We’re in Tulsa for this post. There are a lot of things to see in the Tulsa area and I know we didn’t get to hardly any of them. Some are the usual tourist things, some I think are a little less known.

Let’s start with a bronze buffalo. This buffalo is only a few years old and commemorates the 100th year of Oklahoma’s statehood. It’s called Guardian of the Plains. Hope you like it.

Turning the corner in Sapulpa, we run across this sight.

We wander down the road a ways and end up in Catoosa. Like many communities along Route 66, there are many empty and run down businesses. Catoosa is no exception. This first one I would liked to have gone to.

Here’s a close up of the sign.

I think many of us know someone that might like to open a BBQ joint. If not BBQ, then maybe the business next door. It’s got his name written all over it!

Just down the road a bit is what I would probably call the most famous Route 66 attraction in Catoosa.

I bet it was a really cool place to go when it first opened up.

However, these days you cannot swim in the water.

Here’s what would have been the snack bar.

Donations take care of the grounds. If there is extra, it goes to the upkeep of the whale. What they’d like is enough money to restore the ark. Yes .. there is an ark.

Here are some more shots in Catoosa.

All this driving around sure works up an appetite. So we found a proper diner to go to.

Here are some shots of the diner.

One of the things that I have noticed during this trip is the number of abandoned buildings just left to decay and fall on their own. There are, however, other buildings that have been retasked to other businesses. The next picture, I think, is one of those.

Another thing I noticed was that some communities still embrace Route 66, yet others appear to ignore their heritage. Tulsa falls into the former category as the next picture shows.

No idea what this next picture is supposed to represent. Pizza and a soda, perhaps.

We then met up with some friends. The wifey and myself met them in Prague .. 5 years ago now. We last saw them about 4 years ago, I think. I lost their email address due to computer complications. Anyway, we contacted them and went into Tulsa for dinner. We went to the Blue Dome district. Here’s the Blue Dome.

And where there is a landmark .. there will be a diner with the same name!

I’m told that it is a really good diner. I will just have to check it out next time I’m in town. But, that’s not where we ate. Here are some shots as we walk back to our restaurant.

No .. we didn’t eat there.

Didn’t eat there either. Notice they have organic bread! :O)

Nope .. not there. Although I do like BBQ. So many places to eat .. so little time!

Yeah .. this is where we ate. It’s a place called Joe Mama. It’s pretty much a pizza place.

We had a .. yes, we did .. vegetarian pizza. It was called the Natalie Portman. It has Momma’s red sauce, mozzarella and feta cheese, green, red, and yellow peppers, Roma tomatoes, black olives, red onion, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and spinach. It would have been really good with pepperoni and sausage, but I guess that would defeat the purpose of it being a veggie pizza! :O)

The next one is called the Judgement Day. It has spice red sauce, sliced hot links, red hot buffalo chicken, pepperoni, red bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers. Had a nice kick to it without being too hot.

The children’s pizza was Summer Vacation. It’s pretty much a Hawaiian pizza. This one differs, though. It has chopped ham, breakfast bacon (how that differs from other bacon, I have no clue), chicken, sliced pineapple, and mandarin oranges. It was pretty good.

Of course, the only one that didn’t get finished was the Natalie Portman. Who would’ve guessed?!?

This next picture is for my wife.

Now, the family we were with has a very talented daughter (16). She painted the next picture. And I am sure my photograph doesn’t do it justice.

That’s it for the Tulsa area. Next time we leave Tulsa and end up in Elk City.