Drron's Do Disney.

[drron]

After dinner I watched a short TV drama-King Charles III.Didn't reallytreat any of the Royal Family well and I would say not on their like list.Then listened to Benny Goodman and drifted off to sleep for 5 hours waking as the Captain announced the start of the descent into LAX.At the start of the sector the FA had asked if I wanted to be woken and I said no.Very soon after waking she brought me a cappucino.
You could have had a choice of snacks after dinner or another meal before landing.I don't know why anyone would want any more to eat.But here are the snack and pre landing meal menus.
Snack-

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Pre landing-

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After landing we had to wait a while as the gate was not free.We were first off but when we got to the Immigration Hall there were massive queues.A couple of families pushed in front of us but Karma prevailed when an agent opened the barrier and let us and a few others in to the US resident lanes.This was after about 30 minutes wait.It appeared that there had been a plane from South America,one from the Middle Eat,a Chinese plane and a Fiji airways flight that had arrived just before us.No problem this time with the machine.
Then on to Customs.No racial profiling in the USA but anyone approaching a Customs agent with a Chinese passport was immediately sent to secondary screening.Finally we were out of the terminal after 70 minutes.But then a wait for an Avis bus-they seemed rare.Then arriving at the Preferred stop had to see an agent-no problems it was just they had run out of standard cars and had to wait until one was cleaned before assigning them.One was ready for me.But it was about 2 hours before we drove out of the Avis yard and headed north.

 

[drron]

So we headed up 405N.Traffic very heavy but moved very slowly at times.Then onto 101N which was a rolling car park for the first few miles.But it soon became a fast run and it was just over an hour until we were in our room at the HGI Oxnard.This was booked with the last of mrsdrron's points.Standard HGI and as neither of us has any status now a room facing Highway 101.

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Unpacked the clothes for tomorrow and headed to the nearby Red Lobster.Used to be our go to restaurant but standards had slipped.this one though is convenient.We were pleased to find that they have really lifted their game.We both started with a bowl of mussels in white wine and garlic served with garlic bread.We both thought this was one of the best mussel dishes we have had.No photo-it is just a bowl of black shells.
Mrsdrron then had a small lobster roll and I had Dragon prawns and broccoli.Really spicy with perfectly cooked prawns.I really enjoyed it.Mrsdrron had a glass of Sav blanc and I an apple cider.Cost $US61.

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Back to the HGI.Mrsdrron crashed at 1700 and I at 1800.We got up at 0630 the next morning and jetlag was gone.

The next morning we first went to Nordstrom Rack where I annoyed mrsdrron by getting a pair of Steve Madden shoes for $15.She lucked out.
Next were the Camarillo outlets which have had an addition since we were last there.It is one of mrsdrron's favourite Outlet malls-and there are very few she hasn't been too.Things have changed over the years and now only about 6 stores are visited at most.In the 80's and 90's it would be several hours.This time we both got something at Ted Bakers.

After the shopping it was time to head for Ronald Reagan's Presidential Library.

 

[drron]

An easy run from Camarillo to the Library at Simi Valley although it sits on top of a hill.It opened in 1991.

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As it was now ~ 1330 the first thing was lunch at the cafe.Mrsdrron had a BBQ tri tip beef roll and I the Commander's burger.A beer for me and a wine for mrsdrron.$31 after our discount.

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You could even collect a Ronnie Reagan napkin-

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And outside the cafe a piece of the Berlin Wall-

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The other reason we had lunch first was that we had met a very helpful woman when we entered.When she found out that we were visiting 3 Presidential libraries on this trip she encouraged us to become a member.With senior discount it was $52 for us both to enter-a pretty standard price today.However if we also made a donation of $49 to Nancy Reagan's favourite chidren's charity we would become an annual member of Ronnie's library.That entitled the member and a friend to visit any Presidential library in the next 12 months for free.So paying $101 we got $156 value.As well as helping a charity.A win-win situation.
Normally the membership card is posted out but she arranged for it to be printed urgently and we collected it after lunch.

 

[RooFlyer]

At the little supermarket we found Tassie cherries at $S40 a kg

So that's where they went! We had some rain in early December, so many of the early-ripening cherries were spoiled and very few have been about here; "after Christmas" is the story.

But then a wait for an Avis bus-they seemed rare

Usually my experience at LAX too.

 

[drron]

Actually don't the best of Tassie's cherries now go to China.
But now into the Library.I really recommend visits to Presidential libraries.There is a lot of information there.They do try obviously to leave a favourable view of their President but most don't ignore the failings.

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We don't quite measure up-

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Then there is always the Oval Office as it was in the President's time-

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The jelly beans were part of any office of Reagans.

They had a display of Christmas trees for each decade of US history.In the 1830's it was the time of Davy Crockett and Sam Houston.

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And no prizes for guessing the theme of the 1860's-

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[drron]

There is a special reason for an AFFer to visit Reagan's Library.

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Yes a real Air Force One.A pictorial of it being transported to this site-

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It is the 707 that Reagan and several other Presidents used.

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[drron]

Time to board-

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That's the first class galley.Next the President's office and secondary office-

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The working office and staff office-

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The 1980's and not even lie flat seats for the President.
And last,the Press quarters.

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[drron]

And now to check below-

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And finally a pictorial of US VIP aircraft.

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[drron]

Downstairs from Air Force One were other exhibits.Including his Presidential Cadillac and an escort.

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But there was also Marine One.

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[drron]

Time to board.

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And Ronnie couldn't have been such a bad fellow as downstairs he had a pub.

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As well appropriately-

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And outside as we made our way back to the Library proper-

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[drron]

Back in the main building were records of the things that happened throughout Reagan's life.Taking centre stage were his meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev.

