Travel – Mega Caverns, Louisville, Kentucky

Posted on March 29, 2015 by jeff0006

Hello everyone, it’s Jeff again and this time I’m posting about our recent trip to Louisville, Kentucky and a visit to the Louisville Mega Cavern. (Barbara may be planning on writing a post on the caverns, but I thought I would beat her to it!). The Louisville Mega Cavern offers visitors several adventure opportunities, such as zip lining rope courses, it is a little pricey but alot of fun!! In this post I will talk about the history of the caverns and the available entertainment.

History of the Mega Caverns in Louisville, Kentucky The mine was first known as the Louisville Crushed Stone Company in the 1930 which provided construction material for the building of the roads and bridges around the Midwest. The mine shut down in 1972 100 acres of materials had been removed and the space left about 17 miles of underground space. It was purchased in 1989 and it became the Louisville Underground, LLC. which was a company designed to provide ultra-safe, ultra-secure storage.

The caverns are huge, over 4 million square feet and the space was used for several purposes such as a dumping ground / recycling center for inorganic materials, a worm farm, a storage facility for the city’s road salt supply, secure temperature controlled storage and my favorite, a huge civil defense shelter! The caverns were slated to house over 50,000 people should there be a nuclear attack on the United States. The city of Louisville had about 788,000 people at the time it would have only been able to house about 16% of the local population so not everyone was invited. You needed to be on a secret list which included the governor, soldiers from Fort Knox, important people and supposedly Colonel Sanders of KFC fame!

More recently the owners decided to stray away from storage and started installing some first class entertainment! After backfilling some 50-60 feet of the cavern, Louisville Mega Caverns were born. The attractions include a tram ride, “Mega Quest” – a rope adventure area, “Mega Zip” – underground zip lines and opening soon, “Mega Underground Bike Park”. The bike park is a great idea in my mind because it will be available year round – weather will never again be a factor!

The Facility

The facility is a big cavern (cavern, not cave as it is man made) that has been partially filled in over time. It is the largest building in Kentucky and one of the most eco-friendly as the large amount of limestone which provided insulation for keeping the facility at a constant 58 degrees.

There is a decent parking lot close to the entrance and a small covered area, which I assume is where you meet for the tram rides. The entrance takes you down a long hall with posted lists on facts for visitors to read and be entertained. The corridor is made of fairly plain sheetrock with no real embellishments, but it is just getting you to the real entrance. Before you get there however you pass part of the storage area and some really HUGE fans! Those really impressed me. They are probably 15 feet tall!

The entrance to Mega Quest / Mega Zip is quaint, but when you get in the facility is nice. There is a seating area with tables that will fit a large number of people. They section parts off for “private” parties. There is a small gift shop and an area serving snacks and drinks with free refills. Take advantage of this – “mega questers” will get thirsty with all that strenuous activity.

The staff is very nice and helpful and they operate more like a family business that a corporate machine giving the place a very nice feel. I’ll talk a little more about the specifics of each attraction as I get there.

Mega Tram

When we visited Mega Caverns it was winter and the tram was not running, but here is the description stolen shamelessly from their web site:

The Historic Tram Tour will take you on an underground adventure rich in history, geology, mining, recycling, green building technology, and just simply HUGE in scale!

The man-made cavern spans under a number of roadways above and is part of 17 miles of corridors located beneath the city of Louisville, Kentucky. It’s a great tour for all ages—whether you want to learn about science and history or simply want to see what a giant man-made cavern of this magnitude looks like!

You’ll hop on an SUV-pulled tram and be joined by a MEGA Cavern expert who will guide you on your underground adventure. It’s a 60-70 minute tour, strategically lit to enjoy highlights such as:

Some Early Cavern Formations
A Historic Replica of the Cuban Missile Fallout Bunker
A Worm Recycling/Tasting Room
Sights and Facts of the Early Mining Operation
Hear About our Storm Dog and Pigeon Eating Hawk
And More Surprises Wait Around Every Corner!

Mega Quest

Mega Quest was the purpose of our visit. We thought our daughter would enjoy it. Our family enjoys exploring caves (see these posts on Wind and Jewel Caves and Mammoth Cave) I’m guessing the facility was about 9,000 square feet, which would have been impressive in itself, but it was also 20 – 30 feet tall! It was lit with cool blue, red and green lights. It felt like the lights kept changing colors, but I am really not sure about that. You climb around on 76 different challenges with a small zip line on one side of the course. My daughter and her friend spent three hours there and would have continued had they not been so tired!

I was extremely impressed with the safety measures they have in place. First, they provide visitors a helmet and harness, but they go way beyond that. They have a double hooked, self-managed belay system and seriously train everyone to always keep one hook attached. The mechanism is also built to prevent both hooks from being detached at the same time. I felt perfectly safe while my daughter was 30 feet in the air dangling on a thin rope bridge or zipping 100 feet on her own.

They say the course is good for everyone from about 5 to 90, but I think 5 is a bit young and while the course looked fun, I feel it is better geared to the 8 to 18 year old. Of course I am saying this without actually having been on the course myself.

Mega Zip

My daughter and her friend were going to spend three hours on the Mega Quest ropes so I thought I would try something else. Mega Cavern also offers underground zip lining. I had never been zip lining, it was my near my birthday and Barbara encouraged me so I thought “Why not?”. First, let me say I really enjoyed it. I was in a group of 9 people, the max is 12 and it took us a good two hours to go through the course. The guides were experienced, friendly and fun.

