Mini Vacation

We went to Manhattan last week. I'm sure that sounds very cool & exciting until I explain to you that it was Manhattan, Kansas. Ah, now you get it! Boring, right?

Actually, it was quite fun. We only spent one night out, but it was the biggest vacation we've taken in years. In preparation for the trip we bought a car DVD player for Ted, hoping he wouldn't kick or throw it when he got bored. Luckily that didn't happen, & we will be using said DVD player for all long trips from now on!

We left home around 10 AM & only stopped for lunch somewhere in central Missouri that I've already forgotten about (it's interesting how everyone agrees Kansas in boring, but you have to admit that whatever state you live in is boring too!). We drove through KC & then stopped in Lawrence. I've got to say, the campus of KU is really beautiful! We went to the Museum of Natural History that's there on campus & it hadn't changed much since Alan's mom got her master's there, I'm told. There was the big room full of stuffed animals and, to Teddy's delight, a little waterfall running down the middle of them. He didn't want to leave that room, but there were live snakes on the 5th floor so we made it up to see them. Teddy was totally delighted with the museum & was pretty sure we would be back to see it soon.

After Lawrence it was on through Topeka & then we entered a surprising part of our trip--the Flint Hills. I've got to say, I never thought there was anything so pretty in Kansas! Obviously the ground wasn't flat, & what with all the rain the Midwest has gotten this summer it looked like what I imagine the gently rolling hills of Ireland would look like. They were green & just beautiful. We stopped at a scenic overlook just before entering Manhattan, where we stayed at the Holiday Inn right across the street from Kansas State University.

The next morning Alan gave his Toastmasters award-winning speech in Onaga, Kansas to the family & friends of the man the speech is about--Harold Hetzler. Harold was a B-24 bomber pilot who was shot down over Germany in 1944. He & all of his crew were killed, & Alan wrote a speech about his short life. The whole experience was very moving, with 2 of Harold's siblings, one of his cousin's, & a nephew all there to hear it. One of Harold's old high school friends even showed up! It was really a neat experience.

Once we left Onaga we went to Topeka & the Brown vs. the Board of Education National Historic Site. They didn't have any fountains there, though, so we didn't stay long. We did end up at the Museum of Natural History again though, since we were passing through & Teddy loved it so much. And we got back home late that night.

All in all it was a good trip!