Visit Dallas

Dallas is a beautiful city, and an amazing host to the 2014 NAEYC annual conference.  Super-Gemma and I had 4 jam-packed days of sessions, but we were also able to squeeze in a few sight-seeing excursions.  Since it was the first trip to Texas for either of us, we wanted to see everything!

We stayed at the beautiful Hyatt Regency in the West End Historic District.  Reunion Tower is adjacent to the hotel and Dealey Plaza is just a short walk away.

We loved so many things about the hotel -- the omelet chef at breakfast, the comfy couches in the lounge, and these fun glass elevators.  We stayed on the 5th floor, but might have taken the elevators up to the 28th floor a few times just for kicks.  The exciting part is that the elevator goes right through the glass ceiling which is on the 20th floor.  What a thrill!

Reunion Tower is an amazing way to see the city!  We went up 51 stories to the Geo-Deck to get a 360 degree view.  

There are huge touch screen monitors indoors to help identify all the landmarks, and crystal clear views of the city outside on the wrap-around deck.  It was very windy up there!

From the Geo-Deck we could look down on historic Dealey Plaza.

Down on the ground, we walked along Houston Street to the old Texas School Book Depository and current home of The Sixth Floor Museum.  It was eerie and moving to walk along the roads and retrace the path of JFK's fateful day on November 22, 1963.

The museum is very well done, with an excellent audio tour.  Although the exact spot where Lee Harvey Oswald sat is surrounded by glass, we were able to walk one floor above and look out onto Elm Street.  It was a sobering experience.

We also walked outside to the grassy knoll and stood where the Zapruder film was taken.

Dallas has memorialized John F. Kennedy in a number of ways.  This "open tomb" memorial is meant to symbolize freedom. 

After our historic visits to the Kennedy memorials, we decided to kick it up a bit and head into Wild Bill's Western Store.  

Gemma and I are not exactly what you'd call "Southern" so we got a kick out of the Ya'll Come On in sign and the dressing room labeled as a Fittin' Room.

I've never smelled so much leather or seen so many cowboy boots in my entire life.  It was an experience of its own.

Of course most of our time was spent at the Convention Center.  That place is enormous -- a little city of its own!  

Right outside the convention center is Pioneer Plaza where there are dozens of cattle statues.  We had fun taking some silly pictures with them!

We could see this interesting suspension bridge from our hotel window.  It is a humongous structure for a tiny little river.

Finally, as we awaited our shuttle to the airport, it seemed fitting that we would toast our trip the only way that Gemma and I know how -- with chocolate.  Thanks, Dallas, for a great week!