Kennedy Space Center

Hi, all.  Today we went grocery shopping and ran a few errands, so I have very little to report.  We decided to stay here for another week in order to have a couple of days of relaxation, and with the hopes of seeing the shuttle lift-off on Friday, weather permitting.

Yesterday was Lee's day.  We went to the Kennedy Space Center, which has changed considerably since we were last here about 15 years ago.  All I remember about our trip then was a bus tour, and lots of wildlife.  I clearly remember armadillos, wild hogs, and alligators.  Isn't that funny?  I hardly remember the space center itself at all!  You can tell where my interest lies.

There is now a visitors' center with with all kinds of exhibits and an IMAX movie theater that wasn't here before.  We saw a 3D IMAX movie about the Hubble telescope which was very enjoyable.  On Monday we will return for a bus tour that gets us closer to the launch pad.

Lee took all the following photographs.

This is a model of the space shuttle, built to scale.  

The flight deck (where the pilots sit):

The cargo bay:

The arm provided by Canada that manipulates parts in space:

Beyond the space shuttle model is the "Shuttle Launch Simulation Facility".  Lee and I didn't try it, because of all the warnings.  I get motion sickness in a car, and wasn't about to try it.  It's also very LOUD.

The nose tiles:

I am in this photo to give a sense of scale, although it doesn't really do the job.  The orange "external rocket" is about the size of 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools, it seems to me.  It is huge, when standing beneath it.

Here is a view of the "rocket garden" from the space shuttle model:

Here is one of the Saturn rockets, I forget which one.  It is very, very large:

Another view of same:

I am laughing at myself as I write this, because I realize my descriptions are terrible.  Can't help it, it's probably because I am a Democrat. : ) (Lee and I have a running joke about Republican vs. Democrat characteristics.  Lee says they should let him through the security gates of the space center because he is a Republican, and that no Democrat could ever design a rocket.  Too funny!)

And one more rocket, I forget which.

No wildlife photos today, although Lee did take a few of several Glossy Ibises that we saw.

I was hoping, while writing this blog, to relate the travels of Audubon and William Bartram through the same parts of Florida.  I haven't done a very good job of that, to be honest, because I have spent so much time on the blog I haven't had time to do much reading!  It is amazing how much time it takes to process photos.

Since tomorrow is Easter Sunday, I may take the day off.  A lovely Sunday to all of you.