The tour starts in the equipment area. There you get your gear on and there is a short practice zip line. As the participant you do nothing, the guides attach all the cables and basically take care of everything. After the practice line you walk quite a way underground, past the entrance and the soon to be opened Bike Park to the first real zip line. I believe the first is called the Highway to Hell. It has fun, campy decorations and it is a fairly long line. I can’t remember the names of the others but they were quite long, one was some 90 feet in the air and the dual racing at the end was fun.

What I do remember was that after the second or third line we mounted platforms and did not touch the ground until the end. Those of you who know me might find this odd, but I am afraid of heights. While we were kept attached to dual guide lines the entire time we were off the ground and were perfectly safe, I struggled with the challenge bridges. I really only felt safe once I was zipping through the darkness which is the part that scares most other people. Go figure…

Bike Park

The latest attraction at Mega Caverns is an underground bike park. It is an off road track designed by Jeff Perkins and offers 40-plus trail lines covering 320,000 square feet. The park is now open (it wasn’t when we were there). Here is the spiel from Mega Caverns:

The only UNDERGROUND bike park in the world
The largest indoor bike park on the planet!!!
No spectators allowed at this time
ADVANCED RESERVATIONS SUGGESTED BUT NOT REQUIRED
WALK-INS WELCOME
320,000 square feet
10 stories or 100 feet underground
Over 45 trails
Bike rental available in April 2015 (not available now)
Helmets are required

Pictures

For the Mega Quest and Zip Lining, probably also for the bikes they offer pictures. They come in two price points – generic and personal. The personal tag costs $10 and you get unlimited pictures. The generic tag takes pictures as well, but they cost more at the end. We purchased the personal tag (which you get to take home), but I was disappointed with the pictures. There were a couple of stock pictures (see below), but most of the pictures of me and my daughter were blurry, too dark, or of someone else or I was looking away. I would recommend sticking with the generic tags and if you get a good picture, pay the price.

Cost

My only complaint, although that is probably too strong a word, with the Mega Caverns is the cost. The zip lining was $80, the Mega Quest was $40. My choice on the pictures added another $10 to that. For the Mega Quest it works out to about $14 an hour which isn’t too bad. At $40 an hour for the zip line it was somewhat expensive, but I would consider doing it again. The gift shop has items of decent quality, but of tourist attraction gift shop prices. The bike park seems to be very reasonably priced.

Summary

Mega Caverns is a fun adventure with something for the whole family. For those who can’t or don’t want to walk there is the tram. For those more adventurous there is Mega Quest and if old / large enough (you need to be at least 75 lbs) there are the zip lines. The cavern has other events, particularly at Christmas and it is a decent value. Both my daughter and I enjoyed our adventures and we will go back. Hopefully Barbara will go on the zip lines with us!

Doris Day’s Birthday

Posted on March 29, 2015 by barbara

Doris Day … she was one of the “it” girls of the 1950s and 1960s. She was an entertainment triple threat meaning that she could sing, dance and act. Doris started her career as a singer with a big band in the early 1940s, later she went to Hollywood where she made many romantic comedies in which she also sang and danced. Doris also received critical acclaim in several dramatic films. When her movie career was coming to an end, she starred in a television series in the late 1960s. Currently, Doris is enjoying her retirement in Northern California and she is an earnest animal activist.

Doris Day was born Doris Kappelhoff on April 3, 1922 (possibly 1923) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her mother and father were Frederick Kappelhof, a music teacher, and Alma Welz who both came from German immigrant parents. Doris had two older brothers named Richard, (who died before she was born) and Paul. Her parents eventually separated and this did not stop Doris from pursuing her interest in dance but unfortunately a car accident in 1937 caused her legs to be seriously injured and ended her dreams as a professional dancer.

While recovering from her injuries, Doris spent her many idle hours at home listening to the big band music on the radio and she soon discovered she had a talent for singing. Her mother quickly hired a music teacher, remember her parents were separated at this time, and after eight months of lessons Doris took her first professional job as a vocalist on a local radio program. Shortly after her first radio performance, Doris was invited to audition as a singer for Barney Rapp’s small band. He suggested that she change her professional name to the easier sounding Doris Day. Eventually, Doris went onto work for several famous bandleaders such Bob Crosby and Les Brown. It was while Doris was with the Les Brown Band that she recorded a hit song with the group called “Sentimental Journey” which was released in 1945. Her professional singing career was taking off and she quickly recorded six more Top Ten hits before she left the Les Brown Band in 1946, at the time she was the highest paid female band vocalist.

Touring almost continuously and also performing on Bob Hope’s weekly radio program with the Les Brown Band gave her maximum exposure that allowed Doris the opportunity to showcase her singing talent which ultimately lead to her first starring role in a motion picture. The story goes that while she was in Hollywood, her agent arranged for her to attend a party at the home of composer Jule Styne. As was sometimes customary at Hollywood parties, Doris was invited to sing and her rendition of “Embraceable You” impressed not only Styne but also his partner Sammy Cahn and they recommended her for a role in a Warner Brothers film called “Romance on the High Seas. Over the next few years she had roles in several musical films, such as “On Moonlight Bay” and its sequel “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”. In 1953, Doris starred in the film musical, “Calamity Jane” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Secret Love”. In 1954, under the advice of her third husband Martin Melcher, Doris did not renew her film contract with Warner Brothers.

