Texas: July 2017
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Dallas has so many interesting places to see, with historic sights alongside the modern, but we had two specific places we wanted to visit on this trip: the Sixth Floor Museum and the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
We stayed downtown just a few blocks from the Sixth Floor Museum which we visited on our first day in Dallas. The Museum occupies the top two floors of the seven-story former Texas Book Depository and the exhibits examine the life, times, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. Photography was not allowed in the museum exhibits.
Architect Philip Johnson called it "a place of quiet refuge, an enclosed place of thought and contemplation separated from the city around, but near the sky and earth."
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This simple, concrete memorial to President Kennedy dominates a square in downtown Dallas 200 yards from where the President was assassinated, and was dedicated in 1970.
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We had a wonderful meal at Meso Maya, a restaurant housed in a Dallas Landmark, the 1924 Luna Tortilla Factory building.
We spent the next morning touring the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas.
One of the most meaningful and sobering exhibits was "A Nation Under Attack", dedicated to the events of September 11, 2001, and honoring those who lost their lives. Artifacts included steel from the World Trade Center. There was also an exact replica of the Oval Office as it was during the Bush Administration.
The "Portraits of Courage" exhibit features 66 full-color portraits and a four-panel mural painted by President Bush of members of the United States military who have served our nation with honor since 9/11, and whom he has come to know personally since leaving office. President Bush’s author proceeds from his book, "Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors", are being donated to the Military Service Initiative, helping post-9/11 veterans and their families make successful transitions to civilian life with a focus on overcoming the invisible wounds of war.
Then we headed to Austin, meeting up with our friend Sandra Morrow. We were introduced to her favorite BBQ restaurant, Rudy's, now our favorite too! We visited the Texas State Capitol, and later saw over a million bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge just before sundown, as they do every summer night.
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The Capitol building, completed in 1888, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. It features an impressive dome crowned by "Goddess of Liberty", a nearly 16 foot tall statue of a woman holding up a gilded five-pointed star.
The following morning was spent at the LBJ Presidential Library. Among the exhibits was one that covered the events of November 1963, when LBJ transitioned to the presidency, and an interactive exhibit about the Vietnam Conflict.
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The Legacy Gallery is dedicated to the impact President Johnson had on America. From the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act to requiring that seat belts be worn in cars, LBJ made significant changes to everyday life in America
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We had lunch at Chuy's, a Mexican restaurant with delicious food and eclectic decor (including Elvis), and then said goodbye to Sandra. Next we were off to San Antonio where our hotel was located conveniently adjacent to the River Walk and we enjoyed a narrated ride on one of the barges.
Our morning plans included breakfast at The Magnolia Haus (if it's good enough for Guy Fieri, it's good enough for us!), and then a visit to the Headquarters of Bible Study Fellowship, a ministry we've both been involved with for many years.
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We drove to Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, the largest of the Texas missions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Considered the “Queen of the Missions”, it was founded on February 23, 1720, and moved to its current location along the San Antonio River between 1721 and 1724. After our visit we had lunch at Mi Tierra Café Y Panadería, a landmark Tex-Mex restaurant established in 1941.
Of course, a visit to San Antonio has to include a stop at the Alamo. The site now known as the Alamo began its existence as Mission San Antonio de Valero and was founded in 1718. Today the Alamo, home of the famous 1836 battle, is the heart of San Antonio and is Texas' most visited historic landmark. The chapel of the Alamo Mission (shown left and below) is known as the "Shrine of Texas Liberty".
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After leaving San Antonio the next morning, our first stop was the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, and our third presidential library visit this trip.
During George Bush's term, the Cold War ended, the Soviet Union ceased to exist, replaced by a democratic Russia with the Baltic states becoming free, the Berlin Wall fell and Germany was reunified with Eastern Europe. In the plaza (above right) is sculptor Veryl Goodnight's "The Day the Wall Came Down: A Monument to Freedom". Its "sister" casting is on display at the Allied Museum in Berlin. The Library also contains a portion of the Berlin Wall.
Now it was time for our much anticipated visit to Waco. We had a great introduction to the city with Waco Tours. Jack and Randy were our excellent guide and driver, and they made the tour both informative and humorous. We saw highlights of Cameron Park, Baylor University, downtown Waco, and of course, things related to Fixer Upper's Chip and Joanna Gaines.
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We stopped at Heritage Creamery and Common Grounds, next door to each other, for either an ice cream or coffee treat. During the tour we drove by some of the Fixer Upper homes and heard the stories behind the renovations.
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We ended our day in Waco with those cupcakes from the Silos: Lemon Lavender for Sandi and Banana Pudding for Steve. The next morning, after our second fabulous Cotton Palace breakfast, we set off for the Dallas Airport and the trip home.
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