Remembering The Attack On Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941

The USS Arizona Memorial sitting above the sunken ship

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack began at 7:48 am and lasted for about two hours, resulting in the deaths of 2,403 Americans and the destruction of numerous ships and aircraft. The attack was a major turning point in World War II, as it led to the United States’ entry into the war.

The USS Missouri looking past the sunken USS Arizona remains

The attack was planned and executed by the Imperial Japanese Navy, which had been growing increasingly aggressive in its territorial ambitions in the Pacific. The Japanese hoped that by launching a surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, they could cripple American military capabilities in the region and secure their own dominance.

The attack was a devastating blow to the United States, but it also galvanized the American people and strengthened their resolve to fight back against Japan and its allies. President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously referred to the day of the attack as “a date which will live in infamy,” and just one day later, on December 8, 1941, the United States declared war on the nation of Japan.

Today you can tour Pearl Harbor with several significant sites to take in. Parking for the Visitor Center is free and there is no fee to visit the USS Arizona Memorial. However, due to its popularity, tickets are required and can be reserved in advance online for a small fee. Same-day tickets are also available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, but it’s recommended to arrive early as they tend to go quickly.

A gun turret from the sunken USS Arizona sticks out of the water next to the memorial

Pearl Harbor Visitor Center: Begin your visit here to learn about the events of December 7, 1941, through exhibits, films, and displays.

USS Arizona Memorial: Take a boat out and pay tribute to the fallen sailors and explore the memorial built over the sunken battleship USS Arizona.

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park: Tour the WWII submarine USS Bowfin and learn about its history and the experiences of submariners.

Battleship Missouri Memorial: Step aboard the USS Missouri, where the Japanese surrender was signed, and explore this historic battleship.

Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor: Discover a vast collection of aircraft and exhibits that showcase the history of aviation in the Pacific.

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Free Lula Art In Montevideo?

Art, politics and graffiti are often difficult to separate and nowhere is the mix more pervasive than in latin America. Just a few years ago walking down a street in Montevideo there were oddly still a lot of Free Lula graffiti posted but we weren’t sure if this artistic doorway was connected to the scrawl of LULA LiBRE! next to it?

The “Free Lula” movement emerged as a significant political and social initiative in Brazil, advocating for the release of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commonly known as Lula. Lula was imprisoned in April 2018 after being convicted on corruption charges, which many supporters and international observers deemed politically motivated. After a lengthy legal battle, he was granted freedom on November 8, 2019, following a judge’s order to release him based on a habeas corpus petition.

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Lula’s imprisonment lasted 580 days, during which time the “Free Lula” campaign gained traction both nationally, throughout South America and globally, rallying various groups and individuals who viewed his incarceration as unjust…

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Taking The Athens Metro; Piraeus To The Acropolis

Visiting the Acropolis from the port of Piraeus Greece

If you’re visiting Athens on a cruise or just staying in Piraeus (Athen’s port) don’t waste your money on an Acropolis tour. For only a few dollars you can take the Athens Metro to the Acropolis Station. It’s a trip of less than 40 minutes allowing you to explore on your own for hours and be back in time for dinner.

The View From The Filopappou Hill

Taking the Metro

An easy trip from the port of Piraeus into Athens for a visit to the Acropolis is inexpensive and takes about forty minutes each way. The main Piraeus Metro station is located at the back of the port itself and is a fifteen to twenty minute walk from where most cruise ships dock (some cruises may offer a shuttle bus). If you are walking from the pier there is a sky walk over traffic to the subway station location. The Metro (subway) system in Athens offers various kinds of electronic tickets but for a single day trip the best option for a trip into Athens and back is the 90-minute ticket at € 1.90 each way.