Doris Day - By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Now under the management of Melcher, Doris took on some more challenging parts in her movies. Her first dramatic role was in the 1955 movie, “Love Me or Leave Me, in which she co-starred with James Cagney and many people in the industry were surprised when she did not receive an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of singer Ruth Etting. Next she went on to work for Alfred Hitchcock in the 1956 film, “The Man Who Knew Too Much” with James Stewart. One of the songs from the movie, “Que Sera, Sera” (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

In 1959, Doris’ career once again changed directions and she left the darker dramatic roles and took on parts in lighter romantic comedies. The 1959 movie, “Pillow Talk” had her co-starring with Rock Hudson and Tony Randall; she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress but did not win. Later Doris went on to film two more movies with Hudson and Randall, the 1961 “Lover Come Back” and the 1964 “Send Me No Flowers”. In 1960, she took on her last dramatic role in the 1960 mystery-thriller film, “Midnight Lace” co-starring with Rex Harrison. Then, she returned to the popular romantic comedy roles with the 1962 film “That Touch of Mink” co-starring with Cary Grant and two movies with James Garner that were both released in 1963, “The Thrill of It All” and “Move Over, Darling”.

By the end of the 1960s the romantic comedy genre was not as popular with movie audiences. The 1966 film, “The Glass Bottom Boat” proved to be a box office failure. Then in 1967, Doris turned down a part of Mrs. Robinson in “The Graduate” movie because she felt the script’s sexual situations were offensive. She made a few more films and in 1968 her final movie role in “With Six You Get Eggroll” was released. Doris had made 39 films during her movie career and she was one of the world’s biggest movie stars.

During the time Doris was making movies in Hollywood she also continued recording music. From the period of 1945 to 1967, Doris was one of the nation’s most popular and accomplished singers. Starting in 1945, with the Les Brown Band, Doris had several songs in the Top Ten including “Sentimental Journey”. “Secret Love” from the movie “Calamity Jane” was her first big solo record that hit number one on the charts in 1953 and “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) in 1956 hit number 2.

With the end of her film career virtually coming to a close in the late 1960s, Doris branched out into television. The story goes that after her manager and third husband, Martin Melcher, died suddenly in 1968 and she found out that he and his business partner Jerome Rosenthal had embezzled almost all of Doris’ earnings leaving her on the verge of bankruptcy. Melcher had also committed her to doing a television series and Doris was unhappy about the thought because at the time it would have been considered a backward step down for a popular movie star. Unfortunately she was contractually obligated to precede with the television series, it ran on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973 for five seasons and 128 episodes. Meanwhile, Doris filed a lawsuit against Rosenthal and eventually won settlement of $20 million dollars, the largest civil judgement case in the state of California at the time, but she later settled the case for about $6 million.

Doris received several awards in the years that followed; she received the Cecil B. DeMile Award for Lifetime Achievement Film in 1989. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her achievement not only in the entertainment industry but also for her work as an animal activist but she did not attend the ceremony due to her fear of flying. In 2008, she was offered a special tribute from the American Film Institute and also a Kennedy Center Honors tribute but she declined both. She received Grammy Hall of Fame Awards for her three of her most popular records; in 1998 for “Sentimental Journey”, in 1999 for “Secret Love” and recently in 2012 for “Que Sera, Sera”. In 2008, she received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in Music but once again she did not attend the ceremony.

After leaving Los Angeles, Doris retired from show business to live in the beautiful city of Carmel, California. She always had an interest in animals and now she reignited her commitment to animal welfare by co-founding the organization, Actors and Others for Animals in 1971. A few years later, Doris started her non-profit organization, the Doris Day Animal Foundation which later partnered with the Humane Society of the United States. Doris lives quietly in Carmel, she owns the Cypress Inn in town, and she enjoys her life with her adopted stray animals.

In regards to Doris Day’s personal life, she published her autobiography, “Doris Day: Her Own Story” co-written with A.E. Hotchner in 1975. In the book, she wrote about her early childhood in Ohio, touring with the Big Bands and later making movies in Hollywood. She also wrote about her three marriages, she later married for a fourth time.

Her first husband, Al Jorden, was a trombonist and they were married from 1941 to 1943. They had one child, a boy named Terrence or better known as “Terry” in 1942. The short marriage was a volatile one and Jorden was said to have been physically abusive, they divorced and Jorden later committed suicide in 1967.

Her second husband, George Weidler, was a saxophonist and they were married from 1946 to 1949. He is responsible for introducing her to Christian Science.

Her third husband was Martin Melcher, who went on to manage Doris’ career and produce several of her movies, and they were married from 1951 until his death in 1968. During that time Melcher adopted Doris’ son, Terry. Terry went on to be a successful musician and record producer but sadly he died in 2004 from melanoma.

Her fourth husband was Barry Comden, a businessman and restaurateur, and they were married from 1976 to 1981, Comden later died in 2009.

Decor – Tea Table Displays

Posted on March 26, 2015 by barbara

Several years ago on a trip to Asheville, NC I purchased a lovely antique tea table which is now placed in the corner of our formal dining room. Our dining room was already furnished with a beautiful dining table with 8 chairs and matching china cabinet. Also in the room was a tall cherry wood cabinet where I store silverware and table linens. I had been searching for a long time to find a piece of furniture to complete the room’s furnishings and the addition of the antique tea table was the perfect piece.

So what does a person place on a tea table? A china tea set of course!

The china tea set that I placed on the tea table was purchased several years ago when I worked in a small retail store that sold home decorative items and various collectibles. The white china tea pot has pretty pink roses and ivy, on the front are printed the words “And the greatest of these is Love”. The two teacups and saucers also feature pink roses and ivy, trimmed in gold. The words, “Love, Faith and Hope” are printed on the front of each teacup. I search and was able to find gold teaspoons that I placed on the saucers to match the gold trim. The saying on the teapot has a very special meaning to my husband and me because at our wedding we had the 1 Corinthians 13:13 verse read during the ceremony.

