Todays Adventures

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Biltmore Estate Asheville NC

Family, friends, strangers on the street said go see this and is well worth the visit. Hard to imagine the wealth of the Vanderbilt family that built this not to mention how it all was done but Wow! It has the castle-like home and the huge surrounding lands, much of that viewable by the public has been restored to close to its original state. If you take close look at the garden pictures, you note that fresh washed look – courtesy of Mother Nature.

house from front

closer of front

some of the grounds

wall garden

pretty but soggy roses

happy traveler with new pal

Family Times

Yup. Time for two terrific nieces plus great niece and nephew. Something very fulfilling about reading the same story over and over to a rapt audience, eating homemade cookies and waffles, watching TV shows I had never heard of with these fine folks. Also got smattering dose of military history.

Happy traveler & pals

Airborne Sp Ops Museum Scupture Garden

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Natchez Trace National Parkway MS AL TN

More pictures later...

After giving my self a tour of the Natchez historical homes (ahem, meaning I was lost), started north on the parkway. I learn that the parkway was built to commemorate the Old Southern Trace (a trace is basically a dirt road mostly slightly sunken from the clearing of foliage). Shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, Pres Jackson chartered the building of the trace to strengthen ties with the new citizenry. The first big usage was returning northern boatmen after selling their goods in Natchez. I have to say the parkway is stunningly beautiful at this time of year. There are historic, nature or information site about every 10 or so miles.

The Parkway

The reminants of the trace today

Mt Locust Stand (which is an inn)

Natchez National Historical Park MS

Got here late in day but just in time to catch a tour of the Melrose Estate Mansion. Is pretty much restored to original condition – is very fine even by today’s standards. Have to say, I got another jolt to my blissful unawares. The tour guide used the word “slave” without fanfare or discomfort but I cringe as this not my favorite time in USA history. Still I need to add some more non-fiction reading to my list on the rise of the South, slavery and the post civil war recovery.

Melrose Estate from the front

Dining room

Laundry & House Slave quarters (2nd floor)

Tree laden with Spanish Moss

Poverty Point State Historical Site LA

Big surprise to me that the USA ancient Indians built so many mounds. This group build not only ceremonial mounds (4) but mounded the earth into 5 arced rows of mounds suitable for having dwellings on top. Lucky me, I came in morning and got my own personal guided tour. Again can not get good perspective pictures - take my word for it, is impressive.

Mound A

Bonus is this cute lizard

Fort Smith National Historical Site AK

Time to get some exposure to history that I did not get in school – suspect that the teachers just ran out of time but on the other hand this history does give me pause. Ft Smith was established to keep peace between two Indian tribes – the indigenous and the relocated; was used to dispense supplies to more relocated Indian tribes, then served as a federal court as the white population grew to supplant the Indians. So I need to add some non-fiction to my reading list on Trail of Tears and settlement of Indian Territory because this was just a (bitter) taste.