Yeehaw, Cowgirl!

Despite the deeply northern, European, and liberal blue blood that flows in my veins, my heart and planes keep taking me to the big ol' heart of the south: Texas.

My second of at least three trips to the Lone Star State took me to both the most conservative and the most gay city therein: Dallas (not kidding), and by extension the small city of Granbury. Personal days put in for and approved, I decided to escape the cold and snow of March in Massachusetts to visit the snow bird home of my girlfriend's dad. The 80 degree weather was a welcome, welcome thing as I absorbed the sun and left behind the worries of teaching 8th grade.

After celebrating St. Patrick's Day with green margaritas, my first full day in Texas dawned and we headed to Fossil Rim Wildlife Park. If you ever get a chance to go here, do it. Guys, I pet a zebra and gave it snacks and this is allowed.

We travelled around the park in the back of a pick up truck. No joke. The trip only got more Texas from here. 

Me, feeding some type of antelope (of which there are many). This was as close to a selfie as I could manage.

 I was, at the end of this day, understandbly sunburned. It was worth it to see all the animals and take countless photos. We saw giraffes being fed and the cheetah conservation area. All of us, however, were overheated and needed to cool down before the hour long trek back to the house.

This brought us to Big Rocks Park, a park that becomes a swimming hole and contains (unsurpsingly) big rocks that have been eroded both by the rocks and, reportedly, by freaking dinosaurs. It was amazing.

Katie showing off in the swimming hole

On the following day we decided to take it easy and head in town for General Granbury's Birthday celebration. The town had a market set up around the town square with things like homemade fudge, really awesome sheets, and different handicrafts. I thoroughly enjoyed getting the feel for the town and only wished I had more room in my luggage for market finds.

We stopped for a late lunch at the new restaurant in town: The Fillin Station. This was Texas cuisine and beer at its finest.

When I die, this queso is what they will serve in heaven

It was easy to pass time on the patio. People were classically friendly and the tap selections provided us with endless local brews to sample. Why did we need to pass the time, you ask? Well, I did say that this trip got a whole lot more Texas, and it did.

This was way more entertaining than you might think

The General's birthday caps off with the rodeo's presentation of "Bulls on the Beach" in downtown Granbury on the beach of the huge, manmade lake. My friend from Houstom claims that to make it "the most Texas," we needed cowboy hats, boots, and Lonestar beer. Regardless, we were close and I'm still not sorry for the bull riding that littered my Snapchat story that night.

The bulls kept going until sunset and we headed back to the house to relax for the night before our big day at the Stockyards.

The Stockyards are part tourist trap, part public drinking, part old time Texas, part great shopping. In total, they were awesome and we embraced every second.

Many of those seconds contained Texas beer.

I somehow ended up with my very own Cowboy hat, rode a Texas Longhorn (!!), and spent more money than I'm willing to admit buying Texas spices and BBQ sauce. It felt like we had stumbled upon the set of a Western movie. Then I was informed Walker Texas Ranger used to film at The White Elephant and everything made more sense.

Plently of people came from all over to enjoy a day at the Stockyards. The place had its fair share of locals as well, being a popular watering hole for Katie's uncle and his friends.

On my final day in Texas: Part Two, we headed into the city early to explore before my flight that evening. Dallas was stunning.

It was awe inspiring to visit the location of the Kennedy Assassination. Old historians told stories about their experiences at the monument and the shooter's window still stood eerily open. The single "X" painted white on the busy highway was a solemn reminder and hauntingly simple.

From there, we headed up Reunion Tower to take in the bigness of Texas.

This is stressful when one of you is afraid of heights

The views were worth the cost of admission. It was amazing to see the whole of Dallas sprawling below us.

Inside, the touch screen computers pointed out landmarks and gave historical background. It was so clear we could see everything with our bare eyes and the free binoculars allowed us to zoom in. If you've ever been up the Pearl Tower in Shanghai, the experience was very similar, though the landscapes below both represented their cultures. Reunion Tower thankfully forwent the see through flooring option.

From here I had to head to the airport and the snow, but I knew I would be back.

Is it November yet? I miss you, Texas...

<3 Ciao,
Fallon