Hanging above the tea table are two framed items that will continue the story of our wedding and complete the decorations in this area of our dining room. The first is a framed print of the Marty Bell painting “Sweetheart’s Gate”. I love the vivid colors of print and if you look closely there are hidden hearts which Marty Bell painted into many of her paintings. Below that framed print is another framed item; it is the custom label from the wine served at our wedding. Before we got married my husband and I took a wonderful trip to the Napa Valley and toured several of the wineries. Knowing that we would be married in a few months we order several bottles of wine from a small winery in the area and had custom labels made with our names and the wedding date. I had a few extra labels and I decided to mat and frame one of the labels to create a unique wedding keepsake. (Décor Tip: When decorating an area of the home, think about displaying related items that tell a special story, this is what I did in the corner of our dining room)

As most of the readers to my blog know, I love to decorate for the different seasons throughout the year. In this post, I will show how I have decorated the tea table with various seasonal items.

Spring/Easter –

Shown below is a photo of the seasonal decorations I used for Easter. I keep the china tea set on the tea table and then placed a special holiday decoration. The used a white feather tree and placed it in a cute cracked egg white vase that I found in my local craft store. Then I decorated the feather tree with sparkle egg ornaments in pastel colors and for a little bit of whimsy I also added a few small white bunny wearing pastel colored tutus. For another touch of merriment I place a small stuffed duck into one of the teacups.

Fall/Thanksgiving –

Shown below are two different seasonal decorations for fall. The first photo shows a lovely floral arrangement of golden roses and greenery placed in a crystal vase, this arrangement usually sits on the dining room table. To add an extra festive touch, I added several peasant feathers to the arrangement. The second photo shows a unique decoration that I made especially for the year that we hosted Thanksgiving dinner for several family members and since the holiday season is a time of celebration and remembrance I wanted to create a special “Memory Tree”. I used a small tabletop artificial pine tree which I decorated with family photo frame ornaments, golden feathers and bronze jingle bells. (For complete instructions on creating a “Memory Tree” for your home, please click on the link)

Christmas –

Shown below is the special Christmas decoration that I made. Inspired by the cranberry topiary that I had seen in the Red Room on the HGTV White Christmas special a few years ago I decided to create one for the tea table in our dining room. It was very easy to make and I used two different Styrofoam pieces, artificial pine, pinecones and artificial cranberries. When I completed the decoration, I placed is on a silver pedestal to add height. (For complete instructions on creating a Cranberry Topiary for your home, please click on the link).

Several years ago on one of our antique shopping adventures I came across old sheet music of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”. I thought that it would look wonderful framed to match the other two framed sheet music that hang on the wall on either side of the china cabinet. So, for the Christmas season I remove and store the framed Marty Bell print and the framed wedding label that usually hang above the tea table. Also to match the other two framed sheet music, I add artificial pine boughs and pine cones placed above the frame.

2012 Christmas Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer sheet music

Travel – Grand Canyon National Park

Posted on March 24, 2015 by barbara

National Parks in the United States make wonderful destinations for family vacations and in this post I will discuss one of the most popular ones … the Grand Canyon National Park located in Arizona. I’m sure this has been said a thousand times, but a photograph does not capture the beauty of the Grand Canyon, it is truly is a wonder to see for the first time and to stand at the edge looking down into the vast canyons. So, I will start with a brief history of the park dating back to when the area was first established by the Native Americans, how it was discovered later by European settlers and how it was eventually made into a National Park. I will discuss how the canyon was formed and also give suggestions of things to see and do on a visit to the park.

A brief history of the Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon National Park is located in the northwest corner of Arizona. The canyon is 277 miles long, measures up to 18 miles at its widest point and reaches the depth of over a mile. The Grand Canyon was created hundreds of millions of years ago but geologists continue to debate about the exact process and timing of its formation. In fact, it was created by a combination of extreme weather conditions, seismic events, volcanic activity and water erosion. As the earth was being formed, this area underwent vast changes in weather conditions creating inland seas, swamps and then deserts. With each different climate condition, rocks and minerals formed layers of sediment deposited one on top of another. The next step in the process happened approximately 60 million years ago when the tectonic plates were sifting in the area that eventually became the North American continent. This seismic activity, similar to how the nearby Rocking Mountain range was created, caused upward rock and soil movement which formed the Colorado and Kaibab plateaus and as a result the Colorado River formed. Each subsequent seismic activity caused an increase in the uplift of plateaus allowing the river to flow faster. The movement of the Colorado River caused a process known as water erosion which started to carve the canyons approximately 2 million years ago. This period in the history of the Earth was known as the Ice Age when massive amounts of snow accumulated in the region. Then, as the snow melted with the change in earth’s temperature, the water of the Colorado River started to cause fissures in earth’s surface by carrying away rock and soil creating deeper and deeper canyons. Finally, one million years ago volcanic activity in the region created a final layer of rock from ash and lava. Today, these layers of rock which were created over millions of years ago tell the story of the geologic history of how the earth was formed. Nearly 40 different layers wonderfully preserved within the exposed walls of the Grand Canyon have been identified. (Travel Note: As visitors look out over the canyons from the rim and scenic overlooks or when venturing further into the canyons on hikes or mule trips, please take the time to look at the various layers of rock and appreciate what nature has created!)

Currently this part of the United States is known as the “Four Corners” area and it is where the four states of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico borders all come together. Thousands of years ago a group of Native Americans, known as the Anasazi, lived in the area. The Anasazi are considered the ancient ancestors of the modern Pueblo Native Americans who considered the Grand Canyon a holy site that they named Ongtupqa.

