All Haggis originated in Scotland thousands of years ago. During the last Ice Age they crossed over the land bridge into the Americas. As they came south, they became less hairy over the years. The healthier strain settled in Texas.
The Family of Joe T G. were the first to recognize the true potential of these little Haggis critters.
Texas Haggis in nature
They started the first ever Texas Haggis Rancho. All the cattle ranchers made fun of them. Little did the cowboys know.
The family had years earlier developed the Nacho Critters.
Nachos - caught and ready to be eaten
The only problem was that the Haggis would eat the Nachos. So they have to keep them separately. If you wonder why - with the spring breeding season, they are reproducing at an alarming rate. So from time to time, the breeders are in panic with the Runaway Nachos.
Texas Haggis - known locally as chimichangas
Our own family tradition was helping those great people with catching the Nachos every holiday season and and reducing the number of the local Haggis, as well.
Nobody makes better nachos and chimichangas. We did use to visit the place together and enjoy the food feast at least twice a year.
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The post dedicated to our brother Shrader has been inspired by the traditional history of the Scottish Haggis.
Our tribute to the food place and food makers mentioned above. Best Tex-Mex food in the world.
The idea for this alphabet post series comes from ' The Alphabet of My Emigration' by Dee Dorota L., member of The Polish Ladies Abroad Club, who has relocated to England.
I have also decided to join the project and write about My Texas Alphabet twice a week.
The area we live in is called Metroplex or North Texas Metropolitan Area (officially established in 1972). It includes twelve Texas counties and numerous contiguous cities. The Metroplex covers approximately 9 square miles/ 24.000 km2 and it is the largest metropolitan complex in the South of the US - the economical and cultural center of North Texas. It is rather crowded - about seven million people live here.
Life in the Metroplex means frequent drives from one city to another. To a store, a ballpark, a theater a doctor's surgery or you name it place. Practically, it is as if all the cities of the complex were districts of one, very large metropolitan body.
Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington are the main cities of the Metroplex. The trio reminds me of the 'my' part of Poland - so-called Tricity (Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia), situated by the Baltic Sea. The Polish metropolitan complex is much smaller though, but it is also the cultural and economical center of Northern Poland.
Dallas
The very first single log cabin was built in the area by John Neely Bryan in 1841.
When the railroad was build there (1870s), Dallas started growing into a business and market center. Nowadays, the area of Dallas makes one fifth of the entire North Texas Metroplex.
Bridge over The Trinity River - Dallas
Dallas architecture includes both older (19th century) and very modern constructions.
Former Dallas
County Courthouse - built in 1892
Some buildings of the Dallas Skyline are over 700 feet/210 metres high
Our drive into Dallas Downtown
Fort Worth
Established on the banks of the Trinity River by Brevet Major Ripley Arnold on June 16, 1849. Named after Gen. William Worth, Mexican War hero. At present, Fort Worth is the 16th largest US city (by population).
My favorite places in Fort Worth are the Botanic Gardens and the Old Stockyards.
I wrote more about Fort Worth in the following posts:
Situated on the Trinity River, between Dallas and Fort Worth. The first settlement, called Bird's Fort, (very pre-Arlington times) was set up in Caddo (Native American) tribal teritory. Later, in 1876, the town was established. Arlington is known for its sports and entartainment spots. Some of the most popular ones are Rangers (baseball) Ballpark, Dallas Cowboys (American football) Stadium and Six Flags Over Texas amusement ground.
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Pictures:
Trinity River, Dallas, Texas - painting by Raphael Tuck & Sons [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Downtown Dallas: By Adrian Valenzuela (Flickr: skyline - st. patrick's day) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Not far from the old Fort Worth Stockyards, there is a restaurant which we enjoy visiting. Especially when we happen to be in the area.
Joe T. Garcia's has served traditional Mexican food since 1935. Whenever we come to Joe T's, it is always packed with people, which certainly means good meals are made here.
Last weekend we also enjoyed a delicious family lunch, including (among others) chips, salsa, nachos, tacos, fajita meat, enchiladas, rice and re-fried beans.
The inner rooms of the restaurant are quite big but many visitors prefer having food on the patio, in the charming restaurant garden (even if they have to wait in line for a long time to get a table).
We did not wait though. After the feast, we just went for a walk along the garden paths (see the pictures below).
The Bass Performance Hall building - situated not far from Sundance Square - is quite spectacular. Its facade, with two majestic angels, curved in Texas limestone, catches the attention of passersby. You simply cannot miss it. I like it a lot! The angels seem to announce: 'Hark! Great events take place here! Time to enjoy the art of music and dance!'
We have visited it quite a few times - to see various ballet performances, including 'The Nutcracker' and 'Swan Lake' by Tchaikovsky. Such splendid experiences...
The Bass Hall interior is quite beautiful too - the paintings on the ceiling make it look as if it was a see-through roof.
The Bass Performance Hall area - Sundance Square of Fort Worth is also worth mentioning. It was named after Sundance Kid, member of Butch Cassidy's gang (train and bank robbers). The square mural, quite a piece of art, which you can see in the picture below, marks the Fort Worth part of the Chisholm Trail (used to drive cattle overland from Texas to Kansas - from 1867 to 1875).
What are your favorite places in For Worth? Which ones would you like to visit?
There are quite a few places in Forth Worth which we like visiting. One of them is Stockyards National Historic District - the area of Old West livestock market (which worked till 1866). While walking along Exchange Avenue, and admiring the western style architecture (including traditional boardwalks), you can really feel the spirit of the old times.
The local stores have a wide range of items on offer: from Texas souvenirs, and fancy cowboy and cowgirl outfits, to art gallery pieces.
The Stockyards Station, these days a market center with various shops and restaurants, is quite a place. When we were last visiting it, we could also listen to some open-air, live country music concert.
Although trains no longer stop at the station, you can still find a railway track of the Grapevine Vintage Railroad there.
Needless to say, Stockyards National Historic District is not only about shopping and eating. It is much more than that of course. There is also a rodeo place, where (on Friday and Saturday evenings) professional cowgirls and cowboys compete and present their skills.
You can learn more about past rodeo stars - watch pictures, videos and memorabilia - at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Next time when we happen to go to the Stockyards, I need to take a photo of some markers which are placed in the sidewalks. They are the Texas Trail of Fame, honoring the persons who contributed in a special way to the Western style of life. Maybe I will also be lucky to have a picture taken at the place, where Texas cattle specimens pose/present themselves (usually, children take over the place).
There is a lot to explore at the Stockyards in Fort Worth!
