Les and Marcia's Bohemian Life: Full Disclosure – WE LOVE THE DALLAS

Dallas Fort Worth

We didn’t even scratch the surface here. We tried to do our very best to be good tourists. We know there is so much more to do and see!!

* But of course this is Paris Texas

We were happy to find Wagon Master RVPark in Sanger. It is family owned and has many wildflower beds and an Alpaca pasture with its faithful guard dog. It is also a nice distance from the cities. Not to be missed in Sanger – www.babeschicken.com

*Osage Oranges and wild flower beds were thoughtfully placed all around the RV park

The Fort Worth Stockyards are an experience unto itself. At first feeling it was as if we were on the MackinawIsland of the west. The streets are lined with gift stores, fudge shops and restaurants. To paraphrase the wisdom of my father – Looks like a G*&%*n tourist trap. It is a place that you could spend much money. Step back and let yourself see the history. There is the Cowboy and Cowgirl hall of fame, Chisholm Trail markers, Stockyard maze, Cactus gardens, Billy Bobs (the largest Honky Tonk in the world) and lots of cowboys, horses and longhorns. The one thing I would suggest is to close East Exchange Ave off to car traffic. It would be no hard ship to traffic to do this and would lend it self positively to the experience. This is a great place to sight see and people watch. The not to miss event is the twice daily (11 am and 4 pm) longhorn drive down E Exchange Ave. The herd is driven by Cowboys from feed lot to feed lot. We started watching from the feed lot. The low energy cowboys ( I am sure that is to keep the cattle calm)and cattle roamed out of the lot. We ran through the Stock Exchange Building to see the cattle on Exchange Ave. Yep here they come. Ok – we ran through the building again to see them come back. – Yep here they come. The cattle were happy to see the hay bails waiting for them. No need to hurry. The hay will be there. Whew, no life or limb or sweat was broken during this cattle drive. Yes I still loved it. The air is filled with BBQ aromas –I doubt if there are any bad places to eat. We ate in the Stockyard Station – which is full of individual amazing smelling places to eat.

*See it would be so much nicer with no cars

* Just outside the Cowtown Coliseum

*In case you would like to ride a longhorn - you can do it here

* Yep I am wearing my rodeo safety hat

* Look out here come the Longhorns

* no kidding - these are amazing animals

* Just checking out the activity

It was Saturday and we had tickets for the rodeo.The Cowtown Colisium gave us a great rodeo.It was all of the excitement, thrills and skill we could hope for.I am hopeful this won’t be our last rodeo during our trip.

*It was hard to get any good shots - but I am pretty proud of these (*-*)

This is a test – Where are we?

*Big Texas Ranch

* Patio where there were many family meals and fights

*Big give away here

YES!!! It is Southfork Ranch!!!!

During the original series only the exterior of South Fork was filmed – The interior has now been remodeled to replicate the Hollywood sets. The new series does film on this location and has built new buildings for filming. I am now compelled to start watching again. I had the most fun watching the other visitors. Grandmas were swooning for JR. There was a group of young Irish tourists who continued to quote and relive scenes from the series. Everything about Southfork made it for a very smiled filled visit.

* Y'all come back now ! Ya hear

It is no secret that Les and I are huge fans of the Bush family. So when we went to the George W, Bush Library and Museum we wanted it to be great. It WAS! The first impression was the landscaping. From the parking lot to the building was completely done in prairie grasses and wild flowers. You will have to go through a scanner as you enter, so leave you corkscrew in the car (Yes I did it again). To guide you through you can take an ipod and listen to the points of interest. You can also take pictures with it and email them to yourself. You walk into a open theater with a great 360 degree patriotic presentation (about 5 minutes long). The museum takes you through GW early years, elections and his and Laura’s administration objectives. Then you turn the corner and the shock of our world changing slaps you in your face. I did bite my lip and fight tears here. You are invited to come into the Oval Office. Everything here is a perfect replica but sitting at the desk and on the furniture is encouraged. Oh Yes take pictures!! We both loved the Decision Points Theater. You are given presidential issues and choose how you would handle these situations with the information you have from your advisers. Just as you are about to choose there is breaking info – just the coolest and most stressful experience. – The temporary exhibit is of GWs paintings. Honestly – a lot better then I was thinking they would be. This is was everything and more then we were hoping for.

* Prairie grass and wildflower landscapes are perfect for this area

*360 degree sky film

* Tower pieces

* Looks like a natural fit to me

* Don't miss this chance to simulate making decisions and feel the outcome

* Barney and Miss Beasley

The same day was a visit to Dealey Square and the Sixth FloorMuseum. This is the building where JFKs Sniper waited to kill him. No photos on the sixth floor only the seventh. You start with the Kennedy family history, his presidency and the excitement and tragedy surrounding the trip to Dallas. The 6^th floor window corner has been replicated to depict the condition of the building on that day. You feel the National and world wide mourning. Experience the investigations and conspiracies and seeing the legacy of our Camelot president. The museum is very well put together, reverent and appropriately joyful. The 7^thfloor has many photographs but the huge photomosaics steal all of the attention. Each portrait contains 50,000 images to create the mosaics. Those are just really cool!

*this little pics make up

*This big pic

Several years back we visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington DC with our son Max. It was amazing. However, the newer, faster and cleaner Fort Worth location is a marvel. It is set up to be more efficient and visitor friendly. You can watch the process from paper sheets to the bills being banded for shipment –yes and we did see some machines get stuck –it is a marvelous factory. There is an info movie, historical and interactive museum and an audio self guided tour and of course a gift shop. This is a free tour and leave your cameras at home.

* This is all I got

Dallas and Fort Worth both have too many art museums to choose from. We picked Amon in the Cultural District of Fort Worth. Yes it is free and full of western art ( much Russell and Remington) with a nice touch of Americana from the 19^th and 20^thCentury. Side note on art – All I have to do is like it – I really don’t need much more then that. Amon fit the bill for me and I am sure that the more art educated would find it nice too.