The first Europeans to visit the area were a group of Spanish conquistadors, soldiers and explorers, led by Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas under the orders of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1540. The conquistadors and their Hopi Native American guides were in search of the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola. Their records indicate that they came to the South Rim of Grand Canyon, somewhere between the current area known as Desert View and Moran Point, noting that the canyon were deep and walls were high. 200 years passed before two Spanish priests, Father Francisco Dominguez and Father Silvestre de Escalante, accompanied by Spanish soldiers came to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon looking for a way into California in 1776. The route that was established became known as the “Crossing of the Fathers” and was located in Glen Canyon (currently the route lies under the waters of Lake Powell)

Almost a hundred years later, John Wesley Powell led the first expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon in 1869. Starting at Green River in Wyoming, Powell and nine men gathered in four boats and traveled down the Green River to the Colorado River navigating the uncharted river for future travel. The Powell group completed the 350 miles trip in three months experiencing difficult navigation and many hardships along the way. (Travel Note: Today, visitors can travel down the Grand Canyon on a variety of organized raft trips that explore several different parts along the Colorado River, trips are available in various lengths of time ranging from one day to several days)

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Grand Canyon on a trip through the area; he was a great sportsman and conservationist. In 1906 Roosevelt established the Grand Canyon Game Preserve which eventually led to the elimination of natural predators such as eagles, mountain lions and wolves. Later, adjacent land was added to the preserve and it became designated as a National Monument in 1908. Then, unfortunately land and mining interests blocked the area from being incorporated into the United States National Park system for the next 11 years. Finally, on February 26, 1919 the Grand Canyon officially became the 17^th National Park as signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson.

Throughout the following years, the Grand Canyon National Park has experiences many changes and overcome many management problems. In 1963 the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam permanently altered the Colorado River and as a result the Grand Canyon ecosystem experienced many changes. Other problems impacting the Grand Canyon included disputes with various Native American tribal reservations adjacent to the park concerning water rights, increased air pollution levels caused by surrounding metropolitan areas and increased tourist air traffic created higher noise levels.

One remarkable achievement in recent years has been the reintroduction of the California condor into the Grand Canyon Nation Park. At one point in time the California condor ranged from Canada to Mexico and across the United States from the west coast to the east coast. Gradually with the settlement of North America it decreased their range to only the area along the Pacific coast from British Columbia to Baja California. The population of condors dramatically dwindled at an alarming rate due to increased hunting and cyanide poisoning from predator traps, power line collisions and lead poisoning caused by the condors ingesting fragment of lead ammunition in carcasses. In 1967 the California condor was put on the federal endangered species list but by 1982 the total condor population was down to only 22 birds and the species was close to extinction. Then in 1983, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began a captive breeding programing partnering with the Los Angeles Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Sadly, by 1985 the condor population had declined to only nine birds in the wild. In 1987, a controversial decision was made to capture all the remaining condors and included them into the captive breeding program. Eventually, the condor numbers dramatically increased to 177 birds and in 1992 the decision was made to release 127 condors into the Los Padres National Forest located north of Los Angeles and later in 1996 six condors were released into the Vermilion Cliff area 30 miles north of the Grand Canyon. Today, the total population of California condors is over 400 with half that number being from birds in the wild, currently there are five active condor nesting areas located within the Grand Canyon National Park and the Vermilion Cliff area.

Things to see and do at the Grand Canyon National Park

South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon Village is located near Mather Point which is the place where most park visitors get their first look of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Visitor Center located in the village is a great first stop for visitors to find park information regarding current climate and road conditions, get park maps and view exhibits pertaining to the park’s geology and animal inhabitations. The visitor center also shows a 20 minute orientation film, “Grand Canyon: A Journey of Wonder”, in the visitor center theater.

Most visitors travel to the Grand Canyon National Park by car but once they arrive at the park certain areas are restricted to private transportation and visitors are encouraged to take the park’s free shuttle buses to see the major points of interest. Some visitors that decide to stay outside the park boundaries will stay in Williams, AZ and then take the Grand Canyon Railway train into the park which arrives and departs from the train depot conveniently located in the Grand Canyon Village. (Travel Note: For more information about the Grand Canyon Railway and hotel accommodations in Williams, please click on the link to www.thetrain.com)

The Grand Canyon Village is also where visitor accommodations ranging from inexpensive campgrounds or moderate to expensive hotels are located in the South Rim area. The most luxurious lodging on the South Rim is the El Tovar Hotel built in 1905 and designed by Charles Frederick Whittlesley in a style that has become known as “National Park Rustic”, there is also a restaurant and gift shop located inside the hotel. A moderate price hotel also located in the Grand Canyon Village is the Bright Angel Lodge which was built in 1935. The original hotel was built by the famous Fred Harvey Company and designed by Mary Colter, an unusual feature is the fireplace which is layered with stones placed in the same sequence as those found in the Grand Canyon. (Travel Note: Be sure to make advance reservations if you are planning to stay overnight in the park)

A short walk away from the hotels and perched on the canyon rim is the Kolb Studio which was built in 1904 by Ellsworth and Emery Kolb. The Kolb Brothers guided visitors down the Bright Angel Trail taking photographs which the visitors could purchase of them standing in front the magnificent views of the Grand Canyon. In 1911, the Kolb Brother filmed their journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers which brought national attention and increased tourism to the area. The former studio building was recently restored and features a Kolb photography exhibit and an art gallery.

