Sightseeing in my own town...

Downtown, NYC

I find it amazing how much you neglect when you are born and raised in one place and all the things you missed and miss once you've moved.  My sister has lived in Manhattan since she graduated college.  One particular evening, we were walking from her apartment on West Street to the South Street Seaport. I think she knows it  the streets BETTER than the back of her hand!  As we walked and zig and zagged, I was completely taken by the architecture of lower Manhattan and the ages of some of the buildings.  I was so sorry I wasn't carrying my camera and playing tourist.  At that time, I walked the NYC pace which is not slow enough anyway.  (These days I have no choice but to walk slow. 

This is something I didn't do as much, if at all, before I moved to Florida.  But, not on a schedule, no where to be by a certain time, living on beach time, gives me the opportunity to just drive leisurely along and stop when something grabs my attention.  There are still places I want to check out more closely and take pictures, so there's always more to come. 


In the meantime, as much as I can't stand moving, I became okay about the move to Titusville. I was going to be right THERE when shuttles launched!  No more driving an hour to see it and more than hour back (traffic is unbelievable).  I had just moved in and was out trying to find the insurance office and went right past it and wound up on this road under construction and found a spot to pull over.  To my amazement, I was across the river from Kennedy Space Center and was staring at the Vehicle Assembly Building!

It excites me to drive down there.  I find the drive invigorating...

To get there, I still drive east over the railroad tracks where an old train station has been converted for businesses but the inside of the insurance company is still in old decor.  It's funny but you hear the swinging doors and expect an old cowboy to come by, spurs a clicking...do spurs click or do they clack??  anyway...

Instead of turning south to the historic part of town, I continue east and over the Indian River on the new Max Brewer Bridge.  On the other side, to the left and to the right there are cars and trucks pulled over on the side, fishing and sail surfing and para-sailing... I've always said some day I am just going to hang out here and watch.

I am now on Canaveral National Seashore/Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and NASA property.  I'm on the north side of what you would know as Kennedy Space Center.  As I continue to drive, if there is anyone behind me, they are passing me.  I just love the drive and I'm constantly looking back and forth to see what I can see.  Usually a hawk or a vulture for sure.  I pass the Refuge Center.  It's a great place for a walk or just to get maps and information for walking and sighting and/or  a guided drive it yourself ride... that's pretty neat.

But as I get further east, I have to stop at a security booth and show my pass, or you could pay an entrance fee.  Soon we come to these little labeled pull over spots.

There's a sign that tells you about the area;
plants, animals...

This is the first parking lot.
There was a shuttle on both launch pads.

From the Indian River
cell phone

It was a very sad day for the finial launches and then again when Enterprise was loaded on top of the jet to fly to New York and Discovery to Washington, DC.

Photo Credit: NASA's Kennedy Space Center
Enterprise (left) and Discovery at KSC

Photo Credit:  NASA's KSC
Discovery's arrival to Washington, DC

Photo Credit:  NASA's KSC
Enterprise's arrival to New York