Land of the Really Big Maple Leaves? This in Dardanelle, Yell County, Arkansas. Hometown of Mattie, "as plain as a mud fence", in my favorite Western, True Grit. Turns out there really is a Dardanelle in Yell County. But, they said the movie was actually shot in Fort Smith.
Oklahoma City: Memorial to the Murrah Federal Office Building. The building itself was torn down after the explosion, and the entire plaza where it was turned into a memorial.
The wall along the street became spontaneously a repository for mementos of the people who died there.
Where the building actually was, there is a chair for each of the people who died. Fitting - it was an office building and most of those who died were probably sitting at desks. Except for the smaller chairs, which represent children at the day-care center.
The store. You can lay out pretty big bucks for a Gibson Guitar.
Oklahoma City: Memorial to the Murrah Federal Office Building. The building itself was torn down after the explosion, and the entire plaza where it was turned into a memorial.
The wall along the street became spontaneously a repository for mementos of the people who died there.
Where the building actually was, there is a chair for each of the people who died. Fitting - it was an office building and most of those who died were probably sitting at desks. Except for the smaller chairs, which represent children at the day-care center.A sobering reminder that Al Quaida doesn't have quite all of the terrorist fanatics in the world.
The chairs are roughly where they were actually sitting.
One of the chairs - bronze and brass back, crystal base. At night, the bases are lighted. It's open all night - impressive.
The Survivor Tree. It was right next to the blast.
"Rising to the Challenge"? Gimme a break...
A beautiful place - very European. You keep expecting to see Jane Austen types.
A spring. There are a lot of springs here and there. The water is hot but not very full of minerals - you can drink it without feeling like you're drinking medicine (which is rather usual for mineral baths). Each bath used to have its own spring; now they all get their water from a central reservoir, for public-health reasons.
A bride with her photographer
Several of the hotels have baths in them; the only pure bathhouse open, as a museum, is the Buckstaff .
A Hubbard Tub - for various therapeutic treatments. One favorite was a mercury rub. Note the straps hanging down, for hoisting wheelchair-bound patients.
A statue, in the men's bathing room, of Hernando De Soto being presented some of the water by an Indian maiden. DeSoto did visit this place, which the Indians had also used as a health/relaxation resort. Was this what the Fountain of Youth was all about?
The chairs are roughly where they were actually sitting.
One of the chairs - bronze and brass back, crystal base. At night, the bases are lighted. It's open all night - impressive.
The Survivor Tree. It was right next to the blast.
"Rising to the Challenge"? Gimme a break...
Hot Springs, Arkansas - once a prime watering spot for the rich and famous, and the rest of us too, since around 1800. It's not so fashionable now; all the bathhouses are currently closed, though there are several hotels open.
A beautiful place - very European. You keep expecting to see Jane Austen types.
A spring. There are a lot of springs here and there. The water is hot but not very full of minerals - you can drink it without feeling like you're drinking medicine (which is rather usual for mineral baths). Each bath used to have its own spring; now they all get their water from a central reservoir, for public-health reasons.A bride with her photographer
Several of the hotels have baths in them; the only pure bathhouse open, as a museum, is the Buckstaff .
A Hubbard Tub - for various therapeutic treatments. One favorite was a mercury rub. Note the straps hanging down, for hoisting wheelchair-bound patients.
A statue, in the men's bathing room, of Hernando De Soto being presented some of the water by an Indian maiden. DeSoto did visit this place, which the Indians had also used as a health/relaxation resort. Was this what the Fountain of Youth was all about? President Thomas Jefferson sent explorers here, too, at the same time as the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Interesting that in this day of angst about employment, jobs are to be had at Gibson's. However, not everyone who starts here lasts. You've got to be serious, and work at it.
Finally, the tuning. The guitar tuners are all professional musicians - who, I suppose, have not yet quit their day job. Final tuning, and playing a bit, takes about 15 minutes.
Memphis, Tennessee - thre Gibson Guitar factory. Quite a reception desk.
Making a guitar does start with a lot of wood sawing, drying, glueing etc.
The sides are sawed, steamed and dried to the right shape while held in a set of clamps.
Interesting that in this day of angst about employment, jobs are to be had at Gibson's. However, not everyone who starts here lasts. You've got to be serious, and work at it.
Finally, the tuning. The guitar tuners are all professional musicians - who, I suppose, have not yet quit their day job. Final tuning, and playing a bit, takes about 15 minutes.
The store. You can lay out pretty big bucks for a Gibson Guitar.When we visited the Louisville Slugger bat factory in Louisville, they gave us a free miniature bat as a souvenir. No such luck with the guitars.
The FedEx Forum, where the Memphis Grizzlies play. Didn't get to ask about the tennis and soccer balls -
There was also the Civil Rights Museum - they didn't allow pictures, for some reason. Excellent. We were practically the only non-blacks in the place. There were a lot of women, I think from a church convention. Lots of photos and mini-history lessons. A must-see.
There was also the Civil Rights Museum - they didn't allow pictures, for some reason. Excellent. We were practically the only non-blacks in the place. There were a lot of women, I think from a church convention. Lots of photos and mini-history lessons. A must-see.
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