Located about 27 miles from the Grand Canyon Village is an area known as Desert View which offers even more spectacular views of the Grand Canyon and from this vantage point the Colorado River can be seen down at the bottom of the canyon. Adjacent to the parking lot is one of Mary Colter’s best known buildings called the Desert View Watchtower which was built in 1932. The structure was designed to resemble the ancient Anasazi watchtowers and the building stands 70 feet tall and is considered one of the highest points on the South Rim.

Located just over 3 miles from the Desert View Watchtower are the Tusayan Ruins and Museum which helps visitors understand how the Pueblo Native Americans lived in the Grand Canyon over 800 years ago. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the ruins or check the park guide for when NPS rangers offer more detailed guided tours. The Tusayan Museum is open daily with free admission and features exhibits which display twig figurines, pottery and other items of the Pueblo Native Americans.

These are just some of the things to see on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, for more information and other suggestions, please see the click on the Grand Canyon National Park website link, www.nps.gov/grca

North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is opened from May to October every year and closed during the winter months; it is usually less crowded than the popular South Rim. The distance from the bottom of the South Rim to the North Rim is a 21 mile hike. Travel time by car from the South Rim to the North Rim will take about five hours; it is 220 mile drive if you are visiting both areas of the Grand Canyon National Park.

The Grand Canyon Lodge is located at Bright Angel Point and it is one of the overnight accommodations within the North Rim Area of the park. Built in 1927, the Grand Canyon Lodge was designed by Gilbert Underwood and the main building is located near the edge of the canyon rim and features a restaurant and gift shop and there are also 23 deluxe cabins and 91 standard cabins. The Lodge was constructed from local limestone which blends beautifully with the rock formations of the canyon. For more rustic accommodations, there is also a campground within this area of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. (Travel Note: Be sure to make advance reservations if you are planning to stay overnight in the park)

A short walk from the Grand Canyon Lodge is the North Rim Visitor Center which is a great place for visitors to find park information regarding current climate and road conditions, get park maps or brochures and view exhibits; there is also a small bookstore.

Grand Canyon National Park activities

Travel Advisory: The weather at the Grand Canyon can be very hot, so please be prepared with plenty of bottled drinking water if you are planning any outdoor activities!

Most visitors that go to the Grand Canyon National Park drive to the vista points or walk a short distance along the rim to enjoy the views of the canyon or perhaps to catch a glimpse of the Colorado River far below. Some visitors come prepared for hikes into the canyon down the Bright Angel Trail that take all day or maybe longer hikes with an overnight at Phantom Ranch located at the bottom of the canyon on the banks of the Colorado River. (Travel Note: Please be check at the park visitor center to see if a backcountry hiking permit is required for the trail that you will be hiking on. Also, be aware that advance reservations are need for the Phantom Ranch if you are planning on staying overnight)

Listed below are a few more activities available in Grand Canyon National Park –

Mule Rides are an exciting way to see the Grand Canyon and are a very popular park activity that book up very quickly. The South Rim Mule Ride guests will be picked up by a bus in the Grand Canyon Village and taken to the mule barn located near the South Kaibab Trailhead. After a brief orientation, guides will accompany the riders and mules on a four mile round trip down into the canyon and out to the Abyss Overlook, the ride will take approximately two hours. There are also overnight trips available, the mule ride will follow the same trail out to the overlook point but then proceed further into the canyon to the Phantom Ranch. There is also a North Rim Mule Ride for guests staying in that area of the park. Visitors can reserve either a one hour ride along the rim of the canyon or the longer half day trip that takes visitors to either Uncle Jim’s Point or into the canyon down the North Kaibab Trail. (Travel Note: When planning a trip to the park, make reservations as soon as possible, visitors can book up to 13 months in advance. Also please be advised that there are physical limitations and age restrictions for the mule rides)

Colorado River Trips

Colorado River trips are another exciting way for visitors to see the Grand Canyon. Unlike the view from the rim looking down into the canyon, a river trip allows visitors to see the canyon looking up from the Colorado River. A search on the internet will give numerous companies offering river trips ranging from smooth water raft trips for the family to the more adventurous whitewater raft trips. The raft trips available can range in length from easy one day trips to more strenuous multi-day trips which require overnight camping or a stay at the Phantom Ranch. (Travel Note: This blog makes no recommendations for Colorado River trips but we do advise visitors to thoroughly research the river raft companies before making any reservations. For private trips, permits are required so please check the requirements and availability when planning a Colorado River trip)

Airline / Helicopter Tours

An airline or helicopter tours offer visitors another perspective for viewing the Grand Canyon. High above the canyons, visitors can see for miles and the views are spectacular. Much like the Colorado River trips, a search on the internet will give numerous companies offering helicopter tours available from 30 minutes to several hours in length and taking off from airports near the Grand Canyon to as far away as Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas, NV. (Travel Note: This blog makes no recommendations for helicopter tours but we do advise visitors to thoroughly research the companies before making any reservations)

A Cinderella Fairytale

Posted on March 13, 2015 by barbara

In honor of the new Disney “Cinderella” movie being released in March 2015, this post will discuss the history of one of the world’s most famous fairytales. For centuries now the Cinderella story has been the favorite story that little girls love to hear and they dream about someday the possibility that they could find their own “Prince Charming”. The versions of the Cinderella story that my generation fondly remembers are the 1950 Disney animated movie, the 1957 Rogers and Hammerstein television musical starring Julie Andrews and the remake that was televised in 1965 starring Leslie Ann Warren. Over the last few years there have been more modern interpretations, such as “Ever After” starring Drew Barrymore, “A Cinderella Story” starring Hillary Duff and “Another Cinderella Story” starring Selena Gomez.

