CocoCay Island, Bahamas

It was such an amazing experience visiting CocoCay in Bahamas during our cruise.

Me and my husband at Cococay Island, Bahamas

CocoCay is a private island exclusive for Royal Caribbean as well as for Celebrity Cruises guests. Both these cruise ships bring their passengers to the island by tenders.

CocoCay is surrounded with bright blue waters in the middle of the Bahamas, and situated about 45 miles north, northwest of Nassau.

This island was used to be called "Little Stirrup Cay" before the Royal Caribbean Cruises assumed the lease of the island for exclusive use. It used to be a deserted island that has white sand beaches.

After Royal Caribbean Cruises acquired the lease, and was renamed CocoCay, the company started renovating the island and became a tropical paradise.

Nowadays, it is now equipped with new and modern aquatic facilities like scuba-diving and snorkeling facilities, renovated nature trails which are one of the island's attractions, new dining shelters such as bars, restaurants and shops like the Straw Market that are in cottages and artisan huts.

Other famous activities are kayaking, swimming, parasailing and more. If you prefer to relax, the island is also equipped with benches and special seating areas along the beach and trellises for shady sanctuaries.

Before catching up your tender going to the island, be sure you are ready for the choices of any excursions or tours that you wanna do. 

There is an excursion desk in the ship and they can help you with some lists of activities you want to do in the island. You need to sign up first before going to the island, as they don't accept walk-in tours once you're there.

Otherwise, you should have already included your excursion itineraries before you board the ship for the cruise.

Boracay Adventures (2nd Time Around)

I guess there's no need to be describing in details about Boracay island, when it comes to activities you can do when you're in the island. Of course, Boracay has been starting to become famous due to its white sand and torquoise waters. Being recognized as one of the top beaches in the world, it will be easy knowing about the island when you search it online.

One thing is for sure...that you'll never run out of activities while enjoying the island has to offer. Whether you love to surf with the waves, snorkel, parasail, boating, island hopping, or just want to enjoy food and entertainment, this is the place you should be. You can be an adventurous visitor or just somebody who would prefer quiet moments with the island's nature whispers.

I didn't even expect myself to become adventurous, but I did one activity unexpectedly...parasail! Was scared to death, but got the hang of it later on.

Me and sis-in-law! Brave gurls!

I tried sports activity as well...go karting! Oh yeah! I am not used to this, but enjoyed it even when it poured heavily. The boys had more fun, I think. 

Then, there was a newly opened museum adjacent to the go karting place, which was perfect to see after that. We were soaking wet from the rain, but we didn't mind. The museum ( Trick Arts Museum) was great and fun. It was amazing taking photos, then from your photos, you can see where and what the trick is!

Fun, Fun, Fun!

Go karting

There's the trick!

Real or unreal @ the Trick Arts museum

tried the hair braiding

Bearland Paradise Resort

This resort is one of the newest destination in Iloilo, 20 minute drive from the city of Iloilo. It is exactly located at barangay Tanpael, Tigbauan, Iloilo.

One of the attractive featured amenities of the resort is the cerulean infinity pool that has a good overlooking view of the sea. They also have a jacuzzi pool if you want to relax, and a kiddie pool for smaller kids.

Kiddie pool

Jacuzzi pool

The sunken bar is also an attraction which is fronting the infinity pool. It is placed between the kiddie and infinity pool. The sunken bar is equipped with bar lounge chairs in the inside fronting the pool, and permanent  bar stools in the pool. The stools are under the water and swimmers can sit there and order their drinks without needing to get out of the pool. Customers can order alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks whichever they prefer.

By the way, in our case, we ordered our mango shake drinks and two plates of french fries...the wait was like forever! I asked what is taking them so long, and one worker told me they are short of staff workers that day.

For those that don't want to stay overnight, sun loungers with umbrellas are provided (with a minimal fee), some of them just fronting the kiddie pool, and some along and around the infinity pool. 

There are bathrooms provided for changing but they don't have showers inside if you prefer to rinse in a more private location. I noticed there are faucets on the sinks, but they were not working. There are 2 public showers located near the bathrooms but since they are public, you can't take a good rinse well, not unless you want to go nude in public...lol!

On the sides are sun loungers(white tents) fronting the kiddie pool.

Along the seaside (you have to go down shorter steps from the pool area), are cottages made of bamboo and woods. These are ideal for larger groups such as group picnics, excursions or any other big activities.

