Tuesday, November 26, 2013

World War II -- museum tells it all




War is hell!

And for those who want to experience man's inhumanity to man, just go down to New Orleans and visit the National WWII Museum. It is located at 945 Magazine St.

I don't like war, and I didn't have a burning desire to visit, but wifey did.

My father and her dad were involved in the war. I had an uncle who died fighting in the Pacific.

I've watched numerous movies about war and it is hard to understand why such tactics are used that allow for the deaths of so many.



I guess it is a battle of numbers. And then again, I've come to believe that soldiers are the pawns of the politicians.

Well, anyway, we visited and were afforded the opportunity of being apprised of more information than I ever want to know about World War II. 


The museum is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.  All venues are closed Mardi Gras Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Parking, at nominal cost,  is available adjacent to and across from the museum.

The website "recommends that you allow a minimum of 3 hours to view exhibits."



First of all, that is not enough time to do the museum justice. Someone really into the second world war will find that  even one day may not be enough to digest the amount of material that is available.

There are numerous exhibits and programs available along with a 45-minute 4d film concerning the war.

For those who work up an appetite there's the "American Sector" restaurant and the "Soda Shop."

Wifey and I entered the museum around 1 p.m. and were exhausted by closing time.

There's a lot of areas to sit down and listen to personal experiences from those who were on the front lines.


Visitors are also warned of the graphics that depicted the fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific area.


It's hard to take in everything. There's a lot of displays, the movies, the personal experiences and reader boards that tell about the war.

Its not a place to easily work your way through in a short period of time. Like I said, for those who really want to grasp the feeling of World War II, it will take time.

Next post: Dec. 3, 2013

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A few words with a lot of meaning



During the course of travels, one runs across numerous sayings that make life seem to brighten a little -- for some at least.

Here's a few more I came across and snapped during our recent outings.


Sayings are interesting because they have to say a lot in a few words and they usually have some good meaning to them.


Well, today's post really hits at the point that a picture is worth a thousand words.

In this case, something like seven thousand of those things.






The first three shots were taken in and around Gatlinburg, TN and the rest off a display rack in New Orleans.

Humorous, truthful, a little hurtful -- what the heck, it's life.

Next post: Nov. 26, 2013

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

County fair offers rides, livestock, great food




Some kids like to just go round and round

Fall was in the air in south Mississippi recently.

Fall here, is that brief period of time when one doesn't have to use their air conditioner or heater. That's means saving money on energy costs.



It also means that time when the county fair has its annual run.

And that was the case in October.

Pascagoula was the location. Yes, Pascagoula. You remember that song brought out by Ray Stevens years ago called, "The Mississippi Squirrel Revival."

But I digress.

One can find too many rides that go round and round, or up and down. They sound and look sickening to me.

But heck, in  younger days I enjoyed the adventure.





County fairs are also full of livestock such as cows and chickens and rabbits and bulls and goats. And even peanuts (pictured above).

There were a lot of food booths, not to mention live entertainment, arts and crafts exhibits and seafood gumbo.






Wifey and I decided to go for the first time in about 20 years. When we had youngsters at home we would go each year.

But life changes. I seemed to also remember that  during that time of year, the fair would be visited by afternoon downpours making it unpleasant to get around the muddy area.

Next post: Nov. 12, 2013


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Big Easy becomes the 'Big Spooky'



Expressing his feelings about Mardi Gras

Halloween is way over for about 99.9 percent of the population. But because of our recent trip, we've extended the celebration.

An excursion last week to New Orleans brought out the fact that Mardi Gras is still No. 1 for this city as far as partying. But Halloween is gaining, all-be-it way back there.




I am reminded of a trip to Paris about 10 years ago when we found out Halloween was beginning to be celebrated in a big way in the City of Light.




Residents of this country's French-inspired city, the Big Easy, put out plenty of decorations for the occasion and there were the usual "Spook Tours" through the French Quarter and the local cemeteries.

We opted for a more traditional (historical-type) tour of the French Quarter but managed to run across a lot of far-out  characters who added to the atmosphere of the season.


Next post: November 12, 2013

PS: Happy birthday, Aunt Sue