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Outside the Witte (pronounce that "witty") Museum, looks like lunch time
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Nice statue near the entrance
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We have yet to see a live armadillo in the wild. This one's stuffed
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We first saw this unusual bird in Arizona. The Phainopepla is rare enough to not have a common name
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An "awwww" moment . .
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Judy was trying out her new camera in the museum
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Some of the displays were pretty graphic . .
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There was a fascinating display of old magic lanterns
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Some were very elaborate, and could do limited special effects
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They didn't particularly engage the video game generation . . .
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Most of the slides were hand painted - this shows Pocahontas saving John Smith
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Cattle horns were cheap and strong and made some interesting furniture
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An interesting display on the last Mexican Emperor - Maximillian I, appointed by Napoleon III in 1864, executed in 1867.
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The most popular exhibits highlighted Texas life
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A theatre highlighted the lives of 8 significant Texans
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Texas has an interesting road system, including Farm Roads and Ranch Roads funded separately from "state" roads
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That's Barney Smith's Toilet Seat Art Museum.
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And that's Barney Smith, showing off his latest work of art
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He knows where every seat is hung, and will fetch one at the slightest provocation
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He's had visitors from most states, and we signed the Oregon seat . . .
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Barney's been on several national TV shows, and has the seats and videos to prove it . . .
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That's his very first seat, plastered with a bunch of hunting licenses
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He has toilet seats commemorating almost everything
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Lots of his creations memorialize special family events
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He used to do oil paintings, but found the toilet seat art more satisfying
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He says it's his widest seat, festooned with medals of all kinds
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He shows us his favorite toilet seat . . .
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There might somewhere be another toilet seat museum, but there's only one Barney Smith
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We watch the birds, the birds watch us . . .
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Outside Fredericksburg TX, the reconstructed remains of Fort Martin Scott
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The fort built in 1848 pretty much jump-started the town of Fredericksburg. It was abandoned 5 years later
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Many of the signs feature paintings by one of the fort's commanders
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Lots of artifacts were uncovered when the fort was excavated in 1986
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A three-room barracks housed upwards of 16 men in very uncomfortable surroundings
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This barracks building was being refitted as a small meeting facility.
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The main reason we came to Fredericksburg TX was to tour this museum . . .
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This 1938 battle pennant of Commander Marion Miles translates to "What the Hell". When first flown in battle, it so confused the Chinese they stopped firing.
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The museum has a few WW2 planes and vehicles, but it's mostly a really engrossing history lesson
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This damaged tank illustrates the heroism of one soldier, who appears on the overhead monitor
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The Japanese fought furiously with some advanced technology for the time
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There are probably some Oregon loggers who've been on roads like this . .
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Richly detailed animated maps illustrated how and why some battles happened. They concisely provided a lot of information.
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Admiral Nimitz used a personal launch, or barge, similar to this while stationed at Pearl Harbor
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This rare Japanese "Rex" float plane was introduced late in the war and never achieved potential
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A replica of the "Little Boy" A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima
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Late in the war, Japan started flying Kamakazi planes like this one that obviously missed a target
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In a Canadian wing of the museum, a display of unique images painted on Japanese kimonos
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The artist, a Japanese-Canadian, wanted to memorialize the treatment of so many Japanese during WW2
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Notices of restrictions applying to "persons of the Japanese race" were widely distributed in Canada's western provinces . . .
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Outside, markers commemorate all US Presidents who served in the military during WW2
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Great fountain featuring a propeller from an Essex-class aircraft carrier
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The Japanese Memorial Garden was presented by the people of Japan
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The Admiral Nimitz Museum is housed in the old Nimitz Hotel, restored when it became a museum
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Nimitz (right) accepted an appointment to Annapolis after his first choice, West Point, was unavailable
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Couldn't take pictures inside, but Judy shows up nicely against an 8ft bronze Nimitz
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Nimitz lost part of a finger as a young ensign demonstrating a machine, and the statue reflects that
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Al does his good deed for the day . . .
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Free food! The new Whataburger opened and we were invited to the VIP preview. Free brought out the crowd . . .
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The friendly counter crew were very busy that night . . .
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One night we went to a place called Catfish Haven. Judy pronounced it "Yummy".
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And we spotted these albino catfish on the way out. We'll end here . . .