DAY TWO, part two: Shreveport, LA to Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

DAY TWO, part two: Shreveport, LA to Dallas/Fort Worth, TX


Did I mention I love planning? Well, planning has a fatal flaw: trust. You have to trust what you read when you make a decision sight unseen. So when we pulled up to the Monkhouse Seafood Restaurant in Shreveport, on the outskirts of the airport, connected to a Chevron station, I instantly knew that the owners must have friends making false claims on the likes of urbanspoon and menuism. Or its one of the most deceptive joints in the history of food.

We decided to make a U-ie and head to the Subway up the road. However, debate as to whether or not to eat in the Subway or the RV caused us to pass it up. We then had to turn around in a parking lot. As luck would have it, it was the parking lot of a newly opened Louisiana seafood kitchen. The parking lot was crowded, so we knew it must be decent at the very least.

Inside, we felt out of place. A predominantly black clientele filled the small restaurant. Many people were dressed in their Sunday best: hats and ties and pretty dresses were all around. The staff here was so warm and friendly. We ordered Po Boys (shrimp for the girls and I, chicken for John) and this was the best damn food ever. The chicken in John’s sandwich was the best chicken we have ever tasted. It was delightfully obvious from the attitude of the staff and the taste of the food that the owners had tremendous pride in what they did and what they served.

The terrain in Texas did not change much (yet). Being an ignoramus, I have been looking for steers and oil drills, and have seen hardly any of either. Outside of Hiram, Texas, on an undecorated stretch of I-20, our odometer rolled past 1000 miles travelled. We all cheered!

Along the way we began to discuss our stop in Dallas. I’m interested in seeing Dealey Plaza and showing the kids a piece of history. I had picked a steakhouse near the plaza to avoid having to move the RV too many times and find parking too many times. But as we sat with our bellies still so joyously full of Po Boys, the need to eat can and should be postponed. So we are going to head to Ft. Worth and the Stockyards after a couple of hours in Dallas to enjoy a steak and see another touristy part of Texas. I think the kids will enjoy that, too. SEE! I CAN BE FLEXIBLE!

We got in and out of the city of Dallas with relative ease and minimal stress. Driving in we noticed the city was beautiful and monied. Or maybe we were just in the right parts. We found a lot and to our luck, it faced the back of the Texas School Book Depository.

A block away was Dealey Plaza. We opted not to go into (read:pay) for the 6th Floor Museum, but took plenty of pictures. There are 2 X’s on the road marking the points where Kennedy was shot. Traffic still runs on that street quite heavily, so to you have to time your run out to pose on the street with the rhythm of the traffic lights. A passerby noted how odd it was to have people pose and smile on the spot where our president was shot. It made me think twice about some of the poses I had been considering. Hey, I have no couth.

As we left the city of Dallas and headed west towards Fort Worth, the sunset had turned the sky to the most beautiful shade of magenta-pink, with wispy clouds to break up what could have been perceived as the boastful nature of such a sky. I took a picture. I like to keep a reminder that simple things are often the most beautiful.