Halito! Welcome in Choctaw Country

Sunny Wednesday, still around 90 deg F. A short 30 min. drive to Tishomingo, the former Chickasaw Capital. To our surprise, at both places we visited there, we were expected by two very knowledgeable and interesting ladies - in the Chickasaw Council House Museum, with the full-size original first Council House, as well as in the Chicasaw National Capitol - a remarkable building as well.

Spent more time than expected in the museums and shortened our planned lunch break in Downtown Tishomingo, home of Blake Shelton (pic), the famous country music star. Just went to an "authentic" diner called "Boomarang" and had a delicious Reuben Sandwich and a burger.

Next stop - most remarkable of the day: the new Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant (pics below). Wish we would have had more time here! Spectacular architecture and a very unique exhibition style: with life-size dioramas/scenarios in huge halls, with corresponding sounds and smells, a lot of high-tech, state-of-the-art multimedia tools. Exhibitions inside and outside (village/mound) are excellently depicting the history and culture of the Choctaw tribe, orginally at home in the East (Mississippi) and - as the Chickasaw and many other tribes - removed in 1837 on The Trail of Tears to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.

 

Turtle in the Kid's Activity Center (above)

Above:  Ceremonial Mound outside the Cultural Center, were also demonstrations of all kinds - e.g. stickball games - take place.

On to the Choctaw National Tribal Headquarters. We had wondered, why we were sent over, but seeing the complex, we were blown away: architecture (photo below) as well as art inside were spectacular. We got a tour and even met Choctaw Chief Gary Batton. At the end, we were invited to join the tourism reps for dinner lateron.

 

 Before that, we met the whole Dewald family in the Lost Street Brewing Company in Durant. Great guys and delicious beers. Especially, their newly brewed and not yet released "Octoberfest" was exceptional! 

So were the steaks at the 1832 Steakhouse in the Choctaw Casino Resort Durant, where we stayed for the night. Steaks were expensive for sure, but probably the best ones we have ever had. Service was immaculate, too. Even had to select our individual high-quality steak knives before being served, and, Bananas Foster for dessert were served ready for the stage. Back to the room at around 9:30 pm, great room, but too tired to admire enough.

Chickasaw Country

Left OKC on Tuesday morning after an appointment with OTRD/OK Tourism, drove south, towards Davis, to have BBQ at Smoking Joes Rib Ranch. Food was good, but even better were our "surprise visitors", Michael and Rebecca Roberts, who we know from several visits in Germany for AMERICANA in Augsburg. 

On to the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, which is still one of the greatest Native American Cultural Centers in the U.S.A. We got a tour inside, through the exhibitions, and, outside, where Native structures are reconstructed and different activities take place. We watched a performance of stomp dance - the typical dance style of this tribe.

 

Explored the Chickasaw Recreational Area afterwards, with waterfalls, swimming holes (wish we would have brought our bathing suits!) and, a bison viewpoint. Beautiful landscape! 

 

Hot, hot day, till late afternoon, when clouds came up. We checked in in the Artesian Hotel, operated by the tribe and built as a replica of the original hotel from 1906 in Sulphur Springs. After more than 50 years of popularity with upscale clientele who sought remedy in the spring water, The Artesian was destroyed by a fire in1962 and revived by the Chickasaw Indian tribe in 2013. We still explored the great Art Gallery complex nearby and strolled along Main Street before we called it a day.

Visit to the Heartlands - Oklahoma City

Boy, what a busy two days in Oklahoma City! Flew out of Vegas on Sunday, all went smooth and on time, arrived to OKC in the evening, picked up our rental car (one of three on the grounds), a sporty Chevy Malibu, and, checked into the Sheraton Hotel Downtown. What a change to Vegas - temps about the same, but much greener, more quiet, less crowded.

Sunday and Monday we toured the city with our very knowledgeable OKC Tourism rep and had an interesting and good time. From several funky neighborhoods - Automobile Alley, Uptown, Midtown, El Paseo District, Plaza District, Wheeler District, Boathouse District ,,, (see below)

Automobile Alley (above)

     

Plaza & Boathouse District

Downtown OKC

Plaza District Murals

El Paseo District

 

,,, to The National Stockyards (pictures below) ,,,

 

,,, from spectacular museums like the newly opened FAM - First Americans Museum, which focuses on all 39 tribes in Oklahoma,,,

 

 

,,,to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum with its new addition outside,,,

 

,,, the funky Factory Obscura :

,,, to excellent microbreweries like Vanessa House (first pic with mural), Skydance Brewing, The Big Friendly, Fair-Weather Friend and great restaurants like "Frida" - we have had it all, in two 12+hour days at about 90+ deg. F (over 30 deg C) during the day.

Scallops at Frida's
 

Arts, Murals and Beer - Las Vegas' Arts District

Last day in Vegas. After a visit to the farmers' market closeby the Mob Museum, which showed to be tiny and not too helpful in regard to breakfast provisions, we decided to take the bus back to the Strip. Sat upstairs on the bus, and, had a great view, almost like a sightseeing tour! Notice the silver Maserati in front of us!

Went all the way to the Luxor, passed NYNY (pics below) and sat a bit on the square in front of the T-Mobile Arena (further below), where "Fight Week" was taking place, with events, autograph tents, vendors, etc. A unique clientele, for sure! Got us some provisions in the new EATALY, part of MGM, which is mostly about eating and drinking in the building, not so much about shopping for home.

 

In the afternoon we explored the Arts District in downtown, noticed that some of the older fantastic murals were gone, but, on the other hand, that there is a lot of construction going on and along Main Street more little shops - mostly vintage or antiques, records or art-related -, cafés and restaurants had come up as well as arts centers and such.

 

In this neighborhood we found also this fenced, peaceful little park, a memorial for the mass shooting in Oct. 2017, when an old Nevadan opened fire upon the crowd attending a Country Music Festival from a room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel. He fired more than 1,000 bullets, killing almost 60 people and wounding hundreds - without a determined motive.

Brewery Row is part of the Arts District and towards evening we checked out three more breweries: Nevada Beer Works - where we had excellent pizza, too –, Hudl Brewing and Hop Nuts Brewing. All had a fantastic variety of IPAs and an extensive beer menu in total. Big improvement in this field in Las Vegas!

Farewell to Las Vegas at sunset - tomorrow we'll be heading west, towards Oklahoma City. On to new adventures! Stay tuned!