A brief history of the Cinderella Fairytale

The story of Cinderella has been told throughout the centuries in different parts of the world and the lead character has been known by various names. The settings or the situations may also vary from one story to another but the basic plot is usually about a young girl who finds herself in difficult circumstances beyond her control which she valiantly overcomes.

The two most popular and well known versions date back to a very long time ago. The 1697 French story of Cendrillon was written by Charles Perrault and introduced such plot elements as the fairy godmother, the pumpkin carriage and the glass slippers. The story starts when a widower with a small daughter marries a woman with two daughters. The widower’s daughter is forced to work from dawn to dusk performing menial chores for the household and often falls asleep by the fireplace in an effort to stay warm. She frequently wakes covered in cinders and her stepsisters taunt her with the name of Cendrillon. Sadly, her father is completely unaware of the abuse and cruelty. Meanwhile, the King and Queen are planning on having a ball to introduce the Prince to the eligible young women in the hopes that he will find a wife. The stepsisters taunt Cendrillon by telling her that servants are not to be invited to the ball. On the night of the ball, the stepsisters leave dressed in their finest gowns. After they depart, Cendrillon starts to cry and suddenly her magical fairy godmother appears to transform Cendrillon’s rags into a beautiful gown and turns a pumpkin from the garden into a grand golden carriage with several mice turned into horses to pull the carriage. The final touch is a lovely pair of glass slippers to cover her bare feet but the fairy godmother warns her that Cendrillon needs to return before midnight which is when the spell will be broken and everything will return to its original state. She arrives at the ball and the Prince soon becomes enchanted with the beautiful Cendrillon and they dance together and quickly fall in love. But at the stroke of midnight Cendrillon suddenly leaves the ball and in her haste she loses one of her glass slippers. The Prince tries to follow but Cendrillon has vanished and all that remains is the glass slipper. The Prince vows to find and marry the girl who lost her shoe but won his heart! The Prince sets out find her and in his quest he travel across the countryside having all the unmarried women try on the shoe. When he appears at the home of Cendrillon, the stepsisters try on the shoe, but of course it doesn’t fit them. When it is Cendrillon’s turn to try on the shoe it fits perfectly. The story ends happily with the Prince marrying Cendrillon.

The 1812 German story of Achenputtel was written by the Brothers Grimm the plot is basically the same as the earliest version but in this one Achenputtel’s wishes are granted not by a fairy godmother but by a wishing tree that grows over her mother’s grave. The story starts “once upon a time” with Achenputtel’s mother on her deathbed making one last request which is that her daughter will always remain good and kind. A year later, Achenputtel’s father remarries a woman with two daughters who, despite the fact that they are beautiful, prove to be cruel. While Achenputtel’s father is frequently away on business he is unaware of the fact that the stepsisters steal Achenputtel’s clothes and jewels which forces her to wear rags and she is soon put to work in the kitchen as a common servant. Despite these troubling circumstances Achenputtel remains good and kind. Then the king decides to give a festival and invites all the women of the land to attend so that the prince could select one to marry. When Achenputtel asks to attend the festival, her stepmother throws a bowl of lentils into the ashes of the fireplace for her to pick up telling her that when she has finished the task she can go, meanwhile the stepmother and her daughters leave for the festival. Aschenputtel is deeply saddened about being left behind and she goes to her mother’s grave under the wishing tree and starts to weep. Desperate, she asks for help and a white bird arrives with a beautiful white gown and golden silk slippers and Aschenputtel can now go to the ball. The prince sees her at the ball and they dance together. But as the clock strikes midnight she must leave the ball before the spell it broken and in her rush to go she loses one of her golden slippers. The prince finds the slipper and vows to find the beautiful girl whose foot will fit the shoe. The next day the prince arrives at the house, first the eldest stepsister tries the shoe and it doesn’t fit and the other stepsister tries the shoe and it doesn’t fit. Then, Aschenputtel comes out of the kitchen and the prince has her try the shoe on and it fits! The prince has found her the story ends with them getting married and living “happily ever after”. (unfortunately, the story does not end well for the stepsisters and at the wedding their eyes are pecked out by the white bird).

Here is a list of some of the recent versions of the Cinderella fairytale –

“Cinderella” Disney animated movie

The Disney animated movie is probably one of the most popular and well known versions of the Cinderella fairytale. It was the twelfth Walt Disney animated movie and was released on February 15, 1950. At the time the movie was being made, the Disney Studios was experiencing some financial problems and was over $4 million dollars in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. Disney had high hopes that “Cinderella” would be successful enough to turn the studio finances around and luckily the movie turned out to be both a critical and financial success. The movie featured such memorable songs, such as “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes”, “Biddidi-Bobbidi-Boo” and “So This Is Love”. The plot of the movie followed the French version of “Cendrillon” by Charles Perrault and featured many of the same elements of the story such as the fairy godmother, the pumpkin carriage and the glass slippers. (The 1950 Disney animated version of the Cinderella story is one that most people will remember and it will probably remain a favorite version of the fairytale for the generations that will follow)

Rodgers and Hammerstein “Cinderella” musical for television

This version of Cinderella is the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that has been written specifically for television and it starred Julie Andrews in the title role. The original broadcast was done live on CBS on March 31, 1957. It proved to be so popular with television audiences that it was remade in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren and again in 1997 starring Brandy Norwood. All three productions followed the French version of the “Cendrillion” story and featured original music by Rodgers and Hammerstein with songs such as” “In My Own Little Corner”, “Impossible, It’s Possible”, “Ten Minutes Ago” and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?”. (The 1965 televised musical version of the Cinderella story is one that most of my generation will fondly remember from their childhood)