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There were many videos of his speeches.Many I remembered-"Mr.Gorbachev,Tear down this wall "
But many I didn't including one where he took full responsibility for the Iran-Contra affair.
A lot on his life before becoming President.
And many of his sayings-The most terrifying words in the English language-I,m from the Government and I,m here to help.
A recession is when your neighbour loses his job,a depression when you lose your job,a recovery when Jimmy Carter loses his job.
Honey I forgot to duck.First words to Nancy Reagan after the assassination attempt.

One of the interesting things I learnt was that he wrote a diary entry for every day he was President.If you wished you could buy copies.
Presidents can get their hands on interesting things even after their Presidency-

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From the Twin towers after 9/11.
And a collection of his saddles-

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The views.Way in the distance is the Pacific Ocean.Lots of large mansions in the area.

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Ronald and Nancy will be here forever-

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[drron]

There was one more thing I had to see outside before I left-

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A F14A from the Black Aces squadron.
So the last views of the Reagan library from the back-

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And front-

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Time now to head for our lodgings.

 

[drron]

We left the Library at about 1500 and made good time to Pasadena.However from there I210 became a parking lot and we took 2 hours to go the 38 miles to the 4 Points Rancho-Cucamonga.I knew that my SNAs had cleared and we had a suite here.Normally I would not use a SNA at a 4 Points but I had 9 SNAs left with just 9 nights I could use them before they expired.All 9 have cleared.
The room was large with a really large sitting room but without any warmth.To the pics-

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We were feeling pretty tired but fortunately there was one of our go to restaurants nearby-P F Changs.We started with their northern style dry rubbed ribs which we really like.We then shared a miso glazed salmon over mushrooms and Asian greens as well as a crispy honey glazed chicken.We enjoyed each dish.

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With a bottle of Nobilo Sav blanc it was $US70.
Back to the 4 Points hopefully for a good night's sleep.However it is on Foothills Boulevarde which is the old Route 66.The traffic noise was constant all night.There was no sound proofing.So I cannot recomend this establishment.

 

[drron]

Friday and another busy day planned.This time it was to be the Presidential Library of Richard Nixon first and then shopping.I had previously not had a desire to visit the Nixon Library but thought it about time.I am glad I did.
We arrived a little while before it opened so I took a few pictures of the outside.

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There was another Marine One here but outside-

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And we will talk about this building later-

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Then inside.After an Introductory video it was into the Oval Office.This one is good as not roped off and you can wander around.

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[RooFlyer]

Actually don't the best of Tassie's cherries now go to China.

Most of them, probably, but this being Tassie you can get to know the orchardist (or several) and, like being a Stonewaller', regular buying (of not just the cherries at Christmas time) gets you access to the good stuff when it counts. But of course the weather giveth and the weather taketh away.

 

[drron]

A personal touch-

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And I got to sit in the President's chair-

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Until I confessed to speaking to the Russian Ambassador.
Nixon met many people including Kings and Queens-

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He was the first US President to visit China making a point of shaking Zhou-En-Lai's hand.When he was Vice President John Foster Dulles had refused to shake hands when he met Zhou-En-Lai.

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Many things happened during his Presidency including men on the moon-

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But one of the major problems was the Vietnam war and particularly for the US prisoners in Hanoi-

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There was no papering over of the Watergate affair and his eventual resignation.
However there were also reminders of his acheivements.Diplomacy involving China and the USSR.His work in the Middle East particularly getting Anwar Sadat and Golda Meir together despite the 1967 war.Probably the closest the Middle East has been to peace.Since the formation of Israel.
Then there were domestic acheivements including the first Clean Air Act and the formation of the EPA.There were also major advances in education,civil rights and welfare.He tripled the number of women working in the White House and quadrupled the numbers of Latinos and African americans.His successes resulted in one of the biggest wins for a President in his re election in 1972-49 states to 1 + DC.His vote in Mississipi went from 13% to 78%.He won the popular vote by nearly 18 million-the largest margin still.The ultimate irony was that Watergate was totally unnecessary.

So now time to go outside and look at the grounds-

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[drron]

Most of them, probably, but this being Tassie you can get to know the orchardist (or several) and, like being a Stonewaller', regular buying (of not just the cherries at Christmas time) gets you access to the good stuff when it counts. But of course the weather giveth and the weather taketh away.

Yes my information came from an orchardist along with some very nice cherries.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks for showing up the Libraries; had no idea they were there, nor what they had to offer, Definitely on the itinerary next time I'm in LA.

Amazing that the B707s lasted as Air Force One to 2001!!

 

[drron]

I really like the Presidential libraries.So much information and putting it in perspective.We have now been to most of these libraries that commenced with FDR.Only 3 of the 14 libraries still to visit.Later on in this trip we will visit the George H Bush Library leaving only Truman and Eisenhower libraries to visit.

Back to the TR and the gardens of the Nixon Library.The design and plantings were initially supervised by Patricia Nixon.

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The Nixons are buried here-

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Now we come to that little house.The place where Nixon was born.

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[drron]

The palm trees were here in a 1912 photo.The pepper tree was planted by Nixon's father in 1912.The magnolia is a cutting from the one in the White House grounds planted by President Andrew Jackson.

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80% of the items inside the house are original.The wife of Nixon's surviving brother took all that Nixon's parents stuff when they were getting rid of it and put it into storage.All put back here when it became a museum.

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Where Nixon was born.The bed frame is original but not the bedding.

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The stove is not original but the same type as the original.all the pots and pans are original.

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The saddle was his fathers and the tub is where the 5 boys were bathed-cleanest first,dirtiest last.Two of his brothers died of TB.

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