I didn't expect to be blogging while in Oklahoma City, but here I am. I have absolutely no idea of what is happening in the outside world, as I have only seen a late-night local news show since I arrived. But I am having a ball... Flew in with no problems on Monday, with Kathy and Jim taking me to the airport. Checked my bag, got my boarding pass, and wandered down to the farthest end of Terminal C for my flight. Ended up sitting in row 6, and had an extremely enjoyable flight. The flight time was 1 hour and 9 minutes, and instead of calling my hotel for the shuttle, I took a cab. Mistake. It's pretty much a straight shot from the airport to my hotel, but that wasn't the way the young man drove me - and he seemed to be totally dependent upon his GPS, which kept going out... Once we got on Meridian Avenue, where the hotel is, he kept saying, "It's not far, now..." with each block. I was watching the building numbers on the street, and finally told him, "It's 8 blocks down on the left..."
OKC is extremely spread out - the next time I visit I'll know to either (a) drive, (b) rent a car for myself, or (c) choose a hotel that's close to the places I want to visit... Other than that one observation, I'm having a fantastic time. Monday afternoon I wandered around the Stockyards area, poking my nose into the Stockyards, themselves, and visiting a large array of Western stores and saddle and tack shops. I had supper at the Stockyards Cattlemen's Restaurant. I think that it was the best steak I've ever eaten - and I couldn't finish it.
Yesterday I spent the day with my cousin Sarah and her family at the 45th Infantry Division Museum. They had driven down from Wichita, and since they were visiting a history museum with their family, both girls were marked as being in class and getting credit for extracurricular activities. The displays at the museum were fascinating - original drawings by Bill Mauldin; a collection of over 200 historic weapons (from Brown Bess blunderbusses to items used in the Gulf Wars); photos of the troops in action in World War I, WWII, the Korean War, and Viet Nam. The Division liberated the Dachau Concentration Camp, with photos and mementos of that occasion; they were also the first American troops at Adolf Hitler's vacation house, apartment in Berlin, and in the bunker where he committed suicide. They also have a 15 acre campus outside with various Jeeps, tanks, trucks, artillery pieces, helicopters, planes, and a scud missile launcher. We had a wonderful time, and I was able to meet Ashley, Kristie and James. I think everyone had a great time.
Today I was at the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and at the OkC Museum of Art - they have fantastic glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly - and also have a display of Italian masters covering 500 years that's on loan from the Glasgow Museum. It is gorgeous! After this quick library break, I'm walking down to Bricktown to wander around and look and shop.... And Mary should arrive tonight from Florida, so we'll be spending the next few days at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum... Oh, boy!!!
I'll be back on Saturday!
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