Landing craft used for amphibious landings of troops and equipment in WWII were built by Andrew Higgins and Higgins Industries of New Orleans. Originally opened as the D-Day Museum, The National WWII Museum founding historian Stephen Ambrose (of Band of Brothers fame), wished to pay tribute to Higgins. That is the reason this museum is in New Orleans.
On par with the 911 Memorial in NYC, The National WWII Museum is a must-see for every school-age child and adult. It is a reason to come to New Orleans.
The completely interactive facility issues each participant a “dog tag” and the option to follow a soldier through the exhibits. You can select your own or let the computer take care of it. In any case, these are real men and women. I let the computer choose, and followed a Japanese-American medic through his experience in Europe and as a German POW.
All Aboard!
You begin your journey boarding a Union-Pacific train to your basic training location. This museum is high-tech and uses all the latest bells and whistles to bring history to life. If you think you knew everything about WWII, guess again. Not only are the exhibits, videos, oral histories, memorabilia and re-creations incredibly informative, the experience can be very emotional when you picture relatives who served and try to imagine what they went through.
The museum is officially recognized by Congress and is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program, but is an independent not-for-profit. The delightful volunteer docents were readily available to fill in the blanks and answer questions. The campus has four buildings, a parade area, and the Liberation Pavilion is in the planning stages. Each building has ample bathrooms and plenty of spots to sit.
An added bonus is the inclusion of a couple of quality spots to eat. The American Sector café has outstanding food and service (and, naturally, a complete bar).
Through the years, many of my friends and I have discussed that our Fathers never really talked about the war. Now we can understand.
During the “Final Mission” – the USS Tang Submarine Experience, I ‘represented’ Pete Narowanski on the Torpedo Data Computer. He was one of only 9 survivors.
Need to know:
General admission tickets $23, $20 for Seniors, and $14 for Students & Military; WWII Vets, free. Options include “Final Mission” interactive submarine experience and “Beyond All Boundaries” a 45 minute 4D movie. The movie can be added at any time. For details and info: www.nationalww2museum.org
Daily Trivia Questions (answers next post):
Name two countries not occupied by Germany during WWII?
On what date did Germany unconditionally surrender in WWII?
Last post’s trivia answers:
Which Manning has a home in the Garden District? Archie
How much does NOLA charge for a shot of Pappy Van Winkle’s? $135
Jackson Square.
A wedding party NOLA-style; from the church to the reception, singing down the street followed by a lively brass marching band.
There is a new word I’ve learned while back in New Orleans, lagniappe. It means “a little something extra.” Some say it describes the “attitude” or “vibe” here. Thought to be Spanish in origin, pronounced “lanny-yap” I think it’s an appropriate adjective.
Everything here is a bit exaggerated.
Certainly the weather has also fit the moniker. I can’t think when I’ve been this hot and sticky. But I am not complaining. Even though New Orleans is humid, we’ve been lucky as the weather held up and we had a sunny day for our walking tour of the Garden District.
St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Line, a National Historic Landmark, the oldest continually running streetcar in the world.
We started with a mad dash to the Café Du Monde for some of their fabulous warm beignets, and then caught the St. Charles Streetcar to the Garden District. Our tour started in the Lafayette Cemetery No.1 and wandered up and down the lovely residential streets of the District. The homes and gardens were beautifully restored and maintained, and the live oak trees simply majestic.
The history here really is amazing, interesting and there is always something new to learn. In Miami-Dade, we work so hard to protect, save and preserve what little history we still have, while here history is everywhere you turn. There are more than 20 preservation groups, and we saw restoration work on practically every block (even, inconveniently, in our hotel).
We used “Historic New Orleans Tours”, who promise facts-not sensationalism, and I thought our guide did a good job.
Afterwards, we walked over to Magazine Street, grabbed a Po’ Boy sandwich (which is really about the crunchy bread) for lunch, and eventually made our way back to a streetcar stop. Once on, we stayed for the entire historic St. Charles route, seeing even more beautiful homes; some charming, some cute; mansions and shotgun bungalows; Loyola and Tulane Universities; and Audubon Park, before arriving back at Canal Street.
Eventually, we worked our way back to the riverfront, quickly checked out the Harrah’s Casino, and made an even quicker stop by the historic French Market (featuring unappealing flea market merchandise). Finally, we checked out nearby Frenchman’s Street, considered by some to be a trendy music/artistic area.
