Museum of Science and Industry Chicago Illinois

It's hard to know where to begin in sharing a few photos of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. The size of the museum is massive. A few photos of huge objects may help imagine how large it really is.

One standout attraction is the German U-Boat 505, which was captured 4 June, 1944. The full size original submarine is on display along with film, story board, and models depicting life in a sub. Tours are available but were all booked when I arrived.

In addition to the locomotive pictured above, there's a Stephensons Rocket nearby and a full size Pioneer Zephyr on display.





















Planes are here too. You can walk through a Boeing 727,  see World War II planes, and view the exhibit about the beginnings of flight.





And there's a large model railway display featuring city, lakeside, and mountain sections.

There's so much more to see and do with many interactive exhibits friendly to children of all ages.


















Location: The Museum of Science and Industry Chicago is near Lake Michigan BUT it is not on the Museum Campus. It's further South at 5700 Lake Shore Drive Chicago IL 60637. I used the Metra line train near my hotel on Michigan Ave.

Admission: It's expensive for those of us from out-of-state. I bought a City Pass to save on costs at five attractions. Some exhibits or events cost extra. Check the website for details. Map link.

Crowds: It did not take long after opening for lots of groups of children to arrive. The museum is so large that it did not feel crowded.

Hours: Open daily 9:30 - 4:30 with various exceptions so you will need to check the website for the latest.

Food: I was allowed to bring my own lunch and eat in designated areas . There are places to purchase lunches and snacks.

Friendliness: All the staff I spoke to were friendly.

Maps: A map of the museum is online and paper copies are available to visitors.

Accessibility: See the website for details.

Website: https://www.msichicago.org/


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Arabia Steamboat Kansas City MO

Arabia Collage Geoff Sutton 2017

We are glad we went to see the Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

The local explorers display tons of buried treasure they found when the excavated this pre-Civil War Steamboat, which sank in 1856. The museum tells the story of the ship and the discovery along with the process of restoration, which the explorers learned as they sought to preserve the contents of the mud-covered horde along with parts of this iconic 1800s boat.

Tons of treasure but only a few cents

We were fortunate to meet two of the explorers who answered questions following the brief introductory video. The film provides an overview and though not like those you will find in the best museums, you get a sense of adventure as you join in the exploration and awesome find. The authenticity comes through in a way that glitzy presentations can not capture.

An award-winning pitcher/ Arabia Steamboat/ Geoff W Sutton 2017

The displays are nicely designed and the lighting is much better than in some museums so you can actually read the inofrmation boards and take decent photos without flash.

Arabia Steamboat Treasure

Many of the items were for sale at area stores so some displays capture life in pioneer days as seen from the perspective of a frontier shop. Whether from the US or elsewhere, the Arabia Steamboat Museum offers a unique glimpse into this segment of Midwestern US history.

Ready for an 1800s store

One exhibit offers a hands-on educational talk on preserving sunken cargo.  There will be more to see in the future. The museum appears full yet there were some 60 of the 200 tons left to explore and restore.

Brief history of the Steamboat

Notes and tips

Check the website for times and more details.
There are clean restrooms near the exit.
There is a museum store on the main floor where you purchase tickets and shop.
The first part of the tour is guided.
Toys and working models make it interesting for young and old.
There are places to sit within the museum.
There's adequate parking neaby.
The area is served by a local city tram.
There are many fine restaurants in the nearby City Market.

Hovercraft Adventure

Hovercraft at Ryde by Geoff W. Sutton

I took the hovercraft from Portsmouth to Ryde on the Isle of Wight for the experience. I recommend it as a quick and affordable way to cross the Solent.

The seating was comfortable and the cabin clean.

The staff were friendly and helpful with luggage-- larger items are stowed outside.

Photos and videos are best before or after because there is little to see from the inside cabin with sprayed windows.

Video of Hovercraft taking off

After arriving at Ryde, Isle of Wight, I took this video of the next craft arriving.

See the website for details

http://www.hovertravel.co.uk/

Elephanta Island and Caves India

On our second day in India, we walked to  the India Gate in Mumbai where we boarded a ferry to Elephanta Island (World Heritage site).


The trip took about an hour to travel approximately 10 km to the islands located in Mumbai harbour of the Arabian Sea.


