The cowboy next to me yelled “Yeehaw” and I knew then that if I was going to do something, it had to be here in “Cowtown”. I threw on my hat and followed, taking a deep breath before calling, “Yeee-haw.” Embarrassing My voice broke… As they say in Texas, I was “All hat, no cattle” – but since the real cowboy of the rodeo was holding a bull that looked ready to send it into space, maybe it was for the best.
Plus, my whirlwind week in the Lone Star State taught me that Texas has a lot more to offer than just longhorns and archers. And it starts in Dallas. So try to keep up! For those new to Texas, this is huge. As I approached Dallas on the freeway, the skyline no longer looked like the big city I expected, but more like the center of a large model village.
As if I’d been plonked there by a giant, it was clear that easing myself into the city would be pointless.
I had just two days to make the most of my visit – and what better way to throw myself into the city than to visit the State Fair of Texas.
Since 1886, its origins in cattle sales and humble local crafts have grown into one of the largest cultural displays in Texas. With a whopping 2.3 million visitors just this year, its massive attractions, physics-challenging fried food and slightly terrifying 55ft cowboy statue quickly reminded me that I no longer live in the green surroundings of my English hometown. I was told that if I had to try one thing here, it would have to be the Corn Dog, a sausage fried in cornmeal and oil. It was delicious, but be warned, there was a heated debate among the Texas leftovers – ketchup or mustard? I went with the mustard, but if chaos is your thing, go for both
