I'm at it again. I have had the travel bug for far too long and needed to get out of Albuquerque. Out of spontaneity, I made a last minute decision to go to Dallas for a night. In less than 24 hours I was able to indulge in some history, site seeing, and imbibing.
I had left Albuquerque early Wednesday morning to arrive at Dallas-Ft. Worth around 9:30am. When I had arrived, I figured taking a cab would be the easiest way to get to my hotel. I thought wrong. It was around $50.00 for a one way into the downtown Dallas area! I had to do some other meandering so I knew $50 a pop would not work out in my favor. When I got to the hotel, I noticed an Enterprise Car Rental that was conveniently located next door. This was the very first time in my 25 years of existence that I have rented a car on my own. I'd say this was a big step for me.
I stayed at the Hotel Indigo in Downtown Dallas. It is a lovely boutique hotel with easy access to all of the Downtown Districts. For a Queen sized room, I paid around $120.00 for the night. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but I wanted to treat myself. The reviews on the location and staff had nothing but great things to say so I figured I would try it out.
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| Hotel Indigo lobby |
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| Living Room |
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| Vanity |
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| Phi Bar and Restaurant |
As per usual when I am on a sporadic trip, I dive into the new city and find my way around. I started off Elm St. and ended on Maine St.
During my walk-about, I ran into a few historically interesting places...
Does this picture ring a bell from history courses in high school? If not, it should. This is the site where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I walked about a mile to specifically get to this location from Hotel Indigo to take some pictures. My visit made something that seemed so surreal during my studies just come to life by the site of it. Granted, there are new structures built around Elm Street for tourists, but it looks the same as it did 50 years ago. That's right, it has already been 50 years since the JFK conspiracy took place.
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| The Grassy Knoll |
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| Sixth Floor is where Lee Harvey Oswald was said to have shot the President |
The only downside to this area is that on every corner and sidewalk are middle aged men hassling you to buy an "original" newspaper about the assassination. Once you say no, they will ask if you want to have your picture taken. I was personally nervous they wanted to take my phone and said I didn't need a picture. Once you pass that person, you are surrounded by more of the same type of guys. I got nervous for pick-pocketing reasons, but I clutched onto my belongings and nothing happened.
I walked around this area for a good fifteen minutes and stopped to take a picture of Maine St. and Elm St. merging under the bridge when a guy, who was not holding newspapers, began talking to me about what happened that day. I didn't want to be rude because I have watched and studied this assassination on numerous occasions that I just took pictures while he was talking. He eventually asked if I wanted my picture taken. "Dang! He got me," I thought to myself. I said yes because I really did want my picture taken and knew I would regret it. The guy immediately asked for money to get him food. All I had was a dollar, so I caved and gave it to him. Then he had the nerve to say it wasn't enough! I couldn't believe this guy.
Though he complained about my measly dollar, he informed me that the John F. Kennedy memorial is just a block away. According to him, you can't miss it because it looks like a big old Lego. And he wasn't kidding.
I couldn't go to a major athletic city without visiting sports stadiums now could I? I was driving along one of Dallas' many freeways when I saw a sign for Ranger's Ballpark. I thought to myself, "Why not?" and decided to merge off the freeway toward the ballpark.
As I got closer, I realized that Six Flags Dallas was next door to the stadium. If I had another day, you know where I would be! But for this trip, snapping a few shots of the Ranger's Ballpark was all I had time for.
The stadium was beautiful! It is completely made of red brick, giving it the traditional look that comes with the traditional sport that is baseball. Too bad there weren't any games going on that evening or I would find a way to get in!
Now, we all know that I am NOT a Cowboy's fan. I had to get that disclaimer out of the way because coincidentally, the Ranger's Ballpark is catty corner to the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Though I have a strong distaste for the team, their Stadium is amazing! It is completely modern from architectural style to the technology used in the building. Even an Eagle fan would appreciate the building, and that's saying something!
After I visited the two stadiums, I found my way back to the hotel. It was nearing dinner when I decided to ask some locals/employees of the hotel where the "cool" districts were. NOTE: Dallas is broken up into neighborhoods or districts that are themed along various topics like history, science, and art. I was sent into the Uptown District where I spent my evening in West Village.
West Village is definitely my scene. High-street fashion is available on every corner with delicious restaurants, bars, and dessert shops. I walked into many stores such as Brooks Brothers, Loft, and a few fashion boutiques. I eventually walked into an area where there were many restaurants with outdoor seating and chose to go to Taco Diner, an urban restaurant with a casual environment. Let's just say I made a good choice.
My meal started off with chips and salsa, which is expected for a Mexican restaurant. Their salsa was very unique. The chips came with two different types, red and green salsa. The red salsa had a barbecue flavoring to it, which was interesting, but not necessarily my go to choice. The green salsa would be loved by everyone! It is made with avocados! Who doesn't love avocados?
The best part about this trip was the person who met up with me…
Steph met up with me at Taco Diner in West Village! You may remember her from the Rome trip I had taken over a year ago. I have not seen her in quite some time, so this was a much needed catch-up session. During our dinner, we made friends, which tends to be a usual occurrence for the two of us. Kim met up with her friend she met in Phoenix, Marcos and his dog, Pablo. Pablo was the cutest little thing!
Anyway, we had a good time together and eventually made it to Hotel Indigo for a night cap at Phi Bar and Restaurant, which was popin'.
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| A jean wall |
The next morning I had to get up early to not only return my car rental, but also to catch my flight back home. I made everything on time and enjoyed my breakfast in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport. Before I knew it, I was back home in Albuquerque.
Later that day, I went to work and went about my day as casually as possible. If I were to go back to Dallas again, I would stay in West Village, see a ballgame, see the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, and visit the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Both Museums were closed by the time I finished my site seeing.
Now that that trip is over and done with, all I kept thinking is that I need to get out of New Mexico and explore another new place. Thanks to my friends Tiffany and Brian, that is not too far from now! Just wait for that blog!
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