We decided to go downtown on the DART, yes the DART that is Dallas Area Rapid Transit. We had taken it on the return journey on Monday last - the Red line to Lovers Lane and about a 20 minute walk from the station to Doubletree Hilton.
It is very interesting that every time we walked to and from the DART, we were the sole walkers. The car is still king here ! It is interesting to compare Dublin and Dallas! The former is building cycle lanes, encouraging people to walk and forgo the car, while here in Dallas the opposite is true - not a cycle lane in sight, no walkers, a DART service for the most part used by the lower echelons of Dallas society, possibly due to the fact that this week the DART and its link busses were free to all. Multiple highways teeming with cars ; a city with a comparable population to Dublin!!
This morning, we dined in a real American diner.
When I first visited the USA in the 1970s, the Diners were numerous but they have declined over the decades. It is sad to see that the Diner had been replaced by Fast Food outlets serving food in polystyrene packaging!! We had a tasty, inexpensive breakfast - eggs and sausage for CC and French toast for moi, all washed down with copious cups of coffee. Most of the clientele were frequent customers and were greeted by the kind, elderly waitresses, who appeared to know their customers’ favourite foods !!
Arriving at Dealey Plaza, we adjourned to the museum. Covid measures were strictly enforced and one was instructed to ensure the mask covered one’s nose.
At times the information gained in the Trolley bus differed from that of the museum. The exhibition was divided between the 6th and 7th floors. It traces Kennedy’s 1,000 days in office - the changes he proposed in terms of civil rights, the health care and foreign affairs.
It details the fateful day in Dallas. The naivety of the security - however, a President hadn’t been shot since 1901!
Had the Secret Service advice been followed the lunch would have been held at the more secure Women’s Building at Fair Park, and thus the cavalcade would not have been passing the Texas School Book Depository near the Grassy Knoll on that fateful day! In addition days before the precise route was published in the local newspapers.
The 6th floor window from where the shots were fired - the Xs on the road show the location of bullets.
After the shots rang out silence not panic enveloped the limousine
Kennedy and Connally were rushed to Parkland hospital where Kennedy died 24 minutes later Connally survived.
Oswald was eventually arrested but before trial, he was assassinated by Jack Ruby
Lyndon B Johnson, a Texan, and Vice President was sworn in as President. The Kennedy’s and the Johnson’s abhorred each other. Kennedy had chosen Johnson as his running mate to capture the southern vote - an excellent decision as he narrowly defeated Nixon.
Lyndon B Johnson, a Texan, and Vice President was sworn in as President. The Kennedy’s and the Johnson’s abhorred each other. Kennedy had chosen Johnson as his running mate to capture the southern vote - an excellent decision as he narrowly defeated Nixon.
Johnson was under investigation as to how he had accumulated $70 million ( in today’s terms). His wife was wealthy but this didn’t explain the enormous accumulation of wealth. However, once inaugurated as President, the investigation ceased!!
Johnson did, however, have JFK’s legislative package passed through Congress.
He was an able negotiator which smoothed the bills through the Upper and Lower Houses.
No comments:
Post a Comment