Monkeying around on Gibraltar
The Rock of Gibraltar was referred to by the ancient Romans as the Pillars of Hercules. Legend has it that Hercules pushed up this massive rock out of the water, along with another pillar known as Jebel Musa , and narrowed the strait. This musclebound deity was said to have constructed these promontories to prevent any nefarious sea-monsters from entering the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic. While Rebecca and I didn’t run into any sea serpents on our voyage to the rock, we soon discovered that the entire place was inhabited by creatures of an entirely different kind.
Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, the rock fell to Muslim Moorish rule in 711 A.D. After exchanging ownership numerous times throughout history, Gibraltar was eventually ceded to Britain from Spain in 1713. By the end of the 18th century, the Rock of Gibraltar had endured fourteen bloody sieges in a period of 500 years. Although Gibraltar borders the Southern coast of Spain, the British were quick to realize that the rock offered a strategic naval advantage that they were willing to pay any price to keep. By the onset of the 20th century, the Rock of Gibraltar had become England’s most important possession in all of the Mediterranean. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe, Historical Journeys and tagged British, Rock of Gibraltar by Big John with no comments yet.
The Holy City and Oklahoma’s Wichita Mountains
The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and its encompassing Holy City is a must-see point of interest… should anybody ever find themselves treading aimlessly through the prairie grasses of Southwest Oklahoma. Measuring over 59,000 acres, this wildlife facility is home to the plains bison, Texas longhorns, Rocky Mountain elk, and considerable other large mammals. Aside from the beautifully rugged terrain, visitors to the area might also delight in 806 diverse plant species, 240 types of bird, 36 species of fish, and 64 reptilian and amphibious creatures. With my baby doll by my side, I set out on Memorial Day weekend. My mission was to divide and conquer this marvel of the American Great Plains. Come along as we explore the Holy City and Oklahoma’s Wichita Mountains.
Entrance into one of the many trails winding through the Wichita Mountains. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged holy city, oklahoma, wichita mountains by Big John with 2 comments.
Remembering WWII in Linden, Tennessee
On September 24, 2016, my sons and I set foot into the small, unassuming town of Linden, Tennessee. In doing so, we magically stepped back a period of seventy-two years. We had entered into the year 1944. During our time-travel voyage, the boys and I experienced a taste of life as it was in both Europe and on the homefront during that momentous period of history. There were war bonds to buy. Food was rationed at the markets. Air raid sirens cracked the morning calm and the threat of an enemy attack was at the forefront of everybody’s mind. We were suddenly caught up in the largest event ever recorded by history – we had entered into a world at war.
Newsboys take to the streets heralding the story of impeding doom.
What had started in a Linden resident’s home to honor local veterans, Remembering WWII has now blossomed into an award winning national event that draws in thousands from across our nation. The motto of this fascinating event is to remember your past and honor your heroes. Its founder, Anthony Courter, stated the following:
We began Remembering WWII, not to glorify war or advocate a return to “the good old days”, but to cast a vision of the future by helping our generation understand the lessons of the past.
Posted in Historical Journeys and tagged linden, reenactment, Tennessee, WW2 by Big John with no comments yet.
Visit Palo Duro Canyon and See the Grand Canyon of Texas
Palo Duro Canyon, otherwise known as the Grand Canyon of Texas, is approximately 120 miles long and 800 feet at its deepest point. It is the second largest canyon in all of the United States. “Palo Duro” is a Spanish word meaning “hard wood“. As I began a short descent down the rocky trail it became abundantly clear as to why the Palo Duro Canyon received such a name. Junipers, mesquite, cottonwood, cedar, and other hardwoods sprang up from the walls and floors of the canyon in common form. Wildflowers, buffalo grasses, sage brush, yucca, and prickly pear cactus also dotted the panoramic landscape offering an array of splendid colors.
“Palo Duro” is a Spanish word meaning “hard wood“. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged palo duro canyon, texas by Big John with 2 comments.
A Snowfall on the Fields of Gettysburg
Perhaps there is not a more hallowed and reverent tract of earth in all of our beloved country than the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Gettysburg is the most famous and important battle of the Civil War and was centered around the quaint market town of the same name. It began as a mere skirmish, but by its bloody end it involved approximately 160,000 brave American soldiers.
The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was made up of 70,100 men and 280 guns. It was commanded by the talented and much-respected General Robert E. Lee. The Federal Army of the Potomac consisted of 93,700 men and 372 guns commanded by the fearless Major General George G. Meade.
| General Robert E. Lee
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Major General George G. Meade
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When we arrived at this national landscape on a cold January morning, the snowy landscape offered up a view that would have stood in stark contrast to what the soldiers experienced on the blistering hot morning of July 1st, 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought on three of the hottest days of a Pennsylvania summer. During Pickett’s Charge on July 3rd, 1863, temperatures soared to a hellish 90 degrees. In the end, 51,000 men were reported killed, captured, or missing in one of the costliest battles of the Civil War. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged Civil War, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania by Big John with no comments yet.