There are also:

A 24-hour ticket at € 4.50 that allows 24 hours to travel any number of times in and out of the various public transportation systems. It does not however include the airport as a destination)

A 3-day ticket at € 22 (Includes transport to the airport)

5-day tourist ticket at € 10 (It does not include the airport destination)

Piraeus Harbor

There are easy to use vending machines at all stations that accept credit cards and provide instruction in a number of languages. You can also purchase any number of tickets at one time and use them as needed. A discount of 25% is also available for seniors over 65, teenagers under 18 years old and university students under 25. Children under seven ride free. In order to get the discount you will need to purchase tickets from a ticket window.

To enter the metro system tap your ticket at the entry post. From that point the ticket is valid for 90 minutes (with the 90 minute ticket) in the system or until you leave by taping out to exit.

Getting on the train going in the right direction is easy. Each platform is named for the last station on the route. So in order to get the train back to Piraeus follow the arrows showing Piraeus which is the last station on the green line.

CLICK THIS MAP TO DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE PDF COPY

Note – If you are flying in or out of Athens there’s an airport metro stop. The Athens airport subway offers reliable and fast transportation services from and to Athens airport. The Blue Line connects Athens International Airport to Syntagma Square in the center of the city, in only 40 minutes. A one-way Metro ticket from Athens airport to Syntagma Square costs € 10 for adult passengers and € 5 for children, students and elders. The price for a round trip ticket is € 18. Cruising out of the Port of Piraeus? Take the Blue Line to Monastiraki station, switch to the Green Metro Line to get to Piraeus. Furthermore, the subway Blue Line also serves many other areas of Athens. A 3-day tourist ticket includes a return ticket to Athens airport and costs € 22.

A Walking Tour Of The Acropolis Area

The Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum

For a much more in-depth understanding of the history of Athen’s Acropolis a visit to the museum is strongly recommended (admission € 20). Inside are a number of artifacts from excavations along with many of the damaged statuary saved from the Parthenon itself.

The Agora and Roman Forum – ruins of the Forum with remains of the agora built by the Romans from 19-11 B.C. include columns & an octagonal tower.

Roman Ruins – walking around the base of the Acropolis are a number of archeological sites to explore that include Roman houses and the ancient cisterns.

Areopagus Hill (Λόφος Αρείου Πάγου) Historic site sitting high up on another hill it once served as the high court of appeal for judicial cases in ancient Greece.

While the highlight of the trip is ascending the Acropolis itself there is much to see around the area. One recommendation is to walk through the Filopappou Hill Park. Admission is free and there are a number of archeological sites to explore. Walking to the top of the hill offers one of the best views of the Acropolis itself.

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Discovering the Sounds of Morocco: Folk Instruments

Moroccan folk music, is rich and diverse, often incorporating a variety of musical instruments that reflect the country’s cultural heritage. Moroccans are famous for making their own instruments to use in Moroccan folk music.

  • A Tbel is a large drum played with sticks, often used in outdoor performances.
    Usage..
  • A Gimbri (Guembri) a three-stringed bass instrument often handmade from wood and animal skin.
  • Bendir, a frame drum with a skin head, typically played with the hands.
  • Riq a type of tambourine with a wooden frame and metal jingles.
  • Nay is a handmade end-blown flute made from a reed.
  • Loutar, a string instrument similar to a lute, often with a rounded body.
  • Castanets a percussion instruments made of two pieces of wood that are clicked together.

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Today’s Image, The Grand Canyon Of Yellowstone

In The Heart Of Yellowstone National Park

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River shows off the park’s remarkable geologic history. Puffs of steam mark hydrothermal features in the colorful canyon’s walls. The Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River further add th the scenes natural beauty.

Waterfalls of  the Yellowstone Grand Canyon

  • Upper Falls: About 109 feet (33 meters) high.
  • Lower Falls: About 308 feet (94 meters) high, making it one of the tallest waterfalls in North America.
  • Canyon Walls: The canyon walls are known for their stunning colors, ranging from deep oranges and reds to bright yellows, attributed to the presence of different minerals.
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A Wild Time In The Galapagos

The Galapagos, one of the highlights from our travel bucket list…

Read more about our search for the Blue Footed Booby HERE.

Information on our trip to the Galapagos HERE.

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