Tulsa, Oklahoma

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My trip from Kansas City to Tulsa was pleasant. Quite a few of the fields lining the highway were flooded in the southern part of Missouri, I have been lucky to avoid some of the record rain fall that has been experienced in the American heartland. The TV station in Tulsa said that they are more than 11” ahead of normal rainfall with four months still to go.
One of the draws to visit Tulsa was to visit our good friend, Tony. Wally first met Tony when he went to college in Stoke on Trent back in 1964. Tony had moved to South Africa, then in the early 1980s he moved to the U.S. and was employed by Acme Brick, when Wally joined Acme our friendship was renewed. We had visited Tony and his family in Tulsa in 1986, just after Wally joined Acme. Tony was one of the guys that delivered a testimonial at Wally’s retirement party and at his memorial service. I thoroughly enjoyed our visits together. Tony has a beautiful house in a very select area of Tulsa. We are like the “odd couple” I live in about 350 sq. feet and he lives in 4000+. Each to his own--right?
Tulsa is a very nice city, extremely well laid out and hard for someone, even a stranger, to get lost. The Arkansas River runs through the city on its way to Little Rock and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The name “Oklahoma” is a Choctaw word meaning red people. I think of all the states I have visited there are more American Indian tribes here in Oklahoma than anywhere else, (at least 25.)
Tulsa has a zoo, and since I haven’t visited a zoo in a number of years, it was just around the corner, and I have a couple of grandkids who are animal lovers I decided to go visit the zoo! Was I in for a surprise, it was “Seniors Day,” so I got in for FREE and received a free lunch! I felt like a real fraud, but the lady assured me that if I was more than 55 I qualified. The zoo itself is small but they have a good assortment of animals and the grounds are beautiful.
When we visited Tony in 1990 he took us to see the recently closed “City of Faith.” Oral Roberts, the well-known TV evangelist, built the City of Faith as a hospital and research center because he had been commanded by the vision of a 900 foot Jesus to build it; many argued that another hospital in Tulsa was unnecessary; but Roberts had more visions and continued construction . The hospital was opened in 1979 but was in serious financial trouble by 1987, which prompted Roberts to announce to his TV audience that God would “call him home” if he did not raise $8 million in a given amount of time to help keep his hospital operational. He did not, God didn’t call him, and the hospital closed in 1989.

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Photos

Tulsa Zoo
This tiger would have liked me for lunch -- old meat or not!

Puff Adder
No need to tell all my South African family and friends what this is.

Arkansas River
Runs through Tulsa

City Plex Towers
This side of the building was called the Victory Christian Center. It was a bit of a mystery what went on in there. I tried to get in to look around, but was told that I couldn't enter because I didn't have a badge!

City Plex Towers 2
From the grounds of Oral Roberts University. The tallest buildings is a 60 story structure. All of the glass is gold coloured so the whole thing really shines in the sunshine

Grounds
The grounds around the buildings were absolutely beautiful.

Fountains
This whole complex is built around the number 3, so needless to say there are three of these fountains.

Oral Roberts University
The ORU is across the street from the former City of Faith. Evangelical followers still send their kids here, I don't know anything about the university, I didn't see a lot of students but I was there on Sunday.

ORU
This fountain was outside the learning center, it is 3 sided and has twelve slots to represent the 12 Apostles. The perpetual flame is in the center, I don't know if it is visible.

My view
This is my parking spot in Tulsa. Not exactly as attractive as some of the views through my windshield have been.