N for A-Z Challenge

N-Norfolk Virgina

 

 

 

 First off I have to say I have been here. You see our son-in-law was stationed here when the kids first married and he was on the

USS Enterprise

He did a 6 month tour on this ship while daughter and son held down the fort at home. It wasn't long after that they decided that it would be best for their marriage and child raising if it didn't include those 6 month tours and he got out.

 

One of the things I remember is how worried about crossing the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. It wasn't because he was afraid but rather that if something happened in that tunnel like a accident or something you would be stuck there for hours and hours because there was only one way in and one way out.

 

 When you look at it from this perspective you can see what I mean.

 Going it

 

 and coming out. It is hard to imagine being under the water all that time.....gave me the willies. We did see most of the sights I am going to share here but most of all it was time to see the daughter and grandbaby that I desperately missed.

 

Of course the biggest thing is the Naval base and you would often see sights of these magnificent ships pulled into dock.

This is the Nauticus, the National Maritime Center where there are more than 150 hands-on exhibits. Kids can land a warplane on an aircraft carrier, watch a hurricane form and pet a real shark.

 

 

and you can tour the USS Wisconsin

 

It is quite an experience to be able to go through this ship and see how narrow the walkways are and how many doors you have to go though and see all the gauges and things that have to be taken care of. A real eye opener for the concept of "Join the Navy and see the world"....this is not a cruise ship in any form! I must say though my son-in-law has no regrets and was proud to serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Armed Forces Memorial in Norfolk, VA is a  tribute to the service people in the United States who gave up their lives in war. This memorial is a collection of twenty inscriptions of letters written home by these soldiers who lost their lives.

The letters are thin sheets of cast bronze that seem to appear scattered across the ground as if the wind picked them up and carried them. Upon reading these letters most are deeply moved. The Armed Forces Memorial does a great job in not letting the public forget those soldiers that have died for our country. These letters are from the Revolutionary War, World War I and II, the Civil War, the Gulf War, the Korean War and even the Vietnam War and

 A stark reminder to those who did not make it home.

 

 

While we were there we visited Bush Gardens which is close by but if the grandson would have been a bit older I think it would have been a great treat to bicycle "The Norfolk Botanical Garden" on Bike Night and pedal the 12 miles of pathways or maybe even take the canal boat

 or tram tour. In 2006 they opened the "World of Wonders" A children's adventure garden which is to have a walk-through world map and a theater for child-oriented shows.

 

The other thing I learned about Norfolk while we were there is that if you were a visitor you said Nor Folk and the residents said Nor Fuck...sorry folks it is how it is.

 

 

 

Happy Trails