Miami getting ready for the show!
On December 04th, the Art Basel Miami Beach opens and as early as the Dec. 02nd, there are countless smaller Miami Art Fairs throughout Miami and Miami Beach. Today we could see that -despite thanksgiving- many artists were still painting on the facades in the Wynwood art district. Miami in the Art-Rush. © B.G.
We had distributed all of our “botanical ark books” (see also my blog contributing: suzi & alan) as presents and needed replenishment. Suzi & Alan promised remedy, organized to send a big package with books to alans brother randy in florida.
Sabrina and Randy, you have welcomed us as friends, even though we did not even know each other. Thank you for your great hospitality and that you showed us some of your favorite places. We enjoyed the two days very much. © n.g.
The best place to investigate the rumors if the americans had been to the moon or not is of course the space center.
In cape canaveral the kennedy space center is very impressively and absolutely worth a visit. Here you see an original saturn 5 rocket together with a used and burned return capsule, the only item which returned to earth. The event to access the exhibition hall of the original atlantis shuttle is stunning and ends with a “wow” effect. With simulators you can try to control the moon landing ferry or you can land the shuttle on a tarmac runway.
The development of space-suits can be seen up to Alan Shepards used work-clothing with real dust from the moon. You can explore huge walk-in models for example the international space station and some spaceships, the hubble telescope, lots of original rockets and there are also great 3d movies on display from the iss (international space station) and from the universe. And even there is the opportunity to touch an original tiny moon rock. Does it need further proofs? Here is the ultimate one: inside the adjacent restroom everything worked! (see also blog-contributory: https://blog.guthier.com/?p=947)
Wow. The americans had been really on the moon. :-) © n.g.
I had written in my blog contribution about the drayton plantation in charlston (see: https://blog.guthier.com/?p=1051) that only little information was given about the the slavery. This information I got today in a very impressive way. Many display boards reported and showed this outrage at that time and an audio guide gave additional background information. An absolute must, and highlight, if you visit this corner of the world.
Even the driveway through the marshes of north-florida is an experience and also there is no entrancefee. ©n.g.
And here comes the moving story of the kingsley family: Zephaniah kingsley relocated to spanish florida in 1803 and became a successful merchant and planter. His african wife, anna madgigine jai, was from senegal. Kingsley purchased her as a slave in havanna, cuba in 1806. He freed anna and their children in 1811. In 1814 he moved his family to fort george island. Anna took advantage of spanish views on race and society, which enabled her to own her own plantation and sclaves. She also was her husband´s business parnter.
When spain lost control of florida in 1821 legislators in the new united states territory quickly enacted laws that greatly reduced the civil liberties of free blacks, such as kingsle`s family members. His campain to keep a system of sociesty where people were judged by class, and not by color, was largely ignored. By 1832 the harsch lays restricting he rights of all „persons of color“ became intolerable. Faced with the reality of his family losing theri freedom upon his death, he began looking for a country where they could live without restirctions ….
© from the info center brochuredevine Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/timu
“The Divine Comedy: Heaven, Purgatory and Hell” revisted by Contemporary African Artists. We had very well perceived the exhibition poster from The Museum of Modern Art MMK in Frankfurt. It was still hanging there as we started our travel to Canada on the 20th of july 2014. In the weeks and months before our departure however, there was no time even thinking about cultural events. We had to prepair our vehicle and terminate all our personal and business stuff in Frankfurt.
Arrived in November in Savannah, we visited the SCAD Museum of Art – attracted by the great architecture of the building, consisting of an old train depot from 1853 combined with concrete and glass to a modern museum architecture in 2011. And we couldn’t believe it as the same exhibition poster welcomed us, which we had perceived in Frankfurt! Until the 25th of January to be seen in Savannah. Highly recommended! As indeed the whole city including some french restaurants like „Papillote“ at 218 W Broughton Street.
A tip for our RV colleagues: Two nights at the visitor center´s very central parking lot could be purchased for just $ 12. And don’t be confused by the signs that indicate the place must be cleared by 6 pm. © B.G.
Cyclists with large pack bags on their bikes are something special on the blue ridge mountain parkway. We just looked around at one of the scenic lookouts, as the two stopped next to our truck and chated us up in german. They are almost on the same tour as we are, traveling from toronto to south america, but the two are likely to be much faster on their destination. They want to face by the glaciers of patagonia in 20 months time. Taff.
We invited them for a coffee and a chocolate bar, both useful for getting ahead. © n.g.
here are some impressions from the parkway…
… and enjoy the scenic drive and the music by volker jaekel and elke schneider.
