Pensacola, Florida

We spent four nights at a marina at the Naval Air Station at Pensacola. This is the home of the Blue Angels and the National Naval Air Museum.

We shopped in the Naval Exchange and Commissary - it was definitely time to restock the freezer! We washed clothes, of course - seems like that always needs to be done. Steve washed the boat to get the salt off of it, then hung the lights and wreath on the outside. I strung lights on the inside of the boat and got out our little tabletop Christmas tree.

Our TV antenna couldn't pick up the Georgia football game against LSU, so we went to a local restaurant to watch. At the adjacent marina, we saw some looper buddies - Nauti Nell, Sweet Pea and Jeremiah. They were leaving the next day for Fort Walton Beach. The Georgia game was disappointing, but the sunset was gorgeous!

On Sunday we went to the museum. Wow. First of all, it was free! (You could make a donation, which we did.) We got a guided tour from a very knowledgeable veteran - he was awesome. There were aircraft from the earliest to a space capsule and everything in between. I have included my favorite photographs but I have so many others. There were LOTS of aircraft! We had lunch in the Cubi snack bar at the museum, which was filled with the kinds of plaques and mementos that flying squadrons leave in their favorite haunts.

The museum has an IMAX  theater that shows several movies. We went to the one about the Blue Angels - you really feel like you are in the cockpit at times. Pretty cool! There was also a temporary exhibit of quilts - yes, quilts! The quilts were mostly wall hanging size and were all themed to naval aviation.

Our next stop is Fort Walton Beach. See you there!

Decked out for Christmas.

Now we're looking festive!

Pensacola is very old!

The marina next to the restaurant - our loopers are there

Is this gorgeous or what?

The National Museum of Naval Aviation

Sorry I didn't get this turned, but I like it

This is the atrium going in - the first generation after the Wright Flier

Early seaplanes

A Sopwith Camel - note Snoopy in the cockpit

The kids loved this gun turret - I wasn't quick enough to catch them

Steve tells me this is a comparable engine to the C-124

A cutaway view of the same engine - look familiar Daddy?

These are dirigible parts

The snack bar

Old Angels - this is a popular venue for retirements and changes of command

And the quilt exhibition

This was my favorite one - with the little boy pretending to fly. I assume he grew up and did it!