY3_WsNV6hQD7XEJQIaTIB_LymNex85waclcj4xqGW5LueeKY_PbpWz-WQSJR4go1Q5TmV-BEUf9A4xnBz5l7LnCVEJfm3iyuWDH5jokxDePE5DkTrxAlYXqiD0-w/s400/Czech+Village+St+Joseph+Parade+018.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Got to have the ladies dancing in a parade! And these ladies were wonderful!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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When I’m not working at either of the two jobs, I’m doing
some painting or Mall Walking. Yes, Mall
walking and let me explain that Iowa’s weather is so very unpredictable. It can go from rain to snow in a blink of an
eye and quite often it doe. I want to go
some place where I can get some form of exercise on a predictable schedule and somewhere
cheap because I am trying to save after all.
But I will admit that it is a boost to the ego to be passing all of
those older people that do that Mall Walking.
I know that’s terrible of me. I
am hoping that as Spring really eventually comes to this past of Iowa that I’ll
be able to get out on my bicycle or perhaps, even get some running in too.<br />
<br />
I'm also hoping to squeeze in a bit more local sight seeing while I'm here in Iowa and hope to report and show pictures here soon, Thanks for visiting and I hope to be updating you soon with some local sights!<br />
</div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-45374059881513472712013-01-20T12:13:00.001-08:002013-01-27T15:20:52.815-08:00Road Trip On Pause: Firemen, & Hoover…(***Editors Note- I'm sorry but I hope to add pictures at a later date. Google has still been having problems with adding photos with MS Internet Explorer. ***)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know I really needed to update this and let all of you out
there know what I’ve been up to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry
for the delay and laziness on my part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes,
I’m still in my hometown in eastern Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems like ages ago that I left out on the first day of this road
trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the day I saw a vested
pair of a man and a goat out along the freeway just outside of Boise, ID; a
totally unexpected strange thing to see during my first day of a road trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been amazed at the sights that I have
seen since that day in late August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But now, I’m in a bit of a pause mode trying to build up
some money in my savings so that I can head out on my adventure again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure how long that will take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am hoping to get to Washington DC to see
the cherry blossoms this Spring. Lately, I’ve been working doing some temporary
data entry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve applied for several
waitress jobs too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t worked in a
restaurant in several years that I think they are wondering why I’m
applying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess in hindsight I should
have gotten a part time one in Utah before I left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I applied at one restaurant and they saw my
degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management and wanted me to apply for a management
position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I half-heartedly filled out
the application but I’m not really interested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So anyway the job searching and working is an ongoing process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fire Station Tour<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have been doing a bit of sightseeing and different things
here locally in eastern Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’ve
been continuing in a way with the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
day I went on a school filed trip with my nephew to see a local fire
station in Marion, Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Fireman and certified MT named
Peter gave us a tour of the station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
started out in the classroom where he discussed what they did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The number one calls that they made other
than fire are medical calls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do
regular trainings at the fire station to keep updated in the latest medical
techniques. They also do a fair amount of training on other locations; like
practicing fighting fires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most
recently, they got to burn down a local abandoned house that the owner had
donated to them for training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
told that if at any time during our tour that if a call came in that we were to
report to the classroom for our safety and to keep clear of the fireman that
needed to get out on a call. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were also told safety tips and what to do if we are ever
in a case if our home had a fire like; keep low, check the temperatures of the
doors, and if caught on fire to drop and roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Next, Peter took us out to where the fire trucks were and showed us how
he put on his gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He talked while he
put the gear on; explaining the equipment and other aspects of
firefighting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told us that he would look
and sound quite a bit different when he got his gear on and to not be afraid of
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once he got all of the firefighting
gear on he crawled around on the floor grabbing some of our feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite often he said that firefighters would
be down near the ground and that was where we should be too in case of a
fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected him to sound more like
Darth Vader but his voice was not quite that scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was somewhat muffled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter said that all of the gear weighed close
to 65 lbs. He also told us how they needed to get into their gear in less than
2 minutes time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5r3JRLedFhaCKdO-zI9xp03i8Vf-Bvt8lM33vY-6ngf1VYHa9JN_cM_Xhvrh_s_a-fJj5fLMsPKLQuxbyCm5QVyIpvuZ9MHxQekJWY1UXXuCGmpR9IUvB7jgr9wEgJPC9uIfU7AGgkTA/s1600/DAY+131,137-+BIG+Adventure+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5r3JRLedFhaCKdO-zI9xp03i8Vf-Bvt8lM33vY-6ngf1VYHa9JN_cM_Xhvrh_s_a-fJj5fLMsPKLQuxbyCm5QVyIpvuZ9MHxQekJWY1UXXuCGmpR9IUvB7jgr9wEgJPC9uIfU7AGgkTA/s400/DAY+131,137-+BIG+Adventure+019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Fireman Peter in full gear as Captain Kirk watched.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, we took a tour around the fire trucks with Fireman Captain
Kirk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, Captain Kirk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He explained how some trucks carried water on
them and the different uses that each truck had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One vehicle that they used the most was the
medical truck because it was the most fuel efficient and was easier to get
around in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The larger trucks were for
fires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the smaller large trucks
had a holding area where water could be pumped from a local lake or pond and
then immediately used to fight a fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally
this truck was used in more remote farmland areas with a water source
nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was another fire truck that
had a large water gun on the back that was used to fight fires out in a
field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Xutytd3Y5woW3iBTzSxoxvS5-LwRznQzTGHqgqdIbRjqSRg67JOHQNBPsIDMEibBYbmnB_NjY5AT3xsH1k334y7oUYATff6E0bu8wKx7Eobe4k5MGRN4pKOj0dTUWiJ3_8ygz0sxIV4/s1600/DAY+131,137-+BIG+Adventure+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Xutytd3Y5woW3iBTzSxoxvS5-LwRznQzTGHqgqdIbRjqSRg67JOHQNBPsIDMEibBYbmnB_NjY5AT3xsH1k334y7oUYATff6E0bu8wKx7Eobe4k5MGRN4pKOj0dTUWiJ3_8ygz0sxIV4/s320/DAY+131,137-+BIG+Adventure+028.JPG" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Captain Kirk showing a future fireman how to hook up the hose to the truck.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next some of the kids in the class got to play firemen as
they connected a hose onto a truck and three of them pretended to work the hose
over to a fire in a nearby room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
too cute watching them trying to work as a team on a hose that was almost
larger than the three of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next,
Captain Kirk took us through the living quarters of the fire station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were 6 rooms in all, three on each
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised at how plain they
were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each had a wall of closets on one
side, a window, a twin bed and a night stand; that was all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the hall was a fairly large
plain kitchen with a round table in the middle and on the other side was a room
with a large TV with chairs and sofas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hoover
Presidential Library<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another day I went to the Hoover Presidential Library which
is located in West Branch, Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
funny that I had grown up so close to a Presidential Library but I had never
visited it before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people negatively
tie President Hoover with the Great Depression, and I must admit that I
generally did not have a good outlook on him either but I decided to go in with
an open mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hoover was born in a small house in West Branch, Iowa and
worked up his way to become one of the highest paid engineers in the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By his mid-30’s he was tired of
earning money and opted for a life full of philanthropy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a map of the world at the entrance
to the main part of the library on the floor and it showed a star by every
country that he had touched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
quite a few stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His wife worked hand
in hand with him on his charities and eventually because of the public profile
he ended up going into politics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of his first roles in politics was the position of
Secretary of Commerce on the Presidential staff of President Harding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this time, Hoover was instrumental in
standardization of almost everything from house building to road signs to
weights and measurements; all of this in an effort to make government and
business to work together in his belief of an efficiency movement. He believed
that the government and the economy were riddled with waste and inefficiencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, I wonder what he would say about
government today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The big joke during
Hoover’s time at this job was that you better be careful what you did because
Hoover may find a way to standardize and make it more efficient. He was touted
as being a little too enthusiastic about his job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But quite a bit of what he did back then
affects us every day now. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the standardization, he ended up being catapulted into
being nominated for the presidency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
won in the election of 1928.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched a
film and heard the recording of the live radio broadcast of his inaugural
speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was one of the first
Presidents to be heard live during this speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was rather amazed at his plain speaking and not overstating but he
outlined what was considered idealistic at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the stock market crash happened and the Great
Depression started, no one was prepared for such an event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a lot of debate at the time to let
the free capitalistic market work its way back without assistance from the
government and to not regulate or make laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hoover started to lay in a lot of the ground work towards building the WPA
projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he was voted out of office
before they took full bloom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was even
more interesting that after WW2, he was asked by FDR to help organize recovery
efforts to feed the thousands of hungry Europeans affected by the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He continued to work and help people the rest
of his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all surprised me that he
did all this during his life.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-83387104823117927862013-01-07T19:51:00.000-08:002013-01-27T15:10:02.495-08:00A Christmas Break & New Year!<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(*** Editor's Note: Google Blogs has been having issues with downloading of photos. I hope to be able to add these photos in at a later date. I also apologize for just not keeping up on my blogging. Oh, and Happy Belated New Year! )</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have come home to my hometown for Christmas; in the hilly
country of eastern Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I was in need of a much needed break of my traveling style of life. It's rather hard to move from day to day. Plus i</span>t is always interesting
to “go home”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Of course, t</span>here always are those
residual memories, both good and bad that remain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will admit that it was good to see the
family. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But with that also there’s that
portion where the family can really drive you to a point of insanity and you
remember why you left in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That point arrived a few days after I arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom and I butted heads to say the least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Family always seems to manage to push your
buttons and it’s never a very pretty sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now don’t get me wrong, I love my family but they really do know how to
push my buttons.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jM38I8xbGCNBZ0Wtruos4uDCJoNSQwDWlz-IhDEPRE1UKBi3y_LJMLEkKDsZEH12XetR8BsT_BaQrMJPS9o8bEY6aieTfntzthyn0TzDntB6VS5UHDrQDM3FVZRg6UIGw7Yvvvg3_l0/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jM38I8xbGCNBZ0Wtruos4uDCJoNSQwDWlz-IhDEPRE1UKBi3y_LJMLEkKDsZEH12XetR8BsT_BaQrMJPS9o8bEY6aieTfntzthyn0TzDntB6VS5UHDrQDM3FVZRg6UIGw7Yvvvg3_l0/s400/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+210.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The family on the couch for a Christmas photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It has been fun revisiting old hangouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to the old Spring House Restaurant
with my mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Spring House was the
place where we always used to go eat when I was growing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was relatively inexpensive and there was a
sit down dining room area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing up it
was bit of a splurge for us to go there because of being a single parent home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s rather amazing when you go to a place
like that again and see that it really hasn’t changed all that much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I think they still have the same
original chairs and booths; just recovered.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6g2IuxfkDZb6GtWbHRdg8MgrQoVM95UBqGqorrT-lRz90qY0hriL4ZHOYEyXh4OVm_6DY8RiU9zRW0OCys2WSSVe4SHBjfWkbDmcNv0x6Pqr04eoYJc-Ex-7nMyUzlISWekg2s6atqM/s1600/Luke+and+me+with+snowmen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6g2IuxfkDZb6GtWbHRdg8MgrQoVM95UBqGqorrT-lRz90qY0hriL4ZHOYEyXh4OVm_6DY8RiU9zRW0OCys2WSSVe4SHBjfWkbDmcNv0x6Pqr04eoYJc-Ex-7nMyUzlISWekg2s6atqM/s1600/Luke+and+me+with+snowmen.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- My nephew and I building snowmen. His snowman is taller than mine of course!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I did manage to have some new fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took one evening and built snowmen with my
nephew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know his snowman was so much
better than the one I tried to build.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His mother supplied us with a couple of spray bottles that had water
with food coloring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a choice of
yellow, red, or yellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my sick sense
of humor, I tended to go overboard with the yellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s just something about yellow
snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh I’m terrible!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also went and purchased some new sleds
which I hope we will get to break in soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AQO8wCsyLLcJwKsFTVsMJ3K24Qu58ILWR3_XYj4Yl_NfZpWL8rW7MiG43cOzl6yG6NNHbCYtgAzdY5ji3lhcEtD6wVBku0i3hSEnx2AxVwSNzE2qzIJHhzES4KTFadPcZO1dezZnngo/s1600/DAY+131,137-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AQO8wCsyLLcJwKsFTVsMJ3K24Qu58ILWR3_XYj4Yl_NfZpWL8rW7MiG43cOzl6yG6NNHbCYtgAzdY5ji3lhcEtD6wVBku0i3hSEnx2AxVwSNzE2qzIJHhzES4KTFadPcZO1dezZnngo/s400/DAY+131,137-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A snow covered empty street in Main Amana, IA.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another afternoon, we took a drive down to the Amana
Colonies where we went around looking at little shops throughout the cute
little German community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Amana Colonies
is a National Historic Landmark and one of America’s longest-lived communal
societies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I periodically have visited
the main Amana as I was growing up; mostly during the May Fest which is a large
festival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are seven different
villages of which the main Amana is the largest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can read more about the history and the
colonies at this link… </span><a href="http://amanacolonies.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://amanacolonies.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During our afternoon we tasted wine, had Rubens (mine
without the kraut), and walked through all kinds of wonderful shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite places I used to go as a kid were
the Woolen Mill where they make all kinds of woolen goods and the furniture
store where they have a room full of clocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was a bit disappointed because usually at both places they have areas
where you can watch people working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the Woolen Mill, there’s usually a room where the looms are going and you can
watch as material is being made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Due to
the holidays though, there were not any equipment that was being operated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was also the case at the Furniture Shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They usually have an area that you can watch
the wood workers which is always fun and fascinating. But I got some fun in with watching a dancing clock face in the furniture shop and I almost bought a pair of "Mucka-Ducks" which were heavy woolen long moccasin like socks that looked very warm. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Yes, I'm having a bit of time adjusting to the cold weather here in Iowa. I forgot how cold it can get here during the winter. Those cold fronts come out of Canada and drift down into Iowa. They deposit here and seem to want to stay. Some of the evenings have been getting down to the negative degrees which is something that I haven't had to experience in years living in Utah. Utah gets the snow but it doesn't get much below the lower 20's. I'm very much hoping for a bit of a January thaw in the New Year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For New Year's Eve, the night got down to -1 with a lovely chill factor (a common thing here in Iowa during the winter) it actually felt like anywhere from -15 to -20. Mom and I had a snack night in front of the TV watching the New York New Year's Eve. But I had to laugh when I saw on the local news about Prairie Du Chen, Wisconsin did a dropping of the HUGE carp fish. Leave it to us, Midwestern folk to make things interesting and different. So they drop a carp almost 100 ft. out of a tree. I wonder what happens to the fish then?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke up with a cold on New Year's Day with a sore throat and feeling yucky. Yep! I started the New Year with a cold. I stayed in bed most of the day and came out only to try to eat a bit or to use the restroom. Happy New Year to all of you out there! I hope your year started out better. And thank you to those of you that have been contacting me to see how I have been doing I haven't been blogging as much as I should have been. Something I need to work on in the New Year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-15006457201862439662012-12-27T18:14:00.000-08:002012-12-27T18:14:05.420-08:00DAY 124- St. Louis, MO...<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My hotel was situated right near the base of the St. Louis
Arch which was rather neat to be so close to, but my room happened to be facing
the downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very nice
view especially at night with the lights of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I woke up to the same basic view only with
the sun starting to reflect on some of the buildings and I could see a bit of
the shadow of the arch falling on some of the buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked across the street from my hotel in
the morning to get a good photo of the arch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, I walked a bit of the park area around it but the wind had picked
up overnight and it was very chilly out.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5m3tJx3RI6Db62nQIxUqJ9ZitXyC3bKPIJLt9b3lMq2O6IHDb7E0cVn9lqemT8mvPcoJnLno3z4OOuM9su85Ji8TdnwEk37h-3fiY0tHbzJCp15HfCnakfgVKAtNwGfEQKQOXiopM6w/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5m3tJx3RI6Db62nQIxUqJ9ZitXyC3bKPIJLt9b3lMq2O6IHDb7E0cVn9lqemT8mvPcoJnLno3z4OOuM9su85Ji8TdnwEk37h-3fiY0tHbzJCp15HfCnakfgVKAtNwGfEQKQOXiopM6w/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+111.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- St. Louis from my hotel window at night and in the morning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT24zx7goGHXopVAWyaMdwh-WvwH60PxEoh3iRiZDkxfuq5puhcEKEh_He8IsaLJSld6_C5HxP-d-PCRIsLeLD7kX4HeqCwMfmhUgxr6kyrRo_CcfuZmei3NxS74RuorNTWjxWFCxlAM/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT24zx7goGHXopVAWyaMdwh-WvwH60PxEoh3iRiZDkxfuq5puhcEKEh_He8IsaLJSld6_C5HxP-d-PCRIsLeLD7kX4HeqCwMfmhUgxr6kyrRo_CcfuZmei3NxS74RuorNTWjxWFCxlAM/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+119.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The St. Louis Arch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I found myself on my way to the Cathedral Basilica of
Saint Louis on the west side of downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had been told that I had to visit this Basilica if I ever went through
St. Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked HUGE from the
outside but I was not prepared for how amazing it was on the inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked in the door and was greeting by a
gentleman at the visitor’s stand just inside the front foyer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was told that I could take pictures, where
the gift shop was, and that there was a museum downstairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CnYI32CFPRI5oMXX798jbprn2PYCVx2FRH5aUMMqmL5lw4f90I35GpgTuoCX0qHJVuatRfMhmo669c8NrG3enJV4Wavo9lMnw_O7E5Ae8p54ztG7vfwYB8bd1EMRQePSDLpywyAgZbs/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CnYI32CFPRI5oMXX798jbprn2PYCVx2FRH5aUMMqmL5lw4f90I35GpgTuoCX0qHJVuatRfMhmo669c8NrG3enJV4Wavo9lMnw_O7E5Ae8p54ztG7vfwYB8bd1EMRQePSDLpywyAgZbs/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+123.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Walking down the main aisle of the church I was in awe as
the music from the choir floated down around me in the surrounding beauty of
the Basilica. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The choir was practicing
for the Christmas midnight mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could
almost feel like I was in the presence of God amid all of this beauty and
sounds of harmony floating around the HUGE open areas of the Basilica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat at a pew to just take it all in and I
was almost to the point of tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt
full of emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just all so
much beauty to take in at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6iu7DJMufcj759BI0DKlWuZpCHglWL76gjEUwPyOIVxKgUKKnaEmbHcZDjPXY_XPk5PUEOJH-YNPOBxWYWXVv1pnxJMqe82NW_ixFrP1ix4LQz96drqgFkdMoP7v9SEM04qPJXX0BLg/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6iu7DJMufcj759BI0DKlWuZpCHglWL76gjEUwPyOIVxKgUKKnaEmbHcZDjPXY_XPk5PUEOJH-YNPOBxWYWXVv1pnxJMqe82NW_ixFrP1ix4LQz96drqgFkdMoP7v9SEM04qPJXX0BLg/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+128.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- The wonderful interior of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The interior was full of marbled columns, arches with mosaic
tiles, and painted frescos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the
center above the alter there was a large dome area that went at least 30 ft.
above the main floor area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everywhere I
turned was a new beauty that I took my breathe away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off of the main pew church seating area
there’s several hallways where there are chapel areas with smaller statues of
Mary and a baby Jesus, and among others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Off on onside there was a row of Christmas trees along with a smaller Christmas
manger which almost seemed out of place in a majestic place such as this
Basilica.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKN7bQRk_Bd9dcskT-yS_p7JQacN2LIsGqzHrutKn7pwxD-ww6Z7RCz7i3TIGALTVcFjdLSRklBS5wqnh5sq8yA3EK65jE5RGnZsIvGjovXm-bdDhuLmpHNsU6qBm9sfPIXBb-wUrPDA/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKN7bQRk_Bd9dcskT-yS_p7JQacN2LIsGqzHrutKn7pwxD-ww6Z7RCz7i3TIGALTVcFjdLSRklBS5wqnh5sq8yA3EK65jE5RGnZsIvGjovXm-bdDhuLmpHNsU6qBm9sfPIXBb-wUrPDA/s400/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+186.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Forest Park in St. Louis, MO.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next on my way to find the Interstate heading west then
north out of St. Louis, I wandered into Forrest Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forest Park is a large city park in St. Louis
that has a city zoo in one corner of the area and surrounds the St. Louis Art
Museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a large pond like area
in the middle of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out on the pond
there are several fountains sprouting up and out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were walking/running trail paths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People were out on them; some of them even
with their dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine on a warmer
day this park would have been packed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There also was a large statue of Saint Louis riding on a horse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got out and walked around for a short bit
around the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole park took up
what would have been several city blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a very large space with trees and grassy areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now, it was mostly barren trees and
yellowed grassy areas but in the height of the late Spring time I would guess
that this would be an amazing place to just come spend some time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I was off on the interstate heading north towards
eastern Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plan was to spend the
holidays in Iowa with family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is
something I will admit that I have not done in years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite often, the driving conditions between
Salt Lake City and eastern Iowa are not ideal in the winter time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year so far had been a mild winter and I
thought it would be an easy ride into Iowa coming from the south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t see a hint of snow until I reached
the northern portion of Missouri.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuvJjvuVr8iRfkqq89NigjrHPQgw93HjiRKYVYsMQJAQ1OD-5hlQXbo_dJA-HPB_xSn72W6r3wGoz_d7y5_IKNB8SVqn2vhSgQD_IR4wA1EvvoJuEsT9dGvJvWhixospik4i6pVKqCR8/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuvJjvuVr8iRfkqq89NigjrHPQgw93HjiRKYVYsMQJAQ1OD-5hlQXbo_dJA-HPB_xSn72W6r3wGoz_d7y5_IKNB8SVqn2vhSgQD_IR4wA1EvvoJuEsT9dGvJvWhixospik4i6pVKqCR8/s400/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Iowa scene as I drove north towards my hometown of Cedar Rapids, IA.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The roads were still clear with a bit of snow of new snow
off to the side as I got into Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a bit of patches of ice under the over passes here and there
but for the most part it was wonderfully clear sailing on the interstate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only real touchy driving conditions came
when I ventured off of the main roads and onto side roads as I got close to my
old neighborhood in Cedar Rapids; slow and steady was the key here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my front wheel drive always makes it
easier to drive in these conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
there is also the added benefit that I learned to drive in Iowa’s winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel very comfortable on winter roads
driving but please don’t ever ask me to parallel park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made such good time I was there about 40
minutes earlier than what Mom was expecting me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t complain about my showing up
early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was very happy to see me.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-62503968975679693762012-12-26T16:50:00.001-08:002012-12-26T16:50:43.005-08:00DAY 123- From Wal-Mart to the St. Louis Arch...<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Crystal Bridges Art Museum didn’t open until 11AM, so I
went instead to the Wal-Mart Museum which is housed in the original 5 And Dime
in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Downtown Bentonville is centered on a square where there is a
Confederate statue in the middle of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was covered with lines of light which in the middle of the evening
turns into a large Christmas tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I parked,
walked across the street, and through the front doors of the Walton’s old 5 and
Dime Store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a bit like walking
back in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were all the old
candies and misc. other items that you would’ve found in an old neighborhood
candy/toy like store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was also a
whole new section where you could purchase souvenirs, postcards, and etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, there weren’t any bumper
stickers but there was the Wal-Mart Spark.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhy2vzlvnlJxShC2pE-yC9hPkTOV7_qFaR0jQu217JbhgnWWvLoWIJxKx6jW2q-0CnD0BmStoZQyb-JlRu8sDwL4uSKSvu89BMSSjHil5GSBiWnpDi5bcYr9BQKXS_nqMVW5GCwMuNUM/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhy2vzlvnlJxShC2pE-yC9hPkTOV7_qFaR0jQu217JbhgnWWvLoWIJxKx6jW2q-0CnD0BmStoZQyb-JlRu8sDwL4uSKSvu89BMSSjHil5GSBiWnpDi5bcYr9BQKXS_nqMVW5GCwMuNUM/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the Waltons 5 and Dime Store which is now a WalMart Museum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I went through the door and down a short hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off to the right was a continuously running
minute movie that told a bit about the Sam Walton and the success of Wal-Mart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After watching that film, I wandered into the
actual museum and it was very interesting reading about how Wal-Mart in its
current state came into being. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were pictures of Sam, his brother, and mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sam didn’t have an easy start to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had a dairy and eventually worked towards having a shop that they
ran with their mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A landlord didn’t
allow them to renew a lease and they relocated to Bentonville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was here that they found Walton’s 5 And
Dime that then eventually turned into a chain of Wal-Mart Stores around the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, that’s the VERY
shortened version of the story and it was very interesting reading about how it
all evolved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI-Li2U5l8_Uj1EApRAtsCq7t15BFCF0zzyc3V3GkANEbzxwHlsKrDiEvrmyt8sNrkzFWrZJNPmRepOa5uwGsKBGPzvTWkOUhgnUPgWiRPiNaom8gZppk6fFxq5W03iS8xzvgZp2yuMY/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI-Li2U5l8_Uj1EApRAtsCq7t15BFCF0zzyc3V3GkANEbzxwHlsKrDiEvrmyt8sNrkzFWrZJNPmRepOa5uwGsKBGPzvTWkOUhgnUPgWiRPiNaom8gZppk6fFxq5W03iS8xzvgZp2yuMY/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+015.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The little fountain shop at the end of the WalMart Museum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The museum also went into some of the philosophies of Wal-Mart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was getting a kick out of the display
concerning Wal-Mart’s return policy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They will accept any return for any reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this section, they had a hand mixer that
was returned because the woman said that it was possessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a pencil sharpener that was
returned because it failed to sharpen ball point pens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were six or seven other examples that
were almost as funny but those were the ones that really stood out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4osDZxRIU_UgwfRyDs-aJNpI7r2M7WWcE5tfMUC6QK6VdnhbxvvRHlq3h_kPgfJIyu0FaOTboYI5vvvoTPagZXdTHx5sJLdVYVGl56yhoWQ7PcWz6k0ZXamEHN9Bf02xXyfuO8wVe5k/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4osDZxRIU_UgwfRyDs-aJNpI7r2M7WWcE5tfMUC6QK6VdnhbxvvRHlq3h_kPgfJIyu0FaOTboYI5vvvoTPagZXdTHx5sJLdVYVGl56yhoWQ7PcWz6k0ZXamEHN9Bf02xXyfuO8wVe5k/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- The inside and outside of Crystal Bridges Art Museum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqgFBWoIQyvzls47DyrksNd7q2Vq1O3GChnLalPqD5zQ538ZVLLbGAmaeLOWNliRCWIp75dElZyfLJynDpLyL35eNLqO8_rw5LpmM2sI8fs1Xa7Blcqmv15MAHRL0TP6fev7Pbwvho14/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqgFBWoIQyvzls47DyrksNd7q2Vq1O3GChnLalPqD5zQ538ZVLLbGAmaeLOWNliRCWIp75dElZyfLJynDpLyL35eNLqO8_rw5LpmM2sI8fs1Xa7Blcqmv15MAHRL0TP6fev7Pbwvho14/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I was on the edge of Bentonville and driving down a
wooded lane to the Crystal Bridges Art Museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is an amazing place to visit for an artist and it’s all currently
free which made that all the more amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The museum is focused on American Artists and it was wonderful to see
some originals by very well-known artists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of the pieces are not the well-known pieces from some of the
artist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a Georgia O’Keeffe but
it is not one of her well known pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Probably, the most famous original piece that they have on the premise
is Rosie the Riveter by Norman Rockwell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But there are several other fascinating pieces too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, one of the most interesting pieces
to me was a playoff of a famous piece of artwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a hanging of string spools on a wall
that at first just looked like a blob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But then you would look through a glass sphere and it was the famous American
Gothic by Grant Wood where you have the farmer couple with the pitch fork
