The thing with the annual subscription

Hands up: who knows that: It's faster than you think and schwuppdiwupp you're signed up at the gym, subscribed to a magazine, bought an annual pass for the zoo or like me, support the ambulatory children's hospice service every year? So there are plenty of subscriptions. That's why we're very happy to be proud owners of an annual pass to the NASA Visitor Center now!

But let me start at the beginning:

On Thursday morning it was very early to get up! Even Frederik was a bit surprised and sleepy. We wanted to leave early to reach our next destination early: the NASA site and its visitor center. If there is something typical of Florida, it's the Space Coast, which has written history in so many different ways - groundbreaking as well as tragic.

Before we left in the morning, we bought our tickets online. For two days, since you never know how it goes with a child and it was more comfortable timewise.

To activate the card for the second day, we should go to the on-site service office. There we were told that we had purchased an annual pass. Well, that gives us even more options now.

The Kennedy Space Center presents itself on the internet as huge - when we stood there in reality, we were initially a bit disappointed. But then we gradually realized that even our two planned days might not be enough considering the wealth of information you get through 3D movies, (original) exhibits, a bus tour of the entire NASA site, etc. On the first day, Marius started with the bus tour and was on the road for almost 3 hours. You get very close to the main building where the rockets are built. It is so tall that the Statue of Liberty would fit in comfortably and still have plenty of room. You can also see the launch points very well, which were constructed from millions of tons of steel. All very exciting!

In the meantime, Frederik and I tried not to get heatstroke and scurried from shade to shade, into air-conditioned restaurants and exhibitions, ate ice cream, and checked out the playground. Unfortunately, the entire area is open, which is not so apparent from the website.

This led to our decision that Marius and Frederik would look for a comfortable and cool alternative program outside the next day, and I would explore the area alone.

Due to the variety and detail of the presentations and experiences, I couldn't see everything either, but I am very satisfied and can highly recommend it to everyone. From the entire Apollo series to Gemini and the real Atlantis shuttle, films about the moon, an interactive model of a rocket launch, everything is included. And of course, it is also impressively presented, so that you either come out of movies or exhibitions very moved or bursting with pride. The Americans know how to create the right atmosphere! They really got it! Just like the moon landing.

We had another attraction planned for the second day: American Police Hall of fame and Museum.

Here, in addition to various police car types, different weapons, gangster stories, old and current liquidation methods, a handful of individual fates of police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty are described. It is the first of its kind in the entire United States and has existed since 1960. In the middle, there is a small chapel, next to it a room lined with light gray marble, in which since 1960, 9002 names of American police officers are engraved, who lost their lives during a mission over the years. Around the room, the floor is lined with photos, letters, and flowers, and in the middle stands a large stone casket covered with the flag as a symbolic representation. Gives you goosebumps, but it's also somehow beautiful to continue to give these people a face. Personally, I like the American attitude on this point, but everyone has to decide for themselves.

Original car with bullet holes. Family, friends, and many others have immortalized their thoughts on it.

After that, we looked for a restaurant for dinner later and drove around a bit and came to a nature reserve and were directed to a manatee viewing deck. And behold: I could have saved myself the money for the lame 90-minute boat tour. There were three large and fat specimens and they were enjoying life and Frederik was even more delighted!

After a delicious meal by the sea with a view of the NASA building in the distance, we ended the evening beautifully.

And the best part comes to an end: We congratulate a man to whom I personally owe a lot and to whom we wish from the bottom of our hearts all the BEST for the next 60 years: my father, Frederik's best friend and ally, and Marius' best father-in-law. ❤❤❤❤