29th/30th October 2010

Driving on freeways! Nightmare on 45! Houston traffic makes the M25 look like a country lane. At one stage we had 2 intercontinental lorries either side of us, no sky view, all moving at 70mph. Five hours driving to Dallas to the refuge of a Best Western in Dallas. Recovery time short as not walking distance to anywhere - another drive into downtown. parked in 'historic' district. Poor seedy feel like so many city areas next to railway and bus stations. V had looked up the sculpture park and headed there to see one of the best examples of public art we have seen. Life plus bronzes of longhorns on the trail, such real replicas of the cattle and cowboys crossing a stream. Back to our room, exhausted,with some wine and a takeaway from Dennys over the road, pits in diners! Jen then skyped like a ray of sun! So good to see her and hear they are all well. No rush in the morning as just Dallas to explore then drop car off and back to our seedy but comfortable hotel at the airport. All worked so well. Parked in same place as yesterday but no traffic as Saturday. Walked to the book depository museum, site of Kennedy assassination in 1963. Strangely unmoved, sad for the children whose lives were blighted, but perhaps would have been anyway. The only question we both had was would Vietnam have happened in the same way? From our reading last year we concluded that nothing would have ben any different. Same advisors, policies and military men. Johnson just followed the path set on by Kennedy. much glorification of the conspiracy theories but looking at the evidence presented in the museum you wondered where they all came from. Back in the car to the art museum and safe parking. Lunch of delicious boef bourginon to vivaldi. The mourners exhibition of alabaster 15th century figures from the tombs of the dukes of Burgundy, the Valois line, was amazing. from the Carthusian monastary of Champson they were so lifelike. Back almost freeway free to hotel, deposit bags in our room, take car back to Herz, 2 shuttles and back at hotel! Walked across freeway bridge to a red lobster. 5 star diner experience tonight and back for last night in Texas. Caught Laura, still up at midnight. So good to speak to her sounding very up. Nick has new job starting Monday with higher pay teaching french speaking Canadians. He also sounded up just going to a birthday party. Adios Texas!