Favorite Son's Spiel : "I'd like to spend my vacation AT THE LIBRARY!"

Click here to fully understand my funny title for this post.

Today, we started our day at 10:00 am by visiting the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Built in 1990 and maintained by the National Archives, the library presents the life and service of our thirty-seventh president. Additionally, thousands of papers, pictures, and film related to Nixon and his political career are stored in the research library below the museum. The museum begins with a short film that chronicles the man's life with interviews with his white house staff. Afterwards, there are several rooms filled with placards and artifacts which detail Nixon's humble beginnings in Yorba Linda to the Watergate scandal to his death in 1994. We were also fortunate enough to see his childhood home and the helicopter he road off in after his resignation.

Good morning Mr. President

Wise Words from Nixon

It really is a shame Nixon is mostly remembered for his poor choices regarding Watergate because there was a vast amount of other positive actions he took to improve the U.S. during his presidential terms. Nixon said he was not a quitter and he meant it. He lost the 1960 presidential election to Kennedy and the 1962 governor election to Pat Brown, but finally achieved victory in the 1968 presidential election. Though he did not end the Vietnam War, he made great strides to help bring it to an end and bring home troops. He initiated the Environmental Protection Agency and preserved land for National Parks. Under his presidency, more women were placed in lead government positions than any previous administrations. Arguably, Nixon's most impressive feat was his foreign policy with China and the Soviet Union as he visited both countries and improved peaceful relations with both nations. In more obscure history, Richard Nixon created the Chowder & Marching Club which was an informal community gathering for U.S. representatives and senators. The museum carefully presented the image of president Nixon. His achievements were certainly celebrated, but his flaws and mistakes were not shied away from. Overall, the museum was well organized and balanced.
I think president Clinton summed Nixon up best when he spoke at his funeral: "may the day of judging President Nixon on anything less than his entire life and career come to a close."

The President's Grave

The President's birth house

The President and the First Lady

After visiting the library, we drove about an hour to the California Science Center in LA to see the Space Shuttle Endeavor. After a little confusion, we received our real tickets (the ones we printed out beforehand apparently didn't count) and entered the exhibit. It showcased mission control and different aspects of how the shuttle operated including a special oven and toilet. We also were able to see a portion of the external tank which held the fuel for the booster rockets and had to be made out of aluminum and lithium to remain light enough to launch. We watched a video showcasing the journey the the Endeavor and an external tank made through LA streets to end up in the Science Center. Afterwards, we walked into a larger hanger which held the Endeavor. The space shuttle was enormous and it is quite impressive it took several trips in to space. Outside the hanger was the external tank which dwarfed the Endeavor in sized. There was about an hour left until the Science Center would close, so we looked at other exhibits including wildlife, nature, other areas of science, but nothing beat seeing the Endeavor.

I had to use the wide angle lense on my camera just to fit the shuttle in the photo

It's even bigger in person

The external tank

Around 5:15 pm, we headed to our hotel in Burbank. After checking, we drove two miles down the road to see the Walt Disney Studios. As an avid Disney fan (or obsessive fan), I couldn't pass up the chance to see the buildings in which so many of my favorite and best films ever made were thought up and created. Although we couldn't enter studio property, we were able to see a few buildings and signs in the studio, including the animation building. After a few photos, we headed into downtown Burbank to eat dinner. Dinner was at Pizza Rev and then we retired back to the hotel to rest. Zach and I played a game of chess (he won) and watched some TV. Tomorrow, we will visit Universal Studios and hopefully, it will not be too hot.