Beautiful memories, Val! It gave me CHILLS!

I love Neil Armstrong's comments though - that this was a world-wide event. Yes - a triumph for the US - but we, as a country, did not OWN it. It was "mankind's".

You're older than I am, Val?? You seem so youthful and exuberant - I assumed I was an ancient spinster compared to you. :)

This is one of those moments that is locked in time. You remember exactly where you where, and experience it just as you did the first time. Thanks.

I think all of us can agree that this was a watershed event in the history of the world. For those of us lucky enough to have experienced it -- I was twelve at the time -- that seminal moment when Armstrong stepped out of the LEM and spoke his simple, powerful words, galvanized our collective imagination. It reminded us of the limitless promise that each of us holds within. Thank you Apollo 11.

I wish I could remember. I was 2 years old. AMAZING.

Youthful? Exhuberant? Val?

I dont remember... But with this post you have made me feel like I was there in your living room. Awesome!

When are you going to write a book dude!

Efrain

George: I know, I know. I'm sure he's a cynical old grouch in reality. :)

George,

You were 12 in 1969? So what does that make you? About 187?

And Ill have you know I am the epitomy of youthfule exhuberance.

I was a little kid too and my dad worked at Cape Kennedy (as it was called then) in the space program. It was an exciting experience. But we had seen so many launches and so many fictional television shows like Lost In Space that its significance was lost on us. I can't believe I could have been so close to events with so little understanding. But I was a little kid. Apollo 13 was much more alive to me later.

But just think: We went TO THE MOON using NINETEEN-SIXTIES TECHNOLOGY! It's frickin' nuts! There were no PCs and not even pocket calculators, just the most primitive tech you could ever imagine. I still cannot believe we made it to the moon on that godawful primitive technology. God does look out for the United States of America. How else can you explain it?

zoom the map all the way in what a hoot !!!

LOL! Coño, dude, your math skills are a little way off... ;-)

OK - the old gruñon (grouch) weighing in - the moment is, to use a cliche, "engraved in memory." What a thrill in my last year of teenage-hood! And I still remember how proud I felt that MY adoptive country had gotten there first! Even in scratchy black-and-white, the image of my countryman descending onto the surface of the moon was stunning. My family was sitting around the TV set, and no one was talking - it was, in a way, as if we were in church. Yeah, I'll throw in a couple more cliches: a quasi-religious experience and proof of the existence of God, as far as I'm concerned.

Then my boss called, excited, and sweetened the moment even more, by giving me the next day off, "just because."

My sister, our husbands and our children all sat up late to watch the moonlanding. No one could have been more thrilled than me and my sister, and our husbands. The kids having watched lots of strange things on cartoons were not nearly as impressed. When the astronauts came to Houston we were there to welcome them in the parade and they noticed the pretty young things on the sidelines and gave us personal waves. Well that was a long time ago and we still remember like yesterday. The kids remember more the books they had on it later when they learned to read!! They mostly remember how excited Mom and Aunt A were. After Sputnik we really needed it.

"And I'll have you know I am the epitomy of youthfule exhuberance."

I can attest to that, Sheila...for his age anyway. ;-)

IT WAS JULY 1969, WE HAD JUST COME FROM CUBA ONLY A FEW MONTHS BEFORE. I WAS IN THE LAUNDROMAT WITH MY MOTHER AND FATHER DOING OUR LAUNDRY, NOT REALLY KNOWING HOW TO OPERATE THE DARN MACHINES...INSERT SOAP HERE...FABRIC SOFTER THERE.....HOT, COLD WATER, DIFFERENT CYCLES..ENGLISH SPOKEN, CAN'T COMMUNICATE. THEN ON THE LITTLE TV NEAR THE DRYERS WE SAW THE FIRST MAN WALKING ON THE MOON, WOW!! AT THE POINT I CAN STILL HEAR MY FATHER SAYING:
CONO SU MADRE!! ESTOS AMERICANOS PUEDEN PONER UN HOMBRE EN LA LUNA Y CASTRO SE SIGUE CAGANDO EN ELLOS..Y NOSOTROS NO DAMOS NI PIE CON BOLA CON LAS PUNETERAS LAVADORAS!!

Carmen, that was wonderful! Why don't you translate what you Dad said for the English speakers. It's great!

Please translate, this is a great example of how google's language tools are somewhat lacking.

Just did the zoom in thing on the google map - yeah, pretty good.

GEORGE AND JAY ..THANK GOD FOR HUMOR IN US CUBANS!!
HERE IS YOUR TRANSLATION!
LITTLE BY LITTLE I FEEL LIKE I AM LIVING THAT OLE SHOW IN THE 70'S "QUE PASA USA" :)

THIS IS MY FATHER WATCHING THE MAN ON THE MOON, WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO LAUNDRY IN A COIN OPERATED WASHING MACHINE AT THE LOCAL LAUNDROMAT.

GOD DAMN MOTHER **&#@#@! THESE AMERICANS ARE SOMETHING!! HERE THEY HAVE A MAN ON THE MOON...CASTRO KEEPS SHITTING ON THEM (AMERICANS)
AND WE (CUBAN REFUGEES) CAN'T EVEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO INSERT COINS AND MAKE THIS **&&^@@ WASHING MACHINE WORK!!
CARMEN

Got it, thanks.

Hey River Rat - I just saw Fox News report on the zoom all the way in thing, they called it "Green Cheese Zoom" (Green? Not Swiss?).

Maybe Fox reads Babalu.