Category Archives: Travel

Travel

Along The Way: Space Center Houston

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Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

We spent two nights in Galveston before our cruise, and took advantage of the proximity to visit Space Center Houston. Known famously for “Houston We Have A Problem” it is the home of Mission Control, specifically the The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions.

The Mercury 9 spacecraft named ‘Faith 7’ flown by astronaut Gordon Cooper on May 15, 1963. On display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Gemini V capsule which carried astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles “Pete” Conrad Aug. 21, 1965 to Aug. 29, 1965. At Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Apollo 17 Command Module on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Apollo moon landing display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

As a space geek from childhood, having the opportunity to visit Mission Control was a bit of a thrill. NASA has completely restored the center to look like it did during the moon landings. They sourced manuals, binders, furniture and even ashtrays from former workers and have turned it into a bit of a museum. The tour took us into what had been the VIP viewing gallery, where we could look through the windows while re-enactments of various scenes from Apollo 11 played out on the screen, including the tense moments of landing at Tranquility Base.

The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions. Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions. Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
The Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control Center, from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the momentous first lunar landing mission as well as early space shuttle missions. Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

Another highlight of the center is Space Shuttle Independence, which is on display on the back of one of the converted Boeing 747 aircraft which were used to transport the shuttles from California back to Florida between missions. Both craft were open to walk through, with plenty of information displays. The size of the combined vehicles is quite impressive!

Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ and Boeing 747 transport aircraft on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas

The overall museum is very well done, with actual Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules, a space rock you can actually touch, information on the upcoming Artemis missions and lots of other space memorabilia. It was a great visit. Having been to space centers at Cape Canaveral, Huntsville and now Houston, NASA have done a commendable job preserving these bits of history.

Cockpit of Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Cargo Bay of Space Shuttle ‘Independence’ at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Cargo bay of Space Shuttle Independence at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Inside the shuttle transport Boeing 747 at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Inside the shuttle transport Boeing 747 at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Inside the shuttle transport Boeing 747 at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space-X Falcon 9 Rocket booster on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Space-X Falcon 9 Rocket booster on display at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Saturn IV building at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas
Travel

Along The Way: Vicksburg National Military Park

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Cannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

Actually a destination in itself, we spent only a few hours at Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi. It was an appropriately gloomy day for visiting a former battlefield, I thought. These are just a few representative photos from this memorial to what was one of the most important and decisive battles of the Civil War.

Entrance monument at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Cannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The US Navy Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The Texas Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The Alabama Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Monument for Confederate Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

The sheer number of casualties from Vicksburg alone is overwhelming, and was just a portion of the overall losses from the war. War didn’t make any more sense then than it does today, and unfortunately it doesn’t seem like we’ve taken the lessons to heart.

The Illinois Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The Illinois Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

There are hundreds of monuments across the battlefield, and the largest and most impressive were those from individual states. For a history buff a lot of the battle lines were marked, with information on the troops stationed there at various points of the battle. A little too detailed for me, but interesting to try and understand the scope of the place.

USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

I was especially interested in the USS Cairo on display. The ship was salvaged from the Mississippi River years after the war. It has been partially restored and rests on a cradle under this large canopy. The mechanical components of the ship are pretty much intact.

National Cemetery at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Travel

Along The Way: Columbus, Georgia

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Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia

We made an overnight stop in Columbus, GA, a former mill town on the Chattahoochee River along the border with Alabama. The Eagle & Phenix Mills Buildings have been converted into apartments and condominiums, and much of the downtown area has become a dining and entertainment area.

Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia

We spent only a brief amount of time in Columbus, but on the morning of our departure I managed to do a little photography on the way to and from breakfast.

Along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Machinery in a former power plant along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Machinery in a former power plant along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Machinery in a former power plant along the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia
Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus, Georgia
Travel

Along The Way: Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

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Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

On our recent trip to Texas, we made a stop at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia. We had intended to visit several years ago, but this was one of the many parks whose visitor centers had been closed during the Covid hysteria. We got to visit this time.

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

The park is a prehistoric American Indian site, boasting more than 12,000 years of continuous human habitation by many different American Indian cultures. American Indians first came here during the Paleo-Indian Period hunting Ice Age mammals. Around 900 CE, the Mississippian Period began, and people constructed mounds for their elite, which remain here today.

The site was also the scene of several Civil War battles.

Entrance to ceremonial mound. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

The largest dig ever conducted in this country occurred here at Ocmulgee and the surrounding area. Between 1933 and 1936, over 800 men in Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA), Civil Works Administration (CWA), Federal Emergency Relief Administration (ERA & FERA), and later by the Civilian Conservation Corps excavated under the direction of Dr. Arthur R. Kelly from the Smithsonian Institute.

Visitor Center. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

The site was declared a National Monument in 1936. In 1937 the National Park Service, along with U.S. Congressman Carl Vinson, General Walter Harris, and Dr. Charles C. Harrold, completed a list of needed development projects including construction of a museum, restoration of archeological features, access roads and parking, tree planting, and fence construction – all to include the detached Lamar Site, where a levee was also needed.

