Dallas 2012

We flew from SFO to the cowboy city Dallas in the state of Texas. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South of the U.S. Daddy had to take a flight to another city and work elsewhere though, so he made us stay in the hotel.

Dallas 2012/08/15 - 2012/08/16

Southwest Airlines destination map tissue

Mom got a brochure from the hotel lobby about the Fort Worth Stockyards famously known as the "Cowtown" tour. She tried calling the tour agency trying to make an appointment for the tour but the number could not be reached. So we planned on going there by train ourselves. The way the brochure was advertised seemed to be very promising. I was in the mood for pink that day w(^０^)w ｰ♪

I purposely picked an outfit that appeared somewhat cowgirl like. They normally wear squared shirts like mine don't they? ~~~ヾ＾∇＾

At the train station waiting for the train to come (´ ▽｀).。ｏ♪♪

Inside of the train o(^▽^)o

Mommy and Rania（★￣∀￣★）

As we arrived, we had to take a bus and then walk a couple of blocks to get to the Fort Worth Stockyards. First thing we saw was a cowboy Longhorn Saloon.

The district wasn't really as much as I expected it to be. I thought I'd be seeing cowboys tending cattles on ranches like in the movies, but it's actually simply just a place with a former livestock market which operated under various owners. Honestly, it was kind of disappointing (／(ｴ)＼) The red building Rania was pointing at was the Thirsty Armadillo which is a bar that serves daily drink specials and Entertainment.

The Fort Worth Stockyards is the history book of the livestock industry in Texas. Each chapter is represented by the original bricks and mortar, the wood corrals, the men, and the music that are all still a part of the Stockyards today.

An antique looking red car σ(ﾟｰ^*)

The Stockyards consist of mainly entertainment and shopping venues that capitalize on the "Cowtown" image of Fort Worth. ﾟ+｡:.ﾟヽ(*´∀`)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟ

We basically took pictures of everything that has cowboy images/shapes in it（○●＾▽＾●○）./

M.L. Leddy's in Sundance Square, is a shop where each custom made boot and saddle is completely handmade from start to finish, using the finest materials available, by craftsmen who, through years of experience, are truly experts in their field. They say that their boots, saddles, hats, and tack have been the choice of Presidents, Kings, celebrities, ranchers, businessmen, and professional horsemen all over the world. While the Tattoo Ranch is the most upscale, historical tattoo studio in North Texas.

Rania jumping in front of the entrance *:゜☆ヽ(*’∀’*)/☆゜:。*。

The Love Shack is a little ol' place where you can get...the best burger in Fort Worth! Chef Tim Love's outdoor burger joint has it all -- burgers, hot dogs, shakes, homemade fries and cold beer. (^O^)／C□☆□D＼(^_^ )

Boards with nice drawings (｡_∀_｡) ♡

About the Fort Worth Stock Yards Entrance

Mommy sitting on a bench 米＾−＾米

Fincher’s White Front Western Wear is located in the heart of the district. The huge white two-story building with the rust horse mannequin houses their western store, which has been in operation since 1902. Fincher’s stocks a full line of western wear from infant to adults. At Fincher’s they serve you the old-fashioned way, from hand-created hats to properly fitted boots under the brand names as Wrangler, Cinch, Cruel Girls, Roper, Stetson, Resistol, Rockies, Justin, Tony Lama, Nocona, and Rios of Mercedes.

My random pose in front of the Stockyards Museum ♪(ﾟ▽^*)ﾉ⌒☆

La Plaza Craft Mall ＼（○＾ω＾○）／

The Texas Trail of Fame was established in 1997 to honor those who have made a significant contribution to Stockyard's Western way of life. Throughout the walkways of the Fort Worth National Historic District, bronze inlaid markers have been placed in honor of their achievements.

Coca-cola car ∠( ﾟдﾟ)/

Sitting on a Texas Longhorn Steer accompanied by a cowboy talking in a heavy cowboy accent 人(￣ω￣;)

Snowcones ~~旦_(∩_∩ )

the snowcones truck and the choice of flavors (=^〜^)o∀ so many of them...