standing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz8XyteI8cL6zLr62GTZqFuQewUkZF3sgdgPrpWGGfK6mj9AnAw49sEB-7evIfCUNNpVi5LuUI72ABkKjj1N8JUMOWIICnsOfTOgmQIlCjqOPmOJL9Spe0UIIMeZz75wUpych6roL5Es/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz8XyteI8cL6zLr62GTZqFuQewUkZF3sgdgPrpWGGfK6mj9AnAw49sEB-7evIfCUNNpVi5LuUI72ABkKjj1N8JUMOWIICnsOfTOgmQIlCjqOPmOJL9Spe0UIIMeZz75wUpych6roL5Es/s400/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+044.JPG" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Rosie the Riveter by Norman Rockwell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I easily spent a couple hours in the art museum and they
periodically change out parts of the collection as I was told as I was putting
on my coat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s security in every
room but you are allowed to take photos as long as you don’t use your flash and
you don’t touch the artwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even venture
in the literature to invite you to sit and enjoy and draw the art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, an easel is not allowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkUBnkgymF4mflebUHf8O5LTvzP0t_2mQCRL1EKIQTg-3ozWT1xei3i1L0oo6DJPShsqPqP_IstKlxld6KImyLowx8GYefyR3RWmdyjZoXj8PyPR3pzNIFBu6EiQfCekas8S4TvX-Vrs/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkUBnkgymF4mflebUHf8O5LTvzP0t_2mQCRL1EKIQTg-3ozWT1xei3i1L0oo6DJPShsqPqP_IstKlxld6KImyLowx8GYefyR3RWmdyjZoXj8PyPR3pzNIFBu6EiQfCekas8S4TvX-Vrs/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+053.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Spools of threads that when you look through a glass sphere turn into American Gothic.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9h1eSq0fT8bOpFvJfMpUGzUBC93xZLcfl-oA8asVZ0pOn9_tQC8uDSxHs8X6g_I-2AKh685ZFJnvIxXr6h8jRuaGpgvqm7SQvWoo4f3Xm6V4cfZlXPjR9EWTBQPYdl8BhHa1unNJFr4/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9h1eSq0fT8bOpFvJfMpUGzUBC93xZLcfl-oA8asVZ0pOn9_tQC8uDSxHs8X6g_I-2AKh685ZFJnvIxXr6h8jRuaGpgvqm7SQvWoo4f3Xm6V4cfZlXPjR9EWTBQPYdl8BhHa1unNJFr4/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was a fascinating place to visit and it’s even more
interesting in how the building looks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a great deal of glass, wood, concrete and steel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The compound of the museum centers on a pond
like area where periodically you can look out on the pond either from a room
with couches/chairs or a balcony that you can walk out to look upon it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the museum there’s a large
dining room hall area where you can eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Across from the entrance’s courtyard is a small wonderful little gift
shop that has local Arkansas artist goods is available for purchase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s also the fair amount of other items
that you would find in any art museum gift shop too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I was on the road and through some back road like
areas of northern Arkansas on my way to a little town called Eureka Springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Up through hills, valleys, and winding roads
I went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite often, I had to slow to
15mph for steep turning curves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
arrived into this little town where there are Victorian houses built into the
hillsides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It very picturesque and there’s
more bed and breakfasts per captia that I had ever witnessed in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I visited one road side natural springs which
I guess that there is several in the area that are within a short hike of the
town area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I had more time to
visit the area but unfortunately, I had already made reservations for the night
in St. Louis and needed to be on my way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJWj6q5W-HUMb_rxXvvCgtd356whUcyiWN8aaVTXcC16Z8RLjSh1hOqKsQjda3zrymUM_r3dzec9qBMWoYZE4-RqnHCwZyDZv3pzuDZncktq6iPKEIa4DeHNSwwQ4n3TvJKKLNdbAir4/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJWj6q5W-HUMb_rxXvvCgtd356whUcyiWN8aaVTXcC16Z8RLjSh1hOqKsQjda3zrymUM_r3dzec9qBMWoYZE4-RqnHCwZyDZv3pzuDZncktq6iPKEIa4DeHNSwwQ4n3TvJKKLNdbAir4/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+090.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Some of the Victorian houses in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbjGIeAlJUJFbwkj-Qm9vzix8saWWFjkm9r8X0J4f1riERCYDq63RHUCLGA4U7lOnlYtLE8wseeRJfY-HKIxwDER-GtTIGBB-20cmLYCYaCTY9QoXoNp3MVDlLYHkck_njQkLbjYuZEg/s1600/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbjGIeAlJUJFbwkj-Qm9vzix8saWWFjkm9r8X0J4f1riERCYDq63RHUCLGA4U7lOnlYtLE8wseeRJfY-HKIxwDER-GtTIGBB-20cmLYCYaCTY9QoXoNp3MVDlLYHkck_njQkLbjYuZEg/s320/DAY+122,123,124-+BIG+Adventure+099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was about 8PM when I finally found my way to my hotel in
St. Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hotel was downtown and was
almost literally at the base of the St. Louis Arch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a wonderful view of the downtown area
from my hotel room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up doing a
bit of walking in the downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
walked to a nearby bar and grill in the area called Calico’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a very late dinner and then walked back
by where I could see the arch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
venture into the park area itself because it was dark but it was a wonderful
view but unfortunately it didn’t show up well when I tried to take a photo of
it at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have to get a photo
in the morning.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-19541332949332984572012-12-26T15:15:00.004-08:002012-12-26T15:15:56.308-08:00DAY 122- Little Rock…Clinton Library & Heifer International<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The night before I had arrived just as the sun was starting
to set, I got checked into my cute little bed and breakfast which was located
in North Little Rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just barely
across the river from the heart of the downtown River District of Little
Rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The manager of the bed and
breakfast gave me a complimentary trolley ticket pass and suggested I just ride
the trolley for the sightseeing factor alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said that the trolley gave a running commentary along the route and
that I would be able to ride it on that pass until 10PM that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I changed quickly and was on the next trolley
which had a stop ½ block away.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6y3VedXE6spRFHPIq8ZXCYf9EosoB4IkJPbAIln5lWKDjmYZ55ffN7wyLdmbmHkF-GHlTRMm8ELNTyWfGb61JvJDf2mXfoQIMLliY49kZUvHiDQ3b4OiSG4tXMBWNsVKzH05g9-SZnug/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6y3VedXE6spRFHPIq8ZXCYf9EosoB4IkJPbAIln5lWKDjmYZ55ffN7wyLdmbmHkF-GHlTRMm8ELNTyWfGb61JvJDf2mXfoQIMLliY49kZUvHiDQ3b4OiSG4tXMBWNsVKzH05g9-SZnug/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+249.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Little Rock Skyline as I crossed the bridge on a trolley car.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Off I went through part of the North Little Rock downtown
area and then across the bridge to the River District of Little Rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a beautiful view with the city lights
as we crossed the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a
ton of restaurants and shops along the River area; among other things that the
trolley operator announced as he went along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I ended up having dinner at a place called Big Whiskeys which was a nice
wooden sports bar that had a wonderful grilled salmon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, I headed back across the river and
ended up going to an Improv Show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a wonderful fun hanging out and watching the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was quite a bit of local humor that was
intermixed throughout the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
the show a lot of the people went over to a wine bar called Crush across the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed some wonderful wine and
met some local people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up closing
down the place with the owner, the bartender, and a new friend called Cheddy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRlmSvYZrEmJL28O539uVjieJNPTZ6II7_yyuOJfw2If13p2RTGUQruOIGYD3NUPOhm0rSMba3s6JqkpS1LYISI6msEz4LwWoEq4Krp6QP_CB0C4kU2ScGTDMpgW8iv_YacPpM79NbYc/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRlmSvYZrEmJL28O539uVjieJNPTZ6II7_yyuOJfw2If13p2RTGUQruOIGYD3NUPOhm0rSMba3s6JqkpS1LYISI6msEz4LwWoEq4Krp6QP_CB0C4kU2ScGTDMpgW8iv_YacPpM79NbYc/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+257.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A night of FUN Improv in downtown North Little Rock, Arkansas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The wind had picked up overnight and the temperature that
had been in the mid-60’s the day before was going to be 20 degrees colder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove across the river to the Clinton
Presidential Library. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Clinton
Library building is a long skinny building that almost appears to be reaching
out toward the Arkansas River; the inside of it almost feels like a bridge with
large angled metal bracing along a large open long area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started my tour of the Library with a 12
minute orientation film that focused on Clinton’s life and political
career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I went upstairs and into a
cabinet room which is a full scale replica of the White House Cabinet Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an interesting place to start a tour
but I took away from it that the Clinton Presidency’s success was only as
successful as those that are involved in the decision process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe-mm7ySAy1NSCboh6vfeU9kh4E__RFJc8EcChs-8p__97xTynDTKivpDy7rQjtn5UfjHq0eVE_S9Tx0g54thqdkrYE8cNz27PykwrXQLGvOrZ9JgREup5cla6rboE6WRcAhpGKs27-M/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe-mm7ySAy1NSCboh6vfeU9kh4E__RFJc8EcChs-8p__97xTynDTKivpDy7rQjtn5UfjHq0eVE_S9Tx0g54thqdkrYE8cNz27PykwrXQLGvOrZ9JgREup5cla6rboE6WRcAhpGKs27-M/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+262.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A large timeline down the middle of the Clinton Presidential Library.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>From there, I went into a long open area
where there was a HUGE oversized timeline of the Clinton Presidency down the
middle of a long open area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off to the
sides were smaller partial room areas where it covered different aspects of his
presidency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very interesting way
of setting up a presidential library. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went up the stairs where there was a wonderful view of the Arkansas River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the second floor there was a section about
Clinton’s early years of life and also another area about life during his
presidency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There also was a replica of
the White House Oval Office which a very nice security guard offered to take a
photo of me in front of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMy3xLpLROMER5nZ-axajv9spSEqBqe4lWFWNw1o_xMkYt4BQSEMvRZKzycCyuJgEf-BzmCwDFzKoHE1VVGA8kCQt-mxtloQQ7ZDKpi0P82d4QGIaUqrDeHPt_-tvEY150EUXyEAox2SI/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMy3xLpLROMER5nZ-axajv9spSEqBqe4lWFWNw1o_xMkYt4BQSEMvRZKzycCyuJgEf-BzmCwDFzKoHE1VVGA8kCQt-mxtloQQ7ZDKpi0P82d4QGIaUqrDeHPt_-tvEY150EUXyEAox2SI/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+282.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- In the replicated Oval Office in the Clinton Presidential Library. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, it was outside in the windy and colder weather where I
walked around the Clinton Library and down the road a bit to the Heifer
International building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was very
familiar with <a href="http://www.heifer.org/?msource=KIK1K122942" target="_blank">Heifer International</a> which is a wonderful charity that I have
donated some of my art project proceeds to in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heifer is based more on a philosophy of
sustainable agriculture through training participants using livestock to fulfill
their needs and becoming self-reliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also key to this their success is the importance of passing on the
gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The charity is also very concerned
in about being green and protecting the earth for future generations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs322Kiy8dQhf8Nh_B2rzmGaP7Q9pmmKXIJV6WchHSJfYHf6FIHZlyXPfAKq7mLofSZkshCDfFQ2bLKkKNMkbp7Yi1UjL-QV3_hz_Vxbbow7yot6JFKgGNzwHIJKun7vqsZjKSHIzcnKg/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs322Kiy8dQhf8Nh_B2rzmGaP7Q9pmmKXIJV6WchHSJfYHf6FIHZlyXPfAKq7mLofSZkshCDfFQ2bLKkKNMkbp7Yi1UjL-QV3_hz_Vxbbow7yot6JFKgGNzwHIJKun7vqsZjKSHIzcnKg/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+287.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Heifer International Building a VERY green building.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The company headquarters based in Little Rock
is a platinum level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certification which is the highest honor a green building can receive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I HAD to see this building which they do a
free tour of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tour of the
building started at the front door area where my tour guide explained the
strict requirements of a LEED building. I guess that the Clinton Library started out as a Gold LEED buidling and has recently been upgraded to be a platinum, which fascinated me that two platinum buildings were within a few hundred yards of each other in one city. I think that said quite a bit about the City of Little Rock, Arkansas. I thought it was rather impressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ4mzCDcUn1gM-TRKfl0di0perAy0obccRYxfFviFk9lBZXy1dbUUCFdHVNchZ9M75ImymZzcz7bYrfb-4XgYYZZSuz7xNYtQ5zkIg_qhQe9SdMec85WVtk3SuQkELVFXPwYkaMEOn8E/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ4mzCDcUn1gM-TRKfl0di0perAy0obccRYxfFviFk9lBZXy1dbUUCFdHVNchZ9M75ImymZzcz7bYrfb-4XgYYZZSuz7xNYtQ5zkIg_qhQe9SdMec85WVtk3SuQkELVFXPwYkaMEOn8E/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+295.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Elevated floors to allow room for the heating and cooling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My tour guide went through and explained that 90% of the
building materials came from within 500 miles of the site of the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounds like a lot but not really when
you start looking at the building materials used in most buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of the reason they tried to use local
materials was to cut down on the transportation costs and the fossil fuel use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s Arkansas limestone, Mississippi Delta
pine, old bricks from the previous building that were recycled, locally grown
cotton, soybeans and even cornhusks are used in the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s recycled material used in the
carpeting and the counter tops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also,
recycled steel is used throughout the structure too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xfcLZXOQierxk5r5UBtFissvfsq-v4nz8r9C0uJX_us4cXpuOhTXUGoVSGM_wOZzMrHvHzEmyfHh59Nu_GFrIWyX6gicKBW3B_tyz8topvlBq2yjbKpfOEdaFjRpgQvWTcaVjaOUfTI/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xfcLZXOQierxk5r5UBtFissvfsq-v4nz8r9C0uJX_us4cXpuOhTXUGoVSGM_wOZzMrHvHzEmyfHh59Nu_GFrIWyX6gicKBW3B_tyz8topvlBq2yjbKpfOEdaFjRpgQvWTcaVjaOUfTI/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+296.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Inside the Heifer building which is only 60ft. wide so sunlight can supply a good amount of the light needed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On top of all of the recycled and local building materials,
the actual design of the building was very well thought through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building is curved and situated in an
east-west direction to optimize natural daylight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The floor plans area open light and most of
the building is no more than 60 feet across to also optimize daylight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally, daylight will travel 30 feet into
a building’s interior that way this building is fully taking the opportunity of
the daylight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s raised flooring on
each level which improves the ventilation and makes the heating and cooling
more efficient, saving both energy and money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The roof of the building is designed to collect and save rain water
which is used in the heating and cooling system; as well as, for the toilets to
flush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed at all the different
little things that were done in the building that all added up to help make it
SO energy efficient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was wonderful to
see so much thought and reflection put into a building; and what was more
amazing is that it was a charity that was doing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you get the chance please check out this
very worthy charity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next I was on down the road towards Fayetteville, Arkansas. I was planning on stopping in nearby Betonville, Arkansas which is the home of Walmart. There's a museum there and the original Walton 5 And Dime. There's also an art museum called Crystal Bridges that is funded by Mrs. Walton (the wife of Sam Walton who is the founder of Walmart). I have heard that this museum was something to see and that it rivaled some of the best museums in the country. Unfortunately, it was getting late by the time I drove to the area and had already closed for the night. I decided to stay in a nearby hotel.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-34555812130414482672012-12-24T11:42:00.003-08:002012-12-24T11:42:47.283-08:00DAY 120, 121- Memphis…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Memphis has been called the Home of the Blues and the
Birthplace of Rock’n’Roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I knew of
two places there that I wanted to visit; one of course, was Graceland and the
other was Lorraine Motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Past that I
really had no plans and I would play it by ear.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: large;">DAY 120- Lorraine Motel, Belz AND Popeye’s…<o:p></o:p></span></u></strong></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaTDPkGtaOP8VDqZpjeXQzHzLK4SPzXFgtBSwjKnFde0uOmQwCPPW7mTe9Zb5_fJt0JpZ3RVdWPA129l0imrdmx6kGLnkRr2TlFcXvgEhoeNmoxVv5sJkcNa6aXQrofiwQXd_udRo8SE/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaTDPkGtaOP8VDqZpjeXQzHzLK4SPzXFgtBSwjKnFde0uOmQwCPPW7mTe9Zb5_fJt0JpZ3RVdWPA129l0imrdmx6kGLnkRr2TlFcXvgEhoeNmoxVv5sJkcNa6aXQrofiwQXd_udRo8SE/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+108.JPG" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Lorraine Motel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Lorraine Motel-<o:p></o:p></strong></span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot was
first on my list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to the Lorraine
Motel only to find it blocked off and renovations being done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole place was on lock down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess they found black mold and needed to
take care of it before it did some real damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, all I could do was take pictures from the outside of the
Motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a Civil Rights Museum
that is attached to it but it also was not open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess during this time of year it is only
open during the weekends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I got a
picture and walked as close as I could to the railing area where Martin Luther
King Jr. had been shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
several others there taking pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
talked with a black lady from that had come all the way from North Carolina
only to discover it was closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
very disappointed and also complained that they had been here for two days and
there wasn’t anything to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
sure what she was looking to do but I had a whole list of possibilities and
knew I couldn’t see it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess it
just all dependent upon your point of view.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNA0U-8ahPW42DCP2CAg2JIj-bneJjMYtULn33jSESy0nrFyqlB7sHtDeARdgQhXlQJtsY55EfXks_UMyPdgMddaT8URXN5vqFKfz20-Y5FsHzjLP_haRPgslGYxBGZPV_sNSZfYP6aC0/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNA0U-8ahPW42DCP2CAg2JIj-bneJjMYtULn33jSESy0nrFyqlB7sHtDeARdgQhXlQJtsY55EfXks_UMyPdgMddaT8URXN5vqFKfz20-Y5FsHzjLP_haRPgslGYxBGZPV_sNSZfYP6aC0/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The balcony where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art-<o:p></o:p></u></strong></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ldiAYSAHJvhGnIBUNq0vmQV11Rr_Z2jD30RkQzwGSmqn91B7WZxgOorV9PQYMZInHbosdOvBaAtWNrD3ynY3BWN1ye574mLo8whyphenhyphenfPoBsPLkZFvxw8zEoniR3f9oSy_4mM0RZBkW9ZY/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ldiAYSAHJvhGnIBUNq0vmQV11Rr_Z2jD30RkQzwGSmqn91B7WZxgOorV9PQYMZInHbosdOvBaAtWNrD3ynY3BWN1ye574mLo8whyphenhyphenfPoBsPLkZFvxw8zEoniR3f9oSy_4mM0RZBkW9ZY/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+113.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Inside the front hallway of the Belz Museum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had found this museum on-line the night before and it got
very good reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I couldn’t do
much with the Lorraine Motel/Civil Rights Museum and Graceland was closed for
the day, I figured it would be a good place to spend some time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a bit of a maze to find this gem of a
museum in the heart of downtown Memphis but well worth the effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Belz Museum contains a great deal of
artifacts and art from the Quing Chinese Dynasty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing just to look at all of the
level of intricate jade sculptural art alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This museum also features Jewish, Judaic, and natural history specimens
from several time periods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had only
put 90 minutes into the parking meter and before I knew it I went out to put
more change in the meter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was until I
was leaving the museum that I found out I could have gotten validated parking
at the nearby hotel parking ramp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Live
and learn!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Lunch at Ernest and Hazel’s-<o:p></o:p></u></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhak4g8evidmzL4aQ6x6i13b0AuIbhVjbcWSwPLbADRO_oaZaALAeaKIlq6GIpm4qRiYxDslPqGVFJrFCVTcnjDsOmWPIbOftceJxjGFwIMVBw7AC60hiq3mnIZfzGC-I9rEaNOiYTy5j0/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhak4g8evidmzL4aQ6x6i13b0AuIbhVjbcWSwPLbADRO_oaZaALAeaKIlq6GIpm4qRiYxDslPqGVFJrFCVTcnjDsOmWPIbOftceJxjGFwIMVBw7AC60hiq3mnIZfzGC-I9rEaNOiYTy5j0/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Inside Ernest and Hazel's.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had driven by this place while I was trying to find the
Lorraine Motel earlier and I decided I would swing by possibly for a late
lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the Belz Museum, I went by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had seen this place in part of a movie
called Elizabethtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This corner
restaurant had been several places in the past; at one point it had even been a
brothel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But probably the most famous
part of its history occurred in the 1950’s when it was Ernest and Hazel’s
restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hazel was the well-known
mistress of a blues musician and this place had served as a meeting place for
quite a few of blues greats in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s currently quite a bit of records and photo memorabilia up on the
walls of this place which I have to say is a bit of a dive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the seafood chowder was pretty good and I
talked with Dave who’s a chef for the establishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was interesting talking with him and
learning about the Memphis area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Meanwhile, we talked the “possessed” juke box up front would pop on with
music every now and then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dave said it
was supposed to auto-play every half hour but it played a couple times where it
was only 5 minutes and then 10 minutes the next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He go over, turn the volume down, and then it
would play again just as loud the next time it started to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said that it was possessed and that the
whole place was probably full of ghosts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It looked like it definitely needed a remodel and like the place was
falling apart.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>My Popeye’s Experience-<o:p></o:p></u></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had never been to a Popeye’s before and yes, I knew it was
a southern fast food chain but I figured that it was time to give it a
try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went through the drive through
figuring I would take it back to the hotel for a night in and catch a movie on
TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove up and proceeded to attempt
to order a “Holiday Platter”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t
understand what the girl was saying here accent was a heavy southern drawl and
she talked fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said pardon a couple
of times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, figured she was asking
if I wanted it hot or mild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said
hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I think that she asked if I
wanted light or dark meat for the chicken I had ordered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the next thing I know is there’s a guy
talking to me over the intercom asking me in much clearing English what side I
wanted and what beverage too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to a
window and was getting a terribly awful glaring look from a large black
girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ooopps!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said hot and white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she was just a bit pissed off with
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, the guy who had talked to
me arrived at the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a black
clean cut man and he apologized looking at the black girl like she should know
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh my!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I may have started an inter-racial
incident and here I was just a Yankee trying to order dinner through drive
through.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: large;">DAY 121- Graceland to Little Rock…<o:p></o:p></span></u></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13LYsd4aflyeQ7O_U_NVm2jyKnlyYTwoPluaB7ijpvrHXpsrVy4wuYI18oVl25odnkXXcADuCNzaHdyr48zYN-jCt3ZQ3DabaR-48S-e9YrzFAFPGM2oTxWT9sOTUCzrGlW7NUXjZd5g/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13LYsd4aflyeQ7O_U_NVm2jyKnlyYTwoPluaB7ijpvrHXpsrVy4wuYI18oVl25odnkXXcADuCNzaHdyr48zYN-jCt3ZQ3DabaR-48S-e9YrzFAFPGM2oTxWT9sOTUCzrGlW7NUXjZd5g/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+216.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- See! I was actually there!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Graceland is the famous home of Elvis Presley, the King, and
is one of the most visited sites in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was visiting it during the slow season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could just walk up to the window and
purchase a ticket but this is not always the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after Graceland opened at 10am, I
pulled my car into the parking lot across the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paid the $10 parking lot fee and then went
to a booth to pay another $28 for a tour of the Mansion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a VIP tour that’s more and takes you
through the mansion and all of the museums from cars to planes to extra museums
but I figured that the mansion was enough for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were given audio tour devices as almost 25
of us walked onto the bus that took us across the street to the mansion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYIjSi-7_kQTcXUggqji693jGzq1bBakPICLiF2hTYBzDCg4tLIRrF9GRqW-Hnjq3GYwcTmORBpWJkcl8YglYPc0cduBnlFiSagpwNE3EGx5KwLjY034jXS8L0Z2WDlXdSuJjDDtZiWc/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYIjSi-7_kQTcXUggqji693jGzq1bBakPICLiF2hTYBzDCg4tLIRrF9GRqW-Hnjq3GYwcTmORBpWJkcl8YglYPc0cduBnlFiSagpwNE3EGx5KwLjY034jXS8L0Z2WDlXdSuJjDDtZiWc/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+123.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Elvis' Livingroom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The bus left us off right at the front door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you went into Graceland, they directed you
to input a number in the audio device and the tour of the house began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the height of luxury when Elvis lived
in it and was very like stepping into the mid-1960’s home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was rather fun because they had all of the
Christmas decorations up; most of which were original from Elvis’ time at
Graceland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went around the first
floor in a carpeted roped off area and listened and looked as directed by the
audio device.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went down the stairs,
through a “jungle” room and out to the back carport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, it was off through some of the other
buildings on the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an
office building, a trophy hall, and a racquetball building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All around the buildings you could see horse
pastures where horses were grazing on grass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could imagine that it would have been a relaxing environment for
someone of Elvis’ caliber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really
amazed at all of the gold records he had in the Hall of Gold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just made you realize how much of a talent
he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, you went out to the back
area where there’s a garden like area where Elvis’ grave is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is laid to rest next to the graves of his
mom and dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are flowers and other
items near his grave and that of his parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the most visited grave site of anywhere in the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtw_TGh464GYbAgcpDdKkl4bwAesW7mw0GhPNGLKB1icqb3STes4k9OFkGroegSpBoOT5sjIc1V_pnI-_nH6qfSiy6zKsipWRtV5iUixCVmXACI6qeCq3muBdR-qylfSa1ykTXK3OO3U/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtw_TGh464GYbAgcpDdKkl4bwAesW7mw0GhPNGLKB1icqb3STes4k9OFkGroegSpBoOT5sjIc1V_pnI-_nH6qfSiy6zKsipWRtV5iUixCVmXACI6qeCq3muBdR-qylfSa1ykTXK3OO3U/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+135.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The room with 3 TV's in Elvis' House.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the mansion tour, you got back on a bus to cross the
street where you are directed to a place where you can look at your souvenir
photos that were taken before you got loaded on the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I skipped this all together but I still was
directed into a gift shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a
ticket for an additional museum visit which was at the north end of a row of
gift shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every little museum or area
that you could visit on Elvis led you through a gift shop right
afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was definitely some
marketing going on here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I will say
this was an amazing experience in all because it was all about Elvis. A</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">fter Graceland, I found myself driving on my way to Little
Rock, Arkansas. </span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-22197088552180762802012-12-21T07:47:00.001-08:002012-12-21T07:47:43.145-08:00DAY 119- Nashville- Music, Parthenon, & Hee Haw! <span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I’m finishing up writing this and going through for my poor
grammar errors; I’m watching the bells being rung out for the children of
Newtown and I can’t help but shed tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The TV first shows bells being run in Newtown, then Miami, FL, and then
Washington, D.C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the last week as I’ve
been driving, I’ve been seeing all of the flags hanging at half-mast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t felt like this since 9-11; a change
has happened to our country and it will never be the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I almost can’t help but mourn a little for
the safety and security that I had in childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I will say that there is hope out there for
all of us and I can say that from my experience while I’ve been out on the
road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have met the nicest helpful people
on the road and it really has given me hope for our wonderful country. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2h2nPaAvr4CbFlFAAIe7GKrm6Z8DYEz_8R5KwBJajs7RyqOjxeFNTpwGCgqrVyZ-OczhZaAE_mQY_NqvXBetvTA9C-PKfpHjQFSDaEsh7EBBOTt2aGmXsdv1p3bhzie5J54_7hLu5DM/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2h2nPaAvr4CbFlFAAIe7GKrm6Z8DYEz_8R5KwBJajs7RyqOjxeFNTpwGCgqrVyZ-OczhZaAE_mQY_NqvXBetvTA9C-PKfpHjQFSDaEsh7EBBOTt2aGmXsdv1p3bhzie5J54_7hLu5DM/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+052.JPG" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Nashville skyline from the river area with flags hanging at half-mast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>DAY 119- Nashville…<o:p></o:p></u></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhwuTaibIDEvVcuUOlJZA_P0meT2hxoeSFiTrCGR0COMGi0ywh8GjfEX0krONiikrf7xZNBnE6tMTRxnGeABO2yXA7dyqKxnHJPI35PQuI4weIZf0-LIzd-syT2xW4fTtFsOXUw4PJUU/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhwuTaibIDEvVcuUOlJZA_P0meT2hxoeSFiTrCGR0COMGi0ywh8GjfEX0krONiikrf7xZNBnE6tMTRxnGeABO2yXA7dyqKxnHJPI35PQuI4weIZf0-LIzd-syT2xW4fTtFsOXUw4PJUU/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+032.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Inside of the Ryman Auditorium.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the current Opryland area, I headed to downtown
Nashville where the old Opryland used to be the Ryman Auditorium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a day time tour of the Ryman and was
amazed at all of the talent that started out on this stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ryman is second only to the Salt Lake
City Mormon Tabernacle as far as sound acoustics in any building and has been referred
to as the “Carnegie Hall of the South”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I found myself fondly reliving through some memories as I watched Minnie
Pearl videos when she appeared on Hee Haw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“HowdEE!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFzR4-6x9nJgU-7LK90qGEfrpXqB-g5WC_0gdDuFA33xLyy2KZjR2XlPrR1Tf4tYi2USITHkrY_r0bmF2MCHJH3gbVMnhmQ4IljY1IvvlpHw4vPsGMAYrT0b81DtwHF0qSDiJQh31rcA/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFzR4-6x9nJgU-7LK90qGEfrpXqB-g5WC_0gdDuFA33xLyy2KZjR2XlPrR1Tf4tYi2USITHkrY_r0bmF2MCHJH3gbVMnhmQ4IljY1IvvlpHw4vPsGMAYrT0b81DtwHF0qSDiJQh31rcA/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Cases of wonderful memorabilia from costumes (like Minnie Pearl's dress) to instruments.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I walked over Printer’s Alley which is known as the
Blues and Jazz section of Nashville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went down the alley and there wasn’t much going on. It looked like it was mainly
open during the night time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the
only place that seemed to be open was a bar that looked like it was a topless
bar if the photos outside was any indication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hmmm… that would explain the looks I was getting as I was walking down