As of the last time that we were in the area, the Pavilion was still under construction. It will be a 2-storey building that would include a function room, a restaurant and a gym.

Rates of rooms, if you want to reserve for overnight purposes are just a bit pricey, so check your budget upfront before getting rooms. I haven't tried their rooms, nor saw what are the amenities inside, so I can't share about them.

One side of the jacuzzi pool are also couches, chairs and tables made of rattan/bamboos that serve as lounge area for those who want to relax or hang out with their friends. The area seems to be like an eating place, but didn't see one eating there. The resort has a free wi-fi as well but you can't get through it unless you know the password, and you won't get the password until you ask them. 

The Jefferson Memorial

The 19 ft.tall bronze statue of Jefferson

Another one of the most impressive sites worth visiting in DC area is the Jefferson Memorial, a presidential memorial built in honor of the 3rd US president, - Thomas Jefferson, - also known as the American Founding Father. It is one of the most popular attarctions in DC, the fact that is is also located on the shore of Tidal Basin and surrounded by trees that becomes very beautiful and attractive every spring during the Cherry Blossom season!

One of the excerpts from Jefferson's writings

The shallow dome that can be seen above and inside the building.

The memorial is a dome-shaped rotunda, composed of circular marble steps with a round colonnade of Ionic order columns, a portico and a shallow dome. One of the best views of the White House can be seen from the top steps of the memorial as well.

At the center of the dome, is a 19 ft. tall bronze statue of Jefferson. Surrounding his statue are the excerpts and passages from his writings and from the Declaration of Independence.

"The Avenue of 444 Flags"

If you are in the vicinity of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, it can be easy to locate where this park is because of the striking view of the flags. Its actual location is at Hillcrest Memorial Park, in the city of Hermitage, Mercer County in PA.

The memorial park has a picturesque 71-acre space with winding paths, where you can see monuments that reflect achievements and sacrifices of veterans of wars. Instead of upright monuments, only flush bronze markers are used instead.

Some call this park "444 Banners of Freedom", "The Avenue of Flags", or "The Avenue of 444 Flags." Many would perhaps know the park by simply mentioning Hillcrest Memorial Park too.

The avenue of flags was erected during the hostage crisis in Iran in 1979-1981 honoring the American diplomats that were held hostage. The crisis triggered a resurgence of patriotism in the US because of a hostage crisis for 53 US citizens that went on for 444 days, thus the 444 flags, with each one representing one day of captivity.

These flags then became the recognized symbols of American support for the hostages and the hope for their safe return.

An eternal flame burns steadily in front of an erected monument dedicated to the 8 members of the US armed forces who gave their lives in the ill-fated attempt to rescue the prisoners on April 25, 1980.

But those days of captivity finally were over and the hostages regained their freedom, but the memory of those fateful days with a fire of patriotism still live on.

The park can be visited all year-round and is always open for public.

Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)

Another famous memorial in Arlington, Virginia is the US Marine Corps War Memorial also known as Iwo Jima Memorial.

The statue which is a 32 ft.-high sculpture was inspired from the iconic photo of "Raising The Flag on Iwo Jima" depicting the scene of the flag raising by 5 members of the Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman, symbolizing the successful takeover of Iwo Jima island.

At the middle of the six men is a 60 ft. flagpole from which the US flag can be seen waving up high 24 hours a day. At the base of the memorial is a Swedish granite that has inscriptions of the names and dates of the US Marine Corps members and has the engraving words; - "In honor and in memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775."

Rapid Auto Title Loans

Car loans can be sometimes tough particularly if you have bad credits. But that depends on what company you are choosing, and the requirements, etc... No matter how bad your financial situation is, there is always that one company that is perfectly right for you.

Rapid Auto Title Loans is currently helping a lot of Florida residents in getting their short-term cash loans on their vehicles. They specialize in providing car loans to their customers based on the vehicle's equity, instead of the customer's  credit, and the customer's resident and employment histories. 

Check out their low interest rate per month as well. Otherwise, visit the given link and you could reach them on their homepage for any further inquiries and information.

US Air Force Memorial

The Air Force Memorial is located in Arlington, Virginia on the grounds of Fort Myer, overlooking the Pentagon, Potomac River and Washington DC.

The memorial is also very near the Arlington National Cemetery, between the street intersections of Columbia Pike and South Joyce St.

