Fort Smith National Historic Site originally established as a fort to keep the peace as Cherokee and white settlers migrated west into lands already peopled by the Osage. Later this was the site of Judge Issac C. Parker’s court. We visited both the original prison as well as the “modern” jail, Parker’s courtroom and the gallows. We also visited the archeological site of the original fort, walked across the line that marked the border between Arkansas and Indian Territory, and pondered the history of The Trail of Tears which ended near here but began near our home in NC. It was a fascinating visit to a place that played a key role in the history of the American West.
Aboard the Norwegian Jewel we’ve made stops in Cozumel, Mexico and Georgetown, Grand Cayman to explore beyond our previous experiences here. Soon we’ll be making our way to ports we’ve not yet explored in the Southern Caribbean.
What a treat to pause for a BBQ lunch with the locals at Pearl Country Store and Barbecue on US-441 in Micanopy, Florida. It’s a taste of the Florida we remeber from our youth.
By deliberate choice we were in Medina for all the winter holiday festivities from Candlelight Walk in the days before Thanksgiving through A Christmas Carol and A Celtic Christmas as well as an Alex Bevan Concert and a historic house tour all the way through Medina’s 31st Ice Festival but perhaps the highlight was the town hosting hundreds of folks whose homes and lives were devasted by Hurricane Helene at the A Promise of Christmas Event the middle of January. It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing community!
  
  
  
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