the alley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took the next turn and
escaped from that alley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ3ZGfZG8REYdWgaUAtJHRNDyIQFH0aOI8wzUYRmFcS-T3hq6JD2ugQEFmfBquSfyRdAPlJSGrcZewBGhE79ooU4GdX55YBnBkjzjXytbAXKxevfRCYYGlfGWna9o7KRCMW7BYEyKPrA/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ3ZGfZG8REYdWgaUAtJHRNDyIQFH0aOI8wzUYRmFcS-T3hq6JD2ugQEFmfBquSfyRdAPlJSGrcZewBGhE79ooU4GdX55YBnBkjzjXytbAXKxevfRCYYGlfGWna9o7KRCMW7BYEyKPrA/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Printer's Alley which is more of a night spot than day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3CGll59zevs382HO0fRVBZt-tdNH_epYwYluFDhasR2M1FaZuiurvsqRHVg8v-bRPBKz5MXT9As5mwZSkHfZQSQ1MuzEmf41L1oR9Iqrs76LK3mC5OzciFqNkt7qTscLB5dG3fMdLxs/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3CGll59zevs382HO0fRVBZt-tdNH_epYwYluFDhasR2M1FaZuiurvsqRHVg8v-bRPBKz5MXT9As5mwZSkHfZQSQ1MuzEmf41L1oR9Iqrs76LK3mC5OzciFqNkt7qTscLB5dG3fMdLxs/s320/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked down by the river and got a view of the city with
the flags all flying at half-mast for the children of Newtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also enjoyed the view of the bridge going
across the river and the little park areas that run by the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were tons of bicycle stands where you
could pay to rent a cruiser bicycle and go around the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though, watching some of the drivers and the pedestrian
interactions I would question the safety of bringing one more into this mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn-zqpuoYvnCoMZAyDNoQXw0EnrJPKB_ppMDH2lJZDM_NoC2h9icDSiBAxC-sBuOVeRG_692aerthirX_5ZjUYwyBQ4ZzxFm_HQbISsrKP21Wn3dZUYF5dsg2SKscxRoNTaPCQUq4jbE/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn-zqpuoYvnCoMZAyDNoQXw0EnrJPKB_ppMDH2lJZDM_NoC2h9icDSiBAxC-sBuOVeRG_692aerthirX_5ZjUYwyBQ4ZzxFm_HQbISsrKP21Wn3dZUYF5dsg2SKscxRoNTaPCQUq4jbE/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+060.JPG" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- All kinds of places that have LIVE music along Broadway in Nashville.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I then walked along the famous Broadway Street of
Nashville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was all kinds of
restaurants and bars where there was live music being played most of it was
country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped here and there
outside the doors; looking in doors to see who it was that was singing out of
curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were quite a few
instruments being carried by people walking along on the sidewalk; most of them
guitars in cases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked like the
total tourist as I went along snapping my pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even went by a place called Jimmy Buffett’s
Margaritaville which had a guy playing what sounded like honky tonk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4vepKnRS3zMRA6Qw5LrgPf5qaCTf3ff8U4tdFborSGsTjDujlCe8_54HQ8qTH_2garso_EQGKn_qRdKKb4GaLzxsXGfru-W9VzZRLGM-EKyYzBHGeCJtMdjETC7VHE35whD91lL1Zc4/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4vepKnRS3zMRA6Qw5LrgPf5qaCTf3ff8U4tdFborSGsTjDujlCe8_54HQ8qTH_2garso_EQGKn_qRdKKb4GaLzxsXGfru-W9VzZRLGM-EKyYzBHGeCJtMdjETC7VHE35whD91lL1Zc4/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+056.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Here's Jimmy's Place!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As it started to pour rain, I ducked into a souvenir shop
and found a bumper sticker along with a couple of postcards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it stopped raining for a bit, I quickly
walked back to my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to
head on to the city park area to see the Parthenon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the one and only full scale copy of it
is in Nashville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t ask me why but in
1897 it was built as an exposition piece for a fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the only piece that remained
standing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1921, it was refurbished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warning, it is not made of marble like the
original.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is fortified
concrete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess there’s an amazing
golden Athena statue that is inside but it was closed on Mondays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was rather impressive just going
around the outside of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLN8wdcTQU-gbBPoS4NhQX1IX57lU_MDQhUIT1ub1FMw-m3R-cCuwRnM58wCLD_7uxfsQEP_a9TNpIJks8nbO7E80MuWwv42E_ZFpoStNoRmK3i0dp-ZlSdbz2aQrbJu0KWq_3yhGWXJs/s1600/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLN8wdcTQU-gbBPoS4NhQX1IX57lU_MDQhUIT1ub1FMw-m3R-cCuwRnM58wCLD_7uxfsQEP_a9TNpIJks8nbO7E80MuWwv42E_ZFpoStNoRmK3i0dp-ZlSdbz2aQrbJu0KWq_3yhGWXJs/s400/DAY+119,120,121,122-+BIG+Adventure+076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A full size copy of the original in Nashville!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, the clouds were starting to get very, very dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had considered visiting a southern
plantation nearby but looking at these clouds I thought it might be a better
idea to forgo that and drive to Memphis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was hoping to drive through the storm before it got into full
force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also heard that there was a
ball game and a couple other events in the area that were supposed to make
traffic in the area almost unbearable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wanted to be out of here before that happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, I must have caught the beginnings of that because it took me
almost 10 minutes to move 1 block at one point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thankfully, shortly after that I was able to take a left turn and head
out of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see the long lines
of traffic going into town. Whew! Good call on that one; and off to Memphis I
was…</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-58377563671487304242012-12-19T08:24:00.003-08:002012-12-19T08:24:47.852-08:00DAY 118- Knoxville to Nashville…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rain had continued all night long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still coming down pretty good when I
left my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove to downtown
Knoxville, TN to explore what I could in the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I first parked in the Old City area which is
being renovated and there’s a host of new businesses opening soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t much going on during a Sunday
morning except for some brunch at some of the restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the menus looked pretty good but I
had a free breakfast at my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were some rather neat old buildings in the area.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdIqGfVIcoSRGPTOV_b1ROl7nJ5boMiIU4lHB36GVHtk5wTt_F1g_yl4k2cvFMRnYUlEQa7jKsETTpKQxOckSUa20ZYxGRqvX9CVms5_q_RHKWB8V77HbIQXX4ef_fB856ZrKUt2JvKs/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdIqGfVIcoSRGPTOV_b1ROl7nJ5boMiIU4lHB36GVHtk5wTt_F1g_yl4k2cvFMRnYUlEQa7jKsETTpKQxOckSUa20ZYxGRqvX9CVms5_q_RHKWB8V77HbIQXX4ef_fB856ZrKUt2JvKs/s400/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+092.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Some really neat old buildings in the Old City part of downtown Knoxville, TN.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wandered over to the Market Square area of Knoxville
next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a plaque that explained
that the Market Square started out in the 1940’s as an area for farmers would
pull up the back of their trucks and sell goods out of the back of their
trucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It now has a series of
restaurants with patios and other business around the edges of the square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a large tented area in the center
that is currently being used as an ice skating rink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could imagine on any other day than Sunday
it would have been a place of activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UhbpZ-K7UzM1Fz4bUBgK65ogdq41CR5ff8rixRph4NuF8BcHqki7jHmcFB_zGK9x_imXRd6P8LbJOMAk_iR17kpAbnJIllbdxo0QqL65-OF6IBWCMCGwuVKhECyN8bGl4IXBMtfWncI/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UhbpZ-K7UzM1Fz4bUBgK65ogdq41CR5ff8rixRph4NuF8BcHqki7jHmcFB_zGK9x_imXRd6P8LbJOMAk_iR17kpAbnJIllbdxo0QqL65-OF6IBWCMCGwuVKhECyN8bGl4IXBMtfWncI/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+099.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Market Square area of Knoxville.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0dRQmEArnQqjM2kPDsdWIf-Mc9Cd98_D8wxXqP7b__TVn3ADzOt6gxKiaD7gShnGKj_e_Pa7yN6M0UHJr3rZNQGWBGOI7axVSN45PPx7OiskgrW12a1q4aiDCU_Y85cD1SjBYqPC0mQ/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0dRQmEArnQqjM2kPDsdWIf-Mc9Cd98_D8wxXqP7b__TVn3ADzOt6gxKiaD7gShnGKj_e_Pa7yN6M0UHJr3rZNQGWBGOI7axVSN45PPx7OiskgrW12a1q4aiDCU_Y85cD1SjBYqPC0mQ/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+097.JPG" width="255" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wandered south through Market Square and across the street
into Krutch Park which was a lovely city park area with large sculptures on
display and some of them were even available for purchase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked south some more on a main city road
through the area, turned a corner and there was a HUGE sculpture coming out of
the sidewalk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will say there was a
great deal of artwork in the downtown area which was rather nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked by a theater in the downtown area
that had lines waiting to buy tickets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
also walked by a café that had outdoor seating behind a clear vinyl hanging barrier
that was different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like looking
at people through a shower curtain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xv4erF0_diUcjocHoo68feTLvB6-LhyLXAPcqCo0gG_ZNyZ1tQ0zNKuvp1sYW1V3hZnD6ru7wXiZuD0oh0FqJBHTUDrviNm0Frwk44dl8eolROalnqRdRvnWDd1PXOAQ688Va7QO5tw/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xv4erF0_diUcjocHoo68feTLvB6-LhyLXAPcqCo0gG_ZNyZ1tQ0zNKuvp1sYW1V3hZnD6ru7wXiZuD0oh0FqJBHTUDrviNm0Frwk44dl8eolROalnqRdRvnWDd1PXOAQ688Va7QO5tw/s400/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+110.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Krutch Park a city park south of Market Square in Knoxville.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDvNJH6dCLnK9Hxx38_jAmRrYx4-plI563h325SSvbmiG75MmQIki5v1x8eLpqbcXEbxzPC6e21fzTleJPlUw9FqZmcdjdScTarWvmsSbmGA1JuTISJAGLS9owPmZjaCSPkLyQiCie3E/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDvNJH6dCLnK9Hxx38_jAmRrYx4-plI563h325SSvbmiG75MmQIki5v1x8eLpqbcXEbxzPC6e21fzTleJPlUw9FqZmcdjdScTarWvmsSbmGA1JuTISJAGLS9owPmZjaCSPkLyQiCie3E/s400/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+114.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A VERY large sculpture in Knoxville's downtown area.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next I drove over to the World’s Fair Park but there wasn’t
much going on because of the weather other than one runner getting soaked in
the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admired the tall tower with
the sphere a little closer but the rain clouds were dropping and I couldn’t see
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided I would go ahead and
drive on to Nashville which was my next stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCm4hCIAmcgosJdbohEJS4tC06LklIt0Z3QBpGZs-ewmjeNZkTITuNwthBFhebuPe2LecJBj0uay3tfHFEQh_qaBOuXs2O5wwiyv6OXicVz6xWhZ4MxIsQJtR5bmzj6YZZ3En0q7bBAM/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCm4hCIAmcgosJdbohEJS4tC06LklIt0Z3QBpGZs-ewmjeNZkTITuNwthBFhebuPe2LecJBj0uay3tfHFEQh_qaBOuXs2O5wwiyv6OXicVz6xWhZ4MxIsQJtR5bmzj6YZZ3En0q7bBAM/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+124.JPG" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville, TN.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About 10 miles out of Knoxville, I was white knuckle driving
through thick fog where I could barely see the car tail lights of the car that
was maybe 20 ft. in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
slowed down to 50mph but didn’t want to slow down too much for fear of getting
rear ended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This went on for almost 20
miles where there were patches of thick fog and then patches where it was very hazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole time it was still rainy too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The radio station faded from an alternative
rock to a twangy country station (which I HATE) and I just let it go because I
was concentrating on driving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, the clouds picked up off the road way but it was
still raining pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided I
needed a break and I turned into a truck stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I filled up the still half-filled tank and cleaned out the front
passenger side seat of garbage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little
while later, I was back driving on the interstate through rain but no fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I got closer to Nashville, TN the rainy
weather started to clear up but a cross wind had started to blow hard out of
the north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I passed a truck, I had to
be ready for a gust of wind to hit the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I got even closer to Nashville, the traffic picked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I took the exit to head over towards the Opryland area where
my hotel was near.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one exit there was
a long line of cars almost ½ mile long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the exit before the one I needed to take and it looked like there
was a huge shopping mall off of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think last minute Christmas shopping was in full swing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next exit was pretty busy too but not
quite as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still took about 8
minutes to get off the interstate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully,
I managed to get into the right lane to make a turn I needed to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a quick right after going left over
the overpass and then I was on an almost empty road to the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I got checked in and settled into the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would soon be dark and I went down to the
front desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was information about
a free shuttle service over to the Gaylord’s Opry Grand Hotel which I guess is
a HUGE resort hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the guy at
the desk said that you could easily fit 10 of this hotel which had 150 rooms
into that place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went on to tell me
that there were restaurants, shopping, shows and Christmas lights too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I signed up for a shuttle time and went
upstairs to get cleaned up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5U3JAfn1gx7s62UnTqj4YJ9U9KtYpehA5e_p8mE51Szh8FjUbjMaxO5_-vKcpRsKnMXwJ5Ojp82oHgvCz-70X0_03eIVem7V9QxeP71XjixM5xfv0jdm_3JBBgSWpBHxV8_JoffiEdqo/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5U3JAfn1gx7s62UnTqj4YJ9U9KtYpehA5e_p8mE51Szh8FjUbjMaxO5_-vKcpRsKnMXwJ5Ojp82oHgvCz-70X0_03eIVem7V9QxeP71XjixM5xfv0jdm_3JBBgSWpBHxV8_JoffiEdqo/s400/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+137.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- In side the large Gaylord Resort.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was like a three block drive in the shuttle to the
Gaylord Resort but then it was about a block and a half drive around to a
loading-drop off zone in the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
busy mall was adjacent to the back of the Gaylord Resort and there were people
walking back and forth between both locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The guy in the hotel shuttle van gave out the hotel business cards for
us to call when we needed to head back to the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked into the Gaylord Resort through a
foyer area, down a hall, and into a HUGE atrium area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was packed full of people and there was a
map of the layout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at it and
discovered there were three floors of restaurants and shops in the atrium
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were four ballroom areas and
it looked like there were about 10 floors of hotel rooms on the outside
areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was HUGE!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3O1w9WParrIENv6NkM8k6Kh-H4aOfqm8_4dT6iaIOsUFii9vItqnC3sYaFnt3OmcxY7Y3dlvRBeBZshlnkkZKpXY6QlhczZfz5W-99LYq9lw2j1ShbyxZBJCsMepP8BeI0ScLFns7eCI/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3O1w9WParrIENv6NkM8k6Kh-H4aOfqm8_4dT6iaIOsUFii9vItqnC3sYaFnt3OmcxY7Y3dlvRBeBZshlnkkZKpXY6QlhczZfz5W-99LYq9lw2j1ShbyxZBJCsMepP8BeI0ScLFns7eCI/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+142.JPG" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Giant Panda that kids can visit and have their picture taken with.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I proceeded to wonder around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were Christmas lights on trees, draped
from the ceiling in some areas, balloons with lights, and towers of poinsettias.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked by displays where there were
characters of Shrek and the Panda where kids could visit and get their pictures
taken with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were restaurants
both high end and middle range serving all types of food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were all kinds of stores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very much like a shopping mall within
a hotel area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was rather confusing
and I ended up backtracking to a map to figure out where I was quite
often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up having dinner at a
Jack Daniels Restaurant and watching the football game from near the bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted for just a bowl of chili and corn
bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The steaks sounded good but they
only had a 12oz. portion which was more than I could handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to see out to the “mall” area
through some barrels and also did some people watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a great deal of families with young
kids wandering around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPr-GkJjg-KYgrU7Frqu_Ne16Js50Uj68Dwj9TXTGwNyPaK1ddPBtCaByAqSPHXn5JW7Il-49zsPRkkbDa-ccjVxJ-K-sIbXoKF_fFhtplszvgtohEewdAJxkQPlTPk_iuHYPevSXCzbU/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPr-GkJjg-KYgrU7Frqu_Ne16Js50Uj68Dwj9TXTGwNyPaK1ddPBtCaByAqSPHXn5JW7Il-49zsPRkkbDa-ccjVxJ-K-sIbXoKF_fFhtplszvgtohEewdAJxkQPlTPk_iuHYPevSXCzbU/s400/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+153.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Outside in front of the Gaylord Opryland Resort.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After dinner, I wandered out front of the Resort and there
was a row of carriages lined up for people to take rides in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There also was a great deal of the landscaping
with trees that were filled with Christmas lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminded me a bit of the Temple Square in
Salt Lake only quite a bit more down scale but it was a nice display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a manger area and a very large tree
with huge light holly formations at the bottom of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were sitting areas and a little fire
pit area where people could stand and warm their hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a fun festive air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked around and just enjoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But soon I was ready to head back to the
hotel for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called the hotel
and caught the next shuttle.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-16362336959009309502012-12-18T08:05:00.000-08:002012-12-18T08:05:59.457-08:00DAY 117- Ashville & Great Smokey Mountains…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After getting settled in my hotel in Asheville, NC, I opted to stay close for
dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to a place nearby called
Fatz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a local chain restaurant that
was started in a renovated peach shed in 1988 by some friends and now is a
southern chain that has 48 restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was packed as it should be on a Friday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat at an open spot at the bar between two
guys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It ended up being three guys and myself chatting and hanging
out; one worked at a tire store, another worked for a utility company, and
another was retired, I think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tire
store guy was a regular and it was funny because I had a roll and silverware
while he was being ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The utility
guy who we ended up calling Mr. Glitters, because he came in with glitter on
his face from being in the toy section of Kmart (ahh-haa!), and myself were
giving the tire guy all kinds of a hard time about the pitfalls and pluses of
being a regular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, the retired
guy was talking about feeding his kids and grandkids, which happen to be living
with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The retired guy was buying all
of us rounds of drinks and they were all telling me about the Asheville area
and North Carolina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were also all
razing me about if Utah would allowed plural husbands for me because they
wouldn’t mind be a candidate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
fun time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Tire guy told me to come
back and spend more than just one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He would be here for me to find when I came back this way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Q7FB7KgUyUE_8LnREHrz1xH-zPt0GpsgBgoieUmQ69yU1y50KZM2OlDHqw8eVuTiGUlgtUkc_oCNJ3LBGeyaVc68lcZIUMGA8alLkLxI7-gkxr6wi1U8473TYpZqKl7na-8bit5nXZU/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Q7FB7KgUyUE_8LnREHrz1xH-zPt0GpsgBgoieUmQ69yU1y50KZM2OlDHqw8eVuTiGUlgtUkc_oCNJ3LBGeyaVc68lcZIUMGA8alLkLxI7-gkxr6wi1U8473TYpZqKl7na-8bit5nXZU/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Biltmore Village.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next morning, I was on my way to the Biltmore Village
and hoping to take a peek at the Biltmore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Biltmore was the largest privately owned home and was built by the
George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s still owned by the Vanderbilt family and
is quite the tourist attraction in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s also about a $50 fee just to walk in the door and then you can shop
or walk through parts of the gilded house and HUGE garden area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounded like it could take hours and
sounded very expensive which wasn’t on my agenda for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put this on my list of come back and see
later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I did however take a bit of time to visit the nearby
Biltmore Village which is a quaint little shopping upscale shopping village
near the Biltmore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the village
was built by the Vanderbilt’s for the employees of the Biltmore Estate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The village covers about a five block city
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s little cottage like houses
which contain various shops and restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are cute little street lamps, brick sidewalks, trolley tourist
cars, and horse drawn carriages too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s also a Catholic Church that takes up a large corner area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wandered around the area with plenty of
free parking (something Helen, GA could learn here).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place was packed with all kinds of holiday
shoppers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfSntJ0DrlcEeyCGa1rhN9GPPcd20QvJS4BH8T6MlIMRD3CdQmmnbAxxsoKeldOgWBrSQgxP6L-AoRMaQgX86Oh2YRhntNeJr-8ruS1BXfMCWN7NRaEsFNitq2XsUKRcmGUwKobOnvjU/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfSntJ0DrlcEeyCGa1rhN9GPPcd20QvJS4BH8T6MlIMRD3CdQmmnbAxxsoKeldOgWBrSQgxP6L-AoRMaQgX86Oh2YRhntNeJr-8ruS1BXfMCWN7NRaEsFNitq2XsUKRcmGUwKobOnvjU/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the glass art shop in Biltmore Village.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There were some wonderful shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite was a shop that had blown glass
art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the round glass balls
looked like they had flower blossoms inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another shop that I thought was fun was a Christmas Store with all kinds
of thing Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I got a
kick out of a tree that was self-flocking <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with little white pebble-like beads that would
shoot out from the top of the tree and be caught on the tree or by a round
green saucer at the bottom of the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sorry, I didn’t venture a look on the price tag on this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know all of you want one of these for
Christmas. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZfDFjiAevpB2UYPyFhoygg5VTrQ5Q6Lc-5FK5086st-Tdp6KJ3OIwflSqMyoU7OcAM8WpKyoKLVYXcCvKqlZCGFIuujewbJweMI3GimmaI8jDzTM8XGPpAAUq1RW_7iWGnqe8cc8fpw/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZfDFjiAevpB2UYPyFhoygg5VTrQ5Q6Lc-5FK5086st-Tdp6KJ3OIwflSqMyoU7OcAM8WpKyoKLVYXcCvKqlZCGFIuujewbJweMI3GimmaI8jDzTM8XGPpAAUq1RW_7iWGnqe8cc8fpw/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- In the River Arts Area of Asheville, NC.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I drove over to the River Arts area in Asheville and
on the way I tried to take a peek at the Biltmore but the trees surrounding it
are like a full forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove along
the river and down by the railroad tracks for a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then off to the side there is an area that
has old brick warehouse buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is the river Arts area of Asheville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
guess I was hoping for more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just
one large warehouse row with artists’ studios inside and a large graveled
parking lot out front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explored a few
studio areas and there was some wonderful art but there wasn’t much else out
that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They needed a restaurant or a
coffee shop or something out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
one end of the warehouse row, there was a large antique store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove back to the interstate and headed
west towards the Great Smokey Mountains National Park which I had planned to
visit for most of the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiN4Q_T54LpyF29h0kyVONpTLwKCEq07h61J_76j8mT7XYgiMr0pNmTibKmEa9TA4YxU5tPWC5S4LdchG9oNDtTa-Zmmp1uyfwVWbDYKoOtDZ_8Q8vl0EB3KEQfC_qWyiosiDiZYqOZR4/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiN4Q_T54LpyF29h0kyVONpTLwKCEq07h61J_76j8mT7XYgiMr0pNmTibKmEa9TA4YxU5tPWC5S4LdchG9oNDtTa-Zmmp1uyfwVWbDYKoOtDZ_8Q8vl0EB3KEQfC_qWyiosiDiZYqOZR4/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Blue Ridge Parkway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From Asheville I headed west and then south to Maggie
Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped for a quick lunch at a
fast food chain restaurant called Bojangles which is a bit like a KFC but very
southern type touches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could order
dirty rice as a side and it appeared that everything on the menu had a Cajun
version to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, I headed west to Soco
Gap and turned onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Blue Ridge Parkway runs along the spine of the Smokey Mountains and
there are some amazing views but I will warn you there are some steep and curvy
areas of road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But with these views it
very worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, there was no
snow yet or this section would have been closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elevation of the road runs between 5000
to 6000 ft. and closes in the winter quite often.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaH2v7e82wxDB5zZoWJAmekTPYyxK7vr60RebPuVuzCusv1784XWrqhaujsNMPqAwjHz-5fBg6ZjLubyrcGAQ05IxjQH_mmeMNF0skXuMVB4fEiPjyCHuXZXIQzdEW9uDHD2VBt_du1U/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaH2v7e82wxDB5zZoWJAmekTPYyxK7vr60RebPuVuzCusv1784XWrqhaujsNMPqAwjHz-5fBg6ZjLubyrcGAQ05IxjQH_mmeMNF0skXuMVB4fEiPjyCHuXZXIQzdEW9uDHD2VBt_du1U/s400/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- One of several views along the Blue Ridge Highway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I took a right hand turn onto Hwy 441 and was at the
Oconaluftee Visitor’s Center for the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned in and went into the center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was packed and there were tons of people
sitting listening to some live Christmas music being played by local people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People were singing along with the
music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked to a parks employee and every
Saturday before Christmas they have this event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All of the musicians are locals and it’s like what they call a “front
porch” session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all just show up
and they go around and have each musician pick a Christmas song that they would
like to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the guys on a banjo
played “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” which had everyone laughing by the
end of the tune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat down and enjoyed
singing along for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very
festive atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People and musicians
would come and go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuR_HNu1y4lOG3VnbSBwmPI-T0HTIxJNfBjIg1IM-dLY68qHuFfzVltNGAjdoJZcHjFiUKD2IHHubB1RnCoj0fwnAz8QOT9vbrP2Ymuu61fTfpGhX48E2DRK9ozqTfG6z-r9J2Or-vYvw/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuR_HNu1y4lOG3VnbSBwmPI-T0HTIxJNfBjIg1IM-dLY68qHuFfzVltNGAjdoJZcHjFiUKD2IHHubB1RnCoj0fwnAz8QOT9vbrP2Ymuu61fTfpGhX48E2DRK9ozqTfG6z-r9J2Or-vYvw/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Some southern Christmas FUN at the visitor's center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a while, I got up to go see the park but first I went
through the museum part of the visitor’s center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It told the history of the park and how it
was finally made a national park in 1934.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The museum told the story of how the roads were built for the park with
the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp.) during the Great Depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum talked about the culture and the
life in the area but what got me most was there was a HUGE fake pig hanging in
an area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a strange site to see at
a National Park Visitor’s Center. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TUDW7d5N1KwQYsdoZjH7AO67vHpjoMwpgcdLYFzjzo7e_CoWl8VBhiNUtS5X6AK9kRt4_qhlwy01RZr0xMtjBQO5mLr7UD8CJ5lPsBCis7iXu9YGHW9Ss0LeYe8H3P735pTL-8R34f8/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TUDW7d5N1KwQYsdoZjH7AO67vHpjoMwpgcdLYFzjzo7e_CoWl8VBhiNUtS5X6AK9kRt4_qhlwy01RZr0xMtjBQO5mLr7UD8CJ5lPsBCis7iXu9YGHW9Ss0LeYe8H3P735pTL-8R34f8/s320/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+065.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- The Great Smokey Mountains!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0sOqbSytmR-VjcZAeDbSpoSv3LYae5er6mCBG-pNnp4FvMZIBrGGjo_DSrCLFflnyA79jF6bIIFMSORkZbIczNtYUKE7w6zvZwObMpoFvSME-kXtCpuckPgIWCgzHo-uTLKWcv9ToeM/s1600/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0sOqbSytmR-VjcZAeDbSpoSv3LYae5er6mCBG-pNnp4FvMZIBrGGjo_DSrCLFflnyA79jF6bIIFMSORkZbIczNtYUKE7w6zvZwObMpoFvSME-kXtCpuckPgIWCgzHo-uTLKWcv9ToeM/s400/DAY+117,118-+BIG+Adventure+068.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I drove through the park and stopped here and there to
take pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was rather cold and
very windy day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a bit disappointed
that the road to Clingman’s Dome was closed for the season. At 6643 ft., Clingman’s
Dome is the highest point east of the Mississippi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were quite a few roads to trail heads
that were closed in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just
stopped here and there; deciding not to do any hiking today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, I got to the other side of the
park and the Sugarlands Visitor’s Center where I stopped to use the
restrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also got a bumper sticker
and a couple of postcards too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, I was off heading north through the crowded town of
Gatlinburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was stop and go traffic
coming out of the park and I was so glad that I decided to drive into the park
from the south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there, I took some
back roads and worked my way up to I-40.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On I-40, I headed west to Knoxville, TN where I would stay the
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun was going down and it was
starting to rain so I slowed down and took my time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was dark when I finally got checked into
my hotel for the night.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-14678635956390243922012-12-17T21:21:00.000-08:002012-12-17T21:21:22.159-08:00DAY 116- Helen, Anna Ruby Falls, & the Appalachian Mountains…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was dark when I arrived in Helen, GA last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Helen is a cute small German town on the
south end of the Appalachian Mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>About all I could see were these cute German-like hamlets decorated with
Christmas lights as I drove through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
hotel recommended a German restaurant in the middle of town called Bodensee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a wonderful pork dish that came on a
skewer served up with a sauce and a side of cold German potato salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was delightful and the German potato salad
was better than I had in years. Yum!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrFD3h4Kd8TaUWvfTbmAK-du0cBt_co7SkJF2FzwYC2V1FacSjHBwQur6PqGVxwhBMKLC74n5NY4RU0Yui0Q6W6-H2AFaNg2qCMO9VDIdW8YYFoM1KN-jMlNnfPIIktbdSmAckWjf1zo/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrFD3h4Kd8TaUWvfTbmAK-du0cBt_co7SkJF2FzwYC2V1FacSjHBwQur6PqGVxwhBMKLC74n5NY4RU0Yui0Q6W6-H2AFaNg2qCMO9VDIdW8YYFoM1KN-jMlNnfPIIktbdSmAckWjf1zo/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Helen at night with Christmas Lights.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XUKjOmXgKUcakp4FjNkp4rPUJR8yMQ_dosRf0ZsSOX8cBnJjYHHlgQG2m6pZsVJycZgtvQxHA40k_Uag7-IxmwTHEWnj5B4ae3l4P6nd7ZorQsvGL2yk6ER3yC8_d5v9y9MmJvrZO3w/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XUKjOmXgKUcakp4FjNkp4rPUJR8yMQ_dosRf0ZsSOX8cBnJjYHHlgQG2m6pZsVJycZgtvQxHA40k_Uag7-IxmwTHEWnj5B4ae3l4P6nd7ZorQsvGL2yk6ER3yC8_d5v9y9MmJvrZO3w/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next morning I could see the town much more
clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was adorably cute with all
of the German touches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I jumped in my
car and headed over to the visitor’s center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I got directions to a trial head of a local waterfall called Anna
Ruby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then decided that I would
explore some of Helen before I headed north out of town to the waterfalls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, long story short-- I ended up going
back to the hotel to ask if I could park there because everywhere else in town
it was a $4 to $6 fee for parking in lot that was 90% empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gal at the desk said that would be fine
