[usa6] dallas

I don't know what it is, but something about me seemingly marks me out as a person who knows where things are and how to get to them. Back in Lincoln I'm always being asked for directions and here it is no different. "Can you tell me where the JFK site is?" "Is there a McDonalds around here man?"

The 4th of July is of course a national holiday; Independance Day. Despite this Dallas is quiet; very quiet... in fact it is effectively closed. There are a few families bracing the heat amongst the Tex-Mex chains in the 'Historic Center' but that's all; there are certainly no fireworks down here.

There's a free trolley service from the edge of downton to uptown McKinney Avenue; its roughly the direction of my hotel so I take it. The driver cum tourist guide learns I'm from the UK and makes a few jokes at my expense. I tell him I'm from near Sheffield, thinkinbg anything other than London will mean nothing. "Next stop Leeds" he yells to my surprise and the general confusion of the other passengers. As I disembark and teh trolley drives away from me the driver leans out the front and points to the American flag listing on the car's roof.
"Oh and thank you for independence" he calls.
"Well... you earned it" is my futile response.

A Texas thunderstorm forces me inside for the rest of the afternoon and night. My 4th of July won't be the party they advertised. No fireweorks, no parade, no sunshine. Instead I'm left to gaze at the distant skyscrapers through the window.