“Ever After” – 1998 movie

The 1998 “Ever After” movie is a romantic comedy drama starring Drew Barrymore in the lead role of Danielle and Anjelica Huston as the cruel stepmother. The movie treats the story as historical fiction set in France and eliminated all the plot elements pertaining to the fairy godmother, a magical pumpkin but keep the idea of the special shoes and made them more realistic instead of glass slippers. Cleverly, the story starts with the Brothers Grimm arriving to interview a woman to find out if there is any truth to an old family story. What makes the movie different from other previous ones is that even though the film is set in the Renaissance period, the interpretation of this version of the classic fairytale is very modern in concept and features a distinctive feminist theme by having Danielle save not only the Prince at one point in the film but also herself from a less than desirable fate toward the end of the film. The story ends with the couple married while the stepmother and stepsister are justifiably destined to live a fate similar to what they imposed on Danielle as that of a lowly servant. (Of all the recent Cinderella movies, “Ever After” is a personal favorite of mine. I think it is well written with a strong female lead character in charge of her own destiny and it is beautifully filmed with great actors!)

“A Cinderella Story” movie

The 2004 “A Cinderella Story” movie is aimed at the teenage audience. The movie stars Hillary Duff as Samantha “Sam” Montgomery, Chad Michael Murray as Austin Ames, Jennifer Coolidge as Fiona the stepmother and Regina King as Rhonda the co-worker that helps her out. The movie starts when an earthquake strikes the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, CA. Sam’s father is killed and he has left no will to provide for Sam after his death, so the house and diner go to Fiona. Then, jump ahead eight years later, Sam is now a high school senior and living unhappily with her stepmother and her two silly stepsisters while working at the diner to save money to attend Princeton University, the studious Sam earns the nickname of “Diner Girl”. In an internet chat room, Sam meets a boy known only as “Nomad”, which is really Austin the popular quarterback of the school. “Nomad” requests that they met each other at the school masquerade dance. Sam is dressed beautifully in a white gown and is wearing a mask to hide her identity while Austin is dressed as a dashing musketeer. The two meet at the appointed hour and they share a romantic dance but before Sam can reveal who she really is it is midnight and she needs to get back to the diner before her stepmother finds out that she is gone, in her haste to leave Sam loses her cell phone. Of course, when Austin tries to find out who the phone belongs to several girls, including Sam’s stepsisters, claim be the mystery girl. The stepsister’s find out that Sam is in fact the mystery girl and they tell Austin’s ex-girlfriend, a popular cheerleader, and during the school pep rally for the big game they reveal Sam as the mystery girl. Sam is humiliated and believes Austin betrayed her. Meanwhile, when the notice of Sam’s acceptance to Princeton comes in the mail, Fiona hides the letter and tells Sam her application was rejected and she now believes that she will be stuck working at the diner for a very long time. Eventually, with the help of Rhonda, Sam regains her confidence to stand up to Fiona and tells her she is quitting and moves in with Rhonda. Sam also finds the courage to confront Austin in the locker room before the game. Later, while out on the field during the game, Austin sees Sam in the stands and leaves the field to apologize to her. They kiss as the rain starts to fall ending the long drought that has plagued Southern California for so long. Later, Sam is back at her old home packing up her belongings and Sam finds her father’s will hidden in one of her children’s fairytale books. It seems that according to the will her father has left everything to Sam and not Fiona. At the end of the movie, Rhonda is now the manager of the diner and Fiona and the stepsisters are forced to work off the money they “stole” from Sam. The last scene of the movie shows Sam and Austin driving off together to travel to Princeton.

“Another Cinderella Story” movie

The 2008 “Another Cinderella Story” is another movie aimed at the teenage audience. It is a romantic musical version of the Cinderella story and stars Selena Gomez as Mary Santiago who is a high school student who has dreams of becoming a dancer. Like most Cinderella stories, Mary lives with her stepmother Dominique, played by Jane Lynch, who forces Mary to do menial work around the house. Joey Parker, as played by Drew Seeley, is a famous singer/dancer that has recently returned to finish his senior year at the same school as Mary. The two meet at a masquerade dance and Joey quickly notices Mary, but he doesn’t know who she is since she is wearing a mask, and they enjoy a fabulous tango. But as most Cinderella stories go, Mary must suddenly leave the dance at the stroke of midnight and rush home before her stepmother realizes she is gone. This time in her haste to go it is not a shoe that Mary leaves behind but a MP3 player. Joey finds it and takes it to school to search for the girl who lost it and eventually Joey finds out it was Mary. The movie ends with Mary winning a dance competition hosted by Joey and she gets into a prestigious dance school.

“Cinderella” – 2015 Disney live action movie

The latest version of the Cinderella story is being released in March 2017 by Disney. It is a live-action version this time and not an animated film. The story starts when her father unexpectedly dies and Ella (Lily James) finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters, and she is forced to become their maid. Despite her circumstances, she refuses to despair. An invitation to a palace ball gives Ella hope that she might reunite with the dashing stranger (Richard Madden) that she had met in the woods, but her stepmother prevents her from going. Of course, she receives help from a beggar woman who has a magic touch for ordinary things.

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

Tag Archives: Barbara Jones

Travel – Mega Caverns, Louisville, Kentucky

Like this:

Decor – Tea Table Displays

Like this:

Travel – Grand Canyon National Park

Like this:

A Cinderella Fairytale

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this: