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Did I tell you it was .. TRUCK MONTH? |
Another big blue sky this morning. What am I going to do with myself today.
Some photo's below of the scape around my hotel so you can get a feel for the vastness....
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| From the rear of the hotel... this kind of space is usual |
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| more from the back of the hotel |
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| From the front looking up the Dallas Parkway to Plano There is about 7 lanes each way |
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| From the front looking down the Dallas Parkway to Dallas |
The taxi's are generally unreliable so I was at a loss and then decided to bite the bullet and go to the Texas State Fair. Had the hotel order a taxi to take me in, my plan was to word up the driver (considering the size of the fare - about $60) to see if he would be in the Fair area about 7pm so I can call him to pick me up, if all failed I would train it as close as I could get to Plano (would leave me 9 miles short) and then call the hotel and beg for a courtesy pick up.
The gods were on my side, got a great driver (Jordanian) who is in the middle of completing his paperwork to immigrate to Australia... couldn't do enough for me, even asked if I would like to join his family for lunch tomorrow :)
The Fair Ground is about 27miles from Plano on the other side of the Dallas CBD. The freeway was fine until we got closer in and realised with the Texas Rangers playing this afternoon, EVERYONE seemed to be heading for Arlington Ballpark and blogging our exits!
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| Gate 6 - Entry Point |
Fair entry - $15, and then you have to buy coupons to go on any rides, play any sideshow games or get food and drink.
The only places accepting cash or credit were the Coupon Kiosks.
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| The garbage bin... |
$10 gives you 20 coupons and they don't last long
- Beer = 10 coupons (if you want to drink Miller or Miller Lite or Bud..bluh!!)
- Lemonade (American style which I do love) = 6 coupons
- Fried anything = 8 to 14 coupons
- Frozen margaritas = 13 coupons
- Most rides > 12 coupons
- Most sideshow games > 6 coupons (almost every woman and child in the place seemed to have won one of those huge stuff toys)
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| Isn't he Gorgeous... |
First stop was the bird show. Just caught the last couple of minutes. This fella was my pick up the bunch; you might just see the talons wrapped around his keeper's glove.
Then it was down one of the hundreds of sideshow and food alleys.
I spent 5 hours here are I think I made it around about half of the fair... it must be about 4 times the size of the Sydney Royal Easter show.
There are home improvement halls, auto shows, dog shows, creatives, aquariums, reptile centres, many many country bands, a train exhibition, indigenous peoples shows and the usual heaps and heaps of crap :)
I did ride the skyway across to the other side of the Fair, but didn't like the look of the queue for the ferris wheel so gave that one a miss. Would have been some great shots of the fair and Dallas from up there... oh well
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| Early in the afternoon - come 4pm this was packed with people |
Wandered into the automobile show and what should I see but the Chevrolet's. Mmmmm this Pontiac is super cool!!! I have seen them on the road from time to time and they look great....
International boulevard where I thought you would find international food etc stands... oh no..... just more and more fried food.... but oh... that's right there were Belgian Waffles :0)
Talking of fried food - check out the below.... the food stand all where trying to out do each other with what they could fry. I did try fried marshmallows.... sugary goo in a crisp batter....mmmm..... wont be doing that again. The queues for the fried oreos and snickers were just crazy.
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| Fried Lemonade anyone? |
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| Check out the queues for this stuff.... amazing... what did I say about Americans and Carbs |
On to the Dog Show ... did take some good video to share so lets see if that works... you may have to turn your head to watch it cause I cant figure out how to rotate it.
4 Dobermans, 1 of them was a gold colour which I have never seen before, a mini collie and a long haired chihuahua and then there was also Barbie.
Lots of great tricks, and I was going to stay for the greasy pig race but meant another hour hanging around this area which was wall to wall people, so passed and headed back to the other side of the fair. Took me about 75 min to get over the other side.
Met up with my taxi driver about 7 and finally safe back at the hotel. Was looking to see what great boots or hats I could get at the fair... so a few interesting things... but when it came down to it $$ and having to carry it around the show meant I lost interest pretty quick.... so Ma... no 10 gallon hat (yet!). Though I did get myself a custom made belt (leather) for $25 which I thought a bargain. Didn't get a fancy belt buckle though... you need to see the pattern on the leather so know that would be just TOO much.
Was going to head to the movies tonight with some girls from work, but they over loaded on the fried food at the fair so have given it a miss. They arrived as I was leaving and were heading straight to the nearest fried butter stand :<
Pizza delivered for dinner tonite as by the time I was in the mood for dinner the shuttle had stopped running between the hotel and Legacy.
Note to self - Aussies do better pizza!!!
Good night y'all.
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