and apologized for not telling me about the parking situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7Lv-DFxscU2OGdkKpt6Mxa31DZ163EPY_nlNuLbLkbMoP-LnFr48lXevSMJNkSuf1Zn817UMejuKynuDc2VemKmG3I6xSxc4bo4Lpd13HCYLYMS7WjUml8SMHTjqlzwIepvNmXmP9bc/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7Lv-DFxscU2OGdkKpt6Mxa31DZ163EPY_nlNuLbLkbMoP-LnFr48lXevSMJNkSuf1Zn817UMejuKynuDc2VemKmG3I6xSxc4bo4Lpd13HCYLYMS7WjUml8SMHTjqlzwIepvNmXmP9bc/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Helen, GA during the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAiH77kbR_K0_VSBbz1WtI_xzGpGSATO0AacqEXnCmJkpcyTK1GmQyaHrMBB7Z-HtvfqeusLMYJAhg5xykw_NM6uQBBef3gzy4VudPhDBz82J9rn2AZI4EQrJmmzBsD7sWIK3apGlgbU/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAiH77kbR_K0_VSBbz1WtI_xzGpGSATO0AacqEXnCmJkpcyTK1GmQyaHrMBB7Z-HtvfqeusLMYJAhg5xykw_NM6uQBBef3gzy4VudPhDBz82J9rn2AZI4EQrJmmzBsD7sWIK3apGlgbU/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+093.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s plenty of parking but they charge and to me it
doesn’t seem conducive to encouraging people to stop and visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when I talked with a coffee shop
owner he said that on some weekends it gets packed with people; especially
during Spring Break and the Christmas Season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, maybe that’s the reason but it seemed ridiculous to me during a
week day when the lots were empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I explored around Helen, GA going into several different
gift shops and cute clothing stores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a nice selection of items for a smaller community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also saw signs leading to a tubing area
north of town where during the warmer months for $3 you could float on an
intertube down the nice river past and through the town area and be picked up
just south of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounded like
fun and it also would explain all of the signs in the shops saying no shirts,
no shoes, and no service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
also quite a few little hotels with cottages that you could stay in that would
be romantic for a weekend getaway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
stopped for coffee and talked with the guy for a bit while he made my coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I headed north out of town about 3 miles and took a paved
road to a local state park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove
through the park to National Forest Land where the Anna Ruby Falls Trail head
starts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a National Forest Land
Visitor’s Center right next to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went in, paid $3 fee and then headed over to the start of the .4 mile paved
trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up talking just before I
started the hike with a forest ranger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He found out that I was from Utah and started to gab with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a nice older man who had visited
Zion’s National Park and asked me what brought me to their neck of the
woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was beginning to wonder if I
was ever going to get to the hike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
sure did like to talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually,
another couple came up and side tracked him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He invited me to come back and he would give me directions to where I
wanted to go later in the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijV0UJsjFoz5_-pwl_QnI_R80jl0e43f_e94TnaOEG7Z3x3te6FBcQmZr4UIKXIaKeWE5DqRf2SFOjFQeI06DMu1xBxZsF7ciX_ttvYUthme8YFljgl9uo0kN-d28sROYC_yTKzcQt4mI/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijV0UJsjFoz5_-pwl_QnI_R80jl0e43f_e94TnaOEG7Z3x3te6FBcQmZr4UIKXIaKeWE5DqRf2SFOjFQeI06DMu1xBxZsF7ciX_ttvYUthme8YFljgl9uo0kN-d28sROYC_yTKzcQt4mI/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+100.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The stream along the hike on the way to the Anna Ruby Falls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvrjPTwysfO75IJJNEf9LNPBS7Yukk4dLZkD9hh64r7dphT-0Obl34fgP4pZ1dNGxLklKUN1Gqo_T5JRLYlykgFCySQgccIlL6El5EGcqaHj5l8GWn3LR9Xbvy3ZO4ECFicU4T9RKJgc/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvrjPTwysfO75IJJNEf9LNPBS7Yukk4dLZkD9hh64r7dphT-0Obl34fgP4pZ1dNGxLklKUN1Gqo_T5JRLYlykgFCySQgccIlL6El5EGcqaHj5l8GWn3LR9Xbvy3ZO4ECFicU4T9RKJgc/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Anna Ruby Falls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Anna Ruby Falls Trail is a pretty hike that goes along a
stream area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a couple of
bridge areas where you go over the stream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are also bench areas to sit down as you go along, and it’s a bit
of an incline to get to the Falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
it well worth the short little hike and drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was like a triple waterfall, with two starts off the top; one started
lower to one side and the other one where it ran into another waterfall area
enjoyed the quiet for a while but then others with kids started to arrive and
it wasn’t so quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I headed back down
to the visitor’s center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The forest
ranger took me to a map area and he gave me several different ways that would
be a pretty drive over to Ashville, NC where I would be staying the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDwfJXUfHzcNN3CoyGvg-fNfQp_iySWVToOwpggdz655ipl54NEkvnevEncbg7W5Lh-qDeKKrjmPMfT7Dabb-ZeVhEVHqK12MujSZPIoad8DjfJRxmq1_yGuUz4NKgPExjIHGWuSzCNM/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDwfJXUfHzcNN3CoyGvg-fNfQp_iySWVToOwpggdz655ipl54NEkvnevEncbg7W5Lh-qDeKKrjmPMfT7Dabb-ZeVhEVHqK12MujSZPIoad8DjfJRxmq1_yGuUz4NKgPExjIHGWuSzCNM/s400/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+133.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The view from Popcorn Overlook.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next thing I found myself zooming this way and that way down some curvy two lane highway roads with some wonderful views of the Appalachian Mountains off in the distance. But eventually I needed to get on an interstate and into Asheville before it got dark outside. I pulled up to my hotel just as the sun was going down.JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-80853984470203227172012-12-16T07:10:00.002-08:002012-12-16T07:10:38.885-08:00DAY114, 115- Atlanta, GA….<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m watching the Sunday morning news as I write this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I’m a bit behind on the blogging 4 days
to be exact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m watching the news about
the tragedy in Connecticut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see these
photos across the TV of young lives taken SO early in life; too early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart goes out to those parents and that
community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help but wonder what’s
going on with our country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mall
shooting in a Portland Mall, a shooting in an elementary school in Connecticut ,
and I just heard on the news of another man firing outside of an outdoor mall
in Newport, CA(thankfully no one hurt) but it saddens me that places that
should be safe are for us to go are not really safe anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something needs to be done but what; I’m
unsure. I just pray that something positive comes out of it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>DAY 114, 115 –</u></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, here are the high lights from my two days in Atlanta,
GA…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ECoX5iwIS9i5ql1fDiC75d_I2jgprEZYL68_WC7xOyGipjFb8SsKFDniww84LQ28dCzjQeRoRAdAF-L9RaaHZy_TsHpDDyz-6ZegJOAffPD1M_j8MktBoh9lT-Yg9BsLS2Pyd4Ak4Ew/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ECoX5iwIS9i5ql1fDiC75d_I2jgprEZYL68_WC7xOyGipjFb8SsKFDniww84LQ28dCzjQeRoRAdAF-L9RaaHZy_TsHpDDyz-6ZegJOAffPD1M_j8MktBoh9lT-Yg9BsLS2Pyd4Ak4Ew/s400/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The low profile front of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>The Jimmy Carter Museum and Library with the Carter Center…</u></strong>This
was within a four block walk of my hotel room; I walked over on a bike/walk
path near it to the complex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
low profile type of place with a landscaped stairs leading down to a door area
with a reflection pond in front of the doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was understated and humble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
walked in and went to the gift shop to purchase a ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike the Ronald Regan Library that I was at
earlier on my trip; the Carter Complex didn’t check your bags and you didn’t
have to pre-purchase your tickets with times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was much more laid back atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was also a bit smaller than the Regan Library too; but then, there
wasn’t an Air Force One retired in the building either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It all started with a 10 minute movie about Jimmy Carter
that kind of just hit the highlights of his career and then went on to show
what he did after he left the presidency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It showed him accepting the Noble Peace Prize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there you went through to a hallway like
area where you went through his life as he grew and came into politics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very interesting watching the films
that they had of his speeches and others in his life talking about parts of his
life that they were involved with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
most interesting part for me was reading and watching film of the time frame
when his family and friends were helping him to campaign for the
presidency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had never really been
done like that before and it was ground breaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it has become standard political fare for
almost every politician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHD_FagJhxisExz0oZ6IOzV-lpXwmpmFNxTiLfXxhRPPSQqZMpxumCBNBLyqbjX2ivZn2G4TbB7GXytvpd2IOAh6paeC9jo0BoPbdDXvFMFwoH74vAloCk0JlWGJKsYYCyqBV_DwODAU/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHD_FagJhxisExz0oZ6IOzV-lpXwmpmFNxTiLfXxhRPPSQqZMpxumCBNBLyqbjX2ivZn2G4TbB7GXytvpd2IOAh6paeC9jo0BoPbdDXvFMFwoH74vAloCk0JlWGJKsYYCyqBV_DwODAU/s400/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+005.JPG" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- A interesting piece of Presidential artwork done. Look at the close up below...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWdWBs9mMGDcxcJbzvWYCa2lJ8rIZ9xoFvGHOOOpiaGl6WFvGGGmdLDPyXXu5I7jr62n9PsyLJ09QumKfg1hW_w1-7YoOCuCHa-k24WfBSHfdBO_9sw1y4FltcRbXS6tDxduGrC8HVy8/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWdWBs9mMGDcxcJbzvWYCa2lJ8rIZ9xoFvGHOOOpiaGl6WFvGGGmdLDPyXXu5I7jr62n9PsyLJ09QumKfg1hW_w1-7YoOCuCHa-k24WfBSHfdBO_9sw1y4FltcRbXS6tDxduGrC8HVy8/s400/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+006.JPG" width="325" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The museum showed what the oval office looked like when he
was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was also a section that
showed an average working day was like when he was president.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He started early and didn’t stop until late
in the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has an amazing work
ethic and it just amazes me on how much he has done in his life to affect the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last third of the museum
shows the what, how, and why of the Carter Center which is a wonderful place
where they are trying to eradicate diseases, promote democracy through fair
voting practices, and enabling people equal rights to fundamentals such as
access to clean water, food, and to homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s wonderful to know that there are people out there doing these
things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OW-qhXBunGSYvZKy7oXEGDKjVRhsjC7ElvmRqCMbtGig-ApuG-xbQKgdshSVLsa-3QTcAx0G2OHdavNJedCpfZUQjKuoPbuu6xsvyE9ADTEMaMrlkTQLY001XAzX8TT7tE3ITyIf-WI/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OW-qhXBunGSYvZKy7oXEGDKjVRhsjC7ElvmRqCMbtGig-ApuG-xbQKgdshSVLsa-3QTcAx0G2OHdavNJedCpfZUQjKuoPbuu6xsvyE9ADTEMaMrlkTQLY001XAzX8TT7tE3ITyIf-WI/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Yummy! A grilled cheese and a bowl of chili!</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>The Majestic Diner…</u></strong> I visited the last one of the chain
which is about 3 blocks from where I was staying in Atlanta, GA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first of this chain was started about a
mile away in 1929 and they were a thriving chain of diners that offered good
food that pleases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last one that
remains was built in the early 1930’s as part of a Plaza Shopping Center some
of which stands next door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The outside
of it almost looks like an old theater marquee with rows of lights and the neon
like signs announcing its presence to the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a wonderful bowl of chili with a kick
and a grilled cheese on marbled rye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was comfort food at its best and rather a treat to sit in a booth behind a row
of chairs along a counter area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could
just imagine people in years past coming in for lunch or a cup of coffee and
sitting here just like me watching the traffic go by on the street outside
while enjoying the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just has
such a history when a place has been open that long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I will say that it has been refurbished
but it has the same layout as when it originally opened up in the 1930’s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBl-4YcHYBA988fMwxbLugZcAeU_ivG2v3Z80kdxNKzVadtagVJFY7AOlSRIkXqs7KNO5DynFQc7swJdfr2dnuUeFu3xBB-i7S_L8Ieu1vY8MXRMAol-1BtlJizm7XhtCiJ90gIle8z4c/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBl-4YcHYBA988fMwxbLugZcAeU_ivG2v3Z80kdxNKzVadtagVJFY7AOlSRIkXqs7KNO5DynFQc7swJdfr2dnuUeFu3xBB-i7S_L8Ieu1vY8MXRMAol-1BtlJizm7XhtCiJ90gIle8z4c/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Majestic from outside.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>The Home of the Braves… Turner Field…</u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was one thing I was REALLY looking
forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew up watching the Braves
games on TBS and I guess you could say I ended up being a fan of them by default.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see there really are not any major
baseball teams in Iowa when I was growing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Chicago was as close as you would get but it was much easier watching
the Braves games on TBS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least it was
until; Turner Broadcast took the Braves games off the air in 1996.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that you had to settle for checking the
scores in the newspaper or on-line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
took a tour of the stadium; they give tours year round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB8fo7A0yoIYksma19lzkOy-93kz-tZaEEHelSmahMIsL5HcnSfNu3Lmbum_6nIIftRsxPNq4Jo9SaoaEYWJzx_PO7WYshL_x-7EoiX28VigFALOIXHCK0MK8pgcbK2Fce185oOZvljI/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB8fo7A0yoIYksma19lzkOy-93kz-tZaEEHelSmahMIsL5HcnSfNu3Lmbum_6nIIftRsxPNq4Jo9SaoaEYWJzx_PO7WYshL_x-7EoiX28VigFALOIXHCK0MK8pgcbK2Fce185oOZvljI/s320/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- I'm just behind home plate at Turner Field.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We started by going to the top of the stadium to the Sky
Field Area where you could look over the field but you could also overlook the
city skyline of Atlanta; along overlook the parking lot area where the old
stadium used to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This stadium was
opened up in the 1997 season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
wonderful view of the city and I bet that on a clear Summer evening game it
would be a beautiful scene of lights of Atlanta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sky Field Area is open to any ticket
holder but it is a standing only area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We worked our way down into the “club” level of the stadium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where the season ticket holders would
be and they would have to show their ticket to get into the air-conditioned
level; otherwise you would have to make do with a trip to the water misters on
the Sky Filed area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went into a
private box and saw what they looked like; couches, chairs, bar areas with
serving food areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the food
allowed into this area had to be catered through the Aramark Company that
handles all of the food in the stadium.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, we went into the press boxes and got to see where they
worked during a game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The live
organists, which Turner Field is one of few that has one, is placed among the
press box area where the writers are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The score keeper is also in there too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, we went into the locker room area where the players had their
gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was roped off because some of
the players keep their gear there year round; but that was neat to take a peek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">O</span>ur tour guide took us to what I would
refer to as the “high rollers” lounge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a nice restaurant area with tables and chairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These “high rollers” got whatever food they
wanted and even got it served to their cushioned seats which just happened to
be right behind home plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the
only other people that had a better view of the action at home plate would be
the umpire and the catcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These seats
were about 10 to 15ft. away from the action and I guess there was a waiting
list for them but at $20,000 per seat per season that’s too rich for my
blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and they require it to be a
set of two at minimum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there we
walked over to the dug out for a quick look around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, it was up through the stands to the
baseball museum which was where we started from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed on the way up that all of the seats
are angled to home plate and our tour guide said that was how this stadium was
designed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that was cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I then took the time to go through the baseball museum which
is very impressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is even a copy
of a contract signed by Babe Ruth who ended his career with this ball
club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was interesting going through
the museum and seeing how the game has changed over the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>The High Museum of Art…</u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This museum is in the heart of the east side of the downtown area but it
is a gem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what I was even more
fascinated with was the amazing building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a series of open areas with walk ways and had a large open atrium
that went from the top to the ground floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The ceiling on the upper floor was like a series of fluted
skylights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started with the top floor
after paying the $19 entrance fee which I thought was high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The current exhibition on the top floor is
called “Fast Forward: Modern Moments- 1913 to 2013” and featured 100 years of
modern artworks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were originals
from Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Rothko, Lichtenstein, and Jeff Coons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The show took the artworks by sections of
time frames and it was very interesting looking at what was going on
politically while they were doing their art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was an interesting perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYN-zxx49hti4VDlPnFi2sYv2J1_m85lolggSj2yIE0cWfjUO2mkSg86EynkgHScaan5XqHNG1sO9FUM9PcWfyf2Bac43MIyStwEkh9T781tTcAvkdCjgc5tFQkahyABxrJAz1s99jMQ/s1600/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYN-zxx49hti4VDlPnFi2sYv2J1_m85lolggSj2yIE0cWfjUO2mkSg86EynkgHScaan5XqHNG1sO9FUM9PcWfyf2Bac43MIyStwEkh9T781tTcAvkdCjgc5tFQkahyABxrJAz1s99jMQ/s400/DAY+114,115,116-+BIG+Adventure+052.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I went through another section of the museum that
featured works by Thornton Dial called “Hard Truths” this was a mixed media
large paneled works with a great deal of texture and bold colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of these I liked but some of them I must
admit I really hated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think that’s
the thing with art, it’s really very subjective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wandered around and around from floor to
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were sculptures, paintings,
and furniture all throughout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up
having to pick up my pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had only
planned about a two hour time frame and could have used days to see everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grabbed a quick bowl of soup and coffee in the
downstairs café before I headed out of the place. </span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-77893110132044265932012-12-14T06:28:00.000-08:002012-12-14T06:28:13.690-08:00DAY 113- Hay, Harriet, & Molly’s…
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was still raining when I got up in Macon, GA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a bit disappointed because I had hoped
to visit the Ocmulgee National Monument which is a preservation of southeastern
Native American culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess it has an
earth lodge and burial mounds on site but with the rainy weather some of it
would be closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also was considering
stopping by Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary in Locust, GA which would have been on
my way to Atlanta but that was open only when weather was permitting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rainy weather in this case was not a good
thing and I needed to find stuff I could do inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got my computer on-line after grabbing
breakfast and did some searching.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iAx_1JYO2MvGR5Bj-KL76ebRKHqLavv80bNzV1X4y2M_BsgHatRvbhaM_mVJqZoE81AyhF4AqsW8lON77JOpd66zWpEyaSadWe4MTEeee-Js-Ltx3iA3OXnOINA_N-Wkq5p_g-huqLA/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iAx_1JYO2MvGR5Bj-KL76ebRKHqLavv80bNzV1X4y2M_BsgHatRvbhaM_mVJqZoE81AyhF4AqsW8lON77JOpd66zWpEyaSadWe4MTEeee-Js-Ltx3iA3OXnOINA_N-Wkq5p_g-huqLA/s400/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+051.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Hay House from the front street area.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s where I found a place called
the Hay House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had some good
reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I googled the address for it
and also got the address and directions for a Harriet Tubman Museum nearby too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured between those two, I could fill a few hours before I needed to drive on
to Atlanta, GA for the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I pulled up to the house and I have to admit that the
on-line pictures didn’t do it justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
beautiful old Italian Renaissance house on a well sculptured landscaped corner
lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I parked across the street and saw
a sign that said for tours enter through the back entrance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked around to the back door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked in and told them I was interested in
a tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a bit of a discount with
my AAA and I was introduced to my lovely tour guide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had a good friend that moved to Utah recently
and we started talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was more like
taking a tour with a good friend and it was rather fun; it was just myself and
the tour guide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My tour guide took me into a room in the basement where she
told me the history of the Hay House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The house was built by Mr. William Butler Johnston who was a wealthy
retired man in his 40’s and his new bride in her 20’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had gone on a 3 year honeymoon trip in
Europe and came back to Macon inspired to build a house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building of the house started in 1855
and was finished up in 1859; this occurred during the Civil War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took a bit longer because there weren’t
many craftsmen available to build houses; most of them had volunteered to go
off to war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when it was finished it
was referred to as the “Palace of the South”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The house passed on through to further generations of the
family until it became too large and expensive to up keep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, it was sold in 1926 to the wealthy Mr.
Hay who was a founder of a bank and life insurance company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1977, it was donated by Hay family
descendants to the Georgia Trust Historic Preservation where eventually it was
designated as a National Historic Landmark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which all I can say is that’s a very good thing because this house was
amazing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_mrCMLGux5dI3RlKQhajQF1hUkfwvRWvoNT_usJf2SY0KpJ88I2-MaKMnQ472VIfJY9QOXbz3T4nP51HZwwe3JNkjGoNwvZ38BTjkicc_Zly9uQ0Bi2BuDhstgeTMJg6GkJMdxSVO7Y/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_mrCMLGux5dI3RlKQhajQF1hUkfwvRWvoNT_usJf2SY0KpJ88I2-MaKMnQ472VIfJY9QOXbz3T4nP51HZwwe3JNkjGoNwvZ38BTjkicc_Zly9uQ0Bi2BuDhstgeTMJg6GkJMdxSVO7Y/s400/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+050.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The front door area of the Hay House.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the basement, I went out a side door and my tour guide
let me in from the front door where the porch had an amazing design that I
didn’t see when I went around to the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The front doors were 12 ft. tall and 5 inches thick carved wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked in through them and my breath was
taken away!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carved painted wood, molded
plaster, faux bois (painted wood graining), and hand painted friezes, etched
glass, and painted areas that looked amazingly like marble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in awe!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The tour guide kind of chuckled at me but I was speechless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It amazed me that all this high level of
craftsmanship took place in a time when it was done with hand tools; I could
really understand why it was called “The Palace of the South” because it was
and still maybe is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We went from room to room; while my tour guide pointed out
different aspects and nuances of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a Christmas luncheon being served in a large downstairs room
and we jumped ahead a bit to get those areas before they were filled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She talked and showed things that were restored
or made to look like the original.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
explained some of the ventilation and planning behind the house’s layout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to see one of the first ever elevators
that were installed into a house in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though, this one was more designed with the idea transporting kohl and
ash between the floors than people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, we went upstairs and I got to see where efforts were
still being made on the second for restoration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a little rougher up here and simpler but even then I saw the
possibilities of it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went through
the second floor and then down the backstairs to the basement into the kitchen
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She showed me the speaker tubes that were used to call servants
and explained how they worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
a drawing and an open floor area that showed some of the heating and cooling
that were used for the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> That was the end of the tour but </span>I ended up chatting with the tour guide for a
while until another group showed up for a tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, they do not allow photography to be taken inside of the
home. However, I did take a few of the outside
afterwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvjuz2PWFPDG9bZIWRAuyGriVGA5o0BPcoyn96TgJkAGdFM8n10luHvQcCPFb_Hv5y9t8b60lQQOSx2LJjTD8vNg3f48OeWsQrkIivkz2NKMvUQt9XiHf-5AW9ANAUJQidRxf92w_8KU/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvjuz2PWFPDG9bZIWRAuyGriVGA5o0BPcoyn96TgJkAGdFM8n10luHvQcCPFb_Hv5y9t8b60lQQOSx2LJjTD8vNg3f48OeWsQrkIivkz2NKMvUQt9XiHf-5AW9ANAUJQidRxf92w_8KU/s400/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+061.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The wall murals in the first room at the Tubman African American Museum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I drove over to the Tubman African American
Museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paid the entrance fee and then the layout of the museum
was explained to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This museum has
been in existence since 1981 and since then it has been preserving, collecting,
and exhibiting works of art and historical artifacts of the African American culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the largest museum in the southeast
dedicated to African American history, art, and culture in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was named in honor of Harriet Tubman who is
described as a “Black Moses” for leading slaves to freedom and serving as a
Union spy, nurse, during the Civil War.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The museum starts with a room full of colorful painted wall murals
which feature Africans throughout history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Harriet Tubman is featured prominently in one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you turn the corner there’s an area
dedicated to Harriet Tubman with photos, documents, newspaper articles, and
even a wanted posted stating a reward for her capture during the Civil
War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next you enter into an exhibit hall
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At current they were exhibiting
Mr. Imagination’s artwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was born
in Chicago under the name of Gregory Warmack and he uses cast off objects in
his art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is best known for using
bottle caps in his artwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess you
could almost say he was the father of now what we call recycled art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the next room, the museum shows more current art African
American art from local Georgia artists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was one piece I liked in particular called <em><u>I’d Rather Two-Step Than
Waltz, Step Three</u></em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mixed media
features two figures of a young girl and boy in a dancing pose with other
object surrounding them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just a
fascinating piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, the museum went
on to show Folk Art and explained what it is and why it is important to a
culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next was the Inventors Gallery
and had a sampling of what inventions came from the minds of African Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing to see the inventions; some of
which get used in our everyday life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIeBDnGZEeVIgxHWHwn5U8o9y-UoyVinxPOh8M27UiZ_bJK5CpMHcdjEDM4-DbIdHCo7eNB3Rh2kR-u1Kju5edd5hobVTEAwiU64MWHkJzvAAzXsQEwb1zvUB729tK_a67BmT68-Y6XDw/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIeBDnGZEeVIgxHWHwn5U8o9y-UoyVinxPOh8M27UiZ_bJK5CpMHcdjEDM4-DbIdHCo7eNB3Rh2kR-u1Kju5edd5hobVTEAwiU64MWHkJzvAAzXsQEwb1zvUB729tK_a67BmT68-Y6XDw/s320/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+067.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Inventors Gallery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From there, I climbed upstairs to a second
floor where there more African American art and a film that’s playing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The film is based on the true life story of
two slaves that escaped the Macon, GA during the Civil War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From that area you went into a larger area
that had pottery and other pieces of art on the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed at how large the place was
because it doesn’t appear to be that large from the outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked down the stairs and checked out the gift
shop area before I left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a
bumper sticker and purchased it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I was getting ready to leave, I asked the women where a
good place would be to have lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
mentioned a couple of places but then said that I would probably like Molly’s
on Cherry Street and gave me directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Molly’s on Cherry Street was a simple little place on the corner that
does new specials every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the
gumbo-like soup that the gal mentioned was the soup of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said it was very hearty and I will admit
that it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have called it more
a stew than a soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a chicken
salad sandwich on a croissant with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was a hearty sandwich too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had a mud brownie with a bit of ice-cream for dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But more than the food or the place itself;
it was one of those places were you were made to feel welcomed and at
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The server and the host made you
feel like part of the family and they quite often were hugging regular people
as they came in through the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was a very local place and one filled with all kinds of warmth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next with a happy tummy, I found myself on my way driving to
Atlanta, GA.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-31196326426855491842012-12-13T17:59:00.000-08:002012-12-13T17:59:18.894-08:00DAY 112- Civil Rights and a Confederate Capital…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Early the next morning I went to downtown Montgomery to the Rosa Parks Museum that is run by Troy University.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rosa Park has been referred to as the Mother
of the Civil Rights Movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
wonderful experience visiting the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I started in a room the showed a film of Montgomery now and then it showed how the
city was prior to the arrest of Rosa Parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were local citizens of the community that spoke on film of their
memories of how it was with the Jim Crowe Laws in effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The film showed photos of signs of white only
and black only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, the doors opened
