Trip To Huntsville - Part 1

Doug, Bri and I made some plans with Doug's cousin and her family to meet up at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in July. We met up with them last summer in Chattanooga. Bri was excited to see her cousin Cai again (also adopted from China). Unfortunately, Cai got quite ill and she wasn't able to meet us at the museum after all (she is feeling better now thank goodness!).

Since Doug's aunt and other cousin live in the Huntsville area, we decided to go Alabama anyway and see the museum and have dinner with them. We were sad not to be able to see the museum with Cai, but we will have to try it again another time.

We got up early Saturday morning and drove to the Rocket Center...

Sweet Home Alabama...

Rockets in the distance...

Walking into the center...

It was neat because a few weeks before, Doug and I introduced Bri to the 80's movie "Space Camp" (which was filmed at the space center)...

There was a wall at the space center dedicated to movies filmed there - including "Space Camp"...

The first exhibit we hit was a traveling exhibit. Kathy Chan is a Chinese jewelry designer that takes her inspiration from space. Her jewelry/art was beautiful...

We ventured into the main exhibit area and explored the history of the space program...

Bri read all the about the shuttle disasters...

We walked outside to see Rocket Park...

The Shuttle...

 

If you look at Bri's face in some of these pics, you'll she was struggling (having a moment). It felt like it was as hot as the sun seeing the outside rockets, and she had gotten a bit bored with the main exhibit area. She was feeling disappointed, hot, tired and hungry. We went inside for a break and had some lunch. She got a bit of a "pep talk" at lunch and a big drink. I promised her she was going to really enjoy the center.

Once we headed toward the Saturn V Hall (which is more interactive), she was cooled down, no longer hungry and in much better spirits. She ended up having a great time at that point. More on that next...