Troll At Sammy's Bar-B-Q

Just outside downtown Dallas, Texas on Leonard Street is Sammy's Bar-B-Q. The place has been open for almost 70 years. There's a reason. If you want some of the most delectable "Que" you've ever eaten, this is the place!

Serving up large portions of beef, pork, ribs, ham and sausage with yummy sides of potato salad, vegetables and tasty cobbler for dessert, you need to get there early as it gets crowded fast and the line can be long. Never fear, it's all worth it! Lil Dude gives it 2 thumbs up!

Oh yum!

There is an partially enclosed seating area in
the back to handle the overflow crowds..

 

Troll in Downtown Dallas, Texas

Reunion Tower in the background. There always
seems to be construction going on in downtown!

People around the world know, or at least think they know, Dallas. Mostly what the old-timers around the world know however, is the fictional TV show Dallas where J.R. held sway and was shot and the younger people only know Dallas and the state of Texas from old western movies they've seen. Actually, the real Dallas is the 9th largest city in America and is a financial center for the oil, cotton, technology, health care and banking industries. It is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other city in America except New York City and Houston. In 2014, the population was 1,281,000 folks, give or take a couple. And believe it or not, it is pretty much like most of the other big cities in the world, just a little bit friendlier perhaps.

Lil Dude was born and raised in the Dallas area. He has travelled extensively all over America and the world, but like all native Texans, Texas will always be his home no matter where he travels.

Driving in downtown Dallas. Mostly empty streets
on a early Saturday morning.

Early one Saturday morning, he decided to take a little tour of downtown Dallas to see how much it has changed since he was a little kid who on special occasions got to ride the trolley car "into town" from across the Trinity River in Oak Cliff where he lived. That was a long time ago and not much remains the same, but it still felt like home!

Now a museum, this used to be the
"Old Red Courthouse" which was built in 1892.

Walking around an empty downtown Dallas. It
was eerily quiet.

The building behind Lil Dude is the Chase Tower.
55-stories tall, it is known as "the building with
a hole in it."



Downtown Dallas at night.
(photo by Creative Commons)

 

Sad Troll at Dallas' Dealey Plaza

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The place in downtown Dallas, Texas where it happened is called Dealey Plaza. Now, thousands of people drive right by the site every day. Some are reminded of what happened there on that terrible day over 50 years ago; many others don't give it a second thought; some don't even know the historical nature of what they are driving by.

Lil Dude Troll visited Dealey Plaza recently and was struck by the somber feeling, the air of sadness that pervades the site. Cars whiz by just a few feet away, driving over the exact spot where President Kennedy was shot, but on the grass, in the memorial structure, people speak in whispers and many just stop and stare, lost in thought. It is truly a sobering experience.

So strange to be standing just a few feet away from the spot
where President Kennedy lost his life and America lost
its leader.

Dealey Plaza & "The grassy knoll," right in front of the fence behind
which some people still insist there was a 2nd gunman.

Dealey Plaza looking back toward Dallas' "Old Red" courthouse

The School Book Depository building where the alleged sniper,
Lee Harvey Oswald, fired the fatal shots from the 6th floor window.

The building is now the Dallas County Administration Building. A very
interesting museum, the "Sixth Floor Museum," is located inside.

 

Texas State Fair - Entry 2

Yes, there are some wonderful grape orchards and winery's in Texas
producing first-class wine!

The State Fair of Texas is so big, we had to use 2 postings to show how much fun Lil Dude Troll had!

Enjoying the wave riding show

Random strangers from Louisiana we rode the Texas Giant Ferris wheel
with. They thought Lil Dude was cool!

At the famous Cotton Bowl

For some reason, Lil Dude LOVED the blue Mustang at the auto exhibit

What kind of fan kept the inside of the buildings cool? Oh, really
big ones with very appropriate names!

Clowns make Lil Dude's hair stand on end!

Having a good time at the pig races!

Everyone wants to pose with Lil Dude. A few lucky ones get
their dream fulfilled!

Texas State Fair - Entry One

At 52 feet high, Big Tex has been the mascot for the
fair since 1952.

The State Fair of Texas is the largest state fair in the United States by area of fairgrounds and total attendance with over 3,000,000 visitors every year. It hosts America's largest fair-based auto show with over 300,000 square feet of space in 2 buildings to display new model vehicles, a Truck Zone and a Test Drive Track. 

In addition to the large midway full of rides and games of chance,there are literally hundreds of activities suitable for the whole family to enjoy such as educational exhibits, concerts featuring big name acts as well as local talent, pig races, farm animal contests, vendor's wares, free food samples, cooking demonstrations and food contests.

Speaking of food, the Texas State Fair has a well-earned reputation as an event featuring unique, high-fat foods. Fletcher's corny dogs have been associated with the fair for years, but in the last dozen or so, corny dogs are one of the healthiest foods available as new items such as deep-fried Oreos, deep-fried butter, deep-fried Twinkies, deep-fried s'mores, deep-fried pork ribs, fried cheesecake, deep-fried peanut butter, jelly, and banana sandwiches, deep-fried Coke, chicken-fried bacon and fried banana splits have been introduced.

A Fletcher's corny dog smothered in mustard and a Dr. Pepper
are required treats at the fair!

Lil Dude Troll had to check out this annual event and had such a great time, it will take 2 posts for all of the pictures!

Every year, new weird, totally unhealthy food items such as fried
Millionaire Pie and fried Fritos Pie have become de rigueur.

At the start of the Midway where seemingly countless rides and
games of chance are located

More rides and games of chance than you can shake a stick at!

High in the air riding on the rotating "Top of Texas" tower

With the Texas Star Ferris wheel in the background. The 212 foot tall
ride was opened in 1985 and is the largest Ferris wheel in the U.S.

Looking down on the Cotton Bowl

Great view of the fair grounds 500 feet below

Sorry Lil Dude, you can't ride this one!