Sunday July 10

 Sunday, July 10

Another regrettably slow start to the day getting everyone moving but after breakfast showers and a trip to Starbucks, we eventually made it to the air and space Museum near Dallas airport. Parking was $15 but admission was free. The moment we walked into the front door, I was blown away! Dozens of military aircraft used over the last 75 years. Helicopters, stealth fighter jets, Army Navy and Air Force. It brought back so many memories of all the tours I did while in air cadets from 1980 to 86. 

There was no physical way to see and read everything in the 90 minutes we had - sigh - so I took a few hundred photos and some video so I could review them later. 

Jumped into the car and a 30 minute drive to get downtown for our Holocaust museum tour. Of course we took a couple wrong turns and got rerouted over a couple bridges but after a while we found free parking for the day and hurried to a bike rental Stand to rent bikes for the day. The first rack had only 3 but none would come out. The second rack was empty. The third rack after walking 6 blocks had a half dozen. After we figured out how to sign them out, we booked it 6 blocks to the museum and got there in the nick of time. 

Through security for the umpteenth time and into the tour. The first corner had gruesome photos of bodies and videos of the most awful kind of human indecency the world has likely ever known. It was deathly silent in the rooms even though there were hundreds of us filing through the building. It reminded me of the first time I watched Schindlers List at a theatre in Edmonton decades ago. 

Around the next corner, tributes to the Jewish people, history of their numbers across Europe and celebration of their culture and language. History of the rise of the Nazi party out of the worldwide depression and the systematic annihilation of anything resembling democracy. The expansion of Germany’s armies and invasion of other countries all while forcing the Jews out of the countries followed by ghettos, war camps and death camps. Awful things, heartbreaking things, extremely emotional tourists openly weeping during viewings and videos. It was very difficult to get through, but it was important to be seen and studied. 

Teaching Jacob the importance and having conversations about Russia/Ukraine similarities followed. 

After several hours, we completed the tour and came out of the building starved and drained. We inhaled some chicken fingers and a hot dog and found some bikes and toured around. Past the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and up to see the White House. 

You couldn’t get very close to the back but very close to the front. It was remarkable the amount of detail was visible. It doesn’t look nearly as large up close and the front yard was remarkably small also. 

We got a few photos and carried on west of George Washington University all the way back to the river and then through the park along the water (Where Forrest Gump scenes were set when Jenny came running to him after his speech about Vietnam) 

Through some neighbourhoods and past the Capitol Building. We made our way to a bike rack a couple blocks from our car.

 We wandered up the street and found a nice Mexican restaurant and had a great plate of nachos and a jug of margaritas. Krista’s enjoyed them the most followed by a prolonged fit of giggles which was entertaining for the rest of us. 

After another hour of relaxing, we hopped in the car and headed NW to our hotel. We got half way there and the dash lights came on implying low tire pressures. Great. 

Pulled over to a gas station and $2 later, two tires topped up but warning lights remained. Sigh. 

We will have to see what the story is tomorrow on that. 

Some tv and an ice cream to send us off to bed at 10. Another busy day tomorrow as well.