Monday, August 27, 2007

JFK and Sixth Floor

The top one thing Dallas is famous or infamous for is the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States.
The motorcade of President two minutes before the shooting.
Photo from
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/home.htm
JFK was on a visit to Dallas on Friday, November 22, 1963 and was fatally wounded by gunshots while riding with his wife Jacqueline in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza, Dallas’s city park.
Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee of the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza, according to the conclusions of multiple government investigations. But majority of the public either believed that he is not the killer or he was just part of a bigger conspiracy group. Oswald was murdered by another person before his trial and thus closing the door to more details behind his motive to kill the president.

The mug shot of Oswald from http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/

We spent this weekend day at Dallas City visiting those historic places. The road where JFK was assassinated was ‘X’ marked at the points where he was hit.



The sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository now houses the museum dedicated to JFK. We spent hours there going through all the exhibits and photos and other audiovisuals that explained in all detail on what happened that day here.



The sixth floor corner window was kept open as it was on the day of assassination, and the corner where the sniper fired his shot was recreated and kept intact. The museum also showcased all the investigations and ruled out the popular conspiracy theories.



Few blocks away from the spot stood the uniquely simple memorial for JFK. It was a concrete roofless room, symbolizing an empty tomb, 30 feet high and 50 by 50 feet wide with two narrow openings facing north and south.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Anniversary Again

I can’t believe it’s our third wedding anniversary today. Time is flying, and here I am still believing (or trying to believe) that I am a newly married guy! Lol!




We decided to celebrate it at one of the signature building of Dallas, Reunion Towers of Hyatt Regency Hotel. It is an easily recognizable landmark for Dallas and a dramatic addition to the evening skyline with its lighted dome and flashing light show.


The tower has a public observation deck as well as a restaurant and the Dome that rotate at the rate of one revolution every 55 minutes.


A less than two minute elevator ride propelled us 55 stories to the top of the Tower for a breathtaking 360-degree view of Dallas, while enjoying delicious food.



We reached there before the sunset and experienced the changing views of cityscape from day to night.