Check Out My Sweet Ride

I still haven't picked up my rental car yet so unless I cab, uber, train or bus it I am a little limited as to what I can do with my day. I'd had a crappy nights sleep after finally getting to bed a little after 10.00pm and being awake for over 30 hours. I really hoped to sleep for ten hours and get used to the time zone. Sadly some asshole decided to crank up some fully sick tunes. So at 3.00am on the pool deck right below my room, I had the pleasure of listening to come really awful music. I dressed, found the source of my disturbance and gave him a free assessment of his shortcomings and tried to get back to sleep. I did this at about 6.30am only to be woken again at 7.00am by a new idiot doing the same thing. Just to make it worse, they were staff.

Anyway I got up and went to breakfast feeling like shit (it had nothing to do with the four margaritas, the couple of beers and the mandantory glass or two of sauvignon blanc - Chilean of course - I'd had the previous evening). There is was surfing my tablet looking for things to do in Dallas and at about 8.35am I decided I would do a segway tour of the city. The only trouble was it left in 25 minutes to get there and I hadn't even booked. I scolled down the last of my coffee, ran back to my room and walked the required nine blocks arriving with five minutes to spare. It was worth all the effort, I had an absolute blast!

It was a total riot. The photo above is the group of us in front of the largest bronze sculture in the world (everything's bigger in Texas). It features 49 steers and 3 cowboys doing a cattle drive and is located in Pioneer Plaza. I have to say as an aside it's really hard to rock a bike helmet. 

In keeping with "everything's bigger" theme they also have a statue of the largest eye (everyone should get one). It stands about 3 metres tall and is quite bloodshot. Apparently it was some sort of social commentary on the former owners of this downtown landmark who wanted to build a multi storey car park where the eye now stands (get it? - eyesore - bloodshot eyes - never mind). 

We also swung by the world's oldest megachurch, Dallas First Baptist. The senior pastor here is quite a dude and is well known for campaigning against gay marriage and spending $128,000,000US in refurbishing the campus the church sits on. This includes a university, a children's centre (designed by Disney no less), innumerable other businesses and of course the obligatory megacgurch itself, situated next to the quaint old red brick original. The new one took a few cues from Vegas and has a fountain like the one in front of the Bellagio that "dances" to select pieces of music and features a light show. The one here in Dallas apparently does the same but only to selected hymns. It sounds perfectly hideous. Oh and when its not doing its music and light show its where you get baptised when you join the church. Anyone for a dip?

From there we headed through the West End which is the cool funky part of town, then the arts district, downtown and the obligatory JFK/Dealey Plaza thing. I feel a little sorry George Bannerman Dealey. Here was a local businessman who tried to revitalise the town, they built a park in his honour then someone murdered a President there and thats all Dealey is really known for now.

Anyway I've already told you all about that area so I will just finish up with the rather poignant memorial they built to honour JFK. Instead of a statue they've built a plinth with his name engraved and created an area of reflection. He was a divise figure in Dallas and rather than pretend he was universally loved they built this tribute to the man while finding a way to express what had happened to him in their city.

Headed for lunch straight after the segway adventure and tried a spectacular meal at the Iron Cactus Still Mexican Grill and Margurita Bar. I don't normally post pictures of meals but essentially this Mexican take on a Gumbo was amazing.

I am still trying to get my body adjusted to the time zone so I headed back to the hotel and took a two hour nap. Dinner was at the Y.O. Steakhouse where I had the most phenomenal rib eye. So tomorrow I pick up my real new ride as the Magical Whisky Tour takes to the roads. Don't worry I have plenty of insurance, but maybe someone should warn the Americans?