The original target location for the long weekend trip was to see the Concrete Dinosaurs of Cabazon. We wanted to go someplace where there was something for the kids and something for the adults. Websites told us that the Dinosaurs of Cabazon which were as high as 70-80 feet took 10 years to build and they were built with the help and consultation of top paleontologists and included a museum of sorts which educated kids..
We sure had some surprises!
Cabazon must be one of the windiest places in the US! We were almost lifted off the ground the minute we set foot on the parking lot. The high winds, the mountain backdrops and the large dinos in the middle of palm trees set an eerie stage that make it look like they could have walked the very area.
Very lifelike and life size dino's greeted us miles away. The kids and adults had fun posing in front of the dinos, climbing on whatever they were allowed to climb...
You could actually go inside the dino by climbing stairs and the belly of the beast was actually a gift shop! The surprise in the place was not the dinos but the propaganda. There was not much of the original paleontology or science left. Apparently the dino museum is under new management. Right wing creationists have taken over the place. So all the old posters have been replaced by laminated powerpoint slides and new boards which talk about how God created man and dinosaurs and they all lived at the same time.
Guess there are a lot of people who are offended by being related to monkeys! The kids were reading the boards and had too many questions which were funny.
I guess we can call ourselves creative evolutionists?! We teach our kids that god created everything. At least my grandpa taught me that when the celestial beings (Deva's) did a sacrifice many things came out of god including different castes of humans, the sun, the moon, the stars, wind, fire, water, animals, birds etc. etc. which gets passed on to my kids thanks to occasional temple visits, India trips, slokam learning and Amar Chitra Kathas! So there was no issue with god doing the creating part.
As people who are very open to evolution, genetics, DNA, carbon dating, archaeology and paleontology, ie., science in general we believe that the dinosaurs were there a long long time ago before humans were there and were wiped out long before we showed up and evolved into modern day reptiles and birds. The new displays at the dino museum pretty much questioned all of the above!
They even sent T-rex to church which was hilarious!
Guess we all have to get ready for Sarah Palin sooner or later or accept these alternate realities because money can buy everything.. especially science!
Next thing you know the sun and planets will be going around the earth, which happens to be flat and the likes of Kepler, Copernicus and Galileo will be turning in their graves!
As for Watson and Crick, well let us leave those poor souls alone!
Still strongly recommend the Cabazon dinosaurs. You should have no problem if you are into right wing creationism and want to go to church with T-rex!
Otherwise, be prepared to answer questions to your kids. At least they get to know there are people who believe in things that are different and that is a good thing.
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Monday, June 13, 2011 at 6:57PM 
