Throughout the stockyards, there is a cat walk which allows you to walk above the cattle to the stadium where the actual product is sold. Below you are thousands of cattle in pens, and you can watch as the workers sort the cattle by type. Further on down, you can watch as the cattle is identified and weighed for the actual auction. While I was there, they were selling 7,500 cattle. I was told that in the spring they usually have about 20,000 cattle there.

Inside the stadium, you can watch the actual auctioning. They move and sell these cattle so quickly, it was hard to identify who was actually bidding. (I guess these guys don't raise their hands.) And, of course, you have no idea what the auctioneer is saying!

If you go into the adjacent office building, you can get a book on the history of the Stockyards and a brochure on Stockyards City. This city has many neat shops which offer apparel, equipment, supplies, and dining.

The Stockyards are free of charge, and, although some say that tours are available, I couldn't find them. But it's quite easy to get around on your own. Boots are not necessary as you walk above the cattle. Just be prepared for a distinct smell and an overwhelming roar of the "moo" sound.

We entered from the East Gate Entrance and looked across the reflecting pool to the other gate. The gates are large bronze rectangles with smaller rectangles cut out to allow people to enter. Etched on the east gate is 9:01 and on the west, 9:03. The explosion occurred at 9:02 a.m.

One hundred and sixty eight chairs are are placed in nine rows along the south side of the reflecting pool, representing the 168 lives taken on the nine floors of the building. Nineteen of those chairs are smaller in size to represent the children who were killed.

On the north side of the pool stands a lone tree, the Survivor Tree. It was the only one to remain standing in the area.

On the other side of the west gate a fence runs along the street. Visitors and relatives have left moments and notes to acknowledge the destruction of the bombing. One of the saddest things was to see a baby bottle with a note inside tied to the fence with a ribbon.

I visited not too long ago and even today some of the surrounding buildings have not been repaired. Only a small part of the Murrah building remains. On the other side of the wall is a fenced in yard called "The Children's Playground". This truly moved me.

It was not a pleasant experience to visit the memorial, but it was nice to pay tribute to those who died, those who lost, and those who fought.