Pearl Harbor
Jul. 11th, 2007 03:06 amI'm starting to fall behind in my postings! This post is about yesterday's trip to Pearl Harbor. Getting there was an adventure.
We were aware that we needed to get started early in order to avoid the long delay. We were on a tour leaving at 8:30 (relatively late) and were told that we would be back no later than 2:00. That seemed like a long time, but what the hey, when are we ever going to have the chance again. When we got to Pearl Harbor, we were told that we were in a queue to see the monument (and the compulsory film before the monument) scheduled at 2:00, meaning we wouldn't get back until after 4:00. All the other people on the tour (23 of us total) were told the same as us: we'd be back by 2. Suddenly there was a mutiny, and everyone was demanding to be taken back to their hotels to try to salvage their vacations. We thought, well, if there's a chance to get the day back we'll take it; but once the dust settled, it seemed that the others just wanted a chance to make a scene, and they would stay for the whole program. In the end, only one person was taken back to her hotel. Hopefully the tour operators aren't telling people that they will be back at 2:00 any more.
The visitor's center, with its tiny museum and tinier snack bar is pretty well done, but crowded almost by design. There are some things to see outside--a submarine and a monument to lost submarines for example, and some good interpretive exhibits. Apparently they are working on building a new one, and are fundraising and trying hard to sell audio tours narrated by Ernest Borgnine. I actually learned a lot about the attack on Pearl Harbor, which considering my dad is a history teacher, is pretty embarrassing. Apparently the Japanese attacked an American naval base, drawing the US into the second world war. Just kidding--that was about the only thing I knew before.
( On to the pictures! )
We were aware that we needed to get started early in order to avoid the long delay. We were on a tour leaving at 8:30 (relatively late) and were told that we would be back no later than 2:00. That seemed like a long time, but what the hey, when are we ever going to have the chance again. When we got to Pearl Harbor, we were told that we were in a queue to see the monument (and the compulsory film before the monument) scheduled at 2:00, meaning we wouldn't get back until after 4:00. All the other people on the tour (23 of us total) were told the same as us: we'd be back by 2. Suddenly there was a mutiny, and everyone was demanding to be taken back to their hotels to try to salvage their vacations. We thought, well, if there's a chance to get the day back we'll take it; but once the dust settled, it seemed that the others just wanted a chance to make a scene, and they would stay for the whole program. In the end, only one person was taken back to her hotel. Hopefully the tour operators aren't telling people that they will be back at 2:00 any more.
The visitor's center, with its tiny museum and tinier snack bar is pretty well done, but crowded almost by design. There are some things to see outside--a submarine and a monument to lost submarines for example, and some good interpretive exhibits. Apparently they are working on building a new one, and are fundraising and trying hard to sell audio tours narrated by Ernest Borgnine. I actually learned a lot about the attack on Pearl Harbor, which considering my dad is a history teacher, is pretty embarrassing. Apparently the Japanese attacked an American naval base, drawing the US into the second world war. Just kidding--that was about the only thing I knew before.