The Air Force Memorial can easily be recognized with its very distinctive design, - the three memorial spires ranging from 201-270 ft. high which appear to be soaring. This design was inspired by the Air Force Thunder birds performing their signature "bomb burst" maneuver performance in the air.

Beneath those spires is the US Air Force "star" embedded in granite.

Before the inscription wall, there are four 8ft. tall bronze statues depicting the memorial's Honor Guards. To the north of it is a glass contemplation wall, - a free standing glass panel with some images.

At each end of the central lawn are two granite inscription walls that measure 56 ft in length, 10ft. in height and 1 foot diameter thick.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The memorial was purposely constructed to honor members of the US Armed Forces who served in the Vietnam War. Currently, it consists of 3 parts, namely; - The Three Soldiers/Servicemen built with  life-size bronze statues, The Vietnam Women's Memorial and The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall which is the most commonly popular location visited by at least 3 million visitors annually.

The Vietnam Women's Memorial which is also nearby the 3 statues is a small memorial with sculptures of 2 women in uniform tending to a wounded male soldier while another sculpture of a woman is kneeling close to it.

The memorial black granite wall has a list of inscriptions of the chronological names of at least 58,272 Americans that were killed and went missing in action during the war. The stone used for the wall was bought from India which was chosen due to its reflective quality, so that when you look upon the wall, your reflection can be seen simultaneously with the engraved names, which is meant to bring the past and present together symbolically.

Me and my other me ;)

The strategical location of the wall is that one wall is pointing towards Washington Monument and the other one leads in the direction towards the Lincoln Memorial, which meets an angle of 125 degrees 12:

Along the base of this wall is a pathway that serves as walking path for visitors while reading and/or locating names, or just pray for them.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial

This memorial was built to commemorate those who served in the Korean War. It is situated on West Potomac Park, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and at the south part of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The memorial's structure is in the form of a triangle intersecting a circle. As you go further in the memorial, you'll see a wall measuring to 50 meters long,8 inches thick and built with more than 100 tons of highly polished "Academy Black" granite. On it are photographic images that depicts soldiers, and other people involved in the war representing land, sea and air troops.

The granite wall also reflects mural of the faces of 2,400 unnamed soldiers with a quote - "Freedom is not free."

Behind me is the wall with mural

Partial background are the 19 statues in full combat gears behind me...

At the center of the memorial are the 19 stainless statues of soldiers representing a squad on patrol from each branch of the armed forces, facing an American flag. These statues are dressed in full combat gears and are scattered standing each in between strips of granite, with juniper bushes that represent the rugged terrain in Korea.

It's also interesting to note that on the wall's reflection, there seem to be 38 soldiers, which represents the 38th parallel. The north part of the statues is a path that forms one side of the triangle. On the path lies the United Nation's Wall reflecting the 22 members of UN that contributed or offered medical support to the Korean war effort.

Philippines was one of the UN members who offered medical support during Korean War.

There is also a Pool of Remembrance with inscriptions listing the number of people killed, wounded, missing in action, and those held as prisoners of war. A plaque close to it reflects, - "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met."

The Lincoln Memorial

Being one of the iconic landmarks in Washington DC, the Lincoln Memorial is a US national monument built in honor of the 16th US president, Abraham Lincoln. The memorial is located on the National Mall across from Washington Monument.

Me & hubby with the Lincoln statue at the back.

Its beautiful architectural design was built in the form of a Greek temple, with structures of 7-ft. diameter columns stretching up to 44 ft. high. It has 36 columns representing the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. 

If you try to look up just above the colonnade, there are inscriptions on the frieze reflecting the 36 names of the states in the Union and the dates in which they joined the Union. Further above on the attic frieze are names inscribed representing the 48 states present at the time of the memorial's dedication.

At the center of the memorial is a 19-ft. marble sculptured seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, and on its walls surrounding it are inscriptions of two famous speeches of Lincoln, - "The Gettysburg Address" and the "Second Inaugural Address." The Lincoln Memorial is also notable as the site of many famous speeches such as that of MLK's (Martin Luther King, Jr.) "I Have A Dream" speech, which was delivered on August 28, 1963 during the rally in Washington for Jobs & Freedom.

This spot was where MLK stood during his "I Have A Dream " speech, and can be found on the landing 18 steps below Lincoln's statue. Engraved in 2003 in recognition of the 40th anniversary of that event.

The seated statue of Abraham Lincoln has an area of 60 ft. wide, 74 ft. long and 60 ft. high. Inside the memorial, there are 3 chambers divided by 2 rows of Ionic columns, - the north and south chambers and lying between them is the central hall where the statue of Lincoln is seated.

