Destination Dallas: Dealey Plaza

Traveling to Dallas?

  

       Traveling and having a new experience in an unfamiliar place doesn't have to be on the beach or does it require a passport.  There are so many adventures waiting to happen in sometimes unexpected places.  Whether it is family vacation to visit family, a busy professional's weekday destination or a "staycation" for the family who can't afford to travel farther, Dallas is home to many world class restaurants, museums, and sports.  There is something here for everyone.

The History

One location that is often forgotten about is Dealey Plaza.  Dealey Plaza is located in downtown Dallas less than a mile east of I-35 E.  Dealey Plaza is a monument that commemorates the President and has an amazing history that Americans are taught about in school.  Sadly it was the place where one of the most beloved presidents was murdered.  President John F. Kennedy was traveling through the city in a convertible limousine and was hit by gunshots allegedly fired by Lee Harvey Oswald.  The assassin was in the Texas School Book Depository adjacent to Dealey Plaza.  The President was hit in front of the Grassy Knoll, a sloping hill that is most recognizable by the Bryan pergola.  After the shooting, Oswald fled to The Texas Theater in Oak Cliff, where he was arrested.

 Dealey Plaza Today

When visiting Dealey Plaza, there is only a small plaque that exists in the Plaza, reminding visitors of the horrible event that occurred there.  Visitors come to the Plaza on a daily basis to see the places our history books described on that day.  The Sixth Floor Museum was built in the same building that Oswald fired his rifle and has exhibits that celebrate the life of JFK, as well as educate patrons of the events that unfolded.  

The Legacy

When talking to residents about their opinions of the area, older residents remember everything that happened.  They remember what the anchors said, they remember their parents crying, they remember being scared, and they remember being glued to the television, craving more information.  The only thing they can compare the experience to is 9/11.  They said the country was at a standstill as they worried about the condition of JFK, then later, mourned the loss.  

I went to the newly renovated Bishop Arts District after visiting Dealey Plaza and sat at bar that was an old house renovated house on Beckley Ave.  I told one of the regulars what I was doing and he said, "Do you know, that house right there, that was the house that Lee Harvey Oswald lived in, he lived right there!"

Little has changed since the assassination, but that is on purpose.  The city voted on expenditures to restore Dealey Plaza to its condition in 1963. What makes this a place that must be visited in Dallas is the fact that so many people have stories to tell about that day and actually love sharing that history.

Follow this event on Twitter at #DealeyPlaza917

Costa Rica

Lately, I have run into many friends who are talking about Costa Rica.  I don't know if I'm hypersensitive to the country because I have been there or if people are going there because they know it is safe because I went there for an extended period of time.  I feel like it is the latter.  I don't know Spanish fluently, but I made it.  People in this area think they know Spanish enough to make it in a Latin country.

Language
First of all, there is a language barrier.  I have studied Spanish for years and I could not do day to day things because I could not communicate my ideas.  I caught a bacterial bug on the third day of my program and I couldn't eat or sleep.  I had to try to tell a pharmacist what was wrong and used various translators.  They gave me an over the counter remedy and sent me on the way.  Needless to say, I was sick until my last week.  My housemate got saltwater in her phone on the first weekend we were there and tried to have a technician fix it.  Needless to say, she didn't have a phone almost the entire time we were there.  I played charades with my house mom just to make day to day conversation.  When we tried to go out in the city, it ended up being too much of a hassle to tell her where we were going and when we would be back.  Scheduling taxis to take us and drop us off was also another challenge.

Tourism

Another big misconception is that Costa Rica is all jungle and tropical.  I lived in a dirty city and had to take 6-8 hour bus rides to get to the beach.  Everything is Americanized and not cheap, like people think.  It is like going to any other travel destination, you will spend your money because they know you're American and you have it!

I promote my experience in this beautiful county. Traveling abroad deserves respect and consideration.  Costa Rica is a less wealthy country than America and many people live very differently than we do.