May 31, 2015

We have had a lovely kick back day wandering along the canal system in Bricktown which is the area our hotel is in. It is the old warehouse district which now has a baseball stadium and masses of hotel and apartment accommodation and eateries saloons and bars. We were the only ones out this morning as everyone was sleeping off whatever they had been up to last night and it was nice and peaceful. We headed into the theater to see 'San Andreas' and when we came out a lot of people had woken up and headed out so we got a quick bite for lunch and headed for the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the Memorial to the Oklahoma bombing in 2005. It was a very beautiful, peaceful and meaningful memorial as well as very confronting. Cannot believe it is the 20th anniversary of the bombing this year. From there we headed to the Oklahoma Museum of Art mainly to see a glass sculpture in the foyer by Dale Chihuly, it was huge and I suspect he is also the artist responsible for a piece we saw in Montreal a couple of years ago. We have kicked back in the hotel for a bit and will head out for dinner soon. The weather has been fine today, humid but rain free and apparently the record breaking rains through Texas and Oklahoma have moved further east and there are not as many tornado warnings about today so we will see what tomorrow brings. So different to what we have at home. We aren't in our room for long and the only channel we put the TV on is the weather channel so we can track what we are likely to encounter re topography and storm damage and upcoming weather. All part of taking care of the logistics of the trip.



The start of the old warehouse area. There was a list of rules for the Coyote Ugly bar at the door. Ha ha, I remember the movie.



And apparently Norm has a bar along the canal though he says no one would believe it's him because this guy doesn't wear a black leather cap ... no mention of the cigar. Hmm.



A shot of the canal which meandered through a large area it was lovely and when the canal boat man is there, not when we were, you can go on a ride along the canal and hop on and off .

One end of the canal complete with water pourers.



And we discovered some lovely gardens complete with a conservatory and zebra striped butterflies which didn't stay still long enough for me to get a photo.



And a very clever fountain. If I get Norm's video onto You Tube I'll put the link here at some time in the future.



Devon Towers from the gardens. Devon is a power company and the building is quite a statement. That's the conservatory on the right.



Some reflections on our way to the Memorial.



Oklahoma City National Memorial to the 2005 Bombing. This is a view from above across the empty chairs which signify people killed and in the densities of how many at what level in the 9 story building which once stood. It was both beautiful and sobering but a fitting tribute. Glad we came.



The reflection pool at the Memorial.



And the Survivor Tree which was once in the car park of the building blown up and survived the blast in spite of looking like a burnt stick at the end of the blast. The stone wall around it says "The Spirit of this City and Nation will not be defeated; Our deeply rooted faith sustains us".



And part of the glass sculpture in the foyer of the Oklahoma City Art Museum, couldn't fit it all in.