At some point Michael and I decided to go into Dallas and spend the night as the Texas miles here are loooooong! We didn’t want to spend five hours on the road going to Dallas from Holly Lake Ranch, and then back to Holly Lake Ranch after our segway tour. We just didn’t feel part of a day would do justice to Dallas and all we wanted to see. I went on Priceline and got an Express Deal at a Crowne Plaza Resort; the actual price was $67.00 but with taxes and Priceline fees, it was a little over $80.00.
Driving to Dallas. We both observed and opined that the miles are longer and the travel time is slower in Texas. It is as if the humidity is so thick and syrupy that it slows you down and makes progress a struggle.
We decided to leave around 8:00 AM to miss the Dallas traffic. We got into Dallas about 10:30 AM and headed to the Perot Museum. Parking was across the street and cost $10.00. The museum tickets were $13.00 each. The museum was very high tech and very interesting. Michael loved it and was acting like a little kid. He said it was his second favorite (his most favorite is still the Field Museum in Chicago). Lots and lots of hands on displays and exhibits in the Perot Museum. We left around 1:00 PM because we wanted to make sure we got to our segway tour on time.
Perot Science and Natural History Museum.Walkway heading inside.Pretty woman exploring.You ride up several escalators and start at the top and work your way down.I like the roof covering. Looks natural, appropriate to the area, and as if it will last a very long time.The beginning.Begins with the big bang.Gives excellent clear explanations about the inner workings of the formation and movements within the universe.Noting pioneers in several areas along the way.Excellent copies of Galileo’s drawings of the moon.Lots and lots of displays.A place where I could spend hours.See the crack in the center?Funny read.Excellent examination of how life and evolution work.Lots of nice exhibits.The skeleton, nearly complete, found in Texas.Texas mammoth story.Great section on geology.Water.Pretty woman and a kid on a shaking floor earthquake simulator, set at maximum.The hydrological cycle is well done.An excellent section on weather.Fun green screen simulations.Tornado.My first disappointment. No attempt to address global warming.Infrared images of Grumpy taking a picture of Pretty Woman.She dances, it dances.Had no idea there were so many Nobel Laureates at UT Southwestern.The Texas bias or necessity.Drill bits.Working model, the head is slowly spinning.Bathroom break. Modern restroom, all touchless.It is just cool, about 3 inches deep.Another view of the roof – from the second floor this time.Exiting, I was struck how much I liked the tall grass at floor level and the privacy it creates.Fun fact on the way out.
We headed the mile or so towards the segway tour and found parking ($15.00 for a full day). We thought we might go see the 6th Floor Museum at the book depository building if we got back from the tour on time (didn’t work out). We walked around for a little bit and saw the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial, which is supposed to be a calming respite in the middle of a busy and loud city. It was a bit underwhelming for me but I’m sure many people enjoy it. There were other water features and things that we got to see.
Meant to represent an open tomb.Looks like there was once water in the center.The Dallas Memorial for JFK. It needs a freshening up. Supposed to look like it floats at night.Don’t know where it came from, positive not the original though.Just outside the Kennedy Memorial.Probably available for tour.
We were getting hungry so we went across the street to a Latin deli that was absolutely delicious, even though it was a bit “hot.” Michael and I split a chicken sandwich with the best fries ever.
Wanted just a little bite, maybe split a sandwich.It was the cold drinks part that caught my eye.Great signs inside the place.Inspiring sentiments.Latin infusion killer chicken sandwich with seasoned fries, wow, great. I want another just looking at it.
We’re thinking we want to go back and eat tomorrow because we have another tour (Groupon cruizer tour) to do in that area.
We walked over to the segway tour office at 900 Jackson, in a beautiful building with wi-fi and air conditioning. We felt we had hit the jackpot because we were able to sit on comfortable seats, cool down, and catch up on the internet. (100 today with high humidity.)
Our segway tour starting location.This is a fully restored building.Very cool and comfortable, a great place to wait for our tour to start.Fully restored and beautiful inside, pretty woman admiring.
The tour guide’s name was Doug and he was very informative and fun, and did a great job. He trained all of us on the segways, and we were glad because these were newer and slightly different then the ones we used in Chicago.
Center left, orange ball, has a person in it bouncing off others in the ball suits. Had to insist Edie not go play. About 100 today with 95 humidity.Beginning lessons, this is the lecture and demonstration portion,
There were a total of seven of us (including Doug). Doug took us to places Michael and I would have never found and we were so glad we got to see – Pioneer Square; First Baptist Church with the most beautiful and unusual fountain we’ve seen; Thanksgiving Square; city park; Dealey Plaza;a giant eyeball park; and he showed us and explained everything that happened when JFK was shot. Great tour! Loved it.
Pioneer Park, largest collection of bronze statues in the world. They add a new one (steer) regularly.Three cowboys and 49 cattle.Federal Building.City Hall. Our guide tells us the supports are non functional and ordered added by the City Counsel out of fear that people would not feel safe in a building that looks like it will tip over.Center of photo, artistic structure is a peace officer memorial. The metal roof has the badge numbers of the fallen officers punched out and the sun light projects their number on the walkway below.
Peace Officer Memorial.The ornate brick building in the center was once the tallest in Dallas and was built by Busch of Anheuser Busch. There was a close relationship with St Louis.Pegasus, (Red Flying Horse on top of building) the corporate emblem for Mobil Oil, now the city symbol.Purportedly, the remnants of the first time Conrad Hilton put his name on a hotel.At the edge of the art district, values are rising.About 10 years old – the First Baptist church is nothing if it is not beautiful.Lots of political clout. Boasting 10,000 plus members.At night a light and water show is performed every hour on the hour.Hunt Oil headquarters.T. Boone is big around here.Thanksgiving park memorial. The mural is based on a Norman Rockwell painting.An attempt to bring many that are different together.An acoustical oddity, when you stand in the center and speak, your voice is amplified in your ears. A fun and odd experience.$5. and you can ride all day until 3 AM. It is fairly extensive and a bargain.There are not that many pedestrians in downtown Dallas because of underground walkways.The tour guide, Doug, said developers applied to put a parking garage here and were told it would be an eyesore. The powers said it had to be art. The developers got this from Chicago, supposedly to drive home what an eyesore looks like.lPassing a park with rocks and some water features.Statue of Dealey, really the founder of Dallas, a businessman.Second window down from the top right. We will tour the museum next trip.The grassy knoll.Approximate first shot location.Approximate second shot.Approximate area where the third shot was fired.
When the tour ended we were both soaked in sweat and pretty tired. We waited in the segway office lobby until we cooled down a little, then we left for our hotel (about five miles away). When we checked in we got some cold water and a room on a high floor. It’s a lovely hotel and the employees are very friendly and nice.
Crowne Plaza.Look nice but they were rough.Okay appointments.Pretty comfortable side chairs.Nice bathroom. Edie got her bath.Hazy out the 19th floor.
We decided to eat at the hotel and it was a good choice as the cobb salad Michael and I had was so fresh and delicious, plus they had huge portions. The rosemary flat bread Michael ordered was really good and could have been a meal in itself (almost like a pizza).
Flat bread with mozzarella, arugula and tomatoes. Way more than we expected, much more like a really nice pizza.Cobb salad. We both took about 9/10 of the blue cheese off. Otherwise delicious.Edie’s.
We are now back in our room watching NCIS, tired, exhausted, and full but looking forward to another fun day in Dallas. That was our day. Hope yours was great!
