Yippee yiyaa! We got to Texas. Good friends, cowboys (‘koboys’ as Mark says in Turkish), and BBQ are on our agenda. To orient us to the lower gas prices, we passed LOTS of pumping oil wells and refineries aglow with blue burning gas burnoffs. First to Ft. Worth area to see Karen and her Mark, with Danielle and furry kids: Rainbow and Mokey (small panther). Despite Mark’s past dog relationships on this trip, he and the cats quickly bonded.
Karen and her Mark introduced us to a hugemongous high-end grocery store called Central Market. It was like a Whole Foods on steroids. Just the potato area had probably 14 different types of potatoes. The assortment of organic fruits and vegetables (many from California!), meats, fish, breads was amazing. But add to that the isles of different coffees, teas, and spices and you can understand why we had a difficult time leaving that nirvana. We barely made it out alive!
Ft.Worth did not disappoint. What a fun town! First on the agenda was the Stockyards. This is where,between 1866 and 1890 more than 4 million head of cattle were trailed through. The railroad was added in 1876 and runs through the stockyards to be the main transport of these critters. Today, herds are bought and sold virtually using video of the herds to generate interest. So, no more smelly herds hanging around the stockyards.
While the city has turned the cattle pens to souvenir shops and restaurants, there is still a distinct odor of previous inhabitants. And, this is helped by the daily cattle drives through the stockyard streets, complete with longhorn cattle and cowboys (girls) on horseback herding them down the streets. Meantime, there is livestock: cattle and horses, regularly sharing the street with cars. Cars leave carbon dioxide, cows and horses leave…fertilizer. So you have to watch where you step (one of the Marks can tell you that story). Only in Texas!!
In the evening, we get into downtown that is quite a lively area with live music and outdoor eating. Lots of folks on the street enjoying the warm weather and festive street scene. Ft. Worth has done a great job of bringing life into the city by converting old buildings to condos, free parking at night, open seating areas for entertainment, and beautifully restored buildings. Throckmorten was rocking!! But the best mojitoes were Karen's secret recipe Mixed by the Marks.
Food and Drink: Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant is an institution near the Stockyards in Ft. Worth. They serve only 2 dinner choices - fajitas (beef, chicken or combo), enchiladas (including tacos, beans, rice). The food is great, and the restaurant setting is beautiful with outdoor seating in gardens with pools and fountains. What a great way to relax, with tasty marguerittas, and enjoy Ft. Worth.
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