Weather improved
today. Sun came up and it didn’t get too hot until mid afternoon although we
were assured by our friendly city circle bus driver that summer hadn’t really
happened this year and it was normally much hotter than the low 90 deg F they had
been having. The humidity is getting up and expect by New Orleans to be unpleasantly high.
On the advice of the visitors centre we drove into the part of the city called Bricktown intending
to use the free city circle bus to take an orientation tour. Our first attempt
found us on Lincoln Boulevard North, this was very interesting as it is near
the State Capitol buildings which have an occasional oil pump in the median
strip or in the front yard for contrast. However this wasn’t anywhere near
where we intended to be which was Lincoln Boulevard South. Unfortunately there
was a half constructed Interstate between the two ends which confused our GPS
lady completely. Eventually we found the correct part of town and a suitable
parking lot but our navigational skills where suitably rattled and we couldn’t
find the circle bus (we may also have been to early give today is Sunday).
 |
| Recently built base ball park (ballpark), designed to fit in with historic Bricktown |
 |
| Interesting architecture near Historic Bricktown |
Anyway, we set out on
foot and found ourselves at the Oklahoma City Memorial to the 1995 terrorist bombing, a picturesque
but quite moving display in its stark simplicity.
 |
| Oklahoma bombing memorial - a field of 168 symbolic chairs representing those that lost their lives. |
A little more wandering and we
found the Oklahoma Art Gallery which was having a free entry day, second one of
the trip. Inside was a display of old masters on loan from the Louvre and also
a spectacular display of spectacular glass art from Dale Chilhuly. (The photos don't do it justice - the real colour is amazing)
 |
| Glass boat sculpture |
 |
| Close up of above glass boat sculpture |
 |
| Spectacular glass column ~ 30ft tall in the gallery foyer |
On leaving the
gallery we happened to stumble over the City Circle bus so hopped on for a
quick ½ hour trip around this part of town. We stopped for a cup of iced tea
and then caught the bus again (now we know how to find it) to the Botanical
Gardens. The garden houses a large barrel shaped building set up with a
tropical, sub tropical and desert environment on different levels of the open
building. It is quite amazing how the temperature and moisture levels change at
different heights in the building and the plants housed there seem to love it.
 |
| Inside the Tropical Garden Building |
 |
| One of the Botanical Gardens residents |
After the gardens we again
caught the bus back to the carpark and then back to Motel. Maritta thinks I’m
going to miss playing dodgem cars and 70mph when we move on from the Oklahoma
Interstate madness tomorrow. I’m sure other excitement will come along.
 |
| We have noticed that doors appear to be optional - this is not the first one we have seen. |
No comments:
Post a Comment