Day 11 April 22 Thursday

We spent the whole day at the National Museum of the Pacific War that included the Nimitz Museum which used to be the old Nimitz family hotel. I found it all very confusing. And who even knows how to spell Nimitz. We saw it in the museum as Nemetz, Nimetz, and Nemitz. Don’t know why, but this really annoyed me. George Bush Sr was at the opening ceremony and the major exhibit room is named after him. The Plaza of Presidents has a monument for each president from Roosevelt to GB the first. The bronze plaques show them all in their military uniforms except FDR and Truman. I don’t think FDR served and Truman was in WWI and I don’t think that counts in this museum. I learned about Truman on my last trip. Clinton and Obama didn’t have military service and as I recall George Bush II’s service was in the National Guard. The point is, heavy military influence on our presidents until recently. Good thing or not? I don’t know?? Pix is of bird that Jack spotted in one of the cannons and the top of a submarine at the entrance.
We both agreed that the WWII Museum in New Orleans is much better. A great deal of info here however. Just seemed like a hodge podge that I couldn’t figure out but it may be that it was just that kind of war. Many bus tours and visitors of the age to have actually been in the Pacific during WWII. I don’t know what it was – maybe just me, but it wasn’t clicking and I usually really like museums. Had lunch in the same German restaurant we ate in last night. As Jack says, it is good but not as good as our favorite Bavarian Village in Dania FL. Everyone seems to have their own regional twist on the same ethnic dish.
It was a good museum day. The weather is very drizzly and windy. We are headed out tomorrow. Generally, we have decided to go towards Albuquerque and Santa Fe and then hang a right and head towards Aspen to see the grandkids, etc. We will then fly to CA from Denver and rent a car to see northern CA, Jack’s cousin in Napa Valley, etc. We will then decide our route home after we fly back to Denver.