Wednesday, March 12, 2008

March 12, Dallas to College Station and Manor (Austin) TX, Day 12, Wednesday

We had heard about a suspension bridge in the heart of Waco. It was well kept and had lights strung over the cables. The company that made the cables for the Brooklyn Bay bridge made these. In the beginning, mid 1870’s it was a toll bridge for people, wagons and herds of cattle for about 40 years. Later it was opened and another bridge built alongside this one without fees. We walked across the wood planks of the bridge in the sunlight and new warmth of the day. A couple other families were there also. Two other memorials were there also, one to police officers who had lost there life protecting the populace. The other one for the Vietnam Vets who had given there lives for us.

What a nice surprise to find Dr Pepper soda’s home place at Waco also. There is no period after Dr because when they went to the present script it looked like a semi-colon behind Dr. The external of the building is just antique looking. There was many pieces of memorabilia shown, old bottles, a capping machine made in Milwaukee WI. The night before we went to see it, I noticed that Cadbury Schweppes was going to form two companies and all beverages were going into the Schweppes Company. Guess chocolates and beverages didn’t go together well. Actually they were worried about the banks who were putting together another company with them; there must be a better explanation on the web. It is fun to see the old stuff.

We ate at IHOP, Shirleen egg’s and sausage with hash browns, I a migas, a scrambled egg with jalapeños, green bell peppers, onions and fried corn tortilla. Must have been Mexican, but hot and spicy and good for a Northerner.

Across the street was a cemetery, so why not stop in for a look around, yes it was old, back into the late 1700’s for birthdates. A couple of markers where the tree stump design, some mid-1800’s where old brick built up to a height that looked like the body was on the ground. We saw a long double row of markers that had CSA on the bottom of the marker. The next day we found the true inscription meaning Confederate States of America, found this at the Capitol in Austin. The cemetery was called “The First Street Cemetery” first cemetery in Waco.

So where now, change of plan, to College Station to go through the President George Bush Sr. Museum. We pulled in mid afternoon and as we entered we had to go through a shakedown, but not at Truman and Eisenhower’s museums? More history through the eye’s of the followers, nicely laid out, but they tried to shake us down for a picture of us in the oval office’s Presidents chair. It is a nice museum, housed on Texas A & M University (A&M, Agriculture and Military) I had been to the campus in 1974 and don’t remember where we even stayed but yes we stayed on campus. The gifts from other nations is fun to look at. Quilt is "Vase of Flowers"








I have included a pix of elephants for Michelle to see, most with trunks up. We then took a stroll around the pond leading to the grave of Barbara and George’s daughter; it is also the spot where they will be buried. A quiet place a little away from the hustle and bustle of the campus. We saw a family fishing at the pond, first time for them. He was teaching Spanish at A&M. the little girl said that after we walk around we stop back to see them. She sure was sweet, well most are when they are young.





Off to Austin we were guided by OnStar through the countryside, as there is no direct route. Sure was glad of that, as we saw the real people of the land. Besides cattle and oil derricks, we saw cattle right in the front yard of the broken down but lived in house. Many poor people living in the area. Sun setting and that made the colors pop.



Yes, we ate, this time at the Café 290 in Manor. It was a couple blocks down and the gal at check in said she had ate there since knee high and it was good. It was also good by our standards, Shirleen had a BLT, I had the biggest and best country fried steak, thick and crispy with fried okra and a bowl of white gravy. Good Night! jerr


1 comment:

John and Mary said...

I think I may have worked out the picture problem on our blog. Yes, I needed to change them to jpg; probably a simple task for most people but not to the technologically-challenged! Thanks for the encouragement and support!