An unassuming yet beautiful entrance - I wasn't disappointed with the beauty of the Gipper's digs.
Ronald Reagan, our 40th president, bronzed to greet visitors to his library.
A 2/3-sized replica of the White House Rose Garden. Pretty cool, but all of the roses weren't in bloom. But, it must look beautiful when they are!
Two breathtaking views from the library, which sits high atop a mountain. Well, it's more than a hill but probably less than a full-blown mountain, but the views are amazing. 
Another view of Simi Valley - this one is from the back of the library. 
This is an actual section of the Berlin Wall - this side was in West Berlin, as evidenced by the graffiti on the wall... 
...on the East Berlin side, there are no markings, because anyone who got too close to the wall risked being shot by guards, blown up by land mines or being cut by the miles and miles of barbed wire. 
The Reagan Library is one of only two libraries in the presidential library system, which is administered by the National Archives, to have a full-scale replica of the Oval Office (President Clinton's is the other). It's a pretty awesome recreation; I know the word "awesome" is thrown around and hackneyed, but in this case, it's certainly apropos. 
The absolute crown jewel of the library is a completely rebuilt Boeing 707 that served as Air Force One for five presidents. I could have stayed there all day shooting it, but unfortunately, photography in the interior of the plane of prohibited. 
The plane was repainted after it was put back together inside the library. It looks like the library polishes it pretty often, too, because the plane just sparkled on the outside! 
This gives you the idea of the size of this plane - it's huge!
This is my favorite shot of my entire visit. This is quite a view - visitors can walk directly under the plane and by the landing gear to get an idea of the scope of the plane. Walking under this 707, I realized that this is the first time I'd ever been under a plane anywhere near this size. Even more sobering is the realization that the current planes that serve the president are much larger Boeing 747s. Wow!
A better view of Air Force One - right after I took this, I had to lower my camera - security's rules.
There were photos at the library that showed this exact sign where Checkpoint Charlie was.
A Reagan-era presidential limo, which looks antiquated by today's standards. I can still remember the day he was shot - March 30, 1981. I was in 5th grade, and me and my family were glued to the TV for the entire night and the following days. I can't believe it's been nearly 30 years. I didn't cover every inch of the library, but I saw no mention of the attempt on his life.
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Happy New Year, everyone! Please stop back early in 2011 - I have many things planned, including MANY more pictures than this year, and a new Website, too. Party safely tonight!
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