California Science Center

Another part of my parents' present to us was admission to the Endeavour and Cleopatra exhibits at the California Science Center.

They are working together to lift a truck on the other side of the scale.

I didn't know that the Endeavour had been built in California. With NASA's ending the space shuttle progam, the Endeavour was brought home to stay.

I was amazed at how much thought and effort were put into each shuttle and mission.

For instance, the tiles on the outside of the shuttle were designed for each specific spot. They are placed on a foam which is attached to the shuttle. They are not attached directly to the shuttle because the shuttle expands and contracts due to the flux in temperature it experiences. If they were attached directly to the shuttle, they would crack.

While it is exiting and re-entering the atmosphere the tiles experience intense heat. Some parts of the shuttle experience greater temperatures than others. However, when it is in space the temperatures are well below freezing. I can't remember the price range exactly, but one tile could cost $2,000. As I contemplated how many tiles there were in a square foot, the expense was overwhelming to think about!

I was surprised at the things I don't even think about, like gravity! It's interesting that the astrounauts would work out in space, and I think may have undergone a little pt when they got back...

The tickets we purchased were really for spots in a line that began at the time you signed up for. It was neat to have the rest of the Science Center to explore a little while you waited for your time to line up. Much of it was unchanged from last summer when we came.

The Cleopatra exhibit was fascinating too. I didn't realize that the Cleopatra the exhibit was about is actually Cleopatra the seventh. I thought there was only one Cleopatra. I also didn't know that she was part Greek. Perhaps I hadn't been paying as close attention in all of my history classes as I thought!

They had these controllers that looked like remotes that could be hung around your neck. Throughout the exhibit there were numbered plaques. When you pushed the corresponding number, "Cleopatra" would give you added insight. There was a small round speaker at the top, so you would hold that speaker to your ear like a phone to hear her.

She could speak several languages, and read several languages as well. She was very intelligent, and seemed charismatic. I didn't remember she had four children.

There were so many aspects of their culture and time period that were very different. Siblings married eachother to ensure undisputed power. She also married her 3 year old son. Being part Greek, they blended Greek culture with Egyptian culture. The sphynx I think is a blend of Greek and Egyptian cultures.

They did such a great job with the exhibit! I was drawn in and could have spent several more hours there! I'm sure it won't surprise you that I was the one everyone else was waiting for to finish...in my defense, after having lost Malia the day before, I was determined not to repeat that!

Flash photography was not allowed in the exhibit, so the pictures aren't the best quality.

I didn't know that much of Alexandria and the places where Cleopatra lived were lost to floods. The artifacts on display had been submerged in water all this time! It was so interesting to me and made my imagination crave more!