We stayed at the Embassy Suites right on the water. The first couple of nights were kind of cold, but it did warm up where we could get down on the beach some.
Anyway, Santa Barbara was kind of a bust. We walked around downtown for a few hours, but it just didn't grab us like we thought it would.
The next day we went a little further north to Solvang, a small Dutch settled town. Now, we did enjoy that! It was a very quaint town with Dutch influences, you know, windmills and such. With lots of bakery's to choose from and some different kinds of shops, not the usual junk you find everywhere. That is worth a day trip if you are in the area, very friendly folks.
Today as we were heading home. We decided to hit the President Ronald Reagan Library. I wanted to see it because it has Air Force One from Reagan's years (B707). I wasn't sure Sandy was going to like it, but she sure did! She's not much for museums, and I've dragged he through the Smithsonian quite a few times, but she really connected with this one, as did I. I think because we can remember this part of history as we were reading about all the displays. They had AF1 and VVM1, of course; part of the Berlin Wall, Cowboys, Reagan's touring all of the world, and just so much more. I remember bits and pieces of these things, but it really comes back to you as you get to reading some of the stories. Like in the gift shop, they had a CD of his jokes he told at each Press Conference. I remember those jokes! He always told a joke or two at each Press release, it was his signature. And do you remember Jelly Beans? That was another Reagan signature, he always had them on his desk.
The Library is up on top of a hill, but through a winding road. Now how did they get this B707 up here? Inquiring minds want to know!Well, they took it apart and trucked it up here, then built the building around it. In front of the airplane is a wall of windows looking down in the valley. The plane is sitting at the proper angle of attack, where a good gust of wind could set that thing flying right down the mountain!
We spent several hours in there, just soaking it all up. He was just an ordinary guy, who became President. But one thing that happened; changed the world for him, and for me. The whole world stood up and took notice when he told the Air Traffic Controllers to return to work or be fired. They didn't, and he did; fire them all (1981). Right then and there, the whole world knew what kind of man President Reagan was. A man of his word. He was to be tested several times after that, but he said what he meant and did what he said. Hot spots like Cuba, Granada, Korea, and Russia. He built up the Air Force, Navy, Marines, Army, with hardware and bodies. If somebody was going to call his bluff, then he was going to be ready.
Those were the good ol' days, when the President and Congress had their differences but worked them through for the good of the country. Not like today, when everybody is out for themselves like a bunch of thieving SOB's. Oh, sorry, did that just slip out?
One last photo op with the President showing me around his ranch. It was a great day............
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