Traveling Rat Royce

	*Dallas* It was supposed to be warm and sunny but it turned chilly and cloudy. Still, that didn't keep my host and myself from having tons of fun around the city of Dallas. Here we are visiting the Museum of Natural History.
	We took in an outdoor exhibit of metal dinosaurs. These "chromosaurs" are made entirely of automobile bumpers! They still look awfully big and dangerous to someone as tiny as me.
	Isn't this a lovely agave (ah-GAH-vay) plant? It's an Agave americana. My host would like to have some in her yard. Prickly, but stunning. If you knew that tequila was made from agave, good for you! But tequila is made from the blue agave, not the species pictured here. At this site, you can learn more about tequila and agaves than you could ever want to know!
	After our trip to the museum, it was onward to Dealey Plaza. Dealey Plaza is the location of the founding of the city, so it really is the heart of Dallas.
	Here is a picture of the Old Red Courthouse, shown with a reconstruction of John Bryan's courthouse standing in front of it. The cabin has been moved to elsewhere in the Plaza.
	This log cabin is similar to the one built by John Bryan in 1841 and is near the Old Red Courthouse. Bryan's original cabin served Dallas as a post office and courthouse.
	Me in front of the Old Red Courthouse. This Romanesque structure is known locally as "Old Red." It overlooks Dealey Plaza. It was constructed in 1890 and will soon be used as history museum.
	Of course Dealey Plaza is less well known as the place where Dallas was founded and the location of its courthouse, and more well known as the location of the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
	The Texas School Book Depository Building was the location where Lee Harvey Oswald waited for the motorcade to come by. The fatal shots were fired from the sixth floor of this building.
	A shot of the former Texas School Book Depository Building.
	The site of the assassination marked on the pavement.
	The infamous "grassy knoll" where some believe there was a second gunman.
	After visiting Dealey Plaza and learning about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, it was time to look a bit on the lighter side of things. Our afternoon was spent exploring the Old City Park, which has 38 historic buildings that represent the kinds of buildings constructed around Dallas between 1841-1910. Here I am with a blacksmith in front of a farmhouse that dates from 1861. The blacksmith showed me his tools - and, eek! - that really is a red-hot poker!
	Here is the blacksmith at his forge working on a special piece just for me. It is so great to travel around and meet so many friendly and interesting people! My host and I were so touched by the blacksmith's generosity.
	After saying goodbye to our friend the blacksmith, we headed over to some of the other buildings in the park. This is the Miller Log House. This building functioned as one of the earliest schools in Dallas.
	The Sullivan House was occupied for 100 years by the same family. It was one of the first houses in town to have indoor plumbing and gas lighting.
	Next my host and I visited the Renner School, which was built in 1888. It remained a school until 1919.
	While in the Renner School, my host decided to play student. Since we had learned so much about Dallas today, I quizzed her about the history of the city. She certainly thinks she knows the answer to my question. I should have made it tricker and quizzed her about my hometown!
	This is Reunion Tower, which is part of the Hyatt Regency Hotel complex. It is one of the most stunning buildings in the Dallas skyline.
	It was lovely to get in from the cold and have a chance to sample some of the food Texas is famous for - Tex-Mex. This is the oldest known Tex-Mex restaurant, El Fenix, which has been serving people since 1918. If you come to Dallas, make sure to sample the authentic stuff here! It's great!