Carnival

 I guess Florida is different from the rest of the world, for as Carol pointed out, Carnivals are usually held around the Easter season (February to April), but Miami's and and Tamarac's was in October. 

Rain or shine, we take in the music events😉.

For years, we in Jamaica had no carnival, so when we wanted to jump and wine, we had to hop on the unreliable, Trinidad and Tobago-owned BWIA (aka Better walk if able or But will it arrive?) and take a flight in excess of three hours to see greats like the Mighty Sparrow. (He died at age 91 on September 27th, 2026).

Walk good honorable sir.🙏

He has been greatly missed ever since he becane ill, for no other Calypsonian had his creativity, energy, ability to deliver social commentary and he had a fantastic sense of humor too🤎.

We Jamaicans owe a debt of gratitude to the late, great musician, Byron Lee, leader of the popular dance band, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, for importing Carnival into Jamaica so we could stop flying BWIA.

But I stray.

I am so happy I live in Tamarac, for they celebrate everything with free music sessions, and that's right up my street.

Last night there was a practice session for a street march on October 9, featuring Allison Hinds. (That will not be free though so I will skip it!😁.

It was a good evening with nice music and other features. 

Everyone had a good time. 

There was even a personal trainer there giving stretching therapy for a small fee.

Good for the old bodies. 🤣.

The event was held at the amphitheater and you could cool off at the water fountain afterwards if you so wished. 

The water fountain was turned on right there for cooling off.

Kudos Tamarac.

Griffin Museum

 I enjoy visiting musea, so wherever I go, I usually take in at least one. 

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is the most extraordinary one I have ever toured in my life. 

I had never seen or heard about it until yesterday when we visited the Obama Museum on (infamous!) Southside of Chicago (https://share.google/qd4d6TQFCBio7tRoS) and saw the imposing structure from the 8th floor of that Museum.

 Established in 1933, it is reputed to be the largest Science Museum in the western hemisphere and so far some 200 million people have visited it.

This extraordinary musem has 14 acres of inside display housing some 35,000 artifacts, showcasing just about every development known to us, from space travel to a coat that barks like a dog, if someone gets too close to the wearer.😁

The barking coat🤣.

I could get lost in this place just taking pictures of my favorite things and tracing their development. 

Like the bicycle which I still ride😊,

to trains that I love to ride,

The fastest steam engine in 1893. Top speed 112 mph. We've certainly come a long way baby!

Inside the engine. The glowing red is burning coal which produces the steam.

An engineer had to sit in the hot engine for the entire journey 

The Zephyr 

 to classic cars and carriages

Camille taken in by early cars

A solar powered car developed by the University of Michigan in 1993.

to aeroplanes which I hope to learn to fly in my next life when I reincarnate.🙏

A replica of the Wright Brothers plane.

There was also a whole room dedicated to tornadoes, another to glaciers, one to different forms of energy generation and on and on.

School kids got to experience a simulated tornado😉, and there was an entire floor dedicated to the U-505 submarine which played such a critical role in World War 2.

Replica of the U-505 submarine 

The submarine's actual anchor. Much smaller than I would have anticipated. 

This place was never in our plans, but it was surely a fascinating journey.👍

Love Chicago,  just not the wind😊.

Such an inspiration ❤️

Right when I needed my faith in humanity restored, I visited the Obama Museum in Chicago and it was.

 

In the Museum, you go on a pictural journey highlighting those who went before to pave the way for a black President of the USA. 

This granite sculpture is a tribute to his mom.

Harriet Tubman's coat

This painting was done with charcoal and colored pastel only.

The Museum and complex is an awesome tribute to a wonderful human being and well deserved.

From every angle there is beauty, hope and inspiration.

Hail the man.

These pics were in the presidential library.

The sculpture at the entrance of the museum. 

The art and sculptures both inside and outside are not only inspirational but a joy to behold.

Beautiful paintings in the library. 

Surrounded by his books at a desk in his library. 

A lovely sculpture outside the library. 

People waiting patiently to begin the Museum tour.

Inspirational signs are all over the complex.

I love the art all over the Museum.  A great selection 

Tributes are everywhere to those who inspired him and paved the way for his success. 

A section of the Oval Office.

View from the 8th floor is awesome.

 The 7th floor is closed to the public as its the President's suite. (OH how we all prayed he would emerge and greet us😉😘).

The Science and Industry Museum next door.

It's huge!

 Hope  and inspiration at every turn.

 Thank you Mr. President🙏.

Camille and I pose with the Obamas .😉

The courtyard.