On the north chamber lies Lincoln's speech, - "Second Inaugural Address" and on the south lies the wall inscription of his speech "Gettysburg Address."

On August 2012, the reflecting pool, located at the base of the Lincoln Memorial steps was recently renovated. It also provides dramatic images that reflect the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Memorial

After more than 2 decades of planning and construction, this memorial was finally opened to the public on August 22, 2011 which covers 4 acres of space, located on the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin, close to the Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Memorial.

It was later dedicated on August 28, 2011, on the 48th anniversary speech of MLK; "I Have a Dream", when he delivered it from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

This is the most recent memorial and the first one to honor a non-president, and the first to honor a man of color in Washington DC area. It's a must-see trip whenever you're on tour in DC.

The memorial's centerpiece is a 30-ft. statue  of MLK Jr. on which on the visible side of the statue is carved "Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope," - based from a line on his famous speech "I Have a Dream."

Past the statue on its back stands two pieces of granite boulders that are split-up, - one which symbolizes the "mountain of despair."

Literally, in between the 2 boulders which were split up is a space where people can "pass through" which are called the "mountains of despair going towards on the way to the Stone of Hope.

Right on the entrance of the memorial, you can immediately see the 450-feet long inscription wall where 14 quotes from King's speeches are inscribed. Some of the words reflected on these quotations are also based from the Bible.

The US Capitol Building

Me and my husband with the Capitol bldg. at the background

Every time you are in the DC area, one of the most recognizable historic building you can see is the US Capitol building, which is situated on the opposite end of the National Mall from the Washington Monument. It is considered a prominent landmark that shows a 19th-century neoclassical architecture.

You can also see its view on top of Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. The US Capitol has a total of 540 rooms, - a very huge building!

The US Capitol building is where the House of Representatives and the Senate meet.

Congressional offices are located on the ground floor, while the 2nd floor is where the House of Representatives hold its chambers in the south wing. The Senate is in the north wing. The 3rd floor is where visitors can actually watch the Congress proceedings while they are in session, while the 4th floor and the basement consist of additional offices and some machine rooms.

At the center of the building is where the dome is and below it  is the Rotunda, a circle-shaped area where you can see a gallery of paintings and sculpture of various American historical figures and events.

Don't miss looking up beneath the top of the dome once you're inside, and you will see the very beautiful masterpiece of painting called "The Apostheosis of Washington", and the famous "Frieze of United States History", - done by Constantino Brumidi in the year 1865.

Also try to notice the 8 large paintings within the Rotunda. Four paintings are on the east side while the other four are located on the west side.

Guided tours inside the building are free, but require tickets that are available on a first come, first served basis. I and my husband were both lucky to join the tour way back in 2006.

Tours are available from Monday-Saturday at 8:45am-3:30pm.

If you are scheduled for a tour, there is now a Capitol Visitor Center which was recently opened in 2008 where you can see galleries and can watch live streaming videos from the House and Senate. There is also a 13-minute film showing that tells about the history of the Congress and the Capitol. The film is being shown in the orientation theaters.

At the former Crypt, the original tomb prepared for George Washington

Also, take some time to visit the Crypt, just below Rotunda. This was actually build to support the Rotunda as well as purposely done to give entrance to Washington's tomb. It is a large round-shaped room built with 40 columns. But since Washington's last will that he be buried at Mt. Vernon, the area became open to visitors and now currently a museum.

There are a lot more things to discover about the US Capitol. Be sure you get a tour inside the building when you get the chance...it's worth it!

The Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Memorial

If there is one thing worth visiting in Washington D.C., it would be the FDR Memorial, in honor of the 32nd US president, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The memorial consists of four outdoor rooms patterned in sequential order, each one which reflects FDR's term of office, the sculptures that are photographed-inspired and those sculptures reflecting the scenes during the Great Depression. The entire property is situated on a 7.5 acres wide lot.

One interesting point to note in the memorial is its' conceptual design of the 4 outdoor rooms and gardens which is animated by sculpture, stone and water.

Waterfalls in the memorial are considered to be an essential aspect as well which act as physical and metaphoric components.

Just a note: the waterfalls are turned off during winter, so if you want to visit, it would be ideal to go either before or after winter time.

FDR Memorial is rich in history, so if you need to update or upgrade your historical knowledge, it is much more challenging to visit it yourself and experience the history enriching adventure! 

