I went into Oklahoma City today and added to my collection of state capitol buildings visited.  It's an impressive structure.

After enjoying the architecture of the capitol, I went to the Oklahoma City National Memorial--which honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995.  It was a somber, peaceful, yet alive memorial.  The architectural elements in the memorial all have meaning - the number of "empty chairs", the number of rows of chairs, how many were in the row, the water feature, the trees, etc.  It is quite well done and I hope that it is a help to those who lost friends and family that day.

 

 Plaza that surrounded the actual building in 1995

168 empty "chairs"

 

I took a stroll down to Bricktown--a section of downtown that is filled with shops and restaurants and a baseball park.  It's the old warehouse area of town that they are working to reclaim for commercial and entertainment ventures.

Then I wandered down to the business and museum district.  Here is the skyline of the city.  Note the tall building of glass and steel in the center of the picture.  It is the Devon Energy Building.

Closer view of Devon Energy Building

How would you like to wash the windows of this building?  I zoomed in on those who do that job!

Having enjoyed my time in Oklahoma City, I headed out of the city and towards my next big stop --St. Louis.  When I wasn't on historic Route 66, I was on I-44 (Will Rogers Turnpike).  Look at this rest stop on the turnpike. 

These golden arches span the entire width of both directions of the turnpike roadways.  You can access the McDonalds from either side.  It is called the Glass House McDonalds.  FYI - I did not eat there!

I did get to drive historic Route 66 out of Oklahoma and right into Kansas.

 

Route 66 just goes through the southeast corner of Kansas.  Before I knew it, I "wasn't in Kansas anymore".  Today's travel took me around the Ozarks through Joplin, Missouri and Springfield, Missouri and am staying just west of St. Louis.  It was another beautiful travel day!

 

 

So.........tomorrow, "meet me in St. Louis!"