One Lane Tunnel. Perhaps the worlds’ smallest? Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia
One Lane Tunnel. Perhaps the worlds’ smallest? Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia

 

Travel

Rescue At Sea

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Rescue of stranded Cuban refugees aboard a raft in the Gulf of Mexico

On the first day of our cruise we were at sea, headed to Costa Maya, Mexico. At some point in the afternoon we started to notice that the ship had slowed and started a big turn. As passengers realized this we started to wonder what was happening, and soon word started to spread that someone had spotted a stranded sailboat.

Soon the captain came on the PA and explained that we had passed a disabled boat and that the passengers were waving for help. It is a maritime rule that the closest vessel is obligated to perform a rescue, and that was us.

Rescue of stranded Cuban refugees aboard a raft in the Gulf of Mexico

While the rescue was taking place, the cruise director kept asking for “no photos or videos,” which is a lost effort when everyone on board is carrying a camera! I took a few photos of the rescue, but they are heavily cropped. The one time on the cruise where I wish I had packed my long lens!

Turns out it wasn’t much of a sailboat. We learned the following day when the rescued people were turned over to Mexican authorities that they were refugees from Cuba, had been at sea for over a month, and had recently run out of food and water.

Rescue of stranded Cuban refugees aboard a raft in the Gulf of Mexico

I can only imagine the desperation that people have that would make them want to undertake such an effort. I am thankful that any ship I sail on has plenty of food and water!

Rescue of stranded Cuban refugees aboard a raft in the Gulf of Mexico
Travel

A Slice of Color From Belize

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Colorful foliage at Harvest Caye, Norwegian Cruise Line private island in Belize

Kathy & I are in Fredericksburg, TX after our cruise on Norwegian Prima, and I just took time to look at my photos so far. We didn’t get off the ship in Costa Maya, Mexico because we got in to port late and the weather was iffy, which turned out to be the right move because it rained most of the time we were in port!

Our stop in Harvest Caye, Belize was cloudy and overcast, so I didn’t get any “postcard worthy” photos, but I did manage to find some slices of color in this interesting foliage.

I’ve taken a bunch more photos and will get them posted in due time!

Colorful foliage at Harvest Caye, Norwegian Cruise Line private island in Belize
Colorful foliage at Harvest Caye, Norwegian Cruise Line private island in Belize
Colorful foliage at Harvest Caye, Norwegian Cruise Line private island in Belize
Travel

Postcard From Vicksburg, Mississippi

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Cannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

Kathy & I are enroute to Texas for the first leg of our winter travels. We made a long overdue stop in Vicksburg to visit the National Military Park there. It is a solemn reminder of the price many have paid over our nation’s history.

We visited on a cloudy and overcast day, but thankfully with no rain. The whole time I photographed there I was envisioning the photos in black & white, in an inadequate homage to the photographs that were made in the heat of the moment. The battlefields as they exist today are a distant reminder of the horrors of battle, but the tribute paid in the form of monuments and memorials  is moving.

Travel

Travel With Friends

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Luc’s ‘Bonaire Photo Shoot’ van on the island of Bonaire

Most of the travel that Kathy & I do is by ourselves, but many times we arrange to see some friends along the way. We have started doing a pretty-much-annual “Friends & Family Tour” each summer, since for some reason a lot of our friends won’t travel to see us. Likely because we’re “never” home! 😉

Oktoberfest Celebration in Vilshofen, Germany

We do have a few couples who we can count on to let us know when they are planning a trip and who ask us it we want to come along, or come along with us on a trip we are planning. Most of these friends are retired and travel nearly as often as we do. We did a river cruise in October with three other couples and it was great. We all did things that suited our interests and went different places in different combinations. Our travel agents – who have also become friends – even booked a cruise after they found out we booked it, and we’ll be cruising with them in February! Other friends arrange to meet for a weekend or a few weekdays in an equidistant location.

Tom, Peter, Kathy and Stephanie at Over The Bar Restaurant at North Park Boathouse near Pittsburgh, PA
Jim, Lisa, Kathy and Tom at Makers Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky

We enjoy travel with friends because it sort of forces us to change up our routines, perhaps look at places or things a little differently, and sometimes we just end up someplace we haven’t thought of. Group photos are fun, too. Although more often or not we’re having so much fun we forget to have someone take them. I do take a few photos with my camera, but then I’m never in them! Selfies are okay, but we do like the occasional group photo taken by someone else. Especially if it is a large group – my arm isn’t long enough for a selfie!

Tom, Kathy, Cathy and Bill in Blue Rocks, Nova Scotia
Tom, Kathy, Peter, Stephanie and Spero at Sorobon Beach on the island of Bonaire
Spero contemplating the crashing waves along the eastern (Atlantic) coast of Bonaire