I DID! :)

The US National WWII Memorial

The WWII Memorial began opening its doors to the public on April 29, 2004 and was dedicated 2 days before Memorial Day on May 29, 2004 by former president George W. Bush. It is an ideal place to visit and pay respects to our WWII veterans. They also call it a place for America's World War II Heroes!

The memorial is dedicated to those Americans who served in the armed forces as well as civilians during the WWII.

The beautiful place is adorned with an oval-shape design, with 2 arches that represent the war's Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

There are 56 pillars which represent the states, territories and District of Columbia during the war. There are two sculpted bronze wreaths that are attached to each pillar and small fountains can be seen at the bases of these 2 arches.

There is a Freedom Wall that is also captivating located on the west side of the memorial. The wall has 4,048 gold stars each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. In front of it reflects a message that says "Here we mark the price of freedom."

The memorial is located on the National Mall of Washington D.C. where you can see the Lincoln Memorial to the west, and the Washington Monument to the east.

The White House

That's me! :))

Every tourist visiting the DC area would surely doesn't want to miss visiting the oldest public building in Washington DC - The White House!

Of course, one of the most common way to see it is thru the Lafayette Park, just across the White House where you can get a good view of it and to take photos at good angles.

There are two most common options to see the building only on the outside. You can either choose to see it from the south side of its ground which you can see it a bit further away, or you can choose to see it on its north side which is much closer.

The White House is not only considered as the home of the US president but also the museum of American history. It has 132 rooms on 6 levels.

It was constructed as early as 1792, then after it caught fire in 1814, continous partial reconstructions were done of the same year to a few more years. Major constructions were done under the Truman administration, and underwent restoration under the Kennedy administration.

Public tours inside the White House are only alowed for 10 people or more at a time, but you must ask request through your Representative and Senators. Tours are also on a first come, first served basis every Tuesday - Saturday from 7:30am - 12:30pm, and is scheduled approximately one month in advance or even longer (up to 3 months). So, it definitely means NO walk-in tours are allowed anytime inside!

You can also choose to book a White House Garden Tours but you have to get your tickets for this. This is open for the public and visitors can get the chance to visit its gardens such as the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, Children's Garden and the South Lawn.

Inside tours sounds a bit of a hassle, but a visit on either the north or south wing is always the most convenient, hassle-free tour you can have on the outside. ;)

Gun Biometric Safes

Before I proceed, I would like to inform my readers that this post is not politically motivated and I am informing the readers further that the content of this post has nothing to do with politics or to that sort.

For some, this maybe a little bit sensitive for them, the reason why I am telling it earlier in this post.

When it comes to guns, each person has his own idea on what it does. They can be a good or bad stuff depending on how you use them.

Responsible gun owners, I believe are still of great advantage when it comes to protecting themselves and for protecting others if needed to.

Owning gun responsibly is what matters most. For instance, the way you properly store your guns in biometric safes. It is one way of protecting your firearms like your personal valuables. These safes are equipped with fingerprints so your weapons will never fall into the wrong hands.

So far, these are much safer, more efficient and much faster than traditional safes that are commonly used because it can easily be opened by just a touch of your finger, allowing you much time to respond quickly in an emergency situation.

Very interesting stuff! ;)

Artistic Wall Coverings For Homes

If I would be given the chance to choose a design for my walls at home, I would prefer custom-made, handcrafted wall coverings. Just by glancing at these designs, I really consider them one-of-a-kind.

Handcrafted designs are all looking so uniquely done and are attractive. They can truly help a simple home become elegant and luxurious-looking as well.

There is always that special effects you can get just by browsing tons of the products from the gallery of Atrium Wallcoverings.

Hhhmm...this gave me the idea to try one of the products on my walls. But I have to figure out the possibility of ordering them and how I can be able to bring them for my home in the Philippines. Then, I still have to get an interior designer for assistance, lol! Otherwise, I can probably try one at home. I'm thinking of redesigning our bedroom! ;)

Fort McHenry - The Cornerstone of the American Defense!

The repulse of a British naval attack against this fort in 1814 prevented the capture of Baltimore and inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star Spangled Banner".

England and France were at war from 1793-1815. Because of both their intents to crush each other, both nations confiscated American merchant ships and cargoes to prevent supplies from reaching enemy ports, which the Americans viewed as the violations of their rights as neutrals. The situation was made hotter by British impressmentof American seamen and the demands of the "War Hawks", a group of southern and western Congressmen who wanted the US to annex British Canada and Spanish Florida. The war on England was declared on June 18, 1812 to preserve "Free Trade and Sailors Rights" and was carried by the War Hawks.

