I was on a bus tour of the northern end of Trinidad a couple of years ago, and the last stop of the day was the Asa Wright Nature Center that Jim showed. However since we had run late on several of the previous stops on the tour, we had literally 10 minutes at the Asa Wright Center. Arrival: 2:38 P.M. On the viewing patio of the nature center: Seeing Birds: As well as a two-foot long lizard and a mountain crab And back on the bus ready to leave at 2:47 P.M. We then had to race back to the ship halfway across the country by 4:00 P.M. or be penalized. We first had to wend our way down out of the mountains ... and drive halfway across the the country... In traffic like this... right at the time school had let out ... and managed to reach the ship at 4:00 and 13 seconds! The trip was one of the best on our month-long voyage around the Caribbean, but I really thought we'd die or crash or at least kill some school child on the manic race back to the ship.

Back when I lived in Memphis and worked in the medical field we had a convention, one of the evening events was dinner and dancing on the Memphis Queen. We had a spectacular time with fireworks over the Mississippi River. One to remember. I have been on a few of the River boat casinos too. I always enjoy the ride! Another picture from yesterday.

I agree about percussion. My son enjoyed his drum set many years after HS, and I never minded listening to the practice as it really was "music to my ears." Band is a wonderful experience for these kids, I know you agree and I commend you for whatever your involvement is. My son's school traveled outside the country a couple times to be in competitions, once to the Calgary Stampede where it rained on them and their new uniforms. He sure had a lot of wonderful experiences and is still close friends with one of his fellow drummers.

In 2007 we visited New York City and visited the business that a cousin of my wife runs with her husband. The husband said he was in the office when it happened, and from on the balcony of the business (pictured here) you could see the World Trade Center through this gap between the buildings to the south of him.