Tag Archives: Air museums in England

2023 Road Trip-Part 19A

31 Jan

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 19 – August 2 

(Continued) The drive from the MOSI Museum to downtown Ybor City only took us about ten minutes, where we wanted to visit the Ybor City Museum located in the historic 1923 Ferlita Bakery building within the Ybor City State Park, but it was closed.  However, we did find out that the building was used as a bakery until 1973 when it was refurbished and taken over by the museum as part of the Ybor City State Park.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

As we toured the Ybor City State Park, and its many restored buildings and casitas (workers’ cottages) dating from the 1890s, we noticed the many colorful chickens and roosters scratching and crowing most everywhere we looked.  Then we saw a ‘Warning’ sign telling us not to feed the chickens, and that they were protected by the city.  What an interesting old city tradition that is!

Photo Credit https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;Ybor+City+roosters

 After that interesting stroll thru the history of Ybor City, we drove into downtown Tampa to try to visit the Tampa Police Museum, but it was closed.  Since we were in downtown Tampa, we drove a few short blocks to visit the Tampa Firefighters Museum.  This museum is housed in the original 1911 Fire Station #1 that was restored in 1974, before becoming the Firefighters Museum in 1978 when the new Fire Station was built.  The museum’s centerpiece is their beautifully restored 1927 American LaFrance fire engine and the museum also displays a variety of antique firefighting artifacts and memorabilia dating from the 1800s.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Since it was getting late, and our motel was in Clearwater, FL this evening, we decided to head that way to make sure they didn’t give our room to someone else.  I gave Greta (my Garmin) the address of the motel and she took us right to it with no problems.  When we checked in with our reservations at the motel, the desk clerk told me, that as a ‘Platinum Member’ our rooms had been upgraded to Suites (that hadn’t happened before).  I thanked him and when we arrived at our second-floor rooms, we were both shocked to find large two-room suites with kitchenette, dining area, two TVs, and with balconies overlooking their central garden.  Billy said, “WOW, some upgrade!”

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/Clarion+inn+Clearwater+Beach+fl

 After we got our things in our rooms, I told Billy that I would like to eat at Crabby Bill’s located in Indian Rocks Beach (DiVoran and I had eaten there once during a vacation) and I knew he liked seafood.  He said that was fine with him.  By the time we arrived at the restaurant, the entire dining area was jammed with people, but luckily, we found seats at the bar.  I had their fresh Frog Legs plate served with sweet potato fries and their special seafood sauce.  It was great.  Billy had Blackened Fish Tacos with Creole Remoulade sauce.  We traded bites of each other’s dish and we had to say they were both excellent.

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/frog+legs+crabby+bill’s+indian+rocks+beach+fl

 After that great dining experience, and before we left the restaurant, asked a waitress to take our picture with Crabby Bill’s mascot, “Crabby Bear” to remember the occasion.  Billy wanted to walk off some of his dinner with a walk on the beach, so we ambled down to the beach, and enjoyed a moonlight stroll among the sea oats with the gentle sound of the waves in the background.  Relaxed from the day’s activities and all the good food, we headed back to the motel for a good night’s rest.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

 

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Flying Legends Airshow~Part 5

23 Sep

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Flying Legends

Day 5 – Sunday July 5th

After a full English breakfast at the Quality Inn Hotel (not like any free breakfast I’ve ever had at a Quality Inn here in the U.S.) the first place to visit today was the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford. This was one of the best aviation museums I have seen so far on this trip. The museum consists of four huge hangers full of beautifully restored British aircraft dating from the early days of aviation (pre-WWI) to the present time. A person could spend a whole day just reading about the many different aircraft that are housed in those hangers. These aircraft make up much of the backbone of British aviation history.

1

Next I had planned to stop and take a picture of the old Eastgate & Eastgate Clock Tower in Chester. But, by the time I got there the town center was jammed with people (of course Greta had to direct me right through the middle of all those people to get me to the clock tower location). It was all I could do to catch a glimpse of that beautiful clock structure as I drove under it, while trying not to run over a pedestrian.

2

The Speke Airdrome Museum probably should not have been in the museum guide book, because the old Liverpool Airport terminal has been closed and turned into a luxury hotel. The only airplanes were a couple of mid 50s commercial aircraft behind the hotel (that used to be the airport ramp), that have been out in the weather for so long that they were looking pretty shabby. As you might guess, I didn’t spend a lot of time there.

3

It started to rain about that time and since my next stop was at the Merseyside Maritime Museum, also located in Liverpool, and would probably be mostly outside, I decided to skip that museum and move on to the Avro Heritage Museum in Woodford. However, this museum was only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I just kept heading north.

4

I was surprised to see that the Manchester Airport Museum, for its size (the very small museum consisted of only two aircraft) had two of the largest modern British aircraft on display; a Nimrod bomber and a Concord airliner. Visitors were allowed to inspect the interior of both aircraft. Since I had already inspected a Nimrod bomber, at a previous museum, I elected to only walk through the Concord. That is one of the special aircraft I wish I had been able to take a flight on before they were removed from service.

5

I was disappointed to find the Imperial War Museum (North), also located there in Manchester, was closed. I was expecting to find this large museum to be well represented, since it is part of the National Imperial War Museum Foundation.

10

Next I headed for a visit to the Ribble Steam Railroad Museum in Preston. Here again I was disappointed to find it closed. This was another one of those cases where Greta took me within two blocks of the museum and said I had arrived at my destination. Luckily there was a couple out for a walk, and they were able to direct me to the museum.

7

I ended the day by visiting the 11th century Lancaster Castle, which it is said was built over the location of a 1st century Roman fort overlooking the River Lune. As it turned out, the castle was located on the hilltop just a two-minute walk from the Royal Kings Arms Hotel where I spent the night.

8

The Royal Kings Arms Hotel was built in 1625 and was immortalized by Charles Dickens in his tale of “The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices” and “The Bridal Chamber.” Several members of the English royal stayed at this hotel in the early 1800s when it was also a coach station. The rooms were nice, but the hotel itself was showing its age. However, I have to say this was the only accommodation I stayed at during my entire trip in the UK that had an elevator for guests.

9

—–To be Continued—–

Tags: , , ,