I was born in rural Somerset, so I feel far more at home in Fort Worth than I do in Dallas. OK, we didn't have that many longhorn cattle or ranches the size of Belgium where I grew up but you get the idea.
The Stockyards area of Fort Worth is where they used to load thousands of cattle onto trains for the long ride up to the slaughterhouses of Chicago. It was still a big livestock market up until the mid-80s, but now it has been redeveloped as a heritage area and (of course!) shopping mall. If you want a Stetson and boots, this is the place to get them.
They also boast "the world's only twice-daily cattle drive". I'm not sure "drive" is the right word to describe the 20-odd longhorn cattle that ambled down the road with mildly concealed boredom. But there were cowboys there, so I guess it counts. After all that excitement we retired to Booger Red's for another of their giant margaritas...
This is cowboy country. Or actors-pretending-to-be-cowboys country, at least.
Know your cattle drive!
The latest inductee into the cowboy hall of fame.
I had enough barbecue for lunch, thanks.
Hannah's gone all Texan.
A cowgirl!
They're God-fearing folks here.
Do not pass go.
Ahhhhh - stampede!
Big Jake the bull. $5 to sit on him.
Two shady characters. Maybe this really is the wild west!
Vince's mum and dad Dick and Anne (whose wonderful hospitality we've enjoyed all trip!) with their small margaritas.
Local decorations.
