Traipsing through Texas (cont.)

Photos aren't allowed inside The Sixth Floor Museum.
This is one of the only photographs you can take there.

The next morning, we had a lovely, giant breakfast at Ellen's Southern Kitchen. I had the mushroom toast, hubs got an omelette, and little man had the breakfast enchiladas. Portions were HUGE here, and I think my favorite out of all the plates we tried were the enchiladas! Just divine. We ate our fill (You could easily split plates here.) and drank tons of coffee. Service was quick and friendly, and prices were super-reasonable.

Bellies full, we decided to check out the recommendation of one of our cyber-friends who used to live in Dallas - The Sixth Floor Museum. This museum explores the life, assassination, and legacy of President John F. Kennedy within the context of 1960s history and culture. The multimedia exhibits are housed within the old book depository from which the presidential motorcade was fired upon that fateful day in Dallas. Exhibits are organized in chronological order and feature films, interviews with those involved (or eye-witnesses), a recreated crime scene (in the exact spot of the sniper's nest) and stirring artifacts.

Particularly moving - From the motorcade, JFK was supposed to head to a luncheon, where a group of people awaited him. Of course, he never made it. On display sat his place setting from the event - the untouched plate, silverware, glass, and napkin that were never used. Those little, unfulfilled, expectant things like that broke my heart and spoke to all the what ifs of a life cut short. A really powerful way to tell this story.

We met Big Tex at the Texas State Fair!

Next, we spent some time in the general area. We stood on the grassy knoll and observed at ground level the spot where JFK was shot (marked by a small green "X" on the street). Then, it was back to the hotel for some relaxation and dinner at the on-site restaurant.

Our fourth day in town dawned bright and sunny, but not too hot. We decided to check out the Texas State Fair, which is one of the biggest, oldest state fairs in the United States. It was a week day, and the weather was perfect. We arrived around lunchtime, got in for a steal (They had an entry deal running that day.), and got tickets and a map at a visitors' booth.

The fall display at the Dallas Arboretum is unreal.

This place is HUGE. And spendy. (Get way more tickets than you think you'll need. You use them for everything - food, rides, etc.) But it ended up being one of my my favorite activities of the trip. Rides! Corny dogs! A huge, talking Big Tex statue! The giant Texas Star ferris wheel! The bodiless carnival barker! A butter sculpture that was 6-feet tall! Rope tricks and longhorn cattle! A plant conservatory! A lake with swan boats on it! Taffy for days! Wine tastings! Landlocked surfing demonstrations! We had the BEST time!! So much to see, do, and eat! We went back to buy more tickets twice, and we used nearly all of the tickets we bought. Just go to the Texas State Fair. Just. GO. You won't regret it!

After spending most of the day there, we headed out, just as the evening rush in started. We'd hit the timing and the weather just right. Back to the hotel we went, where we tumbled into bed.

The next day was another beautiful one. We'd heard that the fall display at the Dallas Arboretum was not to be missed, so we piled into the car and set the GPS. Wow. We were greeted with 66 acres filled with 150,000 mums and more than 90,000 pumpkins. This year's theme was The Wizard of Oz, with a show-stopping fanciful garden inspired by the classic story. We walked down the yellow brick road to houses fashioned entirely of pumpkins, encountering the tin man, the scarecrow, and other classic characters along the way.

City views from Reunion Tower!

And once we explored that part of the gardens, we were delighted by the rest - fountains, pocket gardens, perennial beds, a lovely rose garden, koi ponds, a huge and playful children's garden with educational exhibits and play areas. (We loved the secret garden, a maze filled with puzzles to unlock!) We tried to get a late lunch within the gardens, but were stymied by both private events and restaurant closures. We finally grabbed something quick on the way out, at the very last place that was serving food.

Beautiful Reunion Tower

We took a rest at the hotel, then ventured back out. Night had fallen, and we decided to check out Reunion Tower for some night-time city views. (If you know me well, you know that I can't resist going to the top of a tall structure in any city I visit. It's a need, people.) A quick hop later, we were parked and headed up! It was a clear night, and we were treated to panoramic vistas of the city, lit up at night! We took our time at the top, enjoying the breezes and pointing out landmarks we'd encountered previously during our visit. We got a cheesy tourist photo (which I absolutely love) and stayed until the tower closed.

More to come . . .