On Monday we awoke to the sound of rain. Since they were calling for rain for the next 3 days, we decided to go ahead with our plans to drive back into Dallas to visit the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
The Bush Library opened in May, 2013 and is located on the campus of Southern Methodist University, where Laura Bush attended college. They had over 300,000 visitors in the first 3 months.
The library is very well done, with friendly guides eager to share what they know, and many interestingexhibits. The library did not spend much time on Bush’s younger years or campaigns, but the majority of the exhibits talked about his time in the White House. The exhibits included information on the tragedy of September 11, including two mangled beams from one of the World Trade Center towers;
defending freedom around the world,
Bush’s call to Americans to serve and help others,
life in the White House, and the Oval Office. They had an exact replica of the Oval Office during Bush’s presidency and we were allowed to walk around the room and look at all the items. There was a replica of the presidential desk that most presidents have chosen to use. There is a plaque on the desk that explains the wood the desk was made from came from an English ship called the “Resolute” during the time of Queen Victoria. Therefore the desk is called “The Resolute Desk”. An interesting side note about the desk is that a front panel was added during Roosevelt’s time to hide his wheelchair. The ceiling in the Oval Office has a medallion which is incorrect because an Italian artist made the stars with 8 points instead of 5. Everywhere else the seal’s stars have 5 points.
They allowed Bill to have his picture taken sitting at the president’s desk.
The Bush family will continue their public service through the Bush Institute located next door to the library. The Institute uses research to develop and implement policies that offer practical solutions to pressing national and global problems.
Unfortunately we left the museum right at rush hour, complicated by rain and fog.
The way they do their HOV lanes in Dallas is really strange. They have machines that move the barriers from one side to the other to create extra lanes depending on which way the rush hour traffic is moving.
We never saw an entrance to the HOV lane and never found another entrance or exit the entire time we were on the interstate. We could see the HOV lanes, which had very light traffic, while our lanes were bumper to bumper, but no way to get on. Very strange indeed!
After a quick stop for dinner and grocery shopping at Walmart, we finally arrived home. It was chilly and the rain had picked up to a steady rain, so we were glad to be home!