Frances Ellen Speaks!

Archive for the ‘History’ Category

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[My computer has been sick, but it's all better now.]

So, what’s doing in Macon, GA? That’s what I was thinking 5 years ago when a friend asked me if I’d like to go to Macon for the Cherry Blossom Festival. It turns out that Macon has more, many more, cherry blossom trees than Washington, DC.

Here’s a report from Faye and Ken

Did you know that Macon has more than 300,000 Yoshino Japanese Cherry Trees? So many that Macon was declared the Cherry Blossom Capital of the United States” in 1983. Later, the Japanese Consul General named Macon the “Cherry Blossom Capital of the World!!” William Finkling found and propagated the first Yoshinos in 1949 and later he gave away 1,500 trees every year to the Macon community. That’s how there came to be many Cherry trees.

Anyway, I decided to go with my friend. Macon holds the festival for 10 days every year in March, so if you’re a person who prefers not to take summer vacations, you’ll have plenty of time to plan for this trip.

Let me tell you, they pack in a lot of events in those 10 days, too. And much of it is free: parades, craft and artists shows, food fairs, dancing in the streets, band concerts in the park, and the best fireworks I have ever seen (and that’s saying something, because I’ve seen a lot of fireworks displays in a lot of different places.)

If you like to tour Antebellum Homes, there are plenty of them. We visited one when we were there, but I can’t remember the name of it. I remember it was lovely and that it had a cannonball in the porch floor, right where it landed during the Civil War.

Learn more about the Pinkest Party on Earth

If you make it to the southernmost point in the U.S., you’re in Key West.

Okay, there’s beaches. I didn’t realize I gravitate to beaches, but it appears I do, since many of my favorite places are near water. But there’s more to Key West.

And another thing,  a lot of notable people lived in Key West: President Harry Truman, Ernest Hemingway, John Audubon, Calvin Klein, Jimmy Buffett.

But for the moment, let’s dwell on doing the trip on a budget, because you can do lots of things here without breaking the bank. First of all, you must go and have your picture taken with the buoy (photo above). You can’t travel to the farthest southern end of the country without snapping a few pictures. Then walk a few blocks and find a restaurant serving some of the best fresh seafood in the land.

In the evening, go to Mallory Square for the best sunset in the land. It’s free, so take your time, stroll in and out of the shops, visit the open-air vendors, craft booths, stare at a mime or two, see the free entertainment that goes on all around the dock, and watch the general craziness that is Mallory at Sunset. Sip on a margarita while you drink in the fun. This celebration goes on every night and it never gets old.

Take a free visit to the cemetery. Yeah, I know it sounds nuts, but there are some very interesting markers and amusing inscriptions on the final resting places of the famous and not so famous former residents. The cemetery has been around since 1847. It’s a piece of history you won’t want to miss.

Now it’s time to take your wallet out, but it won’t cost much. If you’re a reader, you’ll want to tour Hemingway’s home. If you’re not a reader, you’ll happily settle for getting a peak at one of the six-toed cats that roam the grounds.  Make sure you stop in to Sloppy Joe’s bar, Hemingway’s favorite hangout.

If you’re not much for books, but like pirates, visit the largest, authentic collection of pirate artifacts at the Pirate Museum. Then stop in to the Rum Barrel restaurant next door for some grog.

You can fish, parasail and snorkel, all that stuff–but getting back to the beaches–they were a little disappointing when I visited. I think I may have gone to the wrong beach, so go here for a local’s advice on where to spend your time if you like to go to the beach.

If it’s tours you like, see Key West Tours.

For an island, Key West has lots more to experience, but you’ll have to go and find out for yourself. Above all else–it’s beautiful.

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Right off the coast of North Carolina, you will find The Outer Banks. There is so much doing there, I hardly know where to start. Of course, the obvious–the beaches are superb.

If you’re looking for a quiet, peaceful getaway, travel south to Ocracoke. It’s one of Emmy Lu’s Top 5 summer places.

(4) Ocracoke Island, Outer Banks, North Carolina :: I have only been to Ocracoke Island once, but I would return in a heartbeat. I went with my husband for our first anniversary, and loved the relaxed seaside vibe on this tiny island at the very southern tip of the Outer Banks. It is home to miles and miles of beautiful white sand beaches, and very few people. There isn’t much to do on Ocracoke… which is exactly the point. Find a stretch of beach to claim (most often we had nearly a quarter mile on either side of us with no people!), bring a book, build a sandcastle, collect shells, eat fresh seafood, play in the waves, and let the world slow down just a bit.

Here’s a bit of history. Sir Walter Raleigh stopped In Ocracoke in 1585 on his way to Roanaoke Island, N.C. where the first English settlement was established. You can see that, too. While you’re there don’t miss the Lost Colony Outdoor Drama, the oldest (since 1937) and longest running outdoor play. I’ve seen it and loved it.

If you’re looking for something more adventurous, learn to hang glide off the sand dunes at Nags Head, or try kite surfing.

Another piece of history–the Wright Brothers took their first flight at Kitty Hawk–also part of the Outer Banks. The way I understand it the wind was good there. Wright Brothers National Memorial

The list goes on and on: go fishing in Albemarle Sound, visit a wildlife refuge in Manteo, visit art galleries, there’s also plenty for the kids to see and do, and how can you resist browsing boutiques in a charming village named Duck.

This is a place you won’t want to miss.

Photo from The DC Traveler

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, with the economy in the doldrums, you should consider a staycation–one where you stay in the U.S. and spend your vacation dollars at home. A perfect city to visit is Washington, DC. Most of the tourist spots are free. It doesn’t get better than free. And it’s wonderful on the Fourth of July.