up into a room where there was a old bus in the middle of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It was like a step into the past. </span>Through the windows of the bus played out the
scene of Rosa Parks’ arrest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rosa was
firm but passive during the whole event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She maintained her dignity too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It was fascinating to watch.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4H0pJi5yeR53sK-uAypDYoRs6gcEmnRedwZGOnQ6EgPSg_3cbj5Gc5bkjf19rYfAPkjxRz21HMCJp12yNsSTsHCBNjO9qkHckU4wvwmNgrCFsGQ8nPu5IFgCqPxCbVoq5A2J6hxEDK5A/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4H0pJi5yeR53sK-uAypDYoRs6gcEmnRedwZGOnQ6EgPSg_3cbj5Gc5bkjf19rYfAPkjxRz21HMCJp12yNsSTsHCBNjO9qkHckU4wvwmNgrCFsGQ8nPu5IFgCqPxCbVoq5A2J6hxEDK5A/s400/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+001.JPG" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Just inside of the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, AL.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, a set of church doors opened and I learned
about what happened within the community after that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very interesting to learn about the
influence that Rosa Parks had on Martin Luther King too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also amazing the level of planning and
community involvement that it took to keep the boycott going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a great deal of organizing that
went into the carpooling that managed to get people to their jobs over the 13 month boycott.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef3hVogyfxOa65fOrIAODoMYFjQtjJmK3S5fyQqL0kvWG-ErzN9EPKAxETMFPB3Hui5z4nx_ASedLpn3JCWWWhXPQCCDEcAk469bWyL1ao2HQKR43xx3G4jUbOPJsn-8twwr1XVLGUDs/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef3hVogyfxOa65fOrIAODoMYFjQtjJmK3S5fyQqL0kvWG-ErzN9EPKAxETMFPB3Hui5z4nx_ASedLpn3JCWWWhXPQCCDEcAk469bWyL1ao2HQKR43xx3G4jUbOPJsn-8twwr1XVLGUDs/s320/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The home Martin Luther King lived in Montgomery, AL <br />
which is now a museum and was closed for the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I found I had to laugh a bit and found it rather ironic that I ended up following a
Montgomery City Bus on the way to Martin Luther King Jr’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The home had been turned into a museum but had been bombed when the Kings lived there. </span>Well, the MLK House was closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Darn it! </span>So I just ended up driving by and taking a
photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V4RhWuZ4kAy5Upz_G7ePjRE7gfsD67hDYTeqVIlxlcFuV7W5hbCs32LPoeGVxIx0X2u0rImOxfAmIrQAeZbRrqThY-jiC1lLSkJ_PQnhZFQezPoq4eM40r3a208b1qYqiB7c6bC_jC8/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V4RhWuZ4kAy5Upz_G7ePjRE7gfsD67hDYTeqVIlxlcFuV7W5hbCs32LPoeGVxIx0X2u0rImOxfAmIrQAeZbRrqThY-jiC1lLSkJ_PQnhZFQezPoq4eM40r3a208b1qYqiB7c6bC_jC8/s320/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The front of the Alabama State Capital.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, I parked my car a few blocks away in front of the
Alabama State Capital which happened to be the same Capital that was used by
the Confederates as a base for government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I really found it interesting that all of this history was within a few
blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put money in the parking meter
and then walked up the front steps of the Capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, a group of elegantly clad high school
kids were coming down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked like a
choir with the boys in suits and the girls in long blue taffeta skirts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt a bit under dressed and wondered if
something special was going on in the Capital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ApTiusAYCmGMpGWU8Aj0qeaBAWrqA4CsN_RyLe_mFrVJPdrNtiWZESJC_uaTbQEvUmwropkwsbrbZJzujRvoY0FAoLgvzorJTs3_F7-IV_bM3FxZEDdIPfadTwwAvphW5IHQg8KhLy0/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ApTiusAYCmGMpGWU8Aj0qeaBAWrqA4CsN_RyLe_mFrVJPdrNtiWZESJC_uaTbQEvUmwropkwsbrbZJzujRvoY0FAoLgvzorJTs3_F7-IV_bM3FxZEDdIPfadTwwAvphW5IHQg8KhLy0/s400/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+013.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The foyer area just inside the front door of the Alabama State Capital.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The state capital of Alabama is like a mini replica of our
nation’s capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s white with the
columns down the front and a dome up top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s placed on a hill that I found out was called “Goat’s Hill” which accounts
for the gift shop’s name in the basement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took a picture of the outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They have a statue in the front that’s Mr. Confederate President himself,
Mr. Jefferson Davis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m always fascinated
that they like to brag about their confederate history here in the south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would’ve been embarrassed to be a part of
this but here they almost brag about it; which makes it even more interesting
that a few blocks away is a museum dedicated to the mother of civil rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The south is such a quandary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjg_R37OY8I1y2YL-JNk8ZKUoYraWabnGYyMEgd68rSZez8kW1HhY_RlDw2k7JP48rp2Yowc3bQot15ntcMyy3B0DaJ_cac8vw1pGMT-eAp5pMuYL3WGFzTePHAOXD0iYa_F0ZdmvO8w/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjg_R37OY8I1y2YL-JNk8ZKUoYraWabnGYyMEgd68rSZez8kW1HhY_RlDw2k7JP48rp2Yowc3bQot15ntcMyy3B0DaJ_cac8vw1pGMT-eAp5pMuYL3WGFzTePHAOXD0iYa_F0ZdmvO8w/s320/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Of the rotunda of the Alabama State Capital.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrK-TGBQ0E45piEhwfJSh6saNSnqYJnAy9xoVlHz2tnwry57gZ_EJV0HtZbHrH-QxlEn-FZhB5EP5hOr7tUqvM-H3ew9izUgTIeblXHCMKYa9dYnEnWmA_udBD11bfR2rZfEM-nOWDsA/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrK-TGBQ0E45piEhwfJSh6saNSnqYJnAy9xoVlHz2tnwry57gZ_EJV0HtZbHrH-QxlEn-FZhB5EP5hOr7tUqvM-H3ew9izUgTIeblXHCMKYa9dYnEnWmA_udBD11bfR2rZfEM-nOWDsA/s320/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walk into the front door of the capital expecting security
like most state capitals with roped off areas, a scanner and a gate that I
would walk through; after I empty my pockets of change and keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a large Christmas tree in a foyer with
stairs wrapping up on each side as I walk in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Off to one side and back, there’s a security guard sitting at a table
with an older lady at an information table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s a table and detection gate way back and off to the side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I say hi and the guard asks to check my purse
and then after a bit has me walk through the gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very laid back type of thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really surprised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I got a map of the capital from the lady and she asked where
I was from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was rather proud that
someone as far away as Utah wanted to see her state capital. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She asked me to sign the visitor’s book and
welcomed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there I just walked
around on the main level which was mostly all white walls with elaborate
molding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Down the center hall, they must
have had some event going on there were men in military outfits and dressed up
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked around them; getting
the eye from some state policeman with a wide brimmed flat hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took out my camera, took pictures, and read
signage about the building. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The state
policeman is really keeping an eye on me and standing next to another man that
other people are shaking his hand and wanting to talk with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out later that I was actually in the
same room as the Alabama governor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their
security is very laid back; it was mind boggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dJIfga_JtDl33PpaqRt_-BHt-uXmi-BDm0O4iepfZiwOV6AknRYgrtoVBUuwDVBkduuP7pi6mOtRgMPfGklMk6007lf1_3kikbZOIc_phHCulhD-MDewc0JGV-RtS3jpyWvpU9YCLP0/s1600/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dJIfga_JtDl33PpaqRt_-BHt-uXmi-BDm0O4iepfZiwOV6AknRYgrtoVBUuwDVBkduuP7pi6mOtRgMPfGklMk6007lf1_3kikbZOIc_phHCulhD-MDewc0JGV-RtS3jpyWvpU9YCLP0/s320/DAY+112,113-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The first floor area, all very white.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked up to the next level where I could see in the dome
area which was lovely but smaller than other capitals I have been in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also amazed at how many doors were open
and I could see Capital workers and statesman at work at their desks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very much open door policy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, there were only a couple of hallway
areas that were roped off from visitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Otherwise it was a free for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked down the back stairs to the gift shop which the
information lady had recommended I visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was another lax set of security guards by the back door with a
table off to the side and the detection gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I walked by them saying hi and walked into the gift shop just across the
hall from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will say that this was the nicest gift shop
I have seen in any of the state capitals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was well presented and had a lot of items made in Alabama which I was
amazed at the variety; from pottery to Alabama mud stained t-shirts to scented
candles handmade tiled angel ornaments to cheese sticks (??) to candies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a couple of postcards and could help
but laugh about the Alabama mud stained t-shirts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I was fueled up and heading out of town heading east
through Alabama back country towards Macon, GA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was about 30 miles out and it’s raining with dark clouds in the sky
when the car radio announces a thunderstorm warning until 2pm and a tornado
watch until 3pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was strange because
I haven’t had to worry about tornadoes for years since I moved away from Iowa and
here I was driving on a back road in Alabama with a tornado watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was almost out of the county that had this
watch but it made me keep an eye on those dark clouds a little more closely and
be aware of what shelter may be in the area as I drove along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR_VykmEpz972RdGSVQce2Pw7Zwk4HccHmrZTLmK8P-fHtB9-DGAFcYf8L9M5j3wLuoqCDtNZzIc_QLCFVqdSAkqR5wUM-902JJ3NJkQDXnG0FrxLSlcqYv3uc-KbYcZpVJ0-PmfgsHw/s1600/DAY+112%252C113-+BIG+Adventure+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR_VykmEpz972RdGSVQce2Pw7Zwk4HccHmrZTLmK8P-fHtB9-DGAFcYf8L9M5j3wLuoqCDtNZzIc_QLCFVqdSAkqR5wUM-902JJ3NJkQDXnG0FrxLSlcqYv3uc-KbYcZpVJ0-PmfgsHw/s400/DAY+112%252C113-+BIG+Adventure+038.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A Hillbilly Mall along a back road in Alabama? Now that wasn't surprising!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was pouring rain when I got to Macon, GA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to drive right to the hotel; only
to find I had made the reservation for the next night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ooopps!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We got that rectified and I got settled in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I proceeded to try to locate a pizza place in
the area but there was none; even though there was no shortage of restaurants
nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally gave up because
driving in the area was near impossible with all the accidents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They really don’t know how to drive in Macon
when it rains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a Sammy’s BBQ
place about a block from my hotel and went in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was a rustic little BBQ place where a majority of the
clientele was local southern middle class whites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I seemed to fit right in except for having no
accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered a half slab of ribs
with coleslaw and fries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ribs came
hidden under the fries and a piece of garlic bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were 4 different sauces to choose from
on the table; I went with sweet and spicy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was good stuff!</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-61773749083850636942012-12-12T18:02:00.000-08:002012-12-12T18:02:22.816-08:00DAY111- Mobile to Montgomery with a Florida Pit Stop…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke up to pure fog this morning and I was being to wonder
if that was all they got along the coast during the winter time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took my time before checking out because I
didn’t want to be driving and trying to find my way in the fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 10am, it had finally lifted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I headed south through the downtown area of
Mobile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quite the skyline to look
at and it was rather cool to drive through a tunnel under part of the city
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I didn’t stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to check out some of the coastal
communities and make a quick drive through Pensacola, FL before heading north
to Montgomery, AL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way out of Mobile, I passed a HUGE
naval warship, the USS Alabama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought better of trying the inside of another warship after my panic attack I
had inside the last one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I did get
to admire the bay as I drove along.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRi4J1KtWoGuJ7yUBEcmPJPJjKli3p3JiHwiPuXfDBAGC_O5-4jvU77gr9sm44CvrghahOOhAbJLWYsbmm1vL2bAac1vA19kNe06RyMgjmU8ZEH-NWEdTwL2DUAy6K4D2zi1QOtNAZEO8/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRi4J1KtWoGuJ7yUBEcmPJPJjKli3p3JiHwiPuXfDBAGC_O5-4jvU77gr9sm44CvrghahOOhAbJLWYsbmm1vL2bAac1vA19kNe06RyMgjmU8ZEH-NWEdTwL2DUAy6K4D2zi1QOtNAZEO8/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+100.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The city skyline of Mobile, AL.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_EnxCd0mchMyGDhOmXwB5Z4uF_nBwIJZYd9fNz9qqM38-MRU6_Jg5VnV84Di0Deht8YwCDB__RxolmcRAbi6JfPv_I2TuAcBhyYflrh5mPN-iLJIaOXncKP6-3W7gvCY50EGT7bXLhM/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_EnxCd0mchMyGDhOmXwB5Z4uF_nBwIJZYd9fNz9qqM38-MRU6_Jg5VnV84Di0Deht8YwCDB__RxolmcRAbi6JfPv_I2TuAcBhyYflrh5mPN-iLJIaOXncKP6-3W7gvCY50EGT7bXLhM/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+103.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The tunnel under part of downtown Mobile, AL.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I drove along the scenic highway route to the small township
of Fairhope that I had heard was a small artistic community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a cute little town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw bicyclists and runners along a path
that ran parallel to the road. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were three square blocks of businesses for the downtown with a marina off in
the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were quite a few
artistic looking shops and a cute garden shop with metal armadillos walking
across the front lawn area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it being
Sunday, mostly everything was closed up and the only areas packed with cars
were the churches; especially the Catholic Church as I went by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t dressed for church at all and so I
continued on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IMHEEkQVU6xYssJiLgZ1JJyNNUF3Ry9i6sBcTcTWNzpYYfuHSbis1UPm4HQeO2yBKCUM2wjtSlVdx8fNlPbEXcg5fQSVLCRgf1KjxTL059sAi_tJzvonvEdFggSI485eo-uaWriJXQ8/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IMHEEkQVU6xYssJiLgZ1JJyNNUF3Ry9i6sBcTcTWNzpYYfuHSbis1UPm4HQeO2yBKCUM2wjtSlVdx8fNlPbEXcg5fQSVLCRgf1KjxTL059sAi_tJzvonvEdFggSI485eo-uaWriJXQ8/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+109.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Bicyclists along the street near Fairhope.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUShbu06U9p9Tsd0KMxEP7dPBqdcDvszyhTmY9hWAmqK3lC56ikWNy8Y_oJZordhDDGGqqSGpDJntkx45GGFy6tkA239DFvrPjDqO66dmXI_WS22ad-Sqea_tsv-b5TEGMSNe9EOm5BM/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUShbu06U9p9Tsd0KMxEP7dPBqdcDvszyhTmY9hWAmqK3lC56ikWNy8Y_oJZordhDDGGqqSGpDJntkx45GGFy6tkA239DFvrPjDqO66dmXI_WS22ad-Sqea_tsv-b5TEGMSNe9EOm5BM/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+113.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Armadillos for Christmas anyone?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, there was the town of Foley which had a few more
people out and about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pickup trucks and
trailers were more common and I was driving away from the coastline over
towards the Florida state line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
that, there were several other communities that I drove through very similar to
Foley with most of the businesses housed in metal warehouse like buildings off
to the side of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The land was
very flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a lot of fields
that looked like they were fallow cotton fields and other crops that I wasn’t
sure what they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove over a
bridge into Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here the landscape
changed a bit and became more hilly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were also a lot of Naval Base areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove by a large Naval Medical area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I followed the signs to the historic downtown
Pensacola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje15IJ-K0nDstW7lkt0ILfWfZYF2mKyHFZVM_CQNqXJtEX9_04Wk7XFphq-qPQZKqJs_09BPWS_RzoumsTDvw4SfYRU8F2uPhapBiWp6RnmtXc5ptym9-rfa48cl364XsTN4hr9q7Ax-k/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje15IJ-K0nDstW7lkt0ILfWfZYF2mKyHFZVM_CQNqXJtEX9_04Wk7XFphq-qPQZKqJs_09BPWS_RzoumsTDvw4SfYRU8F2uPhapBiWp6RnmtXc5ptym9-rfa48cl364XsTN4hr9q7Ax-k/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+118.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Andrew Jackson Statue in a Plaza Square in Pensacola, FL.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I stopped at a town plaza square that had a statue of Andrew
Jackson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In July of 1821, General
Jackson received West Florida from Spain and raised a flag in this very square to
claim it as part of the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as I
read the inscription on the back of the statue, it sounds like this square got
a lot of use as they listed other dates that other countries were raising flags
over this part of Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact,
there had been ten times that the flag had been “turned” over prior to General
Jackson earning the flag the last time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was a career boost to Andrew Jackson who ended up being a military
governor and then ended up in the position of President shortly after that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4r4n-2Pb5n8shCv8C7I9akeuo2wGveFb0D3BVEY4foGCpPJwLOsMxxUC6QaEGF1-S3l9fHXz0uH5RcPiZOkP5mIHdIF5TMrHwg2n8OnrrNaY7SEvrP7GRd_dJbXnhKq6FMTI9T4Bdm7g/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4r4n-2Pb5n8shCv8C7I9akeuo2wGveFb0D3BVEY4foGCpPJwLOsMxxUC6QaEGF1-S3l9fHXz0uH5RcPiZOkP5mIHdIF5TMrHwg2n8OnrrNaY7SEvrP7GRd_dJbXnhKq6FMTI9T4Bdm7g/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+121.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A statue of Ponce de Leon near the shore in Pensacola. </td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I walked down through the historic downtown area
towards the shoreline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only places
that seemed to be open were restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were a fair amount of people down by the shoreline; some sitting
on benches and enjoying the view with friends and family, while others were
fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an overcast cloudy and
rather windy day along the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could see sailboats out on the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here there was a statue of Ponce de Leon standing in a circle with
fountains spraying behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fountains
were accessible to play in, but with the cooler temps there weren’t any takers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowly worked my way back to the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JRRzAVTgyzf3_WUOEK3GN1Yk06JkGvdTxP97IiOdlMGlkmWfqgeGqidCnYGttIWFclNoV5u2QLT0vKfE8u4mr0YWZrlyb2mJq89yGLtwqQTjzdJrJ57DY1i9zQf0o1Xuw_hSehP2EjM/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JRRzAVTgyzf3_WUOEK3GN1Yk06JkGvdTxP97IiOdlMGlkmWfqgeGqidCnYGttIWFclNoV5u2QLT0vKfE8u4mr0YWZrlyb2mJq89yGLtwqQTjzdJrJ57DY1i9zQf0o1Xuw_hSehP2EjM/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+123.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Fishing and watching the sailboats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I still needed to work my way north towards Montgomery where
I was staying the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove north
through some forested land where there was new growth and old growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This land was being used for logging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had noticed seeing some logging trucks and
I now knew where some of them were coming from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The more north I went the more hilly the landscape became.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t many small towns just off the
road in this area and gas stations were sparse I’m glad I filled up before
leaving Pensacola.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I came to one small town just after crossing the border to
Alabama and stopped for a late lunch at a Hardee’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know any of these existed
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to work the graveyard
shift during my college years at one in Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The menu was quite a
bit different but it looks like they still made their biscuits for
breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked one of the girls
behind the counter if they still made their biscuits from scratch every
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, she said there were two
different people trained to do that and they would take turns coming in at
4am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her I used to do that in my
college years and that they didn’t have Hardee’s up in the mid-west
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t find that very
interesting; I guess because I got the doe in the headlights look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat down and waited for my food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was just starting to get dark when I drove up to my motel
in Montgomery and I have to say that my hotel was a bit of a dive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, right next door there was an
abandoned dilapidated old motel but it was easy to find and relatively cheap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room was clean but was in poor need of
updating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been looking at the
money situation of late and it was starting to dwindle faster than what I had
planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to find cheaper
places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may only have about another 30
days before I may have to stop and do some work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGWLmnJNSEhaPVa101sYAYbwQZFezkhNSwsJLYfRTp5QM6iBH5mhROy-QEILGsDb0KsuLxRhnkTa4b3tDXv-yi3hedcm6E5U5B3m4U0bBFgCElvwJVEgg-LKsqnd0qxomkc-hgezLTXY/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGWLmnJNSEhaPVa101sYAYbwQZFezkhNSwsJLYfRTp5QM6iBH5mhROy-QEILGsDb0KsuLxRhnkTa4b3tDXv-yi3hedcm6E5U5B3m4U0bBFgCElvwJVEgg-LKsqnd0qxomkc-hgezLTXY/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Downtown Montgomery, AL.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But enough of this, I drove around and explored some of the
downtown area of Montgomery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
whole street area where there were Christmas lights along both sides of the
streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a rather nice little
downtown but was a bit annoying to get around because they sure do like their
one way streets here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way back to
the hotel I had quick and cheap dinner at a Captain D’s which was like a
different version of a Long John Silvers.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-32365602070079135992012-12-11T07:12:00.001-08:002012-12-11T18:43:51.199-08:00DAY 110- Lighthouses & Confederate Presidents…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke up to a wall of fog looking out my hotel window in
Gulfport, MS which is a small town about 10 miles west of Biloxi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday I had seen a couple of lighthouses
along the beach when I was driving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
them I had seen a tour sign next to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I called the number for the local tourist information and checked to see
if they would be open for the day; the brochure said weather permitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t see anything pass the fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went down for the continental breakfast and
knew I was in the Deep South by the offered hot biscuits and gravy and the
packages of instant grits.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XXJF9czrfaCsvpDclcmok_ryYSF7Wbb4GNbgCeBCd0E7o32v3_LK_XokEbLp9t-jSbFBFL6Sc_vhrid2Xm1Mzu6fj3hRtb2YMpOiE2Qs7cGzTsQNF7RKFArOX94nW7W4JOviF_PWyOA/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XXJF9czrfaCsvpDclcmok_ryYSF7Wbb4GNbgCeBCd0E7o32v3_LK_XokEbLp9t-jSbFBFL6Sc_vhrid2Xm1Mzu6fj3hRtb2YMpOiE2Qs7cGzTsQNF7RKFArOX94nW7W4JOviF_PWyOA/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+030.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The view from inside the Biloxi,MS Lighthouse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An hour later the fog cleared up somewhat and I took off to
the lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I arrived right at 9AM
when the lighthouse opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to
the middle island of highway 90 where it’s located to learn I needed to go all
the way across the street to purchase a ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I waited for the light and walked to a large southern plantation looking
house that was the tourist center for Biloxi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I walked to the front desk inside the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hun, you need to go to the gift shop down the
hall to your right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I purchased the
ticket for the lighthouse and walked back to the middle island; feeling like I
had just jumped through some hoops.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzHfXe9hUy1HJUgq1OcY_CEMWh3E_qn-0e65-Duznfxw3RJ3ypDFO4DKcSwAZVD62CyIfTOlnXcDFBfoaxG1-tp6F0vHNtIB02Hw7HPwtco01BksD4Ul4AS0F8enz1TgIgxdsO5rW9ng/s1600/DAY+109%252C110-+BIG+Adventure+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzHfXe9hUy1HJUgq1OcY_CEMWh3E_qn-0e65-Duznfxw3RJ3ypDFO4DKcSwAZVD62CyIfTOlnXcDFBfoaxG1-tp6F0vHNtIB02Hw7HPwtco01BksD4Ul4AS0F8enz1TgIgxdsO5rW9ng/s320/DAY+109%252C110-+BIG+Adventure+033.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Inside the Lighthouse Upstairs the lamp<br />
and downstairs... the waterlines from Hurricanes past.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHZiWfzie7ietD_RMai-PunKkR0xTtMv9NmqoqhusUx4FN52XWLn6Ym4Z8Ch66CKsTgMIYQcZ-0bYXzBNHwrGfmFJ6Wj6zhZ81cnZ5Wdu-7gK6CLZBnDNOdsJNCkAyK9aZGceVVK1m7U/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHZiWfzie7ietD_RMai-PunKkR0xTtMv9NmqoqhusUx4FN52XWLn6Ym4Z8Ch66CKsTgMIYQcZ-0bYXzBNHwrGfmFJ6Wj6zhZ81cnZ5Wdu-7gK6CLZBnDNOdsJNCkAyK9aZGceVVK1m7U/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+035.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The gal at the bottom looked at my ticket and said to go
ahead and head up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a low section
watch you head at the top of the stairs and then there’s a ladder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I walked in there were waterline markers
from past hurricanes on the inside brick; the tallest one being about 20 feet
up from Hurricane Katrina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked
around and around up the metal grid stairs; you could see through the grid to
the bottom floor of the lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
told myself not to look down (me being just a bit afraid of heights); though it was hard because I had to see where
the stairs were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came to a small
landing with a low overhead clearance and a ladder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a little bit more, I told myself to
breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqE2q4bE17K-S9AVkFHTwPnP4SNWGksDAHXx7hsu08wUEuI_3wHLE32fgWhzMkwHXKFYEv36knOt8ECLBKYq3Nwi8RyNwNYeo-NPiRelLAOpJsNWGdmyb1Ap0gFvIl2JQT4cnXEYImFHU/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqE2q4bE17K-S9AVkFHTwPnP4SNWGksDAHXx7hsu08wUEuI_3wHLE32fgWhzMkwHXKFYEv36knOt8ECLBKYq3Nwi8RyNwNYeo-NPiRelLAOpJsNWGdmyb1Ap0gFvIl2JQT4cnXEYImFHU/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+042.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the Biloxi, MS Lighthouse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I got to the top and Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a view it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The husband
of the gal who checked my receipt was up on top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He welcomed me and he apologized for the
extra walk across the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started
to ask him a couple of questions about the lighthouse and he enthusiastically
told me all kinds of information about the lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s 60 ft. tall and one of two of the
original lighthouses along the Gulf Coast that is still active.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess this same lighthouse is featured on
the Mississippi license plate too. He went on to explain about how after the
hurricanes someone always climbs in the still standing lighthouse and hung a
flag from the railing of the lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was like a sign that says it’s still here and we can recover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a wonderful thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6XUnsxIgialjKa4VrZ_LHeOTOIaYNs68Rdj9y7otcisqsm5Dj0urJETnSCMz1-qEx9U5rpe-Y62gp6yevGfK6q3rYl4OCkfcfkKIsKC1dOYd9a0vktVUx09K-AQ0PL8iI6yVbC68Obc/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6XUnsxIgialjKa4VrZ_LHeOTOIaYNs68Rdj9y7otcisqsm5Dj0urJETnSCMz1-qEx9U5rpe-Y62gp6yevGfK6q3rYl4OCkfcfkKIsKC1dOYd9a0vktVUx09K-AQ0PL8iI6yVbC68Obc/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+055.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A statue of Jeffereson Davis.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next I wondered down the street to Beauvoir which means good
view in French and was the last home of Jefferson Davis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the first and only Confederate
President of the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have made a
museum of the home and are currently rebuilding the Jefferson Davis
Presidential Library a second time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hurricane Katrina wiped it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She also did a number on the main house and other buildings on the
property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when you consider the
beach is right across the street; it’s amazing that more damage wasn’t done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a National Historic Landmark that is
privately owned and maintained by the Mississippi Division of the United Sons
of Confederate Veterans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3C5pigJE2csrxN9a9WXS8wkv05fYyyFLJ4_PeTYxwj0O5HqVrkT_lFbMuVhjM-8TMmOs2tbPaRlwzuG8dJSEHh0I7lzn9TR6PbmSWk5-WdVCf9sWsqc3Nn3SCoWFTlSDPOj5ItwcJNe4/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3C5pigJE2csrxN9a9WXS8wkv05fYyyFLJ4_PeTYxwj0O5HqVrkT_lFbMuVhjM-8TMmOs2tbPaRlwzuG8dJSEHh0I7lzn9TR6PbmSWk5-WdVCf9sWsqc3Nn3SCoWFTlSDPOj5ItwcJNe4/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- The Main house where Jefferson lived and the view from the porch which led to its name...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALuvk4ewzs-FVPjS5w6qH_TyR0h1osQxzuocPIpbCjKtetN4h4DL-tpi3Rmb1lYbMmg6ZgkPGBvI4o0lfq7TtmxuqPXE6NnLGQGg5QRYiiuDjkBrTw3s5O5lHg-O9MrrUZ7wW1mjaBb8/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALuvk4ewzs-FVPjS5w6qH_TyR0h1osQxzuocPIpbCjKtetN4h4DL-tpi3Rmb1lYbMmg6ZgkPGBvI4o0lfq7TtmxuqPXE6NnLGQGg5QRYiiuDjkBrTw3s5O5lHg-O9MrrUZ7wW1mjaBb8/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At current, the gift shop and tour center is in a couple of
linked up trailers on the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
walked in and found out I was about 6 minutes until the next tour of the main
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paid my discounted AAA entrance
fee and started to walk over to the main house’s front doors where the house
tour started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was the only one on the
porch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A short while later a woman came
out and asked if I was the only one; I told her that it appeared to be so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started the tour. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The house was originally built by a Mr. Brown who had more
money than what he knew what to do with wanted to show it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He built this house as a second home on the
beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was meant as a vacation home but
he rather over built and made it sturdy which was a good thing because it
survived pretty well against Katrina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The woman pointed out different things inside the house that had to be
refurbished or restored or located after Katrina. Hurricane Katrina had taken
part of the roof and most of the furniture had been scattered around the area
by her winds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHhUf7jQUvH-OAQMvIPpe-AsK1X3CMMKT-GOjZDPobDtRKKsXRhf8LcoA2AtfzXXWh9qXi6buyhGi9eA6tfmQFheaGc7o-SwU4gRpozxrUnm0bStY65Lw6wXrhD9HyH_GWE5u7r1exO0/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHhUf7jQUvH-OAQMvIPpe-AsK1X3CMMKT-GOjZDPobDtRKKsXRhf8LcoA2AtfzXXWh9qXi6buyhGi9eA6tfmQFheaGc7o-SwU4gRpozxrUnm0bStY65Lw6wXrhD9HyH_GWE5u7r1exO0/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+060.JPG" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The main foyer/hallway area of the house.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My tour guide told me that the home had changed ownership from
Mr. Brown who passed away to a wealthy single woman who was somehow related to
Jefferson Davis’ wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how he
came to become familiar with the home and was asked to be a guest a couple of
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he came to be a tenant and he
paid rent to stay in one of the other houses on the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wealthy woman passed away leaving it to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Warning- THIS </span>is the shortened version of
the tale. These southerns love to tell their tales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jefferson Davis wrote his
memoirs in this house and stayed here till the end of his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is buried somewhere on the property.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAtcH2snAwaAsCBsjO4ufWwMUJoFM4T7aPIuH15tmEKSI6EMOXuB0bw-nY-dS54EPE1wJD8ru01CwJIKoVGfmAExGH3OL837JHfIQWqrPUZv9GdZlaRtydFqPkq5An_qhKMSF5YryFNY/s1600/DAY+109%252C110-+BIG+Adventure+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAtcH2snAwaAsCBsjO4ufWwMUJoFM4T7aPIuH15tmEKSI6EMOXuB0bw-nY-dS54EPE1wJD8ru01CwJIKoVGfmAExGH3OL837JHfIQWqrPUZv9GdZlaRtydFqPkq5An_qhKMSF5YryFNY/s400/DAY+109%252C110-+BIG+Adventure+062.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The parlour where a painting of Mr. Brown, the original owner, hangs over the fireplace.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They had tried to bring the house back to what it would have
