Dallas is certainly different to Fort Worth even though it's just down the freeway! Arrived here on Wednesday afternoon to be met by Susan who had just flown in from Sydney.
Headed out to the Sixth Floor Museum which is a display on what happened when John F Kennedy was shot as he arrived in Dallas back n 1963. The museum was really well done using lots of photos, audio and footage from the time which gave you a good understanding why there was some unrest at the time as well as the number of people out cheering the President and Mrs Kennedy as they arrived in town. The museum is actually in the old book depository, the building where the shots came from (whoever did it was a pretty good shot). They explore the conspiracy theory and whether or not Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone or not (I'm not convinced he did) but we will never know. The window is the top floor right hand window in the photo below.
Bishop Arts in South Dallas was the next stop which had a few blocks of independently owned shops, no chains or malls, with some really interesting artisan shops and galleries. We actually saw people on bikes and walking, lots with dogs, which was something of a novelty in our time in Dallas (we later learned everything is so spread out people drive everywhere there are few footpaths and no cycle (or bus) lanes). Lots of groovy little restaurants there full of locals.
We were staying at the Belmont Hotel in South Dallas which is apparently experiencing a bit of revitalisation (Susan's taxi driver had told her no one stays in South Dallas). It's a restored art deco motel which used to be on the main Fort Worth - Dallas road. It was great, the service and staff were great and the hotel really quiet and pretty reasonable - just in case anyone is coming to Dallas. Oh and we even got to see the NBL trophy which was supposedly very exciting. That's the trophy on the left with the Dallas skyline in the background.
But the best was to come the following day - the Texas State Fair! Hot diggety dog.....from the moment we got to the train station we knew were in for a treat. Everyone on the train was so friendly and of course as soon as we opened our mouths they knew we weren't from Texas and by the time we arrived at the Fair everyone knew that there were two Australians aboard and we had all sorts of tips on what to do for the day. Not dissimilar to the Sydney Royal Easter Show there were arts and crafts, animals, shows, rides and games and expensive food and drinks - just no show bags.
Donna, my new best Texan friend who I had met at the Conference, was participating in the Cobbler cook off (a bit like master chef in ways 16 participants, a bench and an oven each and off they go) so we raced off to see the end of the competition and hear the results, and what do you know her peach cobbler got a highly recommended and her blackberry cobbler won champion cobbler of the show. And then because we were part of her crew we got to taste them and they were sensational a bit like a crumble.
Here's Donna with her Championship Cobbler.
The Texas State Fair was really something else, we literally had people welcoming us to Texas with a yee ha or three. As it was seniors and pension day so they all got in free and also junior judging day at the livestock pavillion there were some very interesting people around. We saw kids leading steers more than twice their size, kids showing all varieties of 'swine' and all the girls with either bling in their hair, on their belt or on their vest, it appeared to be a dress requirement!
But really the highlight (or lowlight) was the fried food. It is just amazing, there is a competition each year for new fried foods and you can find everything fried here. Lemonade, butter, tacos, moonshine pie, pumpkin pie and the winner of the most creative for this yea bubblegum!! We were Only brave enough to try the pumpkin pie which wasn't as bad as expected but chatted to and watched people with interest sampling the butter and bubblegum.
We finished off out Dallas experience by jumping off the train in downtown and it was the most unusual experience, all these very tall shiny buildings, lots of cars on the road but no people. it was quite bizarre basically there are no pedestrians as Dallas is so spread out everyone just drives, there aren't many footpaths and no taxis cruising the streets. The deserted feel didn't do much for us.
Ending my Texan experience I have to say it was quite something and better than I had expected. Everyone was particularly friendly and I got to see and do some amazing things. Flew out of Dallas this morning and now on route to Ecuador for the start of the South American adventure - shame my Spanish is so poor.....
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe Harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”. Mark Twain
Location:Dallas, Texas
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