I haven’t been to Washington in the last decade, but as I recall the only thing that was pricey was the hotel. So, I opted to stay in Virginia, eat dinners in Virginia, but hop over to Washington during the day to visit the monuments, museums, and other tourist spots. And if you like zoos, plan to spend an entire day at the National Zoo. I loved it.

Following are a few Washington experiences shared on the web by folks who have visited more recently. First go to Shoutouts About Sites Worth a Visit

I’m not kidding. There’s something for everyone. There’s even a Spy Museum. Here’s what Erin from Mom’s Resource Blog shared about this interesting museum.

… go to the International Spy Museum. In a city full of spies, or so claims this private museum, this is a intriuging look at national and international espionage and spying.  CIA.  KGB.  The Cold War.  Domestic terrorists.  Who makes a good spy?  A great liar.  Someone who can convincingly change his or her appearance,  adapt a new way of acting and behaving, and stay in character at all times. And is ruthless too.  As technology advances, the tools of the trade get smaller: pens that are deadly weapons, eyeglasses that can record and magnify, and now micro-sized listening devices and cameras that can be placed nearly invisibly almost anywhere.  After you leave this museum, expect to walk around paranoid for at least several hours.  Somehow you feel that everyone walking on the streets is now a spy and that your hotel room is bugged too.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t pass on this honest and heartfelt glimpse of Washington to you from Liisa’s New Blahhg

The Lincoln is what you’d expect — grand, thoughtful, still full of the voice of Martin Luther King, Jr., a challenge to all to be our best.

The VVM Wall is forever powerful. Those names go on forever, overwhelming your brain with their sadness. This memorial manages to be respectful to the soldiers who fought in Viet Nam while showing how pointless the entire endeavor was. Next to the Wall are two groups of statues: a tribute to soldiers called The Three Servicemen, and a tribute to women who served in Viet Nam. Both are moving in their own way.

World War II Monument is, frankly, boring. A giant plaza with waterfalls and cement wreaths, it screams “We Won!” I didn’t get a sense of the war, the soldiers, or anything.

The best part of the Jefferson Memorial is the little museum underneath. We ended up being more interested in the statue of George Mason that sits about 1/4 mile away.

How do you build a memorial to FDR? You take 40 years and half a dozen artists, and you make it HUGE. This isn’t a memorial, it’s an installation. I forgot to take photos while we were there (for an hour!), but I’m not even sure you could capture it in photos. The entire installation is divided into 4 sections, one for each term he served. The first focuses on the Depression, with statues of men in bread lines and starving farmers that could have come right out of Dorothea Lange‘s photos. The second section covers the New Deal, with all its components, organizations and work, work, work. The third section focuses on the decision to go to war, and poses the question, “How do you fight fascism if you hate war?” The last section covers FDR’s passing and the legacy he left behind, including some of Eleanor’s work. Some memorials hit you over the head with their message; this piece is meant to be explored, decoded, deciphered. A true work of art. Shanti and I both loved it and felt its relevance for today.

We saved the best for last, though: the Korean War Memorial at night. The KWM is comprised of a group of soldiers moving in formation from trees into the open. Along their right is a granite wall etched with photos of those who served. At night, the soldiers are lit from the ground and appear as ghosts from the past, destined to make the same maneuvers over and over. This is a moving tribute to the people who served. No comments on the war or on war in general, just a tribute to those who went.

The Capitol is worth a visit.

Oglethorpe Square

If you’re looking for southern hospitality, try Savannah, Georgia. On the menu–candy for the eyes. It is chock full of quaint B&Bs, but the main attraction is its charming 22 park squares that are situated throughout the historic district of the city.  Surrounding many of the squares are historic homes and museums.

I found the best way to get acquainted with Savannah was to take the Hop On & Off Trolley Tour. You can spend your entire first day in the city using this trolley. It stops at most of the historic homes that are open to visitors, and if you’re a Girl Scout, you won’t want to miss the Julliette Gordon Lowe House (founder of the Girl Scouts of America). The trolley picks you up at your hotel or B&B, and then it stops every 20 minutes and runs all day until 4:30 p.m. That means if you get off to stroll a museum, or eat lunch, or just sit on a bench at one of the squares, you never wait for the trolley for more than 20 minutes. Excellent!

Be sure to walk along the river where you will find lovely boutiques, antique shops and restaurants. And you’ll also see Florence, the Waving Girl.

Speaking of girls, if you’ve read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, or if you just like visiting cemeteries (and believe it or not, many people love traipsing through an old cemetery), then you won’t want to miss Bird Girl.

Now that I have finished this post, it appears I’ve written a lot about girls: Girl Scouts, Waving Girl and Bird Girl. But Savannah is so much more. Go see for yourself. And if you’ve already been there, feel free to add a comment and let me know what you found exciting or beautiful about the city, because I plan to go back some day.

Since I’m encouraging vacation travel on a budget, I’ll rerun part of a previous post I wrote a while back.

If you’re looking to hear the blues, Memphis is the town.

Looking to savor the sweet taste of BBQ? Memphis is a good choice.

A word about Beale Street–I was expecting something similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans, but Beale Street is much shorter, only extends about a block or two. Therefore, it doesn’t have as many shops, but what it lacks in shopping, it makes up for in good food and fantastic music. The entire time spent on Beale Street is a party for the senses.

There is one important fact to know about BBQ, it comes “wet” or “dry.” At the Pig On Beale, you can order your ribs with a dry rub. Take it from me, if you’re ever at the Pig, dry is the way to go.

The final Memphis highlight that I will touch on has a lot of “soul.”

photo from

We only had time to visit one museum and, boy, did we make a good choice–STAX. Museum, with just the right mixture of history, made for a memorable visit.

There are bus tours galore that will take you to Graceland, if you yearn to see the King’s home. We ran out of time.