The Americans were mostly an annoyance to the British for 2 years who couldn't devote much attention to them until after Napoleon's defeat in April 1814. In mid-August, a British force with 5,000 army and navy veterans under the joint command of Maj. Gen. Robert Ross and Vice Adm. Alexander Cochrane sailed up Chesapeake Bay with the intent on giving Americans "a complete drubbing" which was what they did at the Battle of Bladensburg and went on to burn Washington. So, they turned their attention to Baltimore.

Baltimore was better prepared for the invaders than Washington had been. Defenses were erected, arms and equioment laid in, and troops trained under the command of Maj. Gen. Samuel Smith, a US senator and veteran of the Revolution. Smith's command totaled about 15,000 men, mostly Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia militia. But there were also a few regular army units and several hundred sailors under Commodore John Rodgers.

Fort McHenry, the key to the harbor, was defended by a thousand men. Its guns and those of 2 batteries along the river's edge dominated the channels leading to the city. Lines of gunboats and sunken hulks across the mouth of northwest branch also obstructed entry.

Ross's troops landed at North point and marched toward Baltimore on September 12, and later that day, Ross was mortally wounded in the opening skirmish of the Battle of North Point. He was replaced by Col. Arthur Brooke, who completed the battle and compelled the Americans to withdraw. The next morning, he marched his troops to within 2 miles of the city and awaited the results of a naval attack before assaulting the Baltimore defenses.

Admiral Cochrane attacked the fort at dawn on the 13th, about the time Brooke began his advance. The bombardment lasted for 25 hours. Maj. George Armistead, Fort Mchenry's commander estimated later that there were 1,500-1,800 shells and rockets fired at the fort. Two shells exploded on the southwest bastion killing 2 officers and wounding several gun crew members.

Realizing that the fort would never fall to shelling alonge in the midnight on September 13, Cochrane launched a diversionary attack up the Ferry Branch in an attempt to distract the American long enough for Brooke's troops to storm Rodger's bastion guarding the east side of the city. In the dark, rainy night, the attack went awry: some of the landing party rowed up the wrong branch, while other barges were detected and driven back by the combined fire of Forts McHenry, Covington, Babcock, and Look-Out. The failure of this sortie dashed British hopes of capturing Baltimore.

Bombships continued the bombardment until 7am on September 14, then withdrew down the river. As the British went away, the American soldiers fired the morning gun and hoisted the large flag that would later become known as the "Star Spangled Banner" while the musicians played "Yankee Doodle".

Fort McHenry since then never came under enemy fire again, although it continued as an active military post for the next 100 years. During the Civil War, it was used as a temporary prison for captured Confederate soldiers, southern sympathizers and political prisoners.

US Army General Hospital No. 2 was located here to serve WW1 veterans from 1917 to 1923.

In 1925, Congress made Fort Mchenry as a national park. After 14 years, it was redesignated a national monument and historic shine, the only park in the country to have this double distinction.

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The AACA Museum (Antique Automobile Club of America Museum)

Trip Date: December 10, 2011

Part of our Hershey Christmas tour last year was a visit to AACA museum, located in Museum Drive, Hershey, PA.

This would actually be the most ideal tour for those who love cars, motorcycles or any type of vehicles. You would surely be able to discover and enjoy your journey as you visit the highly detailed dioramas presenting original and restored vintage vehicles in elaborate scenes that bring the history of the automobile to life.

The museum houses the largest collection of historic buses under roof in the US and an ever changing variety of vehicles that are too interesting or unique to be kept in collection storage.

What more could be a better place for a car club trip other than the AACA Museum! Here would be an experience to enjoy a world class automotive showcases like vintage cars, buses, motorcycles and more. All featured exhibits are being changed several times in a year, so that there is always a good reason to come back for something new to see!

New opportunity to experience in the museum are "Behind the Scenes Tours" where clubs or groups can visit one of the museum's storage facilities located at the back of the museum and view vehicles that are not currently on public display. Of course, a certain additional fee will be added for guests of 20 or more in addition to the regular museum admission.

It's also interesting to know that the museum allows private evening receptions and events such as receptions, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and other ceremonies - considered to be one of Pennsylvania's most unique venue for holding special events and receptions.