The ferry boats are well worn but the plastic seats are comfortable. We paid 400 Rs for two - you can save a few Rs if you but direct at the dock. On board we paid 10 Rs each to sit on the upper deck.

















You'll have good views of the India Gate and Taj Mahal Hotel from the back of the boat.







After arriving at the Island, it is a steep walk past numerous vendors to the park where the caves are located.














You pay to enter the small island village and again to enter the park near the top of the hill.





You will see a main temple with a long hall. Various stone sculptures are taken from stories of Shiva. These date from about the 6th century.

Along the way, locals offer to be your guide.

At the end of the trail is a toilet- plan to bring your own paper and hand cleaner if you must use it.


Monkeys are everywhere- and will steal your snacks if you put them beside you whilst resting (happened to my wife).

On the return, some locals fed the gulls, which show no fear of coming close.

Bergen Norway

Bergen, Norway is a clean, colorful, port framed by mountains and water. The rich colors of many buildings draw attention to their architecture and stimulate thoughts of children's stories.

After arriving by ship, we walked a short distance to the center of Norway's second largest city, we walked through a fish market, which also sold inviting fruits and vegetables. Close to the market is a tourist center with free WIFI.







A local item of interest is the brown cheese featured below.






Part of the attractiveness are the shops along the waterfront. The quaint shops and restaurants of the Bryggen (Hanseatic Wharf) link the city to the Viking Age some 900 years ago.




You can ride a tram to the top of the nearby mountain (Floyen).






--or walk up like we did.







-- to enjoy fantastic views of Bergen







There are historic places as well including St Mary's Church and the Bergen Museum.








We found the people friendly and helpful. Most of the people in the shops spoke English. Credit cards were widely accepted--even for small purchases.

The local currency is the Norwegian krone or crown.

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St Johns Newfoundland Labrador Canada

We arrived at St Johns in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada 3rd September 2016.




It's a deep water port. The dock is near the city centre so we did not need local transportation. Maps are available from tourist kiosks.


After leaving the ship we walked up a hill within the park of the National War Memorial.


On Duckworth Street we turned right, connected to Signal Hill Rd, and ascended the hill.





And paused at a pond for pictures.



At the top of the hill is a small structure (Cabot Tower)  housing the story of Marconi's wireless signal reception sent from Cornwall, England 12 December, 1901.




Storyboards around the cool and windy summit tell about the history of the area.




Inside the tower is a gift shop inside and at the top of the tower there are opportunities to view the area.




After our descent, we stopped in a Tim Horton's for hot drinks, doughnuts, toilets, and free WiFi.

A variety of shops line both sides of the street.

Hurricane Hermine- Heading to New York City

After enjoying our visit to St Johns, Newfoundland Labrador, Canada (September 3, 2016), we were to stop at Halifax, Nova Scotia; however, the effects of Hurricane Hermine were felt this far North so the ship's captain decide to head for our final destination, New York City.

The doors to the lower decks were closed. And the winds were too strong for us to open the door to our balcony so I shot this view riding up the exterior facing lift. We were at sea the 4th and 5th of September. The videos are from 5th September.

On deck nine, a roped off area was accessible for smokers. The jittery video represents the difficulty standing still as even that high up, the storm effects were noticeable.

The indoor and outdoor pools were drained earlier because of the wave action. Many people were seasick.

The wave-action eventually lessened as we neared New York City. We docked on 6th September.

Qaqortoq Greenland

We arrived in Qaqortoq, Greenland 31 August, 2016 via small tenders. It's a small settlement with a Viking history. Most of the people of Greenland are Inuit.

The popular stone carvings called "Stone & Man" are not far from the dock. The project organised by artist Aka Hoegh attracted other artists from several Nordic countries.

Up the hill tourists perused items in the grocery store before checking out historic sites.

An old church has incredible views of the ocean.

As we climbed a nearby hill, we noticed a lot of teens gathering blueberries.

Here's a video clip of the Inuit gathering blueberries.

 We stopped by a cemetery on the way down and noticed how the community respects their dead.

It's a picturesque village and a great escape from the summer heat.

As others have observed...

Iceland is more green than Greenland.

The population of Greenland is about 56,000-- about 1/6 that of Iceland but

Greenland is much larger than Iceland.

Credits

My wife and I took all posted photos.

My web page is www.suttong.com