Messin' with Texas, Day 2

After surviving my first day in Texas, we fortified ourselves with some amazing home-made sausage biscuits, and once again braved the Texas traffic to go the historic Stockyards in Fort Worth.

There were immediate indications that I was no longer in Canada, Toto:

The Stockyards celebrate Texas history, especially that surrounding the Chisholm trail and the associated cattle and cowboys.  

The Cowtown Coliseum is still used to hold rodeos and other events.  Unfortunately, none were scheduled during my visit ;)

 
I did have a chance to practise my bull riding...

... but after he turned and glared at me simply for taking his photo, I decided not to :)

One neat attraction is the Texas Trail of Fame, and I was impressed at the number of names I actually recognized!  And yes, I do know who Audie Murphey is! 

 

There are a number of shops and restaurants (fantastic pulled pork sandwich for lunch, along with the fried okra I stole from Ms. PB's plate.  I know - fried okra!  But it was really good!!).   And of course, most of the shops were decorated for Christmas, in a very Texan way :)

Other attractions included a small petting zoo, a cattle pen maze, and the Fort Worth Jail, into which we immediately forced Mr. PB. 

Also on site is Billy Bob's, the world's largest honky-tonk.  No, I'm sorry, I have no idea what makes a bar a honky-tonk, rather than just a bar.  I think that's insider information that they do not divulge to foreigners like me. 

It is large enough to have real bull riding inside, but once again, unfortunately, none were available for me to ride...

A number of famous entertainers have graced the stage over the years, and they are immortalized with handprints in the Wall of Fame.  (Please note, I'm not a big country music fan, so this might be a bit more interesting to those of you who are.  Also, you would have recognized  more of the names on the handprints.  I struck out after Styx, Cheap Trick, Huey Lewis and Johnny Cash.)

But there was a small photo of a guy I recognized - yes, indeed, that is Buddy Holly!

However. the real stars of the Stockyards weren't to be found in any honky-tonk.  There were in the cattle pen, resting up for their big moment.

Yes, real, live Texas Longhorns!!

And when they say everything is bigger in Texas, they mean those horns!  Yikes!!

 

Twice a day, the Longhorns are taken for a casual stroll cattle-drive down the main street of the Stockyards. 

And it's a good thing these cattle are good-natured, for they get really close.

I don't think the bride is a normal part of the cattle drive, but I may be wrong ;)

After a long day immersed in some Texas history, we wrangled back through the highway system to the Poodlebug lair, where upon Ms. PB made a delicious, authentic southern meal for me:  fried chicken!!!  Yes, I am sorry to say, real fried chicken is not really a Canadian thing, and as KFC doesn't count, I hadn't had the pleasure before this trip.

A cast iron chicken fryer is now on my Christmas wish list, and one of the local chickens I bought is destined for a bath in hot oil!

And thus ended day two...