looked like in the year 1890. It was a lovely interior with painted walls that
looked more like wall paper but were not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A great deal of the woodwork was cypress wood; the pullout French doors
and wooden floors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a center
foyer hall area that went through to a back door and then there were four large rooms
off of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two of the rooms were used
as bedrooms; another was used as a parlor, and another as a den.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The tour guide</span> showed me the large covered back
porch that was semi-enclosed by trellis where there were two additional wings
where there were two more bedrooms on one side and two dining rooms on the
other side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the dining rooms was
for the adults and was larger while the other was quite a bit smaller and was
for the children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsq-uz7_mxRF4GmR2C-3zmtiB-CS9ydNa8Jx4HIXO6G5JyvBv6wiVAKVOBBh3WPANgzCx3IIacpplDS3eh7oQT02RkJ8-ufQtkIqOpJusnYXqWyVj-B70pUoMnmyJMV2BErdT0hx8Z5k/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsq-uz7_mxRF4GmR2C-3zmtiB-CS9ydNa8Jx4HIXO6G5JyvBv6wiVAKVOBBh3WPANgzCx3IIacpplDS3eh7oQT02RkJ8-ufQtkIqOpJusnYXqWyVj-B70pUoMnmyJMV2BErdT0hx8Z5k/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+072.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The large back porch area that has two wings off of it; <br />
one with bedrooms and another with dining rooms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The house tour was over but she pointed out the way out to
the Civil War Cemetery in the back of the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also pointed out an area there was a rose
garden and said that Katrina didn’t like it so she ripped it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went on to say that they keep on
promising to replant it but they move a little slow on something’s in
Mississippi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also teased me about a
friendly alligator out by the bridge I would walk over to get to the
cemetery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said they did feed him on
a regular basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess this is some of
that Mississippi humor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI97FqnVd-i5rn2xBPoCp7Fv8BmhkoYfl4cT9DMgP0O8wSATipWr4ZTOVL-PjUxOMVN-S7ek6o9739d45SMQf4Znhur-8_hafLrIHNNckYnpLUj9oT6PsR5yjR0LKOUp_OFYNG8c7Bh6s/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI97FqnVd-i5rn2xBPoCp7Fv8BmhkoYfl4cT9DMgP0O8wSATipWr4ZTOVL-PjUxOMVN-S7ek6o9739d45SMQf4Znhur-8_hafLrIHNNckYnpLUj9oT6PsR5yjR0LKOUp_OFYNG8c7Bh6s/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+081.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The cemetery in the back of the property of Beauvoir.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked out through what would have been a rose garden and
over a bridge to the cemetery in the rear of the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was also a front gate back there that
Katrina didn’t like that they laid to rest to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was an interesting cemetery to visit among large trees with Spanish
moss hanging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the graves just
had the names with the position they held in the army; while others had the
years of birth and death with a statement of how old they were when they
passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found that interesting that
they put how old they were when they passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was like the math was already done for you which I found a bit
amusing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wandered back to trailers and
bought a couple of postcards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QY9K_OdS2OIdl_ZkEeNon356kz6-e39vc6_xdJ1-BSTOGV-96wIZbmvekdEY2mIZ1EFqBgd-TTHsP_a6-FjflwTAINkV0TczHCqQZYY3f3ee4KtX_nA_3O_Rhs6dyJdePmCHwQ8apMU/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QY9K_OdS2OIdl_ZkEeNon356kz6-e39vc6_xdJ1-BSTOGV-96wIZbmvekdEY2mIZ1EFqBgd-TTHsP_a6-FjflwTAINkV0TczHCqQZYY3f3ee4KtX_nA_3O_Rhs6dyJdePmCHwQ8apMU/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+091.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Jefferson Davis Presidential Library still being rebuilt <br />
with the area where the rose garden was at one time. Now it's just <br />
a field area with a sun dial in the middle of it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next I drove further along the shoreline to another
lighthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one was more for looks
and I had been told by the other guy at the top of the lighthouse that Hancock
Bank was instrumental in having this one rebuilt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of the reason they did that he said was
that it is Hancock’s symbol for their bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This lighthouse was in a park area with a marina on the beach in front
of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked around the area and took
some pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEW0D6hDeY5wRXuMJNpfHcRr_8Jrq3geyVTN3cFStUMVnXcj_EgKGhT2yUKIPI-olsS4oLsxvJxJ7HyTeDC8eXwj1cVXAoBQKNUjbnrFdTgd8S8MqJrNRV-Kziy-xIbDizyAeczKmfNk/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEW0D6hDeY5wRXuMJNpfHcRr_8Jrq3geyVTN3cFStUMVnXcj_EgKGhT2yUKIPI-olsS4oLsxvJxJ7HyTeDC8eXwj1cVXAoBQKNUjbnrFdTgd8S8MqJrNRV-Kziy-xIbDizyAeczKmfNk/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The now non-active lighthouse that's used for the Hankock Bank symbol.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, I was on down the road to Mobile, AL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove along the interstate and crossed the
state line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, another state I had
never been in!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after that I saw
a rest stop sign with a Welcome Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was hoping for something like the experience I had in
Mississippi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Welcome Center was closed but they did
have free state road maps and Sweet Home Alabama brochures of the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used the rest room and continued on down
the road. I hit Mobile just as rush hour traffic was getting into full swing
and there was an accident just off of the exit I had to take to get to my
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh joy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted to stay put for the night after
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was staying at a Drury Inn which
advertises including everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
have a kick back social hour from 5:30-7PM where they serve food and three free
drinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also managed to catch up on
laundry too.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-37131899859006029062012-12-09T19:09:00.000-08:002012-12-09T19:09:12.433-08:00DAY 109- New Orleans to Biloxi...<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke up early to wonder around the French Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only people I saw out were on their way
to work, out doing their early morning runs, walking their dogs, or on their
way home after a very long night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
latter group threw me a quizzical look when I cheerfully wished them a good
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the hangovers were
starting to set in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The streets were wet
and later as a street cleaner drove by on another street I saw why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think they wash the streets every morning
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine that otherwise there
could be quite the “build-up” on these streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shop owners were also hosing down the sidewalk areas too.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWdNbfCbGajA2HhARNqGp0t0CFnd57tp8UBuaORRVmX52BLGAWk-vKx044LGh7Rl4VeqOxgBDxMOyII1w4hTEwoz6xlf6LrPe6jx5V4jy_oUnZhEzg3-0E_fNU9DR9jcgQ5HdX1QW-2o/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWdNbfCbGajA2HhARNqGp0t0CFnd57tp8UBuaORRVmX52BLGAWk-vKx044LGh7Rl4VeqOxgBDxMOyII1w4hTEwoz6xlf6LrPe6jx5V4jy_oUnZhEzg3-0E_fNU9DR9jcgQ5HdX1QW-2o/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Cute little houses in the French Quarter of New Orleans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum39Ztzrcr6Ypj0osww3bGx4G7KoXr2gUJ-0B08bniAaLTw0Fcsz_u-29XDr7p-DlD7hj2VB1bsi7I7f5Smwo-eQK-X_semVItfmV9Sz-p0RKGN0xzmdWPCK6N4Yio0AOdQMS91m0nps/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum39Ztzrcr6Ypj0osww3bGx4G7KoXr2gUJ-0B08bniAaLTw0Fcsz_u-29XDr7p-DlD7hj2VB1bsi7I7f5Smwo-eQK-X_semVItfmV9Sz-p0RKGN0xzmdWPCK6N4Yio0AOdQMS91m0nps/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9Vii8LQ5bQ-XuWvVoLZXNMjPYgZaaPYIOvQrUe7FiTTbT3EkMHa9O8yc-qhx9n03nch_sod87-urrRMey8poLmxbeT46Gy-JN37_XBADn-wEHXcShUmXIaXDx-EMrce8hzQLTgIk-UA/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9Vii8LQ5bQ-XuWvVoLZXNMjPYgZaaPYIOvQrUe7FiTTbT3EkMHa9O8yc-qhx9n03nch_sod87-urrRMey8poLmxbeT46Gy-JN37_XBADn-wEHXcShUmXIaXDx-EMrce8hzQLTgIk-UA/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The front of the St. Pierre Hotel where I stayed in the French Quarter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked over to the river area and walked along it for a
while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then decided to be fair and
compare Café de Monde’s beignet to the Café Beignet’s beignet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I sat at a table and ordered coffee and
beignet from a paper hatted woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well,
truth be told, I think I like the Café Beignet’s beignet. (Try saying THAT five
times fast. Ha!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I will say that the
view from the Café de Monde is better.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7TwCbQlu2hSOyqZ4EFIfJmsxxaGNAmoWY7S5SgFlxUdjClWkEuuwhkLtFc7crL-_f96oTG6l4wZAOvh6axnkp8FpyvIFJ4cGhWx7Z8rbbn0pVNt-zyFtXE0DQjfrNKTy9rXLFtsgi9g/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7TwCbQlu2hSOyqZ4EFIfJmsxxaGNAmoWY7S5SgFlxUdjClWkEuuwhkLtFc7crL-_f96oTG6l4wZAOvh6axnkp8FpyvIFJ4cGhWx7Z8rbbn0pVNt-zyFtXE0DQjfrNKTy9rXLFtsgi9g/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A foggy misty morning along the Mississippi River near the French Quarter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtLYfr0KasVVDUsXXd2JOfZSbLr2A7DDOnB-brmYQkzCR96pCprgcuH2DRJL6qP_zRxMaC9htOnFz8wjcEV1cjZa86OUXVYwXRHtYB-3ZzaFmfyOSOXDw4fM8tKvsnuDqZsOVmLvVkLQ/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtLYfr0KasVVDUsXXd2JOfZSbLr2A7DDOnB-brmYQkzCR96pCprgcuH2DRJL6qP_zRxMaC9htOnFz8wjcEV1cjZa86OUXVYwXRHtYB-3ZzaFmfyOSOXDw4fM8tKvsnuDqZsOVmLvVkLQ/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Beignets and coffee and below the view from Cafe de Monde of street artists that sale their wares.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pCYtKI1YWehkTitAp4IQAKX8tu76Vbb9VhMTEFCcIO_7cfk8fN8Dpryqgf0yoyMeWitznYcFYKImEAK88fCf9IWwnevQrKxG31OV2TQAFNSz2kvvlLY4EGmsh-SbIdlrBS4_BwaH11Q/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pCYtKI1YWehkTitAp4IQAKX8tu76Vbb9VhMTEFCcIO_7cfk8fN8Dpryqgf0yoyMeWitznYcFYKImEAK88fCf9IWwnevQrKxG31OV2TQAFNSz2kvvlLY4EGmsh-SbIdlrBS4_BwaH11Q/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a coffee and beignet, I wandered around the French
Quarter some more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was mostly window
shopping; most of the places don’t open until 10AM and I was early by about 2
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went over to the French Market
which is an outdoor open air market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of those vendors were just barely starting to uncover or put out
their goods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed at how many
little restaurants there were where you could get breakfast. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wandered around and window
shopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also admired some of the
houses in the French Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
heard the day before that the average home in the French Quarter went for $400
per square foot; very pricey and parking would be a REAL pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKH0cJOBv1gMXrZ9biiOx5XvZJMujJHTeV6AMTgSWn0lQBHPiaTnfvQz97N2rngL0axVIBkr6fgwSnsdVxK4ilayrqayFsNiHpAvDQP66ODtf3BmCDxreQYFun3o7vEHAsOh3cnqXAyBE/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKH0cJOBv1gMXrZ9biiOx5XvZJMujJHTeV6AMTgSWn0lQBHPiaTnfvQz97N2rngL0axVIBkr6fgwSnsdVxK4ilayrqayFsNiHpAvDQP66ODtf3BmCDxreQYFun3o7vEHAsOh3cnqXAyBE/s320/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The French Market within the French Quarter where you can pick up all sorts of things.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlpuHFYQ33Fao_SZ30QFotN9xw2B5KBtZ8q36cos_SVCn2yOSavrN6cEj0LHyrnoOGPxQdqjnvCxmlSiIWv0SOmTr6Em-C16zcCsPUXU0ZOtxb6h2d-Kn_mnr-3Ub9fnWFPdVhBjtIEU/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlpuHFYQ33Fao_SZ30QFotN9xw2B5KBtZ8q36cos_SVCn2yOSavrN6cEj0LHyrnoOGPxQdqjnvCxmlSiIWv0SOmTr6Em-C16zcCsPUXU0ZOtxb6h2d-Kn_mnr-3Ub9fnWFPdVhBjtIEU/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+021.JPG" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Cornfield Fence Hotel where the original owner had <br />
the fence put in to make his Iowan wife feel more at home in New Orleans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I eventually wandered into a souvenir shop and got some
postcards but couldn’t find a bumper sticker that I liked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping to find a bumper sticker that
said something unique like…”New Orleans We Put the FUN in Funerals!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I didn’t see anything like that but there
were tons of Fleur de Lis in either the Saints football team colors or the
Mardi Gras colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a lot of good
things said on t-shirts but not much for bumper stickers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With my big purchase of two postcards, I wandered back to my
hotel with about 25 minutes to spare before check out time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loaded up the car and then went to the
front desk to see about getting my car out of the parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hotel employee needed to move his car and
then he offered to back my car out for me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took him up on that because frankly I suck
at backing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him and the other
guy that did hand signals for him a little tip and I was off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I drove over to the Garden District of New Orleans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just drove through the big houses with the
tree lined streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a wonderful
area but I was unsure as to where to park so I just took my time and drove
through the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made for a nice
late morning drive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I found I-10 and started heading east towards Biloxi
which would be the next stop on my BIG adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I passed the state line announcing that I was
now in Mississippi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the first time I had been in this
state!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after that there was a
rest stop with a Mississippi Welcome Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I decided I would stop and see if I could get a brochure or information
about different areas of the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked into the center and was immediately welcomed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were people taking pictures, singing,
dancing, and handing out treats with coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a huge hanging sign announcing that Mississippi was showing its
southern hospitality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked through
all this to a bank of brochures along a wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I was looking at them a gal in a wheel chair asked if she could help
me find something in particular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
talked with her for a bit and she was very helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She even suggested a back way to my hotel
that would be more scenic; giving me a map in the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left with brochures and the map; rather
looking forward to checking out the area and possibly visiting more of the
state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a positive experience
which surprised me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw695uZqJsmKFIPqbi7bAi-bxW39cK29dzmHD_PRWtAIkRT7fML9sJCjeiHiAC4roUSaotEtjLfJcYfIJBzxmutwdUgSCHppIFij2WROTXRloO9o1C5h5Pi93XWlCv3NiknFNF5S8J5Hc/s1600/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw695uZqJsmKFIPqbi7bAi-bxW39cK29dzmHD_PRWtAIkRT7fML9sJCjeiHiAC4roUSaotEtjLfJcYfIJBzxmutwdUgSCHppIFij2WROTXRloO9o1C5h5Pi93XWlCv3NiknFNF5S8J5Hc/s400/DAY+109,110-+BIG+Adventure+028.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The beach front about 10 miles south of Biloxi, MS.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another 15 miles down the road and I found myself driving
along a white sandy beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped for
a bit and just sat on a bench to admire the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was rather windy and a bit on the chilly
side but it was a wonderful view to admire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I eventually got to my hotel and got checked in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went out after a bit and just drove along
in the city areas of Gulfport and Biloxi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were a few casinos along the shore and it looked like there was an
Air force Base nearby.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-34940695905243410692012-12-09T15:20:00.000-08:002012-12-09T15:20:44.466-08:00DAY 108- New Orleans...<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The locals pronounce it “NAw Lynnss” and they also talk
really fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept on having them
repeat what they were saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I
had gotten too use to the slow southern drawl they do everywhere else in the
south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did a bit of exploring before the
10AM cemetery tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wandered onto the
low numbered end of Royal St. in the French Quarter and found the Café Beignet
that the locals had recommended as having the better beignet than Café de Monde
which they called a tourist trap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
on the way there, I walked past several art galleries that weren’t open yet for
the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was some amazing stuff in
their windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Café Beignet, I walked
to the back counter ordering coffee with a beignet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then found a table to sit at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My coffee was called out and shortly after
that my order number was called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beignets piled with powdered sugar and I was wearing black capris
pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, I so did not think this one
through!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was a yummy and a bit
messy experience.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ki84bjqc9rg8N7D4Tp39C-EkS1bxiMAbFXSDxHnzhxFKawRfngklJAyZ3DGJUp2qOA1pcm9_DkkA86RczVbsCT7fp_-vdrMxCSREsHjfloDb-gQoeEm6a-OpNayAOjx_Ib8jS3pAsIA/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ki84bjqc9rg8N7D4Tp39C-EkS1bxiMAbFXSDxHnzhxFKawRfngklJAyZ3DGJUp2qOA1pcm9_DkkA86RczVbsCT7fp_-vdrMxCSREsHjfloDb-gQoeEm6a-OpNayAOjx_Ib8jS3pAsIA/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+128.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The entrance to Cemetery Number One where I had my tour.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About 20 minutes before the cemetery tour, I wandered over
to where it started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It ended up being
four of us on the tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rene, our tour
guide, walked us over a few blocks and started to explain the process and history
about burial in New Orleans. The water table being so high created all kinds of
problems for burying the dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also,
every Spring, it was common to have flooding in the area and bodies would come
floating by the houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rene teasingly
told the joke that you like talking to your living Aunt at the dinner table but
she wasn’t a very good dinner guest dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She showed us a section on Burgundy
St. where there was an earlier cemetery but now it was a row of houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She mentioned a story of where a resident had
arranged for a swimming pool to be put in and remains had been unburied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess this whole area had quite a few
remains just below the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uaAi5Ov2g4cy-ljnhUPRsPD4mCH70jSXrw0NH3s11fMWu9phF55nndJERnNI1eO7pkMHUyyzmo3wvvbt7PaV6NUZ9BGcyaN0T1IlAvAdzI27LNhVxPsk1vpT17Sj5-FnQ9HfnQgNEuE/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uaAi5Ov2g4cy-ljnhUPRsPD4mCH70jSXrw0NH3s11fMWu9phF55nndJERnNI1eO7pkMHUyyzmo3wvvbt7PaV6NUZ9BGcyaN0T1IlAvAdzI27LNhVxPsk1vpT17Sj5-FnQ9HfnQgNEuE/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+072.JPG" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Our tour guide Rene showing us the "Oven" style of burial.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFU2N83Yb6qZ09vfiPT0FuFtXaIvQT-9qXPYv4XI_k57KfO6h_V4vEPyzliCylIQ7cHLzUmelenKhA17vaDRGbdtn314nYgasMl059n6LixE23VDqYvT1EmEcALFZccqNx6MLJCg73TzI/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFU2N83Yb6qZ09vfiPT0FuFtXaIvQT-9qXPYv4XI_k57KfO6h_V4vEPyzliCylIQ7cHLzUmelenKhA17vaDRGbdtn314nYgasMl059n6LixE23VDqYvT1EmEcALFZccqNx6MLJCg73TzI/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+081.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Rene showing us the most famous burial in the cemetery <br />
a VooDoo Mistress called Marie Laveau.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrN4s09bUzG0J8Om1qBR93bBeTpKopTztqkbVVJ6kb3xndDbGJcSzdpnUGlmBqkiR54o_WeI39q-1BVjlYNHKMCTk8wJ5BMTsJ_vweE77essfdBYr5qQb5brjE6ZTPJ954qta5ZFY9bX0/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrN4s09bUzG0J8Om1qBR93bBeTpKopTztqkbVVJ6kb3xndDbGJcSzdpnUGlmBqkiR54o_WeI39q-1BVjlYNHKMCTk8wJ5BMTsJ_vweE77essfdBYr5qQb5brjE6ZTPJ954qta5ZFY9bX0/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+084.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- In the middle area of the cemetery a picture from walking through.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We then walked over to Cemetery Number 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rene asked us to be respectful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is still an active cemetery, and also not
to lean or sit on any of the graves because of the damage that can cause over
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went over the different styles
of burying that were in the cemetery; showing us as we went along within the
walls of the cemetery. She also showed us some of the historic and famous
figures in the cemetery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, Rene
showed us the backyard area where the Protestants were buried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a Catholic cemetery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She explain and showed us the difference
between restoration and renovation within the cemetery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rene also showed us what she considered the
eye sores on the cemetery; one of them being a pyramid that Nicholas Cage had
built and plans to bury in, and the other is a strange memorial statue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tour was very fascinating and
enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rene struck the right balance
of fun and interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took both of
the tours through a local company called Historic Tours and they give a slight
discount if you take more than one with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWISSvjySnaRQcEA0bKjtn33krGNZ5ohyphenhyphenOQyrqF4zwmOIt2WjZp-1bITrQyJMw1xCF_H5XdFqA2D9e6Hcwouvs-YvOYnW201QG7YajtsTSebqH-jeNTycLyLItJLd7YlNkI9Noy_luadg/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWISSvjySnaRQcEA0bKjtn33krGNZ5ohyphenhyphenOQyrqF4zwmOIt2WjZp-1bITrQyJMw1xCF_H5XdFqA2D9e6Hcwouvs-YvOYnW201QG7YajtsTSebqH-jeNTycLyLItJLd7YlNkI9Noy_luadg/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+114.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Nicholas Cage's pyramid-- we were convinced that he purchased because the <br />
IRS is not likely to repo a burial plot. Though, I would imagine the resale value has some <br />
potential because of where it is.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, outside the walls of the cemetery the group of all
four of us decided to head out and explore the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walk over to where the trolley cars
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the gals decides to bow out
and I ask if it’s okay to still hang out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I ended up hanging out with a cute adorable middle age couple from Cincinnati,
OH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steve and Patty were wonderfully
easy going and made for enjoyable company for the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We jumped on to the trolley car not sure
where it went but open to explore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was my kind of exploring!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The great
thing was its only $3 to ride their bus and trolley cars all day in New Orleans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28v8QjGIcQaEuXvOspGqUMewaBIW7Ff4CgyTEpdLH52lsIhixyMRdrfCU68UzbZaipv4X0ueYg088vm7MBTntbwUM4oKm5xnpyWvS8kSXYW2q5ugeHnF5Lz1HVYieSIGORakFjl5ADWA/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28v8QjGIcQaEuXvOspGqUMewaBIW7Ff4CgyTEpdLH52lsIhixyMRdrfCU68UzbZaipv4X0ueYg088vm7MBTntbwUM4oKm5xnpyWvS8kSXYW2q5ugeHnF5Lz1HVYieSIGORakFjl5ADWA/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+136.JPG" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Patty and Steve in front of the Sculpture Garden.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, the trolley ended up stopping at a bunch of cemeteries
and we already had a tour of one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
cemetery a day was enough for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
back tracked a little and found a restaurant that must have been good because
it was crowded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was called the Flying
Burrito and we only waited about 5 minutes for a table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were reviewing maps and discovered if we
caught another trolley line we would be close to a sculptural garden and the
botanical gardens; that sounded good to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lunch was wonderful and I enjoyed the Flying Burrito which had steak,
chicken, and shrimp in a whole wheat tortilla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Patty’s salad that she ordered looked good and Steve had a burrito too.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0flj-w7ZDBqODnNohyphenhyphen0_iJVklOf5aS3Ywro8TUMQKLlrwLDop6X24FRgYMkSHaAwTNyJKf_AGLcLrccnh43iHleX8alEKEQNw2NYVzkLWYpja_8sWww6mMoUeJxD28Wp_7-2outp6pU/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0flj-w7ZDBqODnNohyphenhyphen0_iJVklOf5aS3Ywro8TUMQKLlrwLDop6X24FRgYMkSHaAwTNyJKf_AGLcLrccnh43iHleX8alEKEQNw2NYVzkLWYpja_8sWww6mMoUeJxD28Wp_7-2outp6pU/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+187.JPG" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Two pictures of my favorite sculpture in the garden. <br />
The bottom one is a close up and the bottom human form is about 6 ft tall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiFQ_2gvuOPa4nSW-RDLkrUPXV7smJk37hPpOA2riVbxkS2WZctLNKbCS9CdCGv6WwGa25DlT1nPF4wx3cff8E_9hehUMsqv3_zECtipuFmgnAyNHAWC-zsXFQWzollkRRKZlj2dmntM/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiFQ_2gvuOPa4nSW-RDLkrUPXV7smJk37hPpOA2riVbxkS2WZctLNKbCS9CdCGv6WwGa25DlT1nPF4wx3cff8E_9hehUMsqv3_zECtipuFmgnAyNHAWC-zsXFQWzollkRRKZlj2dmntM/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+189.JPG" width="257" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJofLGMTxhbzM42BAt_5oyjtauQFbTMz8buVLje9lKLonL4uCHX0bERdRoFRr-NqlCrH8FLEtN2QSnSGV4tapq2oI0-dRWaiLkZ5yafAq5DMCFh0oddkjA4P1U16L1R4MRH7XUIjvvhtw/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJofLGMTxhbzM42BAt_5oyjtauQFbTMz8buVLje9lKLonL4uCHX0bERdRoFRr-NqlCrH8FLEtN2QSnSGV4tapq2oI0-dRWaiLkZ5yafAq5DMCFh0oddkjA4P1U16L1R4MRH7XUIjvvhtw/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+161.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- One of the cool sculptures in the garden.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After lunch we waited for a trolley that went north and
meanwhile Patty was showing me photos of their swamp tour and a Mardi Gras
Parade warehouse that they had explored in the last couple of days they been in
New Orleans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trolley car arrived and
we headed toward the New Orleans City Park which is an end stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off we walked over to the Sculptural Garden
which is right next to the New Orleans Museum of Art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sculptural garden is free and we got a
brochure from the gal at the desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
a wonderful garden area and there are several acres and areas within it to walk
around and enjoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fun wandering
around with Patty and Steve trying to figure out the titles to some of the
sculptures and trying to figure out what some of the sculptures were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even had a bit of fun with some sculptures
that were on benches by mimicking them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Patty and Sculpture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWhkD8RhydUh6kzhws0X3MAGSJXEJ6gp8Acj2PW3L7AYQvoMvHIhOnPeD3hG8dnI0th21kf6dJUfoNryGPuXX2t8AFLjfzujr92Tokyb6zU23HmYsnPMuCCTo_GEBfYGq8f-1DCtJPz4/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWhkD8RhydUh6kzhws0X3MAGSJXEJ6gp8Acj2PW3L7AYQvoMvHIhOnPeD3hG8dnI0th21kf6dJUfoNryGPuXX2t8AFLjfzujr92Tokyb6zU23HmYsnPMuCCTo_GEBfYGq8f-1DCtJPz4/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Steve, now look serious like the statue! LOL!!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was sprinkling a bit off and on but we figured we would
take our chances and went next to the New Orleans Botanical Garden which was
next door to the sculptural garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a $6 fee to get in and the lady at the desk recommended
visiting the Japanese garden area and said that the orchids were in bloom in the
conservatory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked through and
enjoyed it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Japanese garden was
very peaceful and relaxing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
vegetable and herb gardens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
train depot like garden with models that represented part of the city of New
Orleans which was fun but the train wasn’t running at current.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we went around they had Christmas lights
up and out and it looked like they were getting ready for an event called Cajun
Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were alligators, Santa,
and angels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went into the
conservatory and saw all of the wonderful orchids in bloom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a wonderful garden to visit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zUQsXpH4vQlE0wrvcy4GWVHmtSBoy10HemOU74zhWgHlXYDqvjiPEgaL6I7VF2Igc0IjcZJAmLqs_jNRjXhul59Cp8-_WdqqjiEp4ctdyJN2LHgu4xuyO3E8Hzux6VV0tQWtsF8nphE/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zUQsXpH4vQlE0wrvcy4GWVHmtSBoy10HemOU74zhWgHlXYDqvjiPEgaL6I7VF2Igc0IjcZJAmLqs_jNRjXhul59Cp8-_WdqqjiEp4ctdyJN2LHgu4xuyO3E8Hzux6VV0tQWtsF8nphE/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+224.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The middle of the New Orleans Botantical Garden.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, we headed back to the trolley station figuring it was
time to head back to the French Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Patty and Steve were staying on the other side in a hotel by Jackson Square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we were waiting we saw another bus go by
and go down a street that would be a direct shot to the French Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steve got on the phone and called the RTA(the
New Orleans Transit) phone to find out where it went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it was a direct shot back to the hotel
and it came every 30 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were up
for a different way to go back and we waited until the next one came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got to see a different landscape on the
way back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brightly painted houses and
neighborhoods but we did see one or two houses with an X on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were still signs that the city was
still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We arrived in the French Quarter and I gave Patty a hug and thanked them
for letting me hang out with them for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was fun having someone else to do a little sightseeing with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I took a shower and decided to have dinner at the famous
Gumbo Shop in the French Quarter which was just off of Royal Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked into the Gumbo Shop and there was a
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it turns out there was a big
group of 17 waiting to be seated together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cut right to the front and the hostess asked if by the kitchen was
okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure; I told her I was easy; how
couldn’t I be in the big easy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She must
have heard that one before she just smiled and sat me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had planned on having their gumbo which
they are famous for but I ended up having a combination plate instead which had
crab estouffee, jambalaya, and another rice dish that had chicken and shrimp in
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The server talked so fast I just
agreed and said that would be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
also didn’t have to wait as long as those that ordered gumbo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gumbo was taking a while and I already
had my meal before a table next to me that sat earlier than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was good stuff too and I had a local
brewed beer with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t ask me the
name of the brew because I could barely understand the server with his accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just took a chance and hoped I would like
it and I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dinner, I slowly
wandered back to my hotel and I was ready to call it an early day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My feet were hurting a bit from all the
walking I did earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-64354078813691556382012-12-08T14:58:00.002-08:002012-12-08T14:58:27.787-08:00DAY 107- The Old, New & Vampires…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke up to the sound of water all round me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was pouring rain outside, the person in
the next room was using in the shower, and I could hear the fountain in the
hotel’s atrium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it any wonder that I
rushed to the bathroom the first thing in the morning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked the hotel clerk for directions to the
Louisiana State Capital that’s located in Baton Rouge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I teased her that she wouldn’t have to give
me directions to come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could
send me off never to return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she
wondered if she should be laughing or not.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsSOzaRJAmd5XCV6hCtp4sGZeeWE241fj5-QJozMtnCIJLNpkUr3UnKfIE1qPuwzK3YmuXEfzjSJYeqrkiedvtj5X3uP657INkNfjjZhghWqlaQ3g7KE22ERlZjTxBitLi5iQ9-8Y1YQ/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsSOzaRJAmd5XCV6hCtp4sGZeeWE241fj5-QJozMtnCIJLNpkUr3UnKfIE1qPuwzK3YmuXEfzjSJYeqrkiedvtj5X3uP657INkNfjjZhghWqlaQ3g7KE22ERlZjTxBitLi5iQ9-8Y1YQ/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+004.JPG" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the tallest State Capital Building.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I found my way with her directions to the State Capital but
to tell you the truth it was hard not to miss the building because it was one
of the tallest in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 450 ft.