For dinner we feasted at Emeril’s fabulous NOLA. They even have Pappy Van Winkle’s on the menu.
“Laissez les bons temps rouler!”
The Vieux Carre (French Quarter).
Mardi Gras was three months ago, but they say they have better things to do than get the beads out of the trees.
Garden District.
Family crypts in the Lafayette Cemetery No.1. I should’ve given them some cleaning tips!
Daily Trivia Questions (answers next post):
Which Manning has a home in the Garden District?
How much does NOLA charge for a shot of Pappy Van Winkle’s?
Last post’s trivia answers:
Which celebrity has a home in New Orleans? Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, Nicholas Cage All 3.
It was a great, hot, day along the Gulf coast of Alabama, Mississippi and into Louisiana. We made stops to visit the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi (where they unfortunately allow smoking) and some property we used to own outside Pascagoula.
We arrived in the Big Easy to a typically humid, sweltering day. Our first order of business was to try to find the neighborhood where I used to live as a child. I did find my elementary school (now a beautiful charter school) and the convent where I used to see the nuns on the way to school. The apartments we lived in have apparently been razed and replaced with nice looking single family homes. After some years in decline, it’s a nice family neighborhood once again. Now they need to repave the streets!
Late afternoon and evening were given over to simply walking around the French Quarter, eating and experiencing Bourbon Street where we were three times the age of most patrons.
I always remember the noise, dirt and smells of NO. You have alternating wafting odors of beer, fried fish, vomit, manure, horses, cigars, good food, rotting garbage, sewage and magnolias . . . . you get the idea.
And this was a quiet weeknight.
We had a little pre-dinner snack at The Red Fish Grill and tried their famous BBQ Oysters. I would describe them more like Buffalo Oysters and they were, indeed delicious! The garlic soaked crab claws were equally addictive.
Dinner was at the iconic Brennan’s, which has re-opened recently after a one-year hiatus for renovation. No escargot this time, and they have radically changed the way they prepare frog legs – what a shame. It was still a lovely evening.
After the chaos and cacophony of Bourbon Street, we retreated to the Royal Sonesta for some smooth jazz at Irwin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse, to end a terrific day.
Daily Trivia Question (answer next post):
Which celebrity has a home in New Orleans?
__Sandra Bullock
__John Goodman
__Nicholas Cage
Last post’s trivia answers:
What 5 flags have flown over Pensacola? Spanish, French, British, Confederate, U.S.A.
What showcase flight squadron trains here? The Blue Angels
Bay Bluffs Park, part of the Scenic Bluffs Preserve, protects the highest coastal area of Florida. Right on Florida Scenic Highway 90, along Escambia Bay.
View from the bluff.
I don’t think too many people really know much about Pensacola. I know most Floridians don’t. Even if you look it up, read reviews, ask around, you don’t come up with much. You might find out that the naval air station is big, people like to fish and it’s in the Central time zone.
I was here in 1976 with the state Bicentennial Commission when they were designating and placing a historic marker. Maybe they forgot to tell anyone.
What you don’t hear about is the beautiful historic district and the many shady town parks that have been well-preserved, protected and maintained. (One disconnect is the ultramodern, monolithic city hall, but at least it’s on the other side of town.)
The town is low-profile, views of Pensacola Bay are prominent, and the historic district offers a pleasing mix of both residential and business. The style is a hybrid, streets with Spanish names and buildings that comprise various stages of Florida Vernacular, Spanish Revival, and Victorian. Larger buildings are Spanish Baroque, Greek revival, Chicago and Gothic Revival styles. It’s a mixed bag that works quite nicely.
The view from dinner.
Pensacola is pleasant, walkable and friendly. Since we were here on a Monday, the historic tours weren’t operating, but on the plus side, Monday is 25 cent oyster night at Atlas Oyster/Fish House. So, that’s $3 for a dozen terrific, plump Louisiana Gulf oysters!
At 6:35PM the AA Blue Wahoo’s minor league baseball team (a Reds affiliate) took the field against the Mississippi Braves, in their terrific bayfront stadium. Too bad we only had one night, we would’ve loved to go.
Pensacola is out-of-the-way and hard to get to for most, but it is one of Florida’s treasures and worth a visit.
Next, headed west along the Gulf coast.
I promise not every post will have a train, or will it . . .?
