Pensacola, Friday Night

Up with the lark, clearly my body is now fully in tune with Florida time. I present my voucher to the restaurant lady and choose what is called the 1912 breakfast. But, apparently, my full breakfast voucher only allows me to choose from the lowest price items on the menu. Crab cakes with poached eggs in hollandaise sauce is not on the 'allowed' list.
I set off in my Chevy Impala, which I am sadly going to have to return tomorrow, and note that town hall workers are busy removing all of the Spanish flags from the lamp posts.
Hope the king doesn't pop back unexpectedly, but I am sure he'll be told about it when his people read my blog!
I am delighted to be going to visit one of Florida's top 10 attractions, the National Naval Aviation Museum, which attracts more than one million visitors every year.



















My Hertz Never Lost will supposedly take me to tourist attractions, but she dumps me unceremoniously at the gate, telling me I 'have arrived at my destination'. But she clearly knows the police officer on the gate. 'No drivers' licence, no entry'. I had my Navy Club ID, my official press pass with my photograph and several other items of photo ID. But no, I would be 'in violation of both Florida State and Base law'.
So back to the hotel to get my licence out of the safe. It's a good time also to take some photographs of the entrance, the former ticket office of the L and N Railway. An hour later than planned, I present myself at the gate of Naval Air Station Pensacola, where many British and foreign air crew are trained.
Luckily the same police officer was more helpful than the Never Lost when it came to directions. I mean, this place is huge, with its' own dual carriageways. I did ask the Navy PR people to tell me the actual size, but it's obviously highly classified, as they haven't come back to me. Thanks, Harry.
The museum is stupendous. I have a lovely time. There's a real simulator in which you can fly an F14 and even land it on an aircraft carrier. The lady in charge has fun with me and reduces the visibility and increases the sea state after I have made two successful landings. On the third occasion, I park the aircraft one deck too low. It's $25 for half an hour, but so realistic and a lot of fun.
I recover from my nasty crash over lunch in the Cubi bar cafe, which features most of the original fittings from the Officers' Club at Naval Air Station Cubi Point in the Philippines. The base had to be closed after Mount Pinatubo emptied the contents of its volcano over it in 1992. The lady behind the bar, where I feel totally at home, surrounded by 1100 military plaques and other memorabilia, tells me of the havoc Hurricane Ivan wreaked in Pensacola in September 2004.
I also see an excellent IMAX film about the Red Flag multinational air exercises.
But the highlight of the day, undoubtedly, is a crazy hour in an ancient old bus driver by Dave Seiler, long retired from the US Marine Corps. Behind the museum is another huge display of parked aircraft, many of which have been restored by museum volunteers. Dave is a real character and I am lucky to have been squeezed onto the free 'trolley' trip. The ancient vehicle has a lovely wooden body, the museum bought it for just one dollar.
I have planned to spend only the morning and, here I still am, five hours later. The museum staff and volunteers have all been great and it's been a day very well spent.
Just time to see the nearby 1858 lighthouse and back to the hotel, where revellers are gathering for the town's Mardi Gras parade.
Various emails have arrived and have to be printed out. The business cabin on both my Air Tran flights tomorrow, being Saturday, is almost empty, so I have fun moving me into several seats before I make up my mind. There's absolutely nothing from the tourist board who have hardly lifted a finger to help. They have either done nothing at all or done it sloppily. Thank god for Jay, my local contact at Visit Florida.
In my room, there's a big parcel on my bed. Ashley Chisholm, from Pensacola 450, the star supporter of my visit to Pensacola, has kindly left me a whole lot of souvenirs to take home, including the lunch menu from the King's visit yesterday.
Pensacola does have a lot to offer. It's just a great pity that the local tourist board is so keen to keep it hidden.
Well, there's an irony in there somewhere, I guess.