tall and 34 floors it is the tallest State Capital in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also has quite a history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was finished in March 1932 and it took
quite a powerful legislator to get it built during the height of the Great Depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That same powerful governor was also assassinated
in the building a few years later. Huey P. Long is buried on the grounds and
his statue looks towards the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louisiana has quite the interesting political history; as I found out
later on when I went to see the Old State Capital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BMY0YGgmeoE_XRyf2elNbDOXbgve3TdZcckRqFn9WoTXyBjXN1gaQicNHlUX9yJ0ga4snY37lHddFxIzjMjV7E_LpZAIpRyyn8BuNeeAB_x5UmBgKtfNzlL6yE4CNTs8UD8M3948bgc/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BMY0YGgmeoE_XRyf2elNbDOXbgve3TdZcckRqFn9WoTXyBjXN1gaQicNHlUX9yJ0ga4snY37lHddFxIzjMjV7E_LpZAIpRyyn8BuNeeAB_x5UmBgKtfNzlL6yE4CNTs8UD8M3948bgc/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Inside the Senate Chambers of the Louisiana Capital.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But first I explored the New Louisiana State Capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went through the areas on the 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
floor and explored what was open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
building is currently undergoing some major renovations and quite a bit of it
was closed because of the work being done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I then rode the elevator up to the 24<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> floor with 5
construction guys up the elevator which I had to laugh I was the only one to
hit a floor button.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were just along
for the ride and one of them complimented me on my purse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made me wonder if the construction work
was a “bit” behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPZ16gBAVhoexQCdbpFNYI0xJakRtbRh-ZQCGuPp2WrtkklolXbkC_MpsQQMG9B-3_p0huOX6EVy6xnFRLo4oXM0LcPYUFzb9ommwI3hilDYWoNj5GCQICyL8mhqeQ9ubw2M8ypDMzl0/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPZ16gBAVhoexQCdbpFNYI0xJakRtbRh-ZQCGuPp2WrtkklolXbkC_MpsQQMG9B-3_p0huOX6EVy6xnFRLo4oXM0LcPYUFzb9ommwI3hilDYWoNj5GCQICyL8mhqeQ9ubw2M8ypDMzl0/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The foggy and rainy view I had from the 27th floor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I got up to the 24<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> floor I walked across
the landing area and got on a smaller elevator that took me to the 27<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
floor where there’s a gift shop and an observation deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still rainy out but I went out onto
the deck anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to see the view
and I imagine on a clear day it would have been beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even with clouds and rain, it was a
pretty view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The security guard looked
at me strange that I had actually gone out in that weather but it was in the
mid-70’s and rainy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it was
rather refreshing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXLoM3cPsOXVutkvJGxrVf_EjHefsmLsDHNV6nlyRo_c1G84KIyBXRT5w0DFuUTBWA-Y9ZR2CrYcvBPIFtQbRM-6wnpJgou6_MTRcKV8sNI9d1ySgDPq1D_t0kIrqPewcfE951M7sbD0/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXLoM3cPsOXVutkvJGxrVf_EjHefsmLsDHNV6nlyRo_c1G84KIyBXRT5w0DFuUTBWA-Y9ZR2CrYcvBPIFtQbRM-6wnpJgou6_MTRcKV8sNI9d1ySgDPq1D_t0kIrqPewcfE951M7sbD0/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+051.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Louisiana's Old State Capital-- A Castle!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I walked in the rain 6 blocks to the Old State Capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never saw a picture of Old Capital and I
had expected a domed creation of some sort but I ended up standing in front of
a castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked in and wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were black and white checked floors, beautiful
wood, and stained glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked with
the gals at the information desk and found about the ghost movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went into the gift shop to pay for that and
then met her and a married couple that also paid for the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a fun, cool experience and I don’t
want to give anything more away but it’s very worth the $3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did cover some of the amazing interesting
history of the old building and how it was able to make a comeback twice in its
long history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHonwGzBoadLqWK3_RfH1TGE-VN28OzA5ZVWq2ymwzlSIIoCYUu5OMFMirfem6f4ou7HyHI4v09zxdj3suDs_Q9Cb_9hck3ZhhX3oQ7WuYjdRptI61cFrSkVUAeZ9hr9p3F-72wfIgNk/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHonwGzBoadLqWK3_RfH1TGE-VN28OzA5ZVWq2ymwzlSIIoCYUu5OMFMirfem6f4ou7HyHI4v09zxdj3suDs_Q9Cb_9hck3ZhhX3oQ7WuYjdRptI61cFrSkVUAeZ9hr9p3F-72wfIgNk/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+040.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The view as you go in the door at the Old Capital.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the movie, I explored around the beautiful old Capital
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first floor had a history
of how Louisiana came to be a state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was very interesting because there was even a bust of Napoleon Bonaparte.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In another area on the first floor, there’s
an area dedicated to the famous Huey P. Long former governor and state
senator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an interesting way of
talking about the man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
section that was pro- Huey and another section that was anti- Huey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never seen such a history of an
historical figure before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most times you
get the good and that’s all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this
showed him from both sides and then showed the assignation from two different
theories too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP1KRQfNVVTCwLw8ZoOXbe-1w-JSXEbYENYC0uYHPPfJtevBkmaImAh_jQRK8sAW1kuyZ4xmt7OvX928n2CCn1zJBJg6OMme8PkKnF1Q4jdBLueWrw93EMl59wCOsE9z83nKR3CCI-kU/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP1KRQfNVVTCwLw8ZoOXbe-1w-JSXEbYENYC0uYHPPfJtevBkmaImAh_jQRK8sAW1kuyZ4xmt7OvX928n2CCn1zJBJg6OMme8PkKnF1Q4jdBLueWrw93EMl59wCOsE9z83nKR3CCI-kU/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+041.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- WOW! The amazing stained glass area just above the second floor!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the second floor up the spiral staircase, there are pictures
along the walls of the former governors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Above those is the arched stain glass area which is just amazing to
behold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, on the second floor were
two large room areas that looked like they were ready for Christmas events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was another room where there were
bridal photos that were taken within the Old Capital building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would be amazing to have a wedding in
such a venue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked back to my car in the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it was still raining and it was supposed
to be over by noon according to the local weatherman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I guess that Mother Nature had other
plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got onto the interstate and
headed east to New Orleans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first 20
miles was solid traffic as it went through a construction zone but as I came to
the town of Iowa, LA the roads cleared up some.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, there’s an Iowa in the state of Louisiana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just had to stop and check it out being
that I grew up in Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t
much but it made for a good stop for gas and a break from the traffic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, it was on to New Orleans, LA and I reserved a place down
in the French Quarter to stay for a couple of nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got to New Orleans, I stopped at the
Visitor’s Center just outside of the French Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked with a woman with a very heavy
Cajun-French accent and she gave me directions to my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found my little hotel about 6 blocks away
on Burgundy Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got checked in and
while I was checking in I also got signed up for the Vampire Tour that night
and a Cemetery Tour the next morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
then asked where a good place to eat for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was directed to Deanie’s and was told to
tell them that John, the front desk clerk’s name, had sent me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of New Orleans’s tourist business seems
to be based on a referral system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeJ7wQiVLahtufnHgWk2Gjln7oRgDSAolAKmznOiEcFCjOAziH1Yh-TqxBx5xfh521sIT5uoP4JJ54tcUd36-ztiU1n1JnWEx_SFBQ1gg0YorNf7rd0L6wrNdoNzP8cMVt73XgWwxs7o/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeJ7wQiVLahtufnHgWk2Gjln7oRgDSAolAKmznOiEcFCjOAziH1Yh-TqxBx5xfh521sIT5uoP4JJ54tcUd36-ztiU1n1JnWEx_SFBQ1gg0YorNf7rd0L6wrNdoNzP8cMVt73XgWwxs7o/s320/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Deanie's where I had dinner my first night in the French Quarter of New Orleans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I found Deanie’s, which the hotel clerk had pronounced
Deedee’s, and had a wonderful small seafood pizza and a large version of a Long
Island Ice tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was while I was
having my dinner that three Louisiana State Police walk in and check out the
establishment’s liquor lisc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
interesting seeing them in their blue polo shirts and tan pants with guns
strapped at their waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All this to
verify a liquor lisc?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed a bit
much but the manager showed up and things proceeded smoothly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked back to my hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I still had time to blow before the Vampire Tour and thought I might
check out a local bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John, at the
desk, referred me to a place just down the street about 3 blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said that it would mainly be locals and no
real tourists because it was on the edge of the French Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked in and was greeted by a local’s dog
that was still in the friendly puppy stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I sat down and ended up started a conversation with a couple of friends
that have lived in the area for a while(Andrew and Stephanie).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the inside scoop on the beignets and
learned that the bars never really closed down here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The locals take their time with the
drinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also learned that you can
carry out of the bar as long as it is in plastic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_nfPu241bWym8y3qQDZVixjKXZZjYn7AhrFuP011J8bQQYnNX_hOni-GHGHMqu5-TqmZzRnIVy42KFt3FpbtktobyJbiGzU8cD2MQjKzS5mvqY3ngUmQVC0ZgEKA9MXlNpZE8CC0Bdw/s1600/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_nfPu241bWym8y3qQDZVixjKXZZjYn7AhrFuP011J8bQQYnNX_hOni-GHGHMqu5-TqmZzRnIVy42KFt3FpbtktobyJbiGzU8cD2MQjKzS5mvqY3ngUmQVC0ZgEKA9MXlNpZE8CC0Bdw/s400/DAY+107,108-+BIG+Adventure+232.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Part of the French Quarter at night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Shortly after that I was carrying what was left
of my beer over to the start of the Vampire Tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a good group of about 15 people;
all tourists on the tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were told
about the history of the area and the possibilities of vampires by some of the
things that happened in the past in the area as we walked along in the French
Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our guide stopped and pointed
out buildings that were in a movie or had some kind of questionable vampire
history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it was exaggerated but
it was all in good fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
We stopped towards the middle of the tour for a quick drink
and bathroom drink at a local bar on the tour route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure that the tour guide got a kick back
for this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And again at the end of the
tour it was ended at another bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be
sure to have plenty of cash on hand when you are in New Orleans because some of
the bars only take cash but there’s always an ATM nearby with an extra fee to
be paid.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-31953748578235097042012-12-06T15:38:00.000-08:002012-12-06T15:38:53.020-08:00DAY 106- Starting on Louisiana…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke up to another rainy morning and it was very
humid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t do a thing with my
naturally curly hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was definitely
a hat day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up directions to a
local Mardi Gras Museum but there were two possibilities for the same address
that I had one was a Street and the other a Lane and they were not close to
each other. I had no phone number contact for the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked the front desk as I checked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls at the front desk said it was
probably a street and in the historic downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They supplied me with a map.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
I was in business or at least I hoped.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I found thought I had found the museum but unsure I asked a
security guard outside taking a smoke break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Yessim Mamm! You ‘sore are at the right place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked where to park because it was
basically a school where it said students only parking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed at the lot and told me anywhere I
could find a spot should be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got
into the building and the same security guard gave me directions to the second
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said to go to office 202 if
the museum wasn’t open and they would open it for me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dNlbha-_OIGL8W5rUmaori2ht0RqYFVLhLGbFKbbW18KNEqWIvx6842mUgUPKLXue-cMo_o3ub1fRYVbj48pibeXzOsf18y_Cg1nvBZAs7zqUGT_Ah8Edk1sx5A7bUr7T6vlc4m5B64/s1600/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dNlbha-_OIGL8W5rUmaori2ht0RqYFVLhLGbFKbbW18KNEqWIvx6842mUgUPKLXue-cMo_o3ub1fRYVbj48pibeXzOsf18y_Cg1nvBZAs7zqUGT_Ah8Edk1sx5A7bUr7T6vlc4m5B64/s320/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Inside the Mardi Gras Museum in Lake Charles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I got up to the second floor and it was filled with Mardi
Gras costumes on both sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
amazing the designs and beading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
door to the actual museum was closed so I walked down the hall and stuck my
head into a doorway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man took my $3
and was more than willing to open the doors and turn on the lights to the
museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a museum that wound its
way through 6 rooms and in and out of the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were automated mannequins that talked
and told you the story of the Mardi Gras in Lake Charles which started with a
small group talking on a porch in early 1960’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first Mardi Gras was held in Lake Charles in 1962 and has been going
since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also an open Mardi Gras and
anyone living in Lake Charles, MS has an opportunity to participate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYh3oPZa9HNCdiiH_K6StfCAJp3mbCBiKaPH4V6wGQzoUjTydE9n6j7goTvqVKnMGANB69SEuvogUodap9c8FECLlEtCHCQ6c8GmF6qIUu4AlME8Suv7ebv7ZzxRmU_NmkBtY3uQOo_3A/s1600/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYh3oPZa9HNCdiiH_K6StfCAJp3mbCBiKaPH4V6wGQzoUjTydE9n6j7goTvqVKnMGANB69SEuvogUodap9c8FECLlEtCHCQ6c8GmF6qIUu4AlME8Suv7ebv7ZzxRmU_NmkBtY3uQOo_3A/s320/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- A great deal of planning and designing that goes into the costumes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_GK2wcWSwWWDMH3mWGYE7Fu0dov47I-td_dQEO2G7S7UCkHTI2wVmDf-SjxLEFbvdnyK_FH74gBs4MJhPcKSq4oujWL1UvZta8xjDT8vv-wsiErZ12ZJh22rSV6ns953JS5NBmByzGM/s1600/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_GK2wcWSwWWDMH3mWGYE7Fu0dov47I-td_dQEO2G7S7UCkHTI2wVmDf-SjxLEFbvdnyK_FH74gBs4MJhPcKSq4oujWL1UvZta8xjDT8vv-wsiErZ12ZJh22rSV6ns953JS5NBmByzGM/s320/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The museum also explained what a Mardi Gras was and went
into the hierarchy of the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
amazed at the organizing; planning and designing that went into it each year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a whole room in the museum that talked
about the costuming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started with the
design drawings, selection of the materials, and talked about working with
seamstresses for the actual sewing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
there were the fittings to the actual individuals that would be wearing the
costumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all sounded very
expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite a few of the pictures
were of prominent people predominately with money in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was all very interesting to getting a
little peek into this part of the southern world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the thanking the guy for opening the museum and the
security guard, I headed to the historic downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had seen a gallery store that looked
interesting the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a
parking place and went in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the
art was Fleur de Lis of all different themes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were Fleur de Lis for certain professions, sports teams (mainly Louisiana
teams), animals, patriotism, and cooking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was something interesting that I had never seen before and they were
rather cool to look at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were tons
of numbered prints available of each and there were paint sticks with pictures
and labels of what they were in each section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I really felt rather uncomfortable the gal attending the store asked if
I was looking for something in particular and then just stood nearby me holding
a black cat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her I was curious
and was just looking; giving her a pointed look like back off girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She finally left to the other side of the
room but still watched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t stay
long after that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I drove a short ways down Ryan Street to a Southern
Spice restaurant I had seen last night when driving around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it might be a good place to have
lunch and if it was any indication the parking lot was packed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a place in back on the gravel under a
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited a couple of minutes for a
small table to be cleaned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered the
special of the day a cranberry chicken salad sandwich on a croissant with a cup
of shrimp and crawfish gumbo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “cup”
came and it was a regular bowl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
server said that just might fill me up and that this was the cup size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked if that was a southern sizing thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed at me and I wondered if I would
have gotten a bucket if I ordered a bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn7XXsi1211rYmnnaLG1mrJcF75U219j-vRhx1Eo3pxpzuLAJD0p11xUt8vjFgFfJ_qzziGIS36WRd4g2yhMTgey09WHFbQ3wKMFXOA_dGg9D5UaKMTuFxiE1sfk9vN-R7JpFoDZqWpA/s1600/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn7XXsi1211rYmnnaLG1mrJcF75U219j-vRhx1Eo3pxpzuLAJD0p11xUt8vjFgFfJ_qzziGIS36WRd4g2yhMTgey09WHFbQ3wKMFXOA_dGg9D5UaKMTuFxiE1sfk9vN-R7JpFoDZqWpA/s320/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Southern Spice has southern home cooking that tends on the heavy side. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I took a taste of the gumbo and I could just taste the lard
and salt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OMG!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t that it was bad but it was very
different from the gumbo that I had last night and I just didn’t care for it as
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cranberry chicken salad
sandwich came and I couldn’t pick up the croissant sandwich because the
croissant was very delicate and flaky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cut it up with my fork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
this was good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was served with potato
chips and these looked homemade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took
a bite and could taste the lard and Cajun spices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please tell me that not all of these southern
restaurants used lard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yikes, I could
feel my arteries clogging!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The server asked where I was from and was surprised when I
said Utah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s really up there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I said it was more west than up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, she was saying the states I would have
to drive through to get here and finally figured out that Utah was just above
Arizona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, this girl knew her geography
at least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was sweet and even offered
to get me a go cup for my diet coke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRoSURsBPlxlgoupuj16fNsGp8JWtdbqtsVuZ0lqK44TelocDTV5a_WeSlyeTjq1G1dkEe4cahXxUFEOWXgydJvWJ9RI_XMXVZHZQUdrpBsLkVCYuG7zYyWTfz8yTXLTTpQTWEAmfXtg/s1600/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRoSURsBPlxlgoupuj16fNsGp8JWtdbqtsVuZ0lqK44TelocDTV5a_WeSlyeTjq1G1dkEe4cahXxUFEOWXgydJvWJ9RI_XMXVZHZQUdrpBsLkVCYuG7zYyWTfz8yTXLTTpQTWEAmfXtg/s400/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+053.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A lovely park area along the lake in Lake Charles, LA.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made a quick stop at a park area along the bank of the
Lake Charles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine on a nice day
this would have been filled but it was rather chilly and cloudy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a few people taking work breaks or
walking their dogs through the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
took a couple of pictures and was thinking of using the restrooms but walked
into them and turned right back around; not clean at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJvKcX55ATnU5ytOVeeT2c367pMbdh1gsVs5znFDua3frz2iNeD57GWeReyqtkDXQqAsYUw0VKAlBvN6ALMjgRtJuIdOrzQr711erG49g9mr97N0mZV9agdAhZrwORDW1ov-4tdbtOVQ/s1600/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJvKcX55ATnU5ytOVeeT2c367pMbdh1gsVs5znFDua3frz2iNeD57GWeReyqtkDXQqAsYUw0VKAlBvN6ALMjgRtJuIdOrzQr711erG49g9mr97N0mZV9agdAhZrwORDW1ov-4tdbtOVQ/s320/DAY+106-+BIG+Adventure+060.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Driving on a long bridge through swamp land.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Driving on the way to Baton Rouge, there’s a long, long
bridge area that goes over a swamp, a lake, a river, and then a shipping
channel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must have been at least 15
miles that I was driving on a bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
seemed like the never-ending bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
swamp area was rather interesting scenic area to be driving over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made me wonder how much of the state of Louisiana
was swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I finally arrived at my hotel amid all of the rush hour
traffic which I guess was made worse because it was raining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl said that they drive crazy here when
it rains and I felt like I was driving in Utah during the first snow of the
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were crazy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked her where there were a lot of
restaurants nearby and she gave me directions of 4 street lights and off to the
right was a mall/ shopping area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
dinner at an Italian chain restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
needed a break from lard!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I left the restaurant and immediately got lost because I got
turned around in the mall area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
still pouring rain and I couldn’t see half of the road signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I back tracked to the restaurant and thought
I was going back the way I came but nothing was looking like the way I had
driven to the restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove around
another 15 minutes and finally just called the hotel for directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gal transferred me to Bobby who asked
where I was and he gave me directions back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bobby?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought if it was
anywhere but the south this guy would be demanding to be called Bob or Robert. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got back to the hotel but was definitely
staying in for the rest of the night.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-17286419536880646332012-12-04T19:29:00.000-08:002012-12-04T19:29:55.607-08:00DAY 105—Finishing Up Texas & Moving On to Louisiana…
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The plan today was to head east from Houston towards
Beaumont, TX and then onto Lake Charles, LA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was raining pretty well when I woke up and I could see from my hotel
window that I-45 north was a solid traffic jam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That would be the way that I needed to go to catch I-10 East.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to take my time with breakfast and
getting ready for the day in hopes that when I left most of the traffic would
be gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was mostly gone when I
jumped on I-45 with my car shortly after 10am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I decided to wait until I was out of the Houston area before I fueled
up.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About 30 miles east outside of Houston, the price of gas had
dropped by ten cents a gallon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped
and fueled up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a guy from Tennessee
that was going around to everyone at the pump asking if anyone had any
cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and his family were stranded
and needed some help so he could get to a location of a job he found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he asked me, I told him I was the last
person to ask because I was basically living out of my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at my loaded up car and then God
blessed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m always wary of giving
people like this money because there’s never a way to verify their story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-o_1hp1TKaohErM6DZuvZO6kiFcr-KWwZqpCjs1c5sRb0stSDLcUPoJnm5pVZQ_5-DTo8haouPG4MWo2PsCVVc1mHOTbw-DnK8nAzHGcsE4JtfGPFybhWhp6e9ugYDTwoWU94VPsD0s/s1600/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-o_1hp1TKaohErM6DZuvZO6kiFcr-KWwZqpCjs1c5sRb0stSDLcUPoJnm5pVZQ_5-DTo8haouPG4MWo2PsCVVc1mHOTbw-DnK8nAzHGcsE4JtfGPFybhWhp6e9ugYDTwoWU94VPsD0s/s320/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+003.JPG" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Starvin' Marvin's Restaurant .</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On down the road I went and a few miles outside of Beaumont
I saw signs advertising Starvin’ Marvin’s restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They advertised that they were the best of
Beaumont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, these Texans love to
brag!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it was lunch time and I
thought what the hell. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swung by
Starvin’ Marvin’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad that I
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat outside on their wonderful
patio area and enjoyed a delicious crawfish enchilada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I had bread pudding for dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yummy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was as I paid for my meal that I noticed a credit card
was missing from my wallet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last
place I used it was the gas station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went out to my car and looked through the seats and all through the bags and
what not where it could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m getting
more and more nervous as I look and it’s not showing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must have dropped it when I fueled up
because I couldn’t remember what I did because I got side tracked by that guy
from Tennessee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally, I have a
system but talking to someone during the process threw me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I turned back on the interstate and headed back to that gas
station which was about 50 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
whole time I’m praying to God that someone was honest and turned in my card to
a clerk at the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never had a
longer 50 mile drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to the gas
station and waited a few minutes while they contacted someone in the office
area of the Flying J.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I described the
card and gave them my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 5
minutes later a gal comes down and yells my last name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I answer and she hands me the card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never even asked for ID or anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly used the restroom and then was back
heading east on the interstate towards Beaumont.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Jvl5OOONn1S6e9zBDJh5dA8cOKyr3ElgjMTmT1pTsCZBOI9z4QZRvB3RDnZzIxGUwoqsa1XR-XAS2qvdR61PVlO7VzQEFnSIQbdEfNpox7Ua-jUUZbkHKGjcz7IPYuX37wFXrOFzk-U/s1600/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Jvl5OOONn1S6e9zBDJh5dA8cOKyr3ElgjMTmT1pTsCZBOI9z4QZRvB3RDnZzIxGUwoqsa1XR-XAS2qvdR61PVlO7VzQEFnSIQbdEfNpox7Ua-jUUZbkHKGjcz7IPYuX37wFXrOFzk-U/s320/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A festive air in the Fireman's Museum in Beaumont, TX.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There was a Fireman’s Museum that I was hoping to catch
before it closed in Beaumont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made it
with time to spare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The museum is a free
self-guided tour and it was rather fascinating reading about how fireman came
into being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found it very interesting
that Benjamin Franklin had a great influence on the history of fireman. He started the first volunteer fire company in 1736. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also very interesting to see the
evolution of the fire truck and other tools that the fireman use change over
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the place all to myself and
I took my time going through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
especially got a kick out of the HUGE black and white spotted fire hydrant in a
courtyard area across from the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was very much worth the stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2ftYkFKuhfREfBmQOFhih2Qy2Xu_cg6VrurBMN-Tt54MDJBSmsEbCbIWT2kNvmVjuIqnBVGDsJFtd3RtSWTnUGE8HdsjKQ7BeTFGqfroSzmpUfr-0nLGxTtIFi8f4r-_xYWcu0PgBU0/s1600/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2ftYkFKuhfREfBmQOFhih2Qy2Xu_cg6VrurBMN-Tt54MDJBSmsEbCbIWT2kNvmVjuIqnBVGDsJFtd3RtSWTnUGE8HdsjKQ7BeTFGqfroSzmpUfr-0nLGxTtIFi8f4r-_xYWcu0PgBU0/s320/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+027.JPG" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A HUGE fire hydrant in Beaumont, TX.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I was heading further east towards Louisiana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was interesting watching the landscape
change just a little more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
more marsh like areas with trees along the interstate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was moss hanging in the trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I crossed the state line into Louisiana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The speed limit on the interstate dropped
from 75mph to 70mph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interstate
widened with another lane and it was a smoother black top that seemed better
maintained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another 30 miles, and I was
going over a long huge bridge into Lake Charles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I happily found my hotel which was close off
an interstate exit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After getting settled in a bit at the hotel, I went down to
the front desk and asked the gal where was a go place to grab a bite to
eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She asked what kind of food I was
in the mood for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her something
local that was casual, as I looked down at my jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She directed me to Steamboat Bill’s which was
just up the road about ½ mile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steamboat Bill’s is definitely a locals place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked in and was the only white person in
the place; which is cultural shock after living in Utah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were two counters in the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One where you ordered prepared food and
another on the other side that looked like it had fresh seafood you could take
home to prepare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked up to the
counter asked if they took credit cards and then ordered a chicken and sausage
gumbo with a soda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gal behind the
counter gave me a number along with my receipt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They would call that number when it was ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went over to the fountain area, got my
drink, and then decided where to sit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lA7v3V0QjeYi6izAcv5zQM2IoKX29E9OfaSHcRic_b3n1gS784dWFKG1nSTB3FpWWD6LjM3EvLQBsTCcwkqMhk8517wOAA4xuD3agA3ypxbBj-1C_zD9pl6kEtmXamIOE1B8M-TEAPw/s1600/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lA7v3V0QjeYi6izAcv5zQM2IoKX29E9OfaSHcRic_b3n1gS784dWFKG1nSTB3FpWWD6LjM3EvLQBsTCcwkqMhk8517wOAA4xuD3agA3ypxbBj-1C_zD9pl6kEtmXamIOE1B8M-TEAPw/s320/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Good Gumbo at Steamboat Bill's.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Quite a few people were coming in and picking up to go
orders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place wasn’t very busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were maybe six actual customers sitting
down to eat in the whole place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got my
gumbo and sat at one of the simple tables that have paper towel holders at each
end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gumbo was wonderful and I wish
I would have ordered the large portion instead of the regular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was as I was enjoying my bowl of gumbo that an older
blond haired man came in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at
me and said,” Awww, I see you got the WHOLE place to yourself.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just smiled and nodded at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though, surely he could see that there were 6
other Black customers in the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did
they not count in his book or what’s up with that; I thought to myself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He came over after he got his drink and
noticed that I hadn’t done the crawfish which was in season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No crawfish?” he asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laughingly told him that I was building up
to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He asked where in the north I
was from after I said that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess he
noticed I didn’t have a southern accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I said Utah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, that’s REALLY
up there!” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chuckled and
wondered to myself if he had any idea where Utah was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GaFva2mZUtLps92fzhzFmzPoYcFFz7f7DfoV8NMaQCxqtodZ0f5BBL0ofCK3-IZQgHescY3yn3z2DdycoAtyHXvjF8YaFwTc23ozCJx-E4ffoGgeVkjey0ehEB3XCYlXIuwh_VUWbew/s1600/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GaFva2mZUtLps92fzhzFmzPoYcFFz7f7DfoV8NMaQCxqtodZ0f5BBL0ofCK3-IZQgHescY3yn3z2DdycoAtyHXvjF8YaFwTc23ozCJx-E4ffoGgeVkjey0ehEB3XCYlXIuwh_VUWbew/s400/DAY+105-+BIG+Adventure+040.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Christmas Lights by the Civic Center in Lake Charles, LA.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was as I was leaving the restaurant that he asked me how
long I was staying in Lake Charles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
told him just the night and part of tomorrow and then I would head on to Baton
Rouge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said,” Well, Miss Utah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have a wonderful visit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thanked him and left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then decided to explore some of the Lake
Charles area in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
quite a few Christmas lights down by the lake area and by their civic center
that were festive.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-32583572319227948462012-12-03T07:47:00.000-08:002012-12-03T07:47:02.771-08:00DAY 102,103 &104- Houston, TX…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the interest of catching up and because I’ve been in the
same Texas city for the last few days, I’m just going to give you the high
lights of my time in Houston, Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Houston
