Along the road to..........Pensacola

No big rush....we don't have to go but about a 100 miles or so from Panama City Beach to Pensacola. The beach route is highway 98 (an old friend!). This area is more populated than the "forgotten beaches" but not really dense. The Gulf is "out there" to our left....but we don't see it for long stretches. The houses seem quite modest and year-round (as opposed to seasonal). Most houses have roofs that are pyramid-like (4 equilateral triangles joined at the top). Why? Best guess here is this forms no recessed peaks to make force pockets for hurricane winds to begin destruction. Do you have a better idea?

Things got more "touristy/beachy" around Destin and Fort Walton. This might be an interesting area to check out the military condo-rental opportunities at some time in the future. It seems like we just don't see buildings anywhere that appear to be more than 40 (or so) years old. Signs of new construction are common. Now Pensacola does seem older. Getting to the Naval Station took awhile but it was worth it as it sits beautifully on the Gulf. We have a great view from our balcony and an even better one from the Lighthouse Restaurant which is next door and literally sits on the beach. Nice place to eat too.

A "biggy" on the agenda was a visit to the National Naval Aviation Museum which is very near to the Navy Lodge. Our guide, Jim Veasey, was excellent. As a retired aviator, he laced his usual narration with lots of fantastic add-on stories. 'Don't think we would have really "seen" a lot of the exhibits without someone to point out the significance of the different airplanes. These are NOT miniatures. Some are replicas and some are renovated "real things". Naval Aviation goes back to 1911....and we have come a long way "baby"!

The musuem is FREE because it sits within the Navy base. The building and exhibits were all paid for with private donations. The guides are all volunteers...usually retired aviators. The food concession is a completely renovated and reassembled facility from the Subic Bay, Phillipine Islands area....known then as now as CUBI 1.
There (of course) is a gift shoppe. Those two parts of the facility plus the IMAX theatre are the financial support of the facility for continuing work and maintenance. It is educational and patriotic.....strongly recommended. By the way, Pensacola has been the home of the World-famous flying "Blue Angels" since 1946. One of Jim Velase's stories: the guys had not come up with a "handle" and they were in New York City for whatever reason. 'Rounded the corner and there was a bar "The Blue Angel"! It became their name.

Very near the Navy Lodge are the remnants of Fort Barrancus which goes back to Spanish times....1797. Construction of the Navy Yard began in 1826 and its mission was largely related to problems of piracy and slave trade. It was quite demolished by retreating Confederates after the Union forces took New Orleans in 1862. Following "the War", it was revitalized as a Navy Yard and then it once again was allowed to deteriorate. Since 1911 it has been renewed and built to today's modern facility for training naval aviators i.e. Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, Scott Carpenter and John Glenn. Ring any bells???? It is all quite amazing.

Much to our surprise, the Lighthouse Restaurant next door (on the beach) does NOT serve dinner.....although it has a priceless view of the beach at sunset! Consequently, we had a really weird meal in the room aka "suite". It has the world's tiniest kitchen and NO equipment. Yuk!