A bit Sad.

It appears PITA won, and the 25 Million it cost the circus, along with protesters hurt.

Cant blame wanting to stop animal cruelty, and I was hoping that the circus would change to animal awareness
instead of tricks.

If one ever gets to Sarasota, Florida, the Ringling Museum is a Must.

and as a PT Barnum Fan, myself, I highly recommend this book.

A read really for everyone, as the personal side shares shares life as the 19th century turned.
How business and the world ran, pre phone and wire, so letter writing to have a business conversation or government
is a big insight.
Our partial Communist Government, Barnums role in Politics,
and his Humanitarian work.

Of course, the greatest showman, and a Brilliant insight into the start of what is like Realty TV and entertainment today
started from his mind.

havent been in ages.....but loved the circus

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Oh, and his home in Bridgeport, CT is a surprise as a Museum!

Maybe? Maybe not....I have a sense of trust in Natgeo

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140221-elephants-poaching-empathy-grief-extinction-science/

Here in Orlando, the show has its last showing.

I havent gone in about 8 years, and then, as now, there are always protesters against the animal treatment.

I respect their right to do so.

I dont respect the use of horrifying images to make their point, which I cant tell you how many young kids start
crying, or dont want to go in to see...spoiling the experience.

I have many fond memories and much time spent on the entire history of the circus, and what it brought to small towns,
and meant to soldiers, young couples to find romance, and to expose people to animals that had never been seen at the time.
No books really, and no other images. The HBO Series Carnivale, showing some of the life style.

From Madison Square Garden to a field in the middle of No where.

But mostly, its the creation of Entertainment as we know today, starting with the Circus. Blows my mind.
Even had an astute dialogue that our election was straight out of the pages of PT Barnum!

In hanging and some of the old folk watering holes in Sarasota, and by chance, I seem to have met many performers, especially
those defined as Freaks and Acrobats. I worked at the Strates Shows Traveling Fairs for a couple summers.

Even having Lunch in front of the Trapeze training grounds last week in Venice....a small outdoor field with Nets and high wires.

I dont the the circus died in the sense that cirque du soleil brings the human form of Circus into todays world.

Heres a link to enjoy the circus in a different way.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/36897

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Thats a painful show, even 40 years ago......3 minutes of entertainment stretched out to an hour and a half.

Many restrictions in travel on public streets started in the 70's, I think. So they stayed closer to Train.

In Orlando, we would watch the Circus procession from the train to the Performance grounds.
It was impressive, the scale of transport.

Another joy was the train that runs to Sarasota for the Winter, and out again in Spring.
I cross the tracks twice on the way to work. Gotta be the longest train Ive ever seen, and the
animal cars are open to air in, I guess for the animals health, and performers, clowns in makeup, would hang out the windows, or on other flat/open cars. Sometimes Id be stuck for over 10 minutes, but enjoyed every second!

To add to our old age and toys, anyone get these as a kid?
They were flashlights we would swing around at the Circus. Madison Square Garden 1966.

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Teddy Roosevelt was an avid hunter, ......while we are addressing animals, and its Friday.....
People feared these great beasts.
It wasnt just a sport, or a trophy to the masses....they feared the beasts, and felt it was a good thing to hunt them.
Sharks felt a similar social hatred after Jaws.

But i credit the circus too, for giving me the few hours i had with the elephants.
The old ones were worn down, and didnt care or were as annoyed as they could show.
The youmg were curious and exceptionally communicative.
Only ruined by the snap of a switch on their ass or side, to make me think this wasnt right.
We would never hit a dog to train.