has been touted as the 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> largest city in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure if that’s land mass or
population wise or just a matter of Texans bragging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sure have a tendency to brag about how
big things are; or how tall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if
some of that steams from the landscape being so flat in general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Houston would be predominately a flat city if
it were not for all of the vaulted freeways that they seem to like to
build.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I will say that Houston seems
to be easier to get around than some of the larger cities I have been
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The freeway system here seems to
be laid out somewhat logically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
enough of that, let’s get into the highlights of my time in Houston…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Day 102—</span></strong></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvmNcX2SpfqvmjqK0_QUKSjwNk_tKiqBmaEDemovlAgGuS9GyScQ4HQP99tTe87GiNy2jg6nO5JfyO3R1QubLdOKAHOuchrbDzYmUIv_lA3WI4zwWyeHU3cHSLYsxw6fcz68lQIKn2Y0/s1600/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvmNcX2SpfqvmjqK0_QUKSjwNk_tKiqBmaEDemovlAgGuS9GyScQ4HQP99tTe87GiNy2jg6nO5JfyO3R1QubLdOKAHOuchrbDzYmUIv_lA3WI4zwWyeHU3cHSLYsxw6fcz68lQIKn2Y0/s320/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- It looks like the Washington Monument but it's in Texas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4T7SlBEzKB38Ge2iH74OIh3Qz9ZPxgfhUL3EfoYa0cHIEhkOSJ5AdFOb_TdTUqVuL_5ocZtyEcFBIMKgIkb4BdnXPJcQdmSuhQ5FZNa4CX_ac6ECIYJ-HQlGtdxo4FVFApXqjHkd9Lc/s1600/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4T7SlBEzKB38Ge2iH74OIh3Qz9ZPxgfhUL3EfoYa0cHIEhkOSJ5AdFOb_TdTUqVuL_5ocZtyEcFBIMKgIkb4BdnXPJcQdmSuhQ5FZNa4CX_ac6ECIYJ-HQlGtdxo4FVFApXqjHkd9Lc/s320/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+009.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Me in front of the San Jacinto Monument.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Visiting the San Jacinto Monument...</u></strong> It was like a mini
Washington Monument that was placed in the middle of oil refinery lands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off to one side it even had its own
reflection pond like the Washington Monument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It marks the spot that some historians refer to as the birth place of
Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This battle that took place after
the Alamo was a turning point where Texans won and finally were made into a US
state which in turn lead to the Spanish American War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, that’s the shortened version that I
understood from all the reading I did at the monument.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjntOiZD2mN6Za_g9KxuKYg3flxtBxz6LSfd38CU-iHXkGgi9GxOFnUHkinIHXYV92H6JIH0joi3sbcFFSoZLRsz5fH6r7ZTqlSpV_aBeA8REy7PFYTGYQJ1EyM5lvQygfaHYZAHh3WWs/s1600/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjntOiZD2mN6Za_g9KxuKYg3flxtBxz6LSfd38CU-iHXkGgi9GxOFnUHkinIHXYV92H6JIH0joi3sbcFFSoZLRsz5fH6r7ZTqlSpV_aBeA8REy7PFYTGYQJ1EyM5lvQygfaHYZAHh3WWs/s400/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+024.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Fred Hartman Bridge as seen from a nearby Marina.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Driving over the Fred Hartman Bridge…</u></strong>This Bridge is a cable-stayed
bridge that spans the Houston Ship Channel and is 2.6 miles wide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a rather impressive bridge and there’s
quite a view of it from a nearby marina area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjOwlMivYD9VA0fnSggOOYkhE022jiMes8gNcp262urkaL5OpApW_r3aZ70P5IUdRfV0InGaGjno6QmTk9hRhNR31V6LEKes-sJExUrUW-IqzG5hIxlHcSgKHAqCTW7Pgjcnu1wgQi6g/s1600/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjOwlMivYD9VA0fnSggOOYkhE022jiMes8gNcp262urkaL5OpApW_r3aZ70P5IUdRfV0InGaGjno6QmTk9hRhNR31V6LEKes-sJExUrUW-IqzG5hIxlHcSgKHAqCTW7Pgjcnu1wgQi6g/s320/DAY+102-+BIG+Adventure+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Kemah Boardwalk.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Walking the Kemah Boardwalk…</u></strong> This is a cute amusement park
with a boardwalk that overlooks the Galveston Bay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is southeast of Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was raining a bit when my friend and I
arrived so we had coffee and freshly made beignets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yummy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the first time I had ever had one and I was told I had to have
one in New Orleans. I also heard that this is the</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> place of the original Laundry's Seafood Restaurant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">DAY 103—</span></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZSMLFaiykS3hPi3nKSkRyLo8myAmDRyEQY5rze6dUUIxCzGIVcrdoam8gRKF_-7jJWqR0OVs2SVCY8o2XGM5by3PCQVbg3CVg3bY96FTDNWzKB3UPqCNIw7sp5oi0F5NcEWBIxwgcXI/s1600/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZSMLFaiykS3hPi3nKSkRyLo8myAmDRyEQY5rze6dUUIxCzGIVcrdoam8gRKF_-7jJWqR0OVs2SVCY8o2XGM5by3PCQVbg3CVg3bY96FTDNWzKB3UPqCNIw7sp5oi0F5NcEWBIxwgcXI/s320/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Houston Museum of Fine Arts Sculptural Garden. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Visiting the Houston Museum of Fine Arts…</u></strong>Located in the
heart of the Museum District of downtown Houston this museum’s main campus has
two buildings that are connected by an underground tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beck building houses more traditional
type of art and the Law building houses more modern and cultural displays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The underground tunnel had changing lights
and was really cool to walk through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a dance display going on in part of the Law building in the Buddhist
–Indian area when we went through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a woman dancing and like telling a story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was wonderful to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
favorite section was the Impressionism section on the second floor of the Beck
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWiZrQg4O34Lhh_seOsEn6WM3pGTP7x5sVHmfZ6e4U1gFlKEB5YuPQpxeZKwNaWNMzHtyvVnBVvFntcJnE6zbj5x1VjpUGaa9FG5B6owBi14jp_7_fEvvFpqc_Zl_rKxptETn2Md5XK4/s1600/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWiZrQg4O34Lhh_seOsEn6WM3pGTP7x5sVHmfZ6e4U1gFlKEB5YuPQpxeZKwNaWNMzHtyvVnBVvFntcJnE6zbj5x1VjpUGaa9FG5B6owBi14jp_7_fEvvFpqc_Zl_rKxptETn2Md5XK4/s320/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+011.JPG" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the Menil Collection Museum.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>See the Menil Collection Museum…</u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The actual collection was not as impressive
as the outside of the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
very modern with sculpture on the grounds and a louvered like covered entry and
covered sidewalks around it’s outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was one room that had famous painter’s paintings where it was a
canvas that was all one color or a huge box of black in another color on an
almost black covered canvas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never
seem to get art like this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Boggled at the CY Twombly Gallery…</u></strong> Across the street from
the Menil Collection Museum, this gallery has a very plain exterior and is a
bit of an oddity to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are told
there’s no cell phones or photography and to please keep your voices down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see where it might be a good place to
meditate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interior has large canvas
ceilings to diffuse the light on the artwork that displayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The artwork?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, it looked a little like 20 kids let loose on a canvas to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This kind of art I REALLY do not get. Thank goodness it was free to get in but there were plenty of art books by the artist at the front entry way if you wanted to spend some money.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6hkCab_IaGAGTjO_tNMMtaBCOJQWHcgexOfso4OZuCazraaGDjmSLgxL_BBXLtdvk3u8Fg_spp1ww5hX9pZfCW9OVQi9b8oV2gLeXjCuJ_kSDDsGP7AnpEsYX-HCxhFIHp46aHxSDTg/s1600/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6hkCab_IaGAGTjO_tNMMtaBCOJQWHcgexOfso4OZuCazraaGDjmSLgxL_BBXLtdvk3u8Fg_spp1ww5hX9pZfCW9OVQi9b8oV2gLeXjCuJ_kSDDsGP7AnpEsYX-HCxhFIHp46aHxSDTg/s320/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The unique St. Thomas College's Church.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Seeing the unique St. Thomas College Campus Church…</u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This church situated in the middle of campus
just a couple of blocks from the Menil Collection Museum was something to
see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looks like a HUGE gold dome that
has been cut in half by a black wall that has the three bells and three windows
for the Trinity on each side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
entrance to the church area looks like appears as a white crack in the side of
the building that has been cut and pulled back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The inside is very austere and modern too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just an amazing place to visit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_IYI7QEaadkYR3p0Eq4Bf3ix7i_rs3Cgbz3iQLv85FQreVsPs3P6NYSMRwXI9iXY4fjqLxSgkg8bi-3jG6z09a4YvRCgDQCmmBYCSlKNtgbNEdVw1Dwtj5_E-McqFeBZghigAtiHjGg/s1600/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_IYI7QEaadkYR3p0Eq4Bf3ix7i_rs3Cgbz3iQLv85FQreVsPs3P6NYSMRwXI9iXY4fjqLxSgkg8bi-3jG6z09a4YvRCgDQCmmBYCSlKNtgbNEdVw1Dwtj5_E-McqFeBZghigAtiHjGg/s320/DAY+103,104-+BIG+Adventure+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- A sculpture of Sam Houston in Houston Texas...Hmmm?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Driving through Hermann Park…</u></strong> In middle of downtown Houston
as I drove back to my hotel I drove through a large city park that is called
Hermann Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are quite a few fountains
and a large sculpture of notorious Sam Houston; as should be expected in a city
named after him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lovely park
area for people to hang out and relax in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>DAY 104—<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Visiting the School of Architecture in the University of
Houston…</u></strong> My friend being an architect and having graduated from this school
wanted to quickly show me the unique building of the School of Architecture at
the University of Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very
unique building with classic roman columns on the top and a more modern flavor
on the bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaaZZiXwWOoP3_hTh2AHLbwbjjWVQPDJLsZpCRyG84gC9HcO1339UQRvPc1QjOn0Og8pkDqQ78UuM2KUvMU11rcIkBcSBSmKihfF9kaaaDFNal5j9_RfLNtsFdqUKFvURkWipJi-e3b0/s1600/12149037%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaaZZiXwWOoP3_hTh2AHLbwbjjWVQPDJLsZpCRyG84gC9HcO1339UQRvPc1QjOn0Og8pkDqQ78UuM2KUvMU11rcIkBcSBSmKihfF9kaaaDFNal5j9_RfLNtsFdqUKFvURkWipJi-e3b0/s320/12149037%5B2%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The Beer Can House in Houston Texas.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Seeing the Beer Can House…</u></strong> Yep, I had to just drive by and
see this unique bit of Houston while I was in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was definitely its own unique form of “architecture”;
I’m using in the loosest from of that word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beer cans were used in almost every aspect of the outside of the house
from the mail box to the fence to the exterior of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An especially unique touch was the inlaid
marbles in the driveway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a $5
entrance fee to go into the interior of the house but I just stuck with looking
at the exterior of the house and wondering how many beer parties it must have
taken to get all of those beer cans for the outside.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jz7GCmXfi2LHQIEpvNctAbpqQ-0ttwn4qzIwGNvZjb6vS899ta1mfAYz-JPnad_51NoQgcfv9IPTl6P4sqc57ErJ8jl4JgD3z0n5O8ppkAacDKNoUW-VxFn_lL0kLt-4FlXRfXYQoTA/s1600/800px-BayouBendClioGarden%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jz7GCmXfi2LHQIEpvNctAbpqQ-0ttwn4qzIwGNvZjb6vS899ta1mfAYz-JPnad_51NoQgcfv9IPTl6P4sqc57ErJ8jl4JgD3z0n5O8ppkAacDKNoUW-VxFn_lL0kLt-4FlXRfXYQoTA/s320/800px-BayouBendClioGarden%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The amazing Bayou Bend Gardens.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u></u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Walking through the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens…</u></strong>The house
and gardens was the former home of a Houston civic leader and philanthropist
Ima Hogg (yeah, what a name!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked
through the garden area for a mere $3 fee and they are definitely something to
see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house was built in 1927 in the
height of the roaring 20’s and it looks very much like a southern
plantation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s an extra fee and
reservation to see the interior of the house but I was happy just enjoying the
lovely garden area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even had a HUGE
sculpted butterfly garden area that was fun to enjoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These gardens are open year round to enjoy
and they even have events in the evenings that can be attended that look
festive.</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-50002404856558912022012-12-02T21:04:00.002-08:002012-12-02T21:04:42.248-08:00DAY 101- Galveston & Houston, TX…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the morning after having a waffle shaped like the great
state of Texas, I took advantage of the convenient laundry the hotel had down
the hall to my room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I washed a load of
laundry while I showered and changed for the day; that’s multi-tasking in my
current world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after the laundry
was done, I was packed and on my way out of Bay City, TX.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will admit that I drove through town found
the post office and didn’t see much else to visit in the area.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I headed north on Texas Hwy 35.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a while I pulled into a picnic area and
ate a bit of a snack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s quite a
few picnic areas along the highways instead of rest stops in Texas; no restroom
facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You best stop at one of the
gas stations if you need that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
picnic area had two covered picnic tables, a couple of bright blue garbage cans
and a historical marker about Texas’ dairy industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of people were slowing down and looking
at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could they tell I was one of them
Yanks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or did I badly mismatch my outfit
this morning?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I continued on my drive eventually turning onto I-45 to head
south towards Galveston, TX.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started
to be driving on a series of bridges and there was a lot less land that was
visible until I got near Galveston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were tall blue towers on the each side of the interstate bridge
with Galveston in bold white letters vertically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I was in Galveston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interstate ended and I was on a main road
through town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfPG8wSMHIHVcoYgl9XsyN9Ahr00PQSFiXYXb78FWr5lIijXzPuRYkuVaba8O-nyb-i9QhVpZwLu3kEHRnLjZMoGMatlGyaNJ7QBwO4CWJtv87VwLUTuudEELRtQcmydMLw-ES-NXW3w/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfPG8wSMHIHVcoYgl9XsyN9Ahr00PQSFiXYXb78FWr5lIijXzPuRYkuVaba8O-nyb-i9QhVpZwLu3kEHRnLjZMoGMatlGyaNJ7QBwO4CWJtv87VwLUTuudEELRtQcmydMLw-ES-NXW3w/s400/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+289.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Entering into Galveston, Tx.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I saw the signs for Pleasure Pier and started to follow those
out of curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It ended up being a
large pier that had an amusement park on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That looked fun but it was looking rather dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the off season from what I could
see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove along the seawall area for
a while until it ended and then I turned around to head back down along
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled over a couple of places and
got out to look around and take pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were statues that were memorials to those that were lost in
hurricanes that had come ashore in Galveston; the most devastating one occurred
in 1900.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gulf was very choppy with
white caps.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWuJQq7pYj8xGfNRFJC0odXFeKPG6u5DotKSCzk4k56mtLuw8aI6eQCKXdcZz_GMzRhZpIyGKs9wXjzFSjThV40IE92WKZh3aMqKFZF5HaqIo9LormMdhNz7dTySaWWUWMcd7mB0Uxj4/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWuJQq7pYj8xGfNRFJC0odXFeKPG6u5DotKSCzk4k56mtLuw8aI6eQCKXdcZz_GMzRhZpIyGKs9wXjzFSjThV40IE92WKZh3aMqKFZF5HaqIo9LormMdhNz7dTySaWWUWMcd7mB0Uxj4/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+304.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Along the seawall in Galveston.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGBG1ZErxoAfaTd186-y3nXndy_RylvsbEh4dM-VUZrkYHLS9MkbyqDm_7a6ZtrSEnS-QJAq3mm7QzhuPizTK4vmrVqa5cCgHu2o-RKtNRlH5i5wGY42c6OVl0c7pzLLQ9pP9G6Rb4wE/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+292.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGBG1ZErxoAfaTd186-y3nXndy_RylvsbEh4dM-VUZrkYHLS9MkbyqDm_7a6ZtrSEnS-QJAq3mm7QzhuPizTK4vmrVqa5cCgHu2o-RKtNRlH5i5wGY42c6OVl0c7pzLLQ9pP9G6Rb4wE/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSG9DpOCy7xl1_PqsOEooI9cUVky06YJb3mI_2LP-QIOjgHUBh6ueQ4cbP5D652fG5QXYwu2PmssmNVCTRym9klE6BnOjuTrS7R98MKdrvcoyctYDu8UVrBug0LC_4i87sU8q3B8NaFA/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSG9DpOCy7xl1_PqsOEooI9cUVky06YJb3mI_2LP-QIOjgHUBh6ueQ4cbP5D652fG5QXYwu2PmssmNVCTRym9klE6BnOjuTrS7R98MKdrvcoyctYDu8UVrBug0LC_4i87sU8q3B8NaFA/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+309.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Memorial statue along the seawall area in Galveston.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next I drove over to the Bishop’s Palace which was one of
the few houses that survived the great1900 hurricane that hit land in
Galveston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That hurricane wiped out 3500
homes in the area and over 6500 people died or disappeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ornate Victorian house had been built of stone
and railroad ties ended up serving as a sturdy shelter for several nearby
residents during that storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
built for lawyer and politician Walter Gresham between the years 1887 to 1893.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1923, it was purchased by the Roman
Catholic Diocese of Galveston to serve as the Bishop’s residence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1963, the house became a local museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing going through the house with a
self-guided audio tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, I
could not take any photos of the inside of the beautiful house to share with
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_3R2AOMRrQo-nxQn0liVMEFGtyCk0utT89ZxBjmBNQXeptbI9OTtL1X47gllLdzJ4fhDlSa9dYB2pL2iEiTYxR4_T7MX329fDK1dp3il0Ql47zXe4Z7PwsK9sW72n-8UJEz4Th1EdN8/s1600/Palace08%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_3R2AOMRrQo-nxQn0liVMEFGtyCk0utT89ZxBjmBNQXeptbI9OTtL1X47gllLdzJ4fhDlSa9dYB2pL2iEiTYxR4_T7MX329fDK1dp3il0Ql47zXe4Z7PwsK9sW72n-8UJEz4Th1EdN8/s320/Palace08%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the Bishop's Palace that I stole off a historical site. <br />
Darn camera was acting up again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I next wandered over and around The Strand in Galveston
which is their old downtown like historic area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a block or two away from where cruise ships are docked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove through admiring the old
buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was busy and there were no
places that I could find to park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I
needed to head north towards Houston, get checked into my hotel and meet a
friend for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I found I-45 and
headed north.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDrJyUS75ZH7yBFxarpFIXIanhu-I2_ChJrrvA2jx6iJOtc5Z3zine-nwWb5OK7Z3EJYhawVkt8TxiIwe2skz_inzxsVkw_F4mw2MqIrkHA_HnvX9nBqk-NjpfiE5RqsB7uNTQs-44DA/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDrJyUS75ZH7yBFxarpFIXIanhu-I2_ChJrrvA2jx6iJOtc5Z3zine-nwWb5OK7Z3EJYhawVkt8TxiIwe2skz_inzxsVkw_F4mw2MqIrkHA_HnvX9nBqk-NjpfiE5RqsB7uNTQs-44DA/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+326.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Inside the Aquarium restaurants.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADVe7_BkWxafSUCUCAh0iHnCHdKTSHU9s0Cw3LW0PX4y-G77Of9nRHsdaTkE0B43tXbgC4glggM5dXr6zkxjjd5BitvmGCXiXsdKM_fERmbHApV1oLjkwOAfKcVLgyEW6SUVAGZi8_0c/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADVe7_BkWxafSUCUCAh0iHnCHdKTSHU9s0Cw3LW0PX4y-G77Of9nRHsdaTkE0B43tXbgC4glggM5dXr6zkxjjd5BitvmGCXiXsdKM_fERmbHApV1oLjkwOAfKcVLgyEW6SUVAGZi8_0c/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+329.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Later, I had a wonderful late birthday treat of a dinner at
the Aquarium restaurant in downtown Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This restaurant had HUGE tanks that you could see in the dining room
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was rather great to eat, watch
and relax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then walked around some of
a park setting area not far from the restaurant and I got to see downtown
Houston a little more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, we drove
through downtown area and I got to see the City’s Christmas lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, we went Up Town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, Houston has a downtown and an uptown. We
had a quick drink in a nice bar in Uptown and then it was time to call it a
night. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4S4x8IpLRIRWC4vHNUzV_WpNfG9JinNHEjICjrodMbwz5iit_bcB-jefz_G0A2-QeMMzEYkYADmJG7Plj5glBBAcrVACNVFCjO9_SO-jLE0Iyi2-_i3giUA6Hf1pV5iegNPNdOIVr9hc/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4S4x8IpLRIRWC4vHNUzV_WpNfG9JinNHEjICjrodMbwz5iit_bcB-jefz_G0A2-QeMMzEYkYADmJG7Plj5glBBAcrVACNVFCjO9_SO-jLE0Iyi2-_i3giUA6Hf1pV5iegNPNdOIVr9hc/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+321.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Christmas in downtown Houston.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362887547730380535.post-59970855251472390722012-11-30T19:46:00.001-08:002012-11-30T19:46:40.769-08:00DAY 100- Sunrise and Never a Sailor…<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I got up early in my north Padre Island hotel to watch my
first sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was something unique having never saw a sunrise over an ocean area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Living in the west, I had seen sunsets over
the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still dark out when I
was putting my shoes on but the sun was rising steadily as I walked out to the
beach with my camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to
capture the moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t the only
one out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was another gal in
a cowboy boots and hat with a fancy camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I said hi and she walked away from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Okay, maybe not a morning person that talks; oh, well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just watched and enjoyed the silence as the
sun rose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was beautiful and I’m glad
that a friend had suggested that I do it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueNzyKdu9Q3wty58jc89nydVkaAASm26bnvuwuwz0sB_9f63koCVHj0wJ5c5HRIEYoCsRWH1jCeOKSM6HyU0UPYSUUNGWNR6n-QCq-PeRUsZh8bF5HwXLlBV0wc_DjC8cVdjLFlZxX3E/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueNzyKdu9Q3wty58jc89nydVkaAASm26bnvuwuwz0sB_9f63koCVHj0wJ5c5HRIEYoCsRWH1jCeOKSM6HyU0UPYSUUNGWNR6n-QCq-PeRUsZh8bF5HwXLlBV0wc_DjC8cVdjLFlZxX3E/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Of the sunrise I watched over the Gulf of Mexico.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92qc0tJekfH15m7ebhaMRVjwDG4K6Hpv6qIRTKZHNsTVWrKUnZb5EMCtrFYZaO-i40rjBXmeFh2gZ0NFjH6xW_t6q4TlNFikwCDYPMycx_fXK5VJO2cMG451T7lwPGYyCtHf429cQkZQ/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92qc0tJekfH15m7ebhaMRVjwDG4K6Hpv6qIRTKZHNsTVWrKUnZb5EMCtrFYZaO-i40rjBXmeFh2gZ0NFjH6xW_t6q4TlNFikwCDYPMycx_fXK5VJO2cMG451T7lwPGYyCtHf429cQkZQ/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Later on, I was heading south on Padre Island for the Padre
Island National Seashore which is part of the National Park system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to use my annual parks pass again;
bonus!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m always amazed at how many
National Parks or Landmarks that I just stumble across and am able to use this
pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the best investment that I
could have done during this adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I drove to the visitor’s center after showing my annual pass
at the entrance gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked into the
visitor’s center and there was a group with a national parks employee going
through a display of unique things that people had picked up along the
beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I joined in with listening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The coolest thing I thought that was on the
display table looked like a piece of petrified wood but it wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fused sand from a lightning bolt that
had struck the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could see
where seashells were captured in the fused sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All kinds of things wash up onto the shore of
Padre Island because of its circular coastline and the ocean currents there are
thing that come from Cuba, the Caribbean and South America; most of the items
on the display table were seed pods, nuts, or coral. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked around the visitor’s center a little more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had samples of the Kemp turtles that had
been almost extinct but with help from programs and local support they’ve been
assisted in the protection of their birthing places and releasing them
afterwards the numbers are slowly rising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had one of the large Kemp turtles on display but I guess that
currently they were releasing smaller ones in the early, early mornings at this
time of year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlwBlrgC38bB-oV_ue8DaDJS8siLimmmFx-armh3nc5YyDDuF7i5cCQrLtokHPdhmMMjxnlUI6gzOVJwhkPvv2AHetV1zem_QT5EVVjAMhWrlROzVROWYHaHKu_mju5wEsUJbvc1NyDc/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlwBlrgC38bB-oV_ue8DaDJS8siLimmmFx-armh3nc5YyDDuF7i5cCQrLtokHPdhmMMjxnlUI6gzOVJwhkPvv2AHetV1zem_QT5EVVjAMhWrlROzVROWYHaHKu_mju5wEsUJbvc1NyDc/s400/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Butterflies and flowers on the way to the beach.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I went out towards the beach area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way, I saw a grouping of yellow wild
flowers where there were quite a few monarch butterflies landing and flying
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped and watched for a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While watching I also saw a small sand crab
run across the sand and into a hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked
along the beach for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Down a
little ways there was a father and son fishing along the beach area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched them for a bit and then continued walking
down the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw all kinds of birds
and a couple of Portuguese-Man-O-Wars that had washed up on shore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day before near the hotel beach I had
seen a jelly fish washed up on shore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-1ng0gqMJWw_ieO54oILdaiXgHPFIkyAOrmmD40vhpld4X7CfapUgzuDA4AuWoXEIV4TpTkrxx0ZLNU2GCzgbL_W5CeUDpoQp7lXUJuDzdRK56PtgAT6Ya8fiQpu7pkYJ2Ww4J9Lk8c/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-1ng0gqMJWw_ieO54oILdaiXgHPFIkyAOrmmD40vhpld4X7CfapUgzuDA4AuWoXEIV4TpTkrxx0ZLNU2GCzgbL_W5CeUDpoQp7lXUJuDzdRK56PtgAT6Ya8fiQpu7pkYJ2Ww4J9Lk8c/s400/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+114.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Father and son fishing on the beach and their catch of the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB3VI-pvFF_IAQQCq7vXoyqXEz6zzDesH16JUctyZ0XGKKWywzPc4iUMFu-1c-bpGY8k2q0BkABDSgs66xJ5fOZnkzXr1SO1OX36yjNeFqOsWl6GAJlJLGZW8KT4-zUYI12tlUrfCMlI/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB3VI-pvFF_IAQQCq7vXoyqXEz6zzDesH16JUctyZ0XGKKWywzPc4iUMFu-1c-bpGY8k2q0BkABDSgs66xJ5fOZnkzXr1SO1OX36yjNeFqOsWl6GAJlJLGZW8KT4-zUYI12tlUrfCMlI/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+125.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I must have walked a couple of miles and decided to turn
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The father and son were
collecting their gear and as I got closer I could see a line full of fish that
had been caught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I commented on their
catch and the father said that it was just the first catch of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a campsite nearby where I guess
they were staying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wished him a good
day and continued on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went into the
gift shop and looked around for a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, I figured it was time to head north to Corpus Christi for my next
planned visit of the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I followed the Google directions to the USS Lexington Museum
which is in a bay area near downtown Corpus Christi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The USS Lexington War Ship is an actual
warship that has been permanently made into a museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paid my entrance fee and got a token for
the parking lot across the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hung
out looking at displays in the Hanger Bay #2 area while I waited for the next
film to start in about 10 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were a couple of restored planes, some airplane motors that were on display;
along with some game like things to interact with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they opened the theater a few minutes
later, I took the 3D glasses and found a seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyqey3_3jhcKc1k6buFT8CueS8kIIGeuYcHPZQ7m22hKFtQWBan5YINBpZe1xuwB-zTGUFH9B-rzSzr2-PS0fwxd166G_vyAhVICnOA5M2bW-LWc2nKxb9vmdSragYhOo6gb7jS2vB8c/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyqey3_3jhcKc1k6buFT8CueS8kIIGeuYcHPZQ7m22hKFtQWBan5YINBpZe1xuwB-zTGUFH9B-rzSzr2-PS0fwxd166G_vyAhVICnOA5M2bW-LWc2nKxb9vmdSragYhOo6gb7jS2vB8c/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+132.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- The outside of the USS Lexington from the shore.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The movie was focused on air races and restored planes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had some cool effects with the 3D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A row back a woman said she thought that the
movie would be about ships since we were on a ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her husband nicely told her that it was an
air carrier ship and that’s why the movie was about planes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, she said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She still sounded a bit disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I just chuckled a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuywzb6uL7Hx6F88HhY7AkQNnHfjnkOwJL4IrthalrGnBEz3QmFvhagZJnKdiC6BZJlH2e_mn0IzwEjtrwIBKPKifxPtI3huNnrlwKprUgzMo5Owdmy4WLdoGdqel_PG1SOsUeNMaLSE/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuywzb6uL7Hx6F88HhY7AkQNnHfjnkOwJL4IrthalrGnBEz3QmFvhagZJnKdiC6BZJlH2e_mn0IzwEjtrwIBKPKifxPtI3huNnrlwKprUgzMo5Owdmy4WLdoGdqel_PG1SOsUeNMaLSE/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo- Inside the USS Lexington in the Bay #4 area.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I next went on one of the four other tours where you go
through parts of the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did the #2
Tour which was the officers’ quarters, a Pearl Harbor Exhibit, and anchor equipment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I climbed in and around and up into the upper
deck areas of the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like
chutes and ladders with a bit of a maze thrown in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was finding it fun and I looked out at the
outside windows as I went along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, I
did the #1 Tour which was the flight deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I went up and out onto the open area where they had old restore
airplanes, anti-aircraft guns, the plank, and the navigation bridge area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all pretty fun and I was having fun
going through rounded doorways and up and down the stairs that were like
ladders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did Tour #3 which was the
combat ready rooms, the library, and the Captain’s Cabin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed at how much room the Captain of
the ship was given.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkPziyyrosz_kcyT_TAHcn4sqfAW0ZD84D1CCL40zDT9sP61QOSF7fNJFkdf4ISrFeAy6CMLrOQ_eyJJd2dUzWCfmy4mYu8UipFH2dQukwZ4V8LRyjwc3d_2zNnS84K_6WjZU-MWI0w4/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkPziyyrosz_kcyT_TAHcn4sqfAW0ZD84D1CCL40zDT9sP61QOSF7fNJFkdf4ISrFeAy6CMLrOQ_eyJJd2dUzWCfmy4mYu8UipFH2dQukwZ4V8LRyjwc3d_2zNnS84K_6WjZU-MWI0w4/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+154.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos- Stairs and doorways in the USS Lexington.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0Y2k1e99cfKREYgzmymWFAoV3kz-QR0u88YfcnPj0P6pyzw0YV2ICHVSuA7ah9utnz26aSd90zhIKK16CCBMixrpShj8dxmTftjIsV8hjOF1d9Ddy6rXCKsyyv3J3fSCwcyB8MABb4A/s1600/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0Y2k1e99cfKREYgzmymWFAoV3kz-QR0u88YfcnPj0P6pyzw0YV2ICHVSuA7ah9utnz26aSd90zhIKK16CCBMixrpShj8dxmTftjIsV8hjOF1d9Ddy6rXCKsyyv3J3fSCwcyB8MABb4A/s320/DAY+100,101-+BIG+Adventure+150.JPG" width="235" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, I thought I’ll do the last of the tours I hadn’t done
which was #4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This tour was the lower
decks where the engine room, sick bay, dental clinic, crew’s galley, a POW
Exhibit, and a Chapel was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I climbed
down to the lower deck and started to look at some of the crews small areas
where they would sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yikes, these
were rather small and cramped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went by
the barber’s chair area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then started
going through some of heating and cooling equipment that was on the ship; that
was rather cool because I used to be a secretary in this line of business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it was an exhibit on Pearl Harbor
Exhibit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was about this time that I
really started to feel claustrophobic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I walked into the sick room area and I could feel the
sweat just dropping down my forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was starting to have a hard time breathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I sat down for a bit and put my head between my legs because I was
getting light headed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh no!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might be leaving something behind in the
sick room if I didn’t get out of here soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My stomach was starting to act up too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I started to look for a way out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shortly after this I ran into a young married couple that had been in
the theater the same time as me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked
if they knew where the exit was because I was starting to get
claustrophic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They helped me out and
then led me over to one of the wide door bay areas when we reached the main
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were both very sweet and
asked if they could help or get me anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They encouraged me to sit down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
sat down and just took large breaths of fresh air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I guess I’ll never be a sailor!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I left the ship shortly after I managed to feel normal
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was back in my car and heading
north to Bay City which was a halfway stopping point between Corpus Christi and
Galveston, TX.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I drove north the sun
started to set behind me and the moon was starting to rise in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This moon was HUGE and kind of a yellow
orange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminded me of the moon in
that late 1980’s movie called Moonstruck in which Cher and Nicholas Cage
starred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was HUGE and I sometimes
found it hard to keep my eye one the road because I was watching the moon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was as I got to Bay City that I discovered I didn’t have
the paper of which hotel I would be staying at for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ooops!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I pulled into a McDonald’s hoping that they had free Wi-Fi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I drove around and then saw a Chili’s and I thought I would ask there
while I grabbed a quick bite to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just realized I never ate any lunch and I was surviving on a Bit of Honey bar
that I bought at the National Park Visitors Center earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked the server if she knew of any places
with Wi-Fi nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, this was not good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I looked through my phone when I remembered that I had
called hotels.com earlier in the week when I made an error on an on-line
booking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found the number and rather
quickly found out which hotel I would be staying at, the address, and the phone
number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was back in business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah!</span></div>
JAllgoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780405312099000525noreply@blogger.com0