So we ordered the rainbow snowcones ~(* ￣)-3旦ε-(￣ *)ﾌ

Sluurpping it up ｰ(*^Q^)c[]

In front of the Cowtown Cattlepen Maze ☆⌒d(*^ｰﾟ)b

Plenty of shops and restaurants ♪☆彡(ﾉﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉ☆

Rania riding the horse chariot °ﾟ°｡｡ヾ( ~▽~)ﾂ ♪

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad in the Fort Worth Stockyards Station. The train wasn't there cause it was traveling along the historic Cotton Belt Route between Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards. The Railroad is serviced by two vintage locomotives which include "Puffy" the 1896 Steam locomotive and oldest continously operating steam engine in the South, and a 1953 GP-7 diesel locomotive. Passengers enjoy riding in authentic 1920s and 1930s Victorian - style coaches as they take a step back in time and experience train travel as it was in the glory days of the expanding West.

Rania posing on a saddle in front of the Trail Boss Burgers home of the Buffalo Burger. ヽ(*ﾟｰﾟ*)ﾉ

Rodeo Zone v(=∩_∩=)

Inside one of the stores (v￣ω￣) ♪

Rania in front of the Candy Barrel store ☆d(o⌒∇⌒o)b ★

A candy connoisseur and a child's dream. Complete selection of candies, taffy and suckers. ♪〜（＊￣￣￣￣￣ε￣￣￣￣￣＊）

A fun looking cow Λ(＿Δ＿)Λ

A fun looking window ♪♪ｖ(⌒ｏ⌒)ｖ♪♪

Sister cities, you can see Bandung, Indonesia listed there (○ﾟε＾○)v

Livestock Exchange Building an adobe-style building was constructed in 1902 as a center for cattle traders. It was the central location for all activity in the Stockyards and often referred to as "The Wall Street of the West.” Today, the building houses professional services and the North Fort Worth Historical Society Museum, which features artifacts from the beginning of the development of the Stockyards.

Wrong way sign （×ω×）

The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame pays tribute to over 70 cowboys and cowgirls. The museum is located in Barn A, in what was once the horse and mule barns in the Stockyards. (￣▽￣)ノ

the Jersey Lilly Old Time Photo Parlor which provides Antique Sepia Tone Photos of the Old West service with costumes and props of gamblers, gunfighters, saloon girls, fancy ladies and Southern bells, Annie Oakley, gentlemen and soldiers and more! (￣▼￣)ノ

A good cowboy can 'read' the cattle. He knows where the cattle need to get to but the cattle will help choose the path. They will follow familiar trails. The cowboy uses his horse to 'push' the cattle in the direction and speed he wants. A good cowboy knows how hard to push different ages of cattle. Cows that move among familiar pastures regularly almost move themselves. Cowboys get the cattle gathered into a herd and then there are usually outriders on the sides to keep the cattle headed the right direction and then there are trailing riders who push the cattle at the proper speed. The following picture shows what the positions are called.（●｀・ω・´●）

On our way back to the entrance (￣￣)………(￣∇￣)

Us in front of the entrance again (ｖ＿ー＿ｖ）

Me sitting on a shoe shine chair in front of the White Elephant Saloon. v(*ё*)v

Rania in front of The Maverick Fine Western Wear, established in 1987. They carry a wide variety of products that enhance the western lifestyle and feature most of the top brands in men's and women's apparel and accessories. They also offer their own label on the finest quality of custom made hats, boots and jewelry as well as the finest in leather and fur coats for men and women.

Cowgirl Longhorn, the logo has same pink color as my shirt (￣￣▽￣￣)

Inside one of the stores, a funky looking Texas Longhorn Steer (*￣(ｴ)￣)/ﾟ･:*

Trapped in the jail ﾑ━━━[○･｀Д´･○]━━━ヵ

Me sitting on a giant belt (*ﾟ▽ﾟ)/ﾟ･:*

Wooden roof ヽ(*ﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉ~▽▼▽

Rania posing in front of the White Elephant Saloon ヾ(*~∀~*)ゞ

Back at the entrance :*:((( ¨)/。.:*:・'☆

A cowboy wrestling a bull monument ¬♪(。TωT)ﾉ☆･ﾟ:*:

Rodeo Plaza plank and Rania .☆.+:^ヽ(∇￣*)o♪

Back at the train station waiting for the train to come ¬♪(｡･_･)ﾉ☆･ﾟ:*:ﾟ

We intended to go to the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament which is a family dinner theater featuring staged medieval-style games, sword-fighting, and jousting performed by a cast of 75 actors and 20 horses. But we missed the show schedule so we went to Denny's for dinner instead. Ordered the pancake puppies with ice cream for dessert
（　ﾟ∀ﾟ）つ　(■) (■) (■) (■) (■)