Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Arlington, Texas 10-10-09

Lynda and I flew to Arlington so I could work as an assessor for an Arlington Police Department promotinal process.
Our hotel was a former Embassy Suites, as you can tell from the interior.
The dinning area in the central courtyard was a great place to eat, especially breakfast.
Lynda was able to telecommute for work from the our hotel room.
There are a lot of major attractions within walking distance of our motel so we decided to take a walk-about.
Six Flags Over Texas was less than a mile from our motel, so we decided to take it in.
Upon entering the park, we were greeted by two of my favorite super hero's.
The Dallas skyline as seen from the top of an oil rig at the park.
The new Dallas Cowboys stadium as seen from the air.
One of the park's roller coasters as seen from the tower.
The park was advertising for the upcoming Halloween night festivities.
Some of the best rides are in Gotham City!
This is one of the best rides at the park.  Anyone who knows Lynda knows she is terrified of these..........
especially, when it does this!!!!!!!!!!  But she didn't even scream once!
But she was a trooper and even rode this parachute ride, when she hates heights.
On Monday night, we attended the U2 concert at Dallas stadium and passed the Texas Rangers ballpark on the way to the stadium.
The Dallas Cowboys stadium is pretty impressive as you approach it.
This picture is for our son Rick, who is a major Cowboys fan!
The U2 stage was massive!  They had to raise the stadium video board just to accomodate it inside the stadium.
As you can imagine, the concert was awesome.  They played all their famous hits and songs from their newest album, 'No Line On The Horizon'.
Their set included their new hit, 'I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight', which a bunch of concert goers were doing already.
The finale had everyone on their feet, clapping and screaming.
The Arlington Police Department took us on a tour of the Dallas Cowboys stadium.  This is our group of assessors.
You can't enter Dallas Cowboys stadium without paying tribute to one of the greatest NFL head coaches of all time, Tom Landry.
The inside of the stadium is really huge, and empty after clearing out the U2 stage.
They hadn't started putting the astroturf back on the floor of the stadium yet.
Jerry Jones made sure that the stadium honored the all-time Cowboy greats.
This is one of the entrances to the stadium.
This is the video room, where the staff decides what to put up on the video board for the fans.
Jerry Jones really knows how to impress his fans.
The interior of one of the elevators in the stadium.
The entrance to the Dallas Cowboys locker room.
The locker room was empty when we visited there.
The locker of one of my favorite players....from UM...the REAL UM that is....University of Minnesota.
We then left the locker room for.......
the REAL locker room!
This locker room is nicer than the one the players have.
Now this is what I call a PHOTO OP!
A few last words from our tour guide and our adventure is over.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

St. Augustine, Florida 10-02-09

We met our "traveling friends", Mark and Patty, at St. Augustine for a "relaxing weekend" and to attend an Alan Jackson concert.  This is a sunrise as seen from the balcony of our hotel room.
You can't visit St. Augustine without going shopping in the historical district.
Men doing what men do when their wives are shopping.
We decided to take a ghost tour which included the old jail, which is supposed to be haunted.
Our ghost tour took place a night, but this is what the jail looks like during the day.
It's finally dark and time to see some ghosts.
Lynda and Patty waiting for the bus to arrive for our ghost tour.
Our tour guide explains some of the "haunted" places we'll visit.
This is the gallows where hangings took place.  The jail is supposed to be the most haunted place in the city.
We went to the St. Augustine amphitheater to watch the Alan Jackson concert.
Chris Young opened the concert and here is playing his current #2 single, 'Gettin' You Home'.
Countdown to Alan Jackson taking the stage.
Alan Jackson on stage and playing one of his many top 10 hits.
He played almost all of his hits by the end of the concert.
On the way out of town, we stopped to visit the St. Augustine lighthouse.  It is one of the oldest lighthouses in America.
A view of the lighthouse from the parking lot.
After a tour of the lighthouse keepers house and some history lessons, it was time to enter the lighthouse.
We entered the lighthouse to climb to the top.......
but had second thoughts after looking up!
219 steps later, the view was breath-taking.
This is the roof of the St. Augustine amphitheater from the top of the lighthouse.
This is a fishing pier on the Atlantic Ocean that we walked out on the night before, after the concert.
Downtown St. Augustine as seen from the air.
St. Augustine's fort from the top of the lighthouse.
A bay-side cross at a Catholic mission.
Lynda and I at the top of the lighthouse, getting ready to descend back down the 219 steps.
The St. Augustine fort from ground level.  One of the oldest establishments in America.
We visited the Mission of Nombre de Dios.  It is the oldest Catholic mission in the United States.
The bay-side cross from the entrance.
The cross up close.
A view